With the high school girls basketball season past the halfway mark, and Omicron appearing to subside, there's hope remaining weeks of the schedule and postseason will resemble years past. And of course, state championships are the main goal for most
teams, with spots in the MaxPreps Top 25 rankings just a little something else to brag
about.
Which brings us around to a point we don't make often enough: The teams in the MaxPreps Top 25 are definitely among the best teams in the country — but there are probably dozens more that deserve serious consideration. Some schools can't travel, due to state rules or financial limitations, and others have only a few games available outside of league play. And of course, a few really good teams suffer a bad loss on a banked-in three at the buzzer, or a poorly timed twisted ankle, and can never quite recover.
So yes, we think these 25 teams deserve their spots — but that doesn't mean there aren't several others who would fit right in as well.
Sidwell Friends' Kiki Rice bring the ball up court against Hopkins.
Photo by Josh Johnson
Record: 11-0 |
Last week: 1
The Quakers went to Minnesota, beat No. 5 Hopkins 67-55 on its home floor, and then, at the same event, took down previous No. 2 DeSoto for the second time. Next up? No. 4 St. John-Vianney on Saturday.
2. Etiwanda (Calif.)
Record: 18-0 |
Last week: 3
The Eagles slipped past Cathedral Catholic 59-56 and now host a tough Bishop Montgomery team Saturday. SoCal teams don't have to look very far to find challenges.
3. St. John-Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.)
Record: 12-0 |
Last week: 4
After dismantling Christ the King 77-50 on Sunday, the Lancers move on to face No. 1 Sidwell Friends on Saturday, with a chance to make a case to be No. 1 in the country.
4. DeSoto (Texas)
Record: 22-2 |
Last week: 2
The Eagles have lost to No.1 Sidwell Friends twice, once in Washington, D.C., and once in Minnesota. Now they're back in Texas for the rest of the season with a 6A title first and foremost in their minds.
5. Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.)
Record: 13-1 |
Last week: 5
The Royals are in a slump: They've lost two of their last 92. But losing to No. 1 Sidwell Friends doesn't drop them in the rankings, though stumbling Feb. 2 against 13-1 crosstown rival Minnetonka sure would.
6. DME Academy (Daytona Beach, Fla.)
Record: 20-1|
Last week: 6
IMG Academy was in the national rankings earlier in the season, so DME's trip there Thursday will be a challenge.
7. La Jolla Country Day (La Jolla, Calif.)
Record: 16-2|
Last week: 7
The Torreys will finish the regular season in San Diego, and their first set of playoff games will also be against San Diego teams. But after that comes the Southern California Regionals, which will be, as usual, a war.
8. Classen SAS (Oklahoma City)
Record: 14-1 |
Last week: 8
The Comets continue to shine as the regular season winds down. The state playoffs are the only challenge left.
9. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)
Record: 20-1 |
Last week: 9
The Trailblazers draw Windward on Feb. 1, which may or may not be coached by Vanessa Nygaard, who just took the head coaching job for the WNBA's Phoenix Mercury.
10. New Hope Academy (Landover Hills, Md.)
Record: 17-2 |
Last week: 10
Westtown has lots of talent, but then again so does New Hope — so next Tuesday's game should be worth watching.
11. Incarnate Word Academy (St. Louis)
Record: 13-0 |
Last week: 11
The Red Knights look to be several steps ahead of the Missouri competition, which is all they have left. But overconfidence can trip up even the best of teams.
12. Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)
Record: 16-3 |
Last week: 12
No. 15 Lake Highland Prep comes to Montverde on Saturday — you can't accuse Florida teams of ducking top competition.
13. Cedar Park (Texas)
Record: 25-0 |
Last week: 13
The Timberwolves next two opponents have combined for 31 losses. Make it 33.
14. Conway (Ark.)
Record: 17-1 |
Last week: 14
The Wampus Cats are likely to roll this week, but the big question remains unanswered: What exactly is a Wampus Cat?
15. Lake Highland Prep (Orlando, Fla.)
Record: 17-3 |
Last week: 15
The Highlanders finish the regular season at No. 12 Montverde on Saturday, and after that the Florida 4A competition will pale in comparison.
16. Rock Bridge (Columbia, Mo.)
Record: 15-0 |
Last week: 16
It's always great to mention the Hickman Kewpies, as how many schools have Kewpies (whatever they may be) as mascots. More important, Hickman's girls' basketball team is 11-1, and that's the Thursday opponent for Rock Bridge.
17. St. Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.)
Record: 12-3 |
Last week: 17
The Panthers are in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference, and though the WCAC isn't quite as strong as it was a couple years ago, there's still lots of talent to fuel traditional rivalries. Which is a long way of saying that anything can happen.
18. Fremont (Plain City, Utah)
Record: 14-2 |
Last week: 18
The Silverwolves have six games left before postseason, and are unlikely to lose any of them.
19. Hazel Green (la.)
Record: 25-0 |
Last week: NR
The Trojans jump into the rankings by hammering previous No. 19 Hoover 59-32. But Lee, a solid team this year, comes to Hazel Green on Tuesday.
20. Johnston (Iowa)
Record: 12-0 |
Last week: 20
The Dragons' last regular season game will be their toughest, but the trip to Dowling Catholic doesn't come until Feb. 11.
21. Woodward Academy (College Park, Ga.)
Record: 16-2 |
Last week: 21
The War Eagles only beat Forest Park at home by 13, and now travel to the Panthers' gym Wednesday.
22. Sacred Heart (Louisville, Ky.)
Record: 17-1 |
Last week: 22
Though the Valkyries look to be the class of Kentucky, both Christian Academy (Feb. 1) and Ryle (Feb. 3) have enough firepower to make things interesting.
23. Franklin Community (Franklin, Ind.)
Record: 20-1 |
Last week: 23
The Grizzly Cubs have just one regular season game left, hosting 16-4 Jennings County on Thursday.
24. Homestead (Fort Wayne, Ind.)
Record: 19-1 |
Last week: 25
The Spartans and Franklin Community are now nestled up against each other in the Top 25, but after the Indiana playoffs end, only one has a chance to remain standing.
25. Rutgers Prep (Somerset, N.J.)
Record: 9-1 |
Last week: NR
The Argonauts jump into the rankings thanks to lots of talent, a glittering record and an upcoming schedule that includes No. 1 Sidwell Friends and No. 4 St. John Vianney.
Dropped out: No. 19 Hoover (Ala.); No. 24 St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.).
