BENSALEM, Pa. – Once again the Midlands made some in the Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ basketball rankings. Only this week two teams from the Hoosier State were dropped with one joining from Illinois and another from Tennessee.

In a big shakeup in Indiana, it was a short stay for No. 20 Columbus North and No. 24 Homestead (Fort Wayne) who both added in January but must find their ways back into the Elite 25. Instead, No. 18 Blackman (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) and No. 21 Morgan Park (Chicago) have been added to the rankings.

Blackman re-enters with a winning streak of 62 games versus Tennessee competition. The Lady Blaze knocked archrivals Riverside (Murfreesboro) on Monday. It won’t be the last time they play this campaign, including the Class AAA postseason. In Chicago, Morgan Park flexed its muscles to take down then-No. 7 Montini Catholic (Lombard, Ill.) with a second half comeback.

Additionally, the blizzard that socked the East Coast, especially from the New York City to Washington corridor affected some key games that may or may not be rescheduled. Once we hear about it, you’ll get it here.

The Elite 25 rankings will appear again on February 3.

Check back periodically at www.bluestarmedia.org for updates and columns all season. Our staff is always attending events. We hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Elite 25 High School Girls’ Basketball rankings, Jan. 27, 2016

1. St. Mary’s Stockton, Calif. (17-0)

Previous rank: 1.

Low-down: Idle. The Rams had a frenetic opening seven weeks. This week it’s Bradshaw Christian (Sacramento) on Tuesday and Lincoln (Stockton) on Thursday.

2. Duncanville, Texas (28-0)

Previous: 2.

Low-down: The Pantherettes won’t be challenged again until the Class 6A regionals. Last week, it was wins over Grand Prairie, 71-17, and DeSoto, 79-45.

3. Neumann-Goretti, Philadelphia (15-0)

Previous: 3.

Low-down: The Saints raced to a 20-point first quarter lead and crushed Hallahan Catholic (Philadelphia), 75-25. Kamiah Smalls struck for 10 of her a game-high 32 points in the second quarter.

4. Riverdale Baptist School, Upper Marlboro, Md. (22-1)

Previous: 4.

Low-down: Idle. Heavy snow postponed a marquee at regionally ranked Cumberland Valley (Mechanicsburg, Pa.). The Lady Crusaders biggest game remains on Feb. 8 against regionally ranked Forestville (Md.).

5. Centennial, Las Vegas (19-1)

Previous: 5.

Low-down: Samantha Thomas scored 21 points and Eboni Walker added 16 in a 71-32 win over Arbor View (Las Vegas). The Feb. 5 date at No. 25 Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) in the Nike Extravaganza will be a great tune-up for the regional playoffs.

6. Paul VI, Fairfax, Va. (19-1)

Previous: 6.

Low-down: The Panthers played once because of the blizzard but it packed a punch, beating St. John’s (Washington, D.C.), 77-68. This week it’s three games capped by Sunday afternoon’s replay at St. John’s.

7. Olive Branch, Miss. (22-0)

Previous: 8.

Low-down: The Lady Quistors peeled off two more easy wins.

8. National Christian Academy, Fort Washington, Md. (20-0)

Previous: 9.

Low-down: Idle. Weather claimed another game for the Eagles in the Capitol District.

9. North Shore, Galena Park, Texas (27-1)

Previous: 10.

Low-down: Two more lopsided district wins for the Mustangs. The only action is Tuesday against West Brook (Beaumont).

10. Mansfield (Texas) Timberview (25-0)

Previous: 11.

Low-down: The Wolves had a scare but edged Arlington Seguin, 50-49, as Chennedy Carter scored 23 points. There’s two weeks left in the regular season for Texas’ top-ranked Class 5A team.

11. Miramonte, Orinda, Calif. (17-0)

Previous: 12.

Low-down: Sabrina Ionescu was the difference maker against in an 80-65 victory over Carondelet (Concord) at the Lamorinda Classic in Lafayette. The McDonald’s All American produced 26 points, nine boards and six dimes. Keana Delos Santos scored 19 points and Uriah Howard had 16.

12. Cicero (N.Y.)-North Syracuse (14-0)

Previous: 13.

Low-down: The North Stars capped a 4-0 week, defeating Baldwinsville, 76-37, as McKayla Roberts scored 17 points.

13. Wenonah, Birmingham, Ala. (23-0)

Previous: 14.

Low-down: The Dragons have won 31 consecutive games. Three games with Birmingham schools are on tap this week.

14. Konawaena, Kealakekua, Hawaii (20-1)

Previous: 15.

Low-down: Senior F Ihi Victor dropped in a season-high 22 points in a 71-17 rout of Kohala. The regular season finale is at Hilo on Friday.

15. Canyon, Texas (22-1)

Previous: 16.

Low-down: The Eagles stopped Randall (Amarillo), 62-42, improving to 4-0 in District 3-5A.

16. St. Francis, Alpharetta, Ga. (20-1)

Previous: 17.

Low-down: Coach Aisha Kennedy’s team is on a roll with four more wins.

17. Bellevue, Wash. (17-0)

Previous: 18.

Low-down: The Wolverines defeated King’s School (Seattle), 73-33, for the third lopsided win of the week

18. Blackman, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (20-2)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: The Lady Blaze recorded an impressive win over archrivals Riverside (Murfreesboro), 71-69. Maia Vanzant’s two free throws with :00.2 seconds remaining broke a tie a game. Connecticut-bound Crystal Dangerfield flipped in a game-high 33 points as the Lady Blaze, who is 7-0 in Region 7-AAA, moved their in-state win streak to 62 games.

19. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (21-1)

Previous: 19.

Low-down: The Gaels rallied in the fourth quarter to overtake Liberty (Henderson), 50-46 in the Big City Showdown. Loyola Marymount recruit Raychel Stanley tossed in 10 of her 16 points in the final period.

20. Archbishop Mitty, San Jose, Calif. (14-3)

Previous: 25.

Low-down: The Monarchs put their six-game win streak on the line Wednesday against Sacred Heart Cathedral (San Francisco).

21. Morgan Park, Chicago (17-2)

Previous: Not ranked.

Low-down: The Mustangs sent a message to the rest of Illinois that they are a team to be reckoned with in March, beating then-No. 7 Montini Catholic (Lombard), 69-58. The triumvirate of Deja Cage (25 points), Gabrielle Cooper (22) and Destiny Harden (12) combined to score 59 points.

22. Montini Catholic, Lombard, Ill. (21-1)

Previous: 7.

Low-down: The Lady Broncos are no longer Chicagoland’s top team. Tiara Wallace’s 21 points and four rebounds weren’t enough in a 69-58 loss to Morgan Park (Chicago) at the City/Suburban Shootout.

23. Chaminade, West Hills, Calif. (19-3)

Previous: 22.

Low-down: Five games left in Mission League play for coach Kelli DiMuro’s team.

24. Heritage, Saginaw, Mich. (12-0)

Previous: 23.

Low-down: Coach Vonnie DeLong’s team is rolling and defeated Midland, 6-38, as Jaela Richardson topped the Hawks with 15 points and Moira Joiner added 13.

25. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (19-2)

Previous: 21.

Low-down: Defeated Santa Margarita (Rancho Margarita), 57-45, and Orange Lutheran, 62-48, to remain unbeaten in the Trinity League.

Dropped: No. 20 Columbus (Ind.) North and No. 24 Homestead, Fort Wayne, Ind.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Forestville, Md. (13-1)
2. Cumberland Valley, Mechanicsburg, Pa. (14-1)
3. St. John’s College, Washington, D.C. (15-2)
4. Rutgers Prep, Somerset, N.J. (14-0)
5. Norwin, Irwin, Pa. (17-0)

Geography: Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Virginia.

Midwest

1. Princeton, Ind. (24-0)
2. Lakota West, West Chester, Ohio (17-1)
3. Wadsworth, Ohio (16-1)
4. Columbus (Ind.) North (20-1)
5. Heritage Christian, Indianapolis (18-3)

Geography: Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, North Dakota, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wisconsin.

Southland

1. Riverdale, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (19-2)
2. Central, Memphis, Tenn. (22-0)
3. Providence Day School, Charlotte, N.C. (18-2)
4. Elizabethtown, Ky. (19-2)
5. Archer, Lawrenceville, Ga. (16-3)

Geography: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas.

Far West

1. Lynnwood, Bothell, Wash. (12-0)
2. Poly, Long Beach, Poly, Calif. (15-3)
3. Brea (Calif.) Olinda (16-2)
4. Central Valley, Veradale, Wash. (15-0)
5. Mission Hills, San Marcos, Calif. (16-3)

Geography: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming.

 About: The Blue Star Media Elite 25 High School Girls’ Basketball Rankings are released weekly from November until the conclusion of the high school season in early April. Criteria considered are the quality of the team and its players, strength of schedule, tradition, and quality of the team’s league, conference, region or district. The rankings are compiled by Blue Star Media’s Christopher Lawlor, who consults with a national network of coaches, talent evaluators, administrators and prep sports writers. Follow him on Twitter at #clawlor.