No. 16 St. John Vianney (NJ), No. 24 Hebron Christian (GA) debut in Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ rankings; key events in California and Maryland highlight weekend

BENSALEM, Pa. – Where does the time go?

One minute girls’ basketball teams are prepping for the regular season in the summer and fall, then the season tips off and next one of the first meaningful calendar markers in the holiday tournament bonanza with game galore leading into the New Year.

Well, the Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ rankings have landed in January more weekend events rolled out with the Dr. Martin Luther King weekend featuring some appetizing matchups with Elite 25 teams prominently involved.

That includes this weekend in Maryland and California but more on that later in the column.

OK, let’s unpack where things stand with the Elite 25 rankings after five days into January.

We can reintroduce two teams from the East Coast that have been ranked in recent years.

No. 16 St. John Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.) is unbeaten in six games and enters the Elite 25 after a clutch last-second win over No. 17 St. John’s College (Washington, D.C.) at the Blue Star High School Invitational in Philadelphia. The Lady Lancers, who won three games at the KSA Holiday Tournament in Florida, have their hands full on Tuesday, Jan. 6 with archrival Red Bank Catholic. That’s one to monitor.

In the talent rich Peach State, No. 24 Hebron Christian Academy (Dacula, Ga.) is 12-0 and one of the state’s top teams. A year ago, they went 29-2 but lost in the GHSA 3A-A Private State Tournament final and appear to be on a redemption tour.

And for a closer look at the Elite 25, two teams from New Jersey and Georgia joined, 14 remained the same, including the top-7, one team dipped one slot and eight moved up one apiece. Essentially, there was limited movement but expect more once we arrive at the backend of January when the postseason is in sight for key states like Indiana and Florida.

We mentioned two events that offer quality competition on the boys’ and girls’ sides (all times are local).

Kay Yow Showcase

This is a cancer awareness event for the Kay Yow Cancer Fund from Orange County, California with the national game of the week on Saturday.

Friday’s games are played at Rosary High School in Fullerton, Calif. (All teams are from California):

Mater Dei vs. Rosary (junior varsity), 2:30 p.m.; Rosary vs. King Drew, 4 p.m.; Fairmont Prep vs. No. 4 Archbishop Mitty, 5:30 p.m.; Mater Dei vs. Carruthers, 7 p.m.; and No. 7 Etiwanda vs. Villa Park, 8:30 p.m.

Saturday’s action shifts to state-of-art Meruelo Athletic Center on the campus of Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana:

San Clemente vs. Lynwood, 9 a.m.; Rosary vs. Beckman; 10:30 a.m.; No. 1 Ontario Christian vs. No. 4 Archbishop Mitty; Windward School vs. Clayton Valley Charter, 1:30 p.m.; Fairmont Prep vs. La Jolla Country Day, 3 p.m.; No. 5 Sierra Canyon School vs. Mission Hills, 4:30 p.m.; Mater Dei vs. Francis Parker, 6 p.m.; and Mater Dei (boys) vs. Dos Pueblos, 7:30 p.m.

Over two days, you get four of the top-7 teams from the Elite 25, including a whopper matchup between No. 1 Ontario Christian and No. 4 Archbishop Mitty, which may wind up as a preview to the California Interscholastic Federation Open Division final slate for March in Sacramento.

Capitol Hoops Challenge

It’s commonly known in grassroots basketball, the DMV is a fertile training ground for boys and girls on the high school and club levels. So, if you slive near Washington, D.C., head over to DeMatha Catholic High School in Hyattsville, Maryland for the Capitol Hoops Challenge on Saturday and Sunday. Select games will be shown on the Monumental Sports Network.

Each day there’s a marquee girls game between three Elite 25 teams from the DMV and one from New York City.

Saturday’s lineup:
Fairfax Christian (Va.) vs Tech Prep (D.C.), 10 a.m.; Clinton Grace (Md.) vs St. John’s (College D.C.), 11:45 a.m.; No. 5 St. Paul VI Catholic (Va.) vs Davidson Day (N.C.), 1:30 p.m.; No. 19 Monsignor Scanlon (N.Y.) vs. No. 2 Bishop McNamara, 3:15 p.m., in the girls showcase game; St. Benedict’s (N.J.) vs. DeMatha, 5 p.m.; Largo (Md.) vs. Mount Zion Prep (Md.), 6:45 p.m.; No. 19 Montverde Academy (Fla.) vs. Eleanor Roosevelt (Md.), 8:30 p.m.

Sunday’s lineup:

Good Counsel (Md.) vs. Riverdale Baptist School (Md.), 9:15 a.m.; No. 18 Bullis School (Md.) vs. No. 23 St. Frances Academy, 11 a.m., in the girls showcase game; Bethel Academy (Va.) vs. Georgetown Prep (Md.), 12:45 p.m.; Archbishop Spalding (Md.) vs. Gonzaga (D.C.), 2:30 p.m.; Clinton Grace (Md.) vs. St. Andrew’s Episcopal School (Md.), 4:15 p.m.; Bishop McNamara (Md.) vs. Jackson-Reed (D.C.), 6 p.m.; and Fairfax Christian (Va.) vs. St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes (Va.), 7:45 p.m.

That’s it for another week. The Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ basketball rankings return Wednesday, Jan. 14. We’ll take a look at the events that compose the MLK weekend.

Bye for now. Be the good.

Stay safe. Hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Girls’ Basketball Rankings, Jan. 7, 2026

1. Ontario (Calif.) Christian (18-0)

Previous rank: 1.

Lowdown: Defeated Carondelet (Concord), 100-49, as Tatianna Griffin posted a double-double with 32 points and 11 rebounds. Also stopped Clovis, 89-49. The Knights have a real test on Saturday against No. 4 Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) at the Kay Yow Showcase at Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif.

2. Bishop McNamara, Forestville, Md. (8-2)

Previous: 2.

Lowdown: Idle. The Lady Mustangs have two games this week in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference and No. 19 Monsignor Scanlan (Bronx, N.Y.) on Saturday.

3. Long Island Lutheran, Brookville, N.Y. (10-1)

Previous: 3.

Lowdown: Kentucky-bound Emily McDonald contributed 15 points and 5 assists and Emily Forrester added 11 points and 2 steals when the Lady Crusaders topped Red Bank (N.J.) Catholic, 56-42, at the Blue Star High School Invitational Showcase in Philadelphia.

4. Archbishop Mitty, San Jose, Calif. (10-1)

Previous: 4.

Lowdown: It was a triumphant return for Iowa-bound McKenna Woliczko following a torn ACL. In an 82-44 win over Clovis at the SI20 Showcase in Concord, Calif., she contributed 19 points and 13 rebounds.

5. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (13-1)

Previous: 5.

Lowdown: Idle. The Blazers have four games this week, including three in the Mission League.

6. IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla. (10-2)

Previous: 6.

Lowdown: Idle.

7. Etiwanda, Calif. (13-2)

Previous: 7.

Lowdown: Defeated Oakland Tech, 73-55, and St. Mary’s (Stockton), 61-54. The Eagles are busy this week with four games.

8. Westtown School, West Chester, Pa. (11-1)

Previous: 9.

Lowdown: Defeated Bethlehem (Pa.) Catholic, 62-35, at the Blue Star High School Invitational Showcase in Philadelphia.

9. DME Academy, Daytona Beach, Fla. (12-0)

Previous: 10.

Lowdown: Idle.

10. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (9-2)

Previous: 11.

Lowdown: Idle.

11. Spire Academy Geneva, Ohio (7-0)

Previous: 12.

Lowdown: Idle.

12. Westlake, Austin, Texas (25-0)

Previous: 13.

Lowdown: Defeated Austin High, 75-44.

13. Princess Anne, Virginia Beach, Va. (9-0)

Previous: 14.

Lowdown: Defeated Gainesville (Va.), 75-29. The Lady Cavaliers have three games this week.

14. St. James Performance Academy, Springfield, Va. (9-3)

Previous: 15.

Lowdown: Defeated Hoosac School (Hoosick, N.Y.), 60-30, at the Blue Star High School Invitational Showcase in Philadelphia

15. Bradley Central, Cleveland, Tenn. (12-0)

Previous: 16.

Low-down: Idle.

16. St. John Vianney, Holmdel, N.J. (6-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Lowdown: The Lady Lancers return to the Elite 25 for the first time this season after taking down No. 17 St. John’s College (Washington), 53-51, when Georgetown-bound center Taylor Sofilkanich’s last-second put-back won it. They also won the KSA Holiday Tournament in Florida. Coach Dawn Karpell’s team has four games this week with the key one on Tuesday, Jan. 6 against local rival Red Bank Catholic.

17. St. John’s College, Washington, D.C. (10-3)

Previous: 17.

Lowdown: Won the Junior Orange Bowl Classic in Miami with a 4-0 record but lost on a last-second shot to No. 16 St. John Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.), 53-51, at the Blue Star High School Invitational Showcase in Philadelphia

18. Bullis School, Potomac, Md. (9-4)

Previous: 18.

Lowdown: Idle. The Bulldogs have three scheduled games this week.

19. Monsignor Scanlan, Bronx, N.Y. (10-2)

Previous: 19.

Low-down: Idle. The Crusaders face No. 2 Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.) in the Capital Hoops Challenge on Saturday in Hyattsville, Md.

20. Johnston, Iowa (10-0)

Previous: 20.

Lowdown: Defeated Valley (West Des Moines), 82-72.

21. Belleville, Mich. (4-0)

Previous: 21.

Lowdown: Defeated Mumford (Detroit), 76-33, at the Motor City Showcase in Detroit.

22. Hopkins, Minnetonka, Minn. (10-1)

Previous: 22.

Lowdown: The Royals topped Crosby-Ironton (Minn.), 90-64, as Emma Walker pumped in 23 points and Lanaia Durant and Jaliyah Diggs scored 19 apiece.

23. St. Frances Academy, Baltimore (12-3)

Previous: 22.

Lowdown: Defeated McDonogh School (Owings Mills, Md.), 71-43, and Roland Park Country School (Baltimore), 71-46.

24. Hebron Christian Academy, Dacula, Ga. (12-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

Lowdown: Defeated Winter Haven (Fla.), 62-56, at She Got Game event in Georgia.

25. Incarnate Word Academy, Bel Nor, Mo. (7-2)

Previous: 25.

Low-down: Idle.

Dropped: No. 8 Grace Christian School (Sanford, N.C.) and No. 24 Sacred Heart Academy (Louisville, Ky.).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Friends’ Central, Wynnewood, Pa. (9-2)
2. Red Bank (N.J.) Catholic (6-1)
3. Cardinal O’Hara, Springfield, Pa. (9-0)
4. Christ the King, Middle Village, N.Y. (6-2)
5. Norwin, North Huntington, Pa. (7-0)

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

Midwest

1. Minnetonka, Minn. (11-0)
2. Benet Academy, Lisle, Ill. (13-1)
3. Warsaw, Ind. (17-1)
4. Arrowhead, Hartland, Wis. (9-0)
5. Pike, Indianapolis (14-1)

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

Southland

1. Hoover, Ala. (18-1)
2. Miami (Fla. Country Day (14-1)
3. San Antonio (Texas) Wagner (22-0)
4. Grace Christian School, Sanford, N.C. (15-1)
5. North Paulding, Dallas, Ga. (14-1)

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

Far West

1. Tualatin, Ore. (7-1)
2. St. Mary’s, Stockton, Calif. (11-2)
3. Bishop Gorman, Las Vegas (11-1)
4. Clovis West, Fresno, Calif. (18-1)
5. Pleasant Grove, Utah (14-0)

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

Records through Monday

About: The Blue Star Media Elite 25 High School Girls Basketball Rankings are released weekly from mid-November until the conclusion of the high school season. 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, social mediums and prep sports writers. The final rankings will be released in April of the 2025-26 season. Follow him on X at @clawlor.