No. 7 Corona (CA) Centennial captures CIF-Southern Regional championship in rematch with No. 8 Mater Dei; No. 1 Mount Notre Dame (OH) wins second straight Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ national title

BENSALEM, Pa. – For the last  eight months the Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ basketball rankings have gone live. They started in November with states from the Midwest and Southland regions tipping the season. And last week, Oregon and Washington called it a season.

This pandemic taught the nation that sports are very important and congratulations to all the teams, players and coaches who fought through it all and completed the season. That also officially signals No. 1 Mount Notre Dame (Cincinnati) are Blue Star Media Elite 25 Girls’ Basketball National Champions for the second straight year. Last year, the Cougars won it by default when the season was canceled over coronavirus fears. This season, MND won the Ohio Division I state championship, cementing the top spot.

The biggest news of the mid-June happed in California when No. 7 Corona Centennial turned the tables in beating No. 8 Mater Dei (Santa Ana), 65-51, in the California Interscholastic Federation-Southern Regional Open Division championship. A week prior to the regional final, Mater Dei used a buzzer-beater to top Centennial in the CIF-Southern Open Division final. On June 19, Jayda Curry dropped in a game-high 27 points and junior Londynn Jones added 18 as the Huskies ruined Mater Dei’s big a perfect season.

There were no state championship this season in California.

Centennial (25-1) moves up six spots following regional final victory and Mater Dei (21-1) dips one in the Blue Star Media Elite 25 final rankings.

In Portland, Oregon, they conducted an event called the Class 6A/5A Maroon Bracket Tournament in lieu of a state championship. South Medford (Medford) completed a perfect season with a 13-0 mark in beating conference rival Sheldon, 64-33, in the final. It was the second undefeated season, matching the 30-0 record in 2012 when the Panthers won the Class 6A title. Senior Kaili Chamberlin drilled six of her seven 3-pointers in the second half when South Medford outscored Sheldon, 35-9. Chamberlin tossed in a game-high 29 points.

Defense won with South Medford creating 30 steals, led by Bella Stone with 11 thefts, Chamberlin with 7 and Toni Coleman added 5.

It capped a joyful season. A year ago, the Panthers were rolling to a Class 6A championship and were the clear favorites when the playoffs were canceled. The Panthers felt shortchanged but turned that disappointment into a championship run and unbeaten term.

South Medford is from southern Oregon and plays in one of the Northwest’s top leagues, the Southwest Conference.

So, that’s the end of the line … a long one at that.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ preseason rankings will return in November.

Check back regularly this summer at www.bluestarmedia.org for our staff updates and Podcasts from Blue Star Media editor-and-chief Mike Flynn. He’ll keep you abreast of what’s breaking in girls’ basketball. It’s must-listen Internet radio.

Enjoy the summer!

We hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Girls’ Basketball Final rankings, June 30, 2021

1. Mount Notre Dame, Cincinnati (28-0)* @

Previous rank: 1.

The Low-down: The Cougars are two time Blue Star Media Elite 25 National Champions. Won the Ohio Division I state championship.

2. Westlake, Atlanta (21-0)* !

Previous: 2.

The Low-down: Won GEICO High School Nationals championship and Georgia Class AAAAAA title.

3. Incarnate Word Academy, Bel Nor, Mo. (29-0)*

Previous: 3.

The Low-down: Won Class 6 state championship.

4. Paul VI, Chantilly, Va. (11-1)

Previous: 4.

The Low-down: Completed an undefeated regular season and advanced to the GEICO Nationals title game.

5. Lake Highland Prep, Orlando, Fla. (19-1)*

Previous: 5.

The Low-down: Won FHSAA Class AAAA state championship and earned an invitation to the GEICO Nationals.

6. DeSoto, Texas (28-2)* #

Previous: 6.

The Low-down: Won first-ever UIL Class 6A state championship.

7. Corona (Calif.) Centennial (25-1)^*

Previous: 13.

The Low-down: Won the CIF-Southern Region championship, beating then-No. 7 Mater Dei (Santa Ana), 65-51. A week earlier, the Huskies loss to Mater Dei by three points at the buzzer in overtime in the CIF-Southern Section Open Division final. This time California-bound Jayda Curry pumped in a game-high 27 points and junior Londynn Jones had 18. The Huskies also topped Clovis West (Fresno), 62-53, in the semifinals La Jolla Country Day (San Diego), 79-44, in the quarterfinals.

8. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (21-1)^

Previous: 7.

The Low-down: The Monarchs saw their unbeaten campaign spoiled in the CIF-Southern Region final during a 65-51 loss to then-No. 13 Corona Centennial. UNLV-bound Alyssa Durazo-Frescas poured in 18 points in the loss but the Centennial defense clamped down on McDonald’s All American Brooke Demetre, who managed 2 points. In the previous meeting between the schools, Mater Dei won, 83-80, in overtime to capture the Southern Section Open Division crown as Demetre scored 28 points. Also defeated Cathedral Catholic (San Diego), 66-54, in the semifinals. Caia Elisaldez scored 18 points, Soleil Montrose had 14 and Nalani White and Durazo-Frescas added 10 apiece.

9. St. John Vianney, Holmdel, N.J. (14-0)

Previous: 8.

The Low-down: In lieu of no state playoffs, the Lady Lancers won the Shore Conference Tournament Pod A title.

10. Cypress Creek, Houston (32-1)

Previous: 9.

The Low-down: Advanced to the UIL Class 6A state final.

11. Hazel Green, Ala. (36-1)*

Previous: 10.

The Low-down: Won Class 6A state championship.

12. Hoover, Ala. (32-1)*

Previous: 11.

The Low-down: Won third Class 7A state championship since 2017.

13. Edison Public Academy, Detroit (11-0) #

Previous: 12.

The Low-down: The Pioneers carry a 59-game win streak into next season.

14. Valor Christian, Highlands Ranch, Colo. (17-0)*

Previous: 14.

The Low-down: Won Class 5A state championship.

15. Chaska, Minn. (18-0)*

Previous: 15.

The Low-down: Won Class AAAA state championship.

16. Hopkins, Minnetonka, Minn. (16-1)

Previous: 16.

The Low-down: Advanced to Class AAAA semifinals, where its win streak was snapped at 78 games. The Royals return all five starters in 2021-22.

17. Rutgers Prep, Somerset, N.J. (13-0)

Previous: 17.

The Low-down: Won the Skyland Conference Blue Division Tournament. There were no playoffs this season in New Jersey.

18. Winston Salem Christian, Winston-Salem, N.C. (25-1)

Previous: 18.

The Low-down: Advanced to the Independent School National Tournament final.

19. Cardinal Newman, Columbia, S.C (18-1)*

Previous: 19.

The Low-down: Won third consecutive SCISA Class AAA state championship.

20. New Hope Academy, Landover Hills, Md. (14-3)*

Previous: 20.

The Low-down: Won the Insider Exposure Independent School National Tournament.

21. Fremont, Plain City, Utah (26-1)*

Previous: 21.

The Low-down: Won Class 6A state championship and earned an invitation to the GEICO Nationals.

22. Archbishop Wood, Warminster, Pa. (17-2)*

Previous: 22.

The Low-down: Won PIAA Class AAAA state championship and Philadelphia Catholic League crown.

23. Converse (Texas) Judson (26-2)

Previous: 23.

The Low-down: Advanced to the UIL Class 6A semifinals and won Region IV title.

24. Newark, Ohio (29-2)

Previous: 24.

The Low-down: Advanced to the Ohio Division I state final, falling to top-ranked Mount Notre Dame (Cincinnati) in double overtime.

25. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (22-2)

Previous: 25.

The Low-down: Played in the Independent School National Tournament.

Dropped: None.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Princess Anne, Virginia Beach, Va. (10-0)*
2. North Allegheny, Wexford, Pa. (27-1)*
3. Trenton Catholic Academy, Hamilton, N.J. (14-1)
4. Madison, Vienna, Va. (16-1)*
5. St. Elizabeth, Wilmington, Del. (14-0)*

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

Midwest

1. Pius X, Lincoln, Neb. (25-0)*
2. Crown Point, Ind. (25-1)*
3. Germantown, Wis. (29-1)*
4. Northwest, Shawnee Mission, Kan. (23-0)*
5. Kenwood Academy, Chicago (13-0)

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

Southland

1. Norman, Okla. (19-0)*
2. Duncanville, Texas (28-3)
3. Northside, Fort Smith, Ark. (26-2)*
4. Cedar Park, Texas (27-1)*
5. Vance, Charlotte N.C. (12-0)*

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

Far West

1. Pinewood, Los Altos Hills, Calif. (17-0)^
2. Clovis West, Fresno, Calif. (20-1)^
3. South Medford, Medford, Ore. (13-0)^*
4. St. Mary’s, Stockton, Calif. (8-1)^
5. Archbishop Mitty, San Jose, Calif. (13-2)^

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

@ Blue Star Media Elite 25 National Champions

* Won state championship or national tournament title

! GEICO High School Nationals champion

 # Includes “no call” game erasing a previous and/or forfeit loss due to coronavirus

^ Completed a spring season

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 nationwide. 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 and prep sports writers. Follow him on Twitter at @clawlor.