PERFECTON: Colorado-state champion No. 12 Valor Christian (CO) rises two spots in Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ rankings; No. 25 Kenwood Academy (IL) enters after Chicago hoop showdown

BENSALEM, Pa. –  It was the ultimate Rocky Mountain high on Sunday night. For much of the season No. 12 Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) quietly toiled in pursuit of a Colorado Class 5A state championship.

The Eagles previously won two titles in 4A but the winning in the Colorado’s largest classification would elevate the program into the rarified air. When the Eagles, who went wire-to-wire in the Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ basketball rankings during a pandemic truncated season, weren’t ranked the state’s top-ranked team, it would come down to the 5A state tournament to settle it.

It never materialized. When Grandview (Aurora) lost in the semifinals that opened the door for the Eagles, who then coasted to the 5A title with a convincing 67-42 win over Regis Jesuit (Aurora). Kindyll Wetta saved her best for last as the future Colorado Buffalo recorded a double-double in her prep finale. The Eagles (17-0) moved up two slots in the Elite 25 rankings.

No. 5 Incarnate Word Academy (Bel-Nor, Mo.), who returns its entire roster in 2021-22, won the program’s 11^th overall state championship after annexing the Missouri Class 6 crown. The Red Knights (29-0) achieved perfection and carry a 39-game win streak into next season.

This week, there were two additions to the Elite 25 rankings: No. 20 Fremont (Plain City, Utah) and No. 25 Kenwood Academy (Chicago). Fremont won Utah’s Class 6A title, while Kenwood essentially clinched a de facto Chicago city title after beating Elite 25-ranked Simeon (Chicago). That kept Kenwood unbeaten during a year when Illinois opted out of a postseason.

That sets up the remainder of the winter season participants. No. 4 Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.), No. 11 Edison Public Academy (Detroit) and No. 21 Archbishop Wood (Warminster, Pa.) are still playing. Wood goes for the PIAA Class AAAA hardware against Villa Maria (Erie) Saturday in Hershey. Don’t forget that Far West Region states California, Oregon and Washington won’t start until April and go deep into the spring.

Four others from the Elite 25 are preparing for a different level of play. That’s because the GEICO High School Nationals is a go after a one-year hiatus this time in sunny Fort Myers, Fla., starting on April 2.

The semifinal pairings are: No. 3 Westlake (Atlanta)-No. 20 Fremont at 2:30 p.m. ET, and No. 1 Lake Highland Prep (Orlando, Fla.)-No. 13 Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) at 10:30 a.m. Both games are on ESPNU. The girls’ final is April 3 at 10 a.m. on ESPN2.

Well, that’s it for the third week in March.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ rankings will return on March 31.

Check back regularly at www.bluestarmedia.org for our staff updates. We’ll keep you abreast of anything breaking on the girls’ basketball universe. For now, get your vaccine when possible, practice social distancing and mask up.

Keep safe and hope to see you at a game soon. – Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Girls’ Basketball rankings, March 24, 2021

1. Lake Highland Prep, Orlando, Fla. (19-0)*

Previous rank: 1.

The Low-down: Idle. The Highlanders play No. 13 Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.) at the GEICO Nationals on April 2 in Fort Myers, Fla.

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

Previous: 2.

The Low-down: Won Ohio Division I state championship. Season complete.

3. Westlake, Atlanta (19-0)*

Previous: 3.

The Low-down: Idle. The Lady Lions are top seeded in the upcoming GEICO Nationals and face Fremont (Plain City, Utah) in the semifinals on April 2.

4. Hopkins, Minnetonka, Minn. (14-0)

Previous: 4.

The Low-down: The Lady Royals claimed a forfeit victory over Minneapolis South in the Section 6-AAAA semifinals. Next up are rivals Wayzata (Plymouth) Thursday in the sectional final. They’ve already claimed league wins over Wayzata this season by 50 and 17 points.

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

Previous: 7.

The Low-down: Perfection! Won the Class 6 state championship, bouncing Webster Groves, 58-37, for the program’s 11^thstate title. The Red Knights have annexed titles in seven of the last eight years when the finals were contested. Junior Saniah Tyler poured in 15 points and sophomore C Natalie Potts added a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. IWA bolted to a 13-2 lead but had little resistance to tabulate their 39^th consecutive victory. In the semifinals, Potts had the hot hand with 24 points and 8 rebounds in a 77-40 thrashing of Staley (Kansas City). The Red Knights raced to a 22-4 lead after five minutes and it was over quickly. The Red Knights do not graduate anyone and will be a strong candidate for preseason No. 1 in the Blue Media Elite 25 next fall. Season complete.

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

Previous: 6.

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

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

Previous: 6.

The Low-down: Unfortunately, there was no postseason in New Jersey but there was a perfect season for the Lady Lancers. Season complete.

8. Cypress Creek, Houston (32-1)

Previous: 8.

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

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

Previous: 9.

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

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

Previous: 10.

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

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

Previous: 11.

The Low-down: The Pioneers claimed a forfeit win over Detroit International Academy in the Division 2, District 59 semifinals. They play University Prep (Detroit) Wednesday in the district final.

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

Previous: 14.

The Low-down: Colorado-bound Kindyll Wetta closed out her prep career with a championship in a blowout win. Wetta posted a double-double with 17 points and 10 assists while her sophomore sister Ali Wetta added 14 points when the Eagles hammered Regis Jesuit (Aurora), 67-42, in the Class 5A final. Macey Huard tossed in 11 points, while Jenna Siebert had 10. It was the program’s third overall title and first in Class 5A. Additionally, coach Jessika Caldwell’s team topped Highlands Ranch, 66-45, in semifinals. The Eagles used a 24-8 spurt in the second quarter to lead 42-20 at the break. They beat Rangeview (Aurora), 80-55, in the Great 8 round. Season complete.

13.  Paul VI, Chantilly, Va. (10-0)

Previous: 19.

The Low-down: Idle. The Panthers are headed to GEICO Nationals on April 2 in Florida.

14. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (0-0)

Previous: 15.

The Low-down: The CIF-Southern Section Open Division champions won’t play until the spring.

15. Archbishop Mitty, San Jose, Calif. (0-0)

Previous: 16.

The Low-down: California Interscholastic Federation teams won’t start until the spring.

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

Previous: 18.

The Low-down: Season complete.

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

Previous: 18.

The Low-down: Season complete.

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

Previous: 20.

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

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

Previous: 21.

The Low-down: Season complete.

20. Fremont, Plain City, Utah (26-0)*

Previous: Not ranked.

The Low-down: Idle. Won Utah Class 6A state championship and will face No. 3 Westlake (Atlanta) in the GEICO Nationals semifinals on April 2 in Florida.

21. Archbishop Wood, Warminster, Pa. (16-2)

Previous: 25.

The Low-down: The Vikings reached the PIAA Class AAAA final with three key wins. Villanova-bound Kaitlyn Orihel (26 points) became the program’s all-time leading scorer, upping her career total to 1,428 points that day when the Vikings crushed Gwynedd Mercy Academy (Gwynedd Valley), 60-38, in the 4A quarterfinals. Also topped Scranton Prep, 56-39, in the 4A semifinals. In the District XII final or Philadelphia City title game, they overwhelmed Mastery North (Philadelphia), 67-28. The 4A state final is Saturday versus Villa Marie (Erie) in Hershey.

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

Previous: 22.

The Low-down: Season complete.

23. Newark, Ohio (29-2)

Previous: 23.

The Low-down: Advanced to the Ohio Division I state final. Season complete.

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

Previous: 24.

The Low-down: Season complete

25. Kenwood Academy, Chicago (13-0)

Previous: Not ranked.

The Low-down: The Broncos capped an undefeated truncated season by winning the Chicago Public League Red South championship, knocking off then-12 Simeon (Chicago), 73-66. In the season finale, they beat Brooks (Chicago), 63-16, after racing to a 39-10 lead through one quarter. There was no postseason in Illinois. Season complete.

Dropped: No. 12 Simeon (Chicago) and No. 13 Grandview (Aurora, Colo.).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Princess Anne, Virginia Beach, Va. (10-0)*
2. Trenton Catholic Academy, Hamilton, N.J. (14-1)
3. Madison, Vienna, Va. (16-1)*
4. St. Elizabeth, Wilmington, Del. (14-0)*
5. Cardinal O’Hara, Tonawanda, N.Y. (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. Hersey, Arlington Heights, Ill. (16-0)
4. Germantown, Wis. (29-1)*
5. Farmington, Minn. (20-0)

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. Valley Vista, Surprise, Ariz. (17-1)*
2. Seton Catholic Prep, Chandler, Ariz. (17-1)*
3. Grandview, Aurora, Colo. (16-1)
4. Mountain View, Meridian, Idaho (20-2)*
5. Regis Jesuit, Aurora, Colo. (15-2)

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

* Won state championship or national tournament title

 # Includes forfeit loss

Records are through Monday

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.