PURPLE REIGN: No. 13 Chaska Hawks (MN) swoop into Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ rankings following Class AAAA unbeaten title run; Kentucky, Michigan also crown champions

BENSALEM, Pa. – The last of the state championships from the delayed girls’ basketball winter season were completed last weekend.

Champions were crowned in Kentucky, Michigan and Minnesota. The latter state saw a bit of a surprise. That’s when then-No. 3 Hopkins (Minnetonka) lost in the Class AAAA semifinals to Chaska, 67-62, on April 7. For the Royals it was their first loss in 78 outings since the 2018 season. Two nights later, Chaska (18-0) won the program’s first-ever state championship, edging Rosemount, 45-43, in the final.

By winning the 4A title, No. 13 Chaska enters the Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ rankings with an unblemished record. Both the Girls in Purple-and-Gold and Hopkins teams figure to battle it out again in the 2021-22 season for the Minnesota 4A championship. No. 14 Hopkins (16-1) dipped 11 spots following the rare loss.

In Lexington, Ky., Sacred Heart Academy (Louisville) claimed its fifth Single-Class Sweet Sixteen state championship after a thrilling 49-47 comeback victory over Marshall County (Benton) Saturday at famed Rupp Arena.

For coach Donna Moir it was her 701^st career victory and fifth title (equaling three others) at the all-girls Catholic school, but the first since 2004. At the turn of the century when I was at USA TODAY, the Valkyries won three won straight titles (2002-04) and that’s magnificent because there’s only one state championship in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. That’s throwback basketball in a hoop-centric state.

Junior Josie Gilvin was named Most Valuable Player–mostly for her defense–after posting only 4 points, but snared 8 rebounds, sent out 5 assists, had 5 steals and 5 blocks. SHA (25-7) returns the bulk of their lineup and will be set to defend their title and open the season in the Elite 25 rankings.

Finally, coach Vanessa Nygaard is taking a leave of absence from Elite 25 regular Windward School (Los Angeles) for the delayed 2021 spring season. She’ll be back next fall but will be an assistant coach for the WNBA’s Las Vegas Aces. Windward assistant Ebony Hoffman takes over Nygaard’s break. Nygaard has guided Windward to a pair of CIP state crowns. Hoffman, a CIF-City Section legend at Narbonne (Harbor City, Calif.), played in the WNBA.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ rankings will return on April 21.

Since California, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington are currently playing or will get underway later this spring, we’ll post updated rankings every two weeks until the end of the season. By no means are the Elite 25 rankings done and there will likely be changes throughout the springtime.

Check back regularly at www.bluestarmedia.org for our staff updates. We’ll keep you abreast of what’s breaking in girls’ basketball. For now, get vaccinated, practice social distancing and mask up. We’re aiming for immunity in every community.

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Girls’ Basketball rankings, April 14, 2021

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

Previous rank: 1.

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

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

Previous: 2.

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

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

Previous: 4.

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

4.  Paul VI, Chantilly, Va. (11-1)

Previous: 5.

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

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

Previous: 6.

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

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

Previous: 7.

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

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

Previous: 8.

The Low-down: Season complete.

8. Cypress Creek, Houston (32-1)

Previous: 9.

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

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

Previous: 10.

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

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

Previous: 11.

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

11. Edison Public Academy, Detroit (11-1) #

Previous: 12.

The Low-down: Season complete

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

Previous: 13.

The Low-down: Won Class 5A state championship. Additionally, Jess Caldwell was named Class 5A Coach of the Year. Colorado-bound Kindyll Wetta was tabbed 5A Player of the Year. Season complete.

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

Previous: Not ranked.

The Low-down: Won Class AAAA state championship, beating Rosemount, 45-43, in the final. Senior Kaylee Van Eps’ layup with 5.2 seconds left broke a 43-all tie. It was the program’s first ever state title. Kelsey Willems and Van Eps scored 11 points apiece and Kennedy Sanders had 10. In the semifinals, the Hawks took down then-No. 4 Hopkins (Minnetonka), 67-62, stopping a state record-tying 78-game win streak. Season complete.

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

Previous: 3.

The Low-down: It was an empty season for the Royals, who saw their win streak halted at 78 games with a stunning 67-62 loss to Chaska in the Class AAAA semifinals. Taylor Woodson scored 16 points and Nu Nu Agara 14. Season complete.

15. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (4-0)^

Previous: 14.

The Low-down: Coach Kevin Kiernan’s club cruised past Glendora, 84-20, and Sonora, 66-25. The Monarchs play Anaheim and Fairmont Prep (Anaheim) this weekend and next week the mighty Trinity League slate kicks in.

16. Archbishop Mitty, San Jose, Calif. (0-0)^

Previous: 15.

The Low-down: The start date posted was Tuesday for practice and opening night is April 20.

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

Previous: 16.

The Low-down: Season complete.

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

Previous: 17.

The Low-down: Season complete.

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

Previous: 18.

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

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

Previous: 19.

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

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

Previous: 20.

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

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

Previous: 21.

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

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

Previous: 22.

The Low-down: Advanced to Class 6A semifinals. Season complete.

24. Newark, Ohio (29-2)

Previous: 23.

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

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

Previous: 24.

The Low-down: Season complete

Dropped: No. 25 Kenwood Academy (Chicago).

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Princess Anne, Virginia Beach, Va. (10-0)*
2. 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. Windward School, Los Angeles (1-0)^
2. Valley Vista, Surprise, Ariz. (17-1)*
3. Seton Catholic Prep, Chandler, Ariz. (17-1)*
4. Grandview, Aurora, Colo. (16-1)
5. Mountain View, Meridian, Idaho (20-2)*

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

* Won state championship or national tournament title

 ! GEICO High School Nationals champion

 # Includes forfeit loss or a forfeit postseason loss due to coronavirus

^ Currently playing a spring season

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.