QUIET: Blue Star media Elite 25 girls’ basketball rankings static; No. 1 Neumann-Goretti (PA) nabs title

BENSALEM, Pa. – The latest Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ basketball rankings.

In a rare week, there were no additions or movement in the Elite 25. However, lousy weather in the eastern half of the nation affected tournament play, postponing games. In Florida, two schools were crowned state champions. Kudos goes to No. 9 Dillard (Fort Lauderdale), which won a fifth state title in six years and ninth overall. No. 16 Miami Country Day captured its second straight Class 3A title.

This week No. 15 Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.) goes for the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference tournament championship later this week. In Philadelphia, No. 1 Neumann-Goretti won its second consecutive Catholic League championship, edging plucky Archbishop Wood (Warminster, Pa.) in the final. First-Year coach Andrea Peterson has the Saints firing on all cylinders.

Suffice it to say high drama is unfolding and we’ll detail it all here.

Check back periodically at www.bluestarmedia.org for staff updates from showcase events all season. Our staff will be busy until early April. The Elite 25 girls’ rankings return on March 4.

We hope to see you at a game soon, there’s plenty of history in the making; be a part of it. – Christopher Lawlor

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Girls’ Basketball rankings, Feb. 25, 2015

1. Neumann-Goretti, Philadelphia (25-0)

Previous rank: 1.

Low down: The Saints are Philadelphia Catholic League champions for the second straight year, holding off a late charge from blood rivals Archbishop Wood (Warminster, Pa.), 50-45. Ciani Cryor scored 13 points, Kamiah Smalls had 12 and Sianni Martin added 11. They advanced to the final, bouncing Archbishop Carroll (Radnor, Pa.), 40-28, in the semifinals. Next up is the Class AA city title game.

2. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (25-1)

Previous: 2.

Low down: Connecticut-bound Katie Lou Samuelson struck for 28 points, including four 3-pointers, and Ally Rosenblum and Andee Velasco each scored 13 points during a 77-42 trouncing of J.W. North (Riverside) in the CIF-Southern Division Open Division opening round. The Monarchs face Brea Olinda Tuesday in the quarterfinals. The semifinals are Friday and the final is March 6.

3. Blackman, Murfreesboro, Tenn. (26-2)

Previous: 3.

Low down: The Lady Blaze captured their second straight District 7-AAA championship, defeating archrivals Oakland (Murfreesboro), 55-47. Connecticut-bound Crystal Dangerfield scored 21 points and Alex Johnson added 12. In the Region 4-AAA first round, they crushed Lincoln County (Fayetteville), 66-28, and now play Lawrence County (Lawrenceburg) in the semifinals. The final is Thursday.

4. St. Mary’s, Stockton, Calif. (26-1)

Previous: 4.

Low down: After a 10-day layoff the Rams dive into the CIF-Sac-Joaquin Section Division I playoffs with Merced on Tuesday. The quarterfinal is Thursday.

5. Bedford North Lawrence, Ind. (26-0)

Previous: 5.

Low down: The Stars were nearly grounded last weekend by lousy weather. Instead they defeated Center Grove,60-44, as Jenna Allen flipped in 23 points in the Class 4A Bedford North Lawrence Regional semifinals on Monday. The Stars play Columbus North in the final on Tuesday. The winner plays in the Semistate on Saturday against No. 25 Lawrence North (Indianapolis).

6. Whitney Young, Chicago (27-1)

Previous: 6.

Low down: Captured the St. Ignatius Regional, defeating Proviso West (Hillside), 60-33, in final as Madinah Muhammad scored 12 points. In the semifinals, Kiara Lewis netted a game-high 16 points and had 7 steals in a 64-25 blowout of St. Ignatius (Chicago).

7. Myers Park, Charlotte, N.C. (23-1)

Previous: 7.

Low down: The Mustangs play North Davidson (Lexington) in the Class 4A West first round playoffs.

8. Ridgeway, Memphis (25-0)

Previous: 8.

Low down: Eryn Foster bucketed 22 points and Brandi Beasley provided 15 as the Roadrunners overwhelmed Southwind (Memphis), 69-51, in the Class AAA-District 15 final.

9. Dillard, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (30-1)*

Previous: 9.

Low down: Won Class 5A state championship, clipping Paxon (Jacksonville), 51-35. Jacaira Allen contributed 14 points and 8 rebounds to help annex the program’s fifth state crown in six years and ninth overall. The Panthers allowed only 17 points in the second half. In the semifinals, they beat Bradenton Southeast, 73-29. An invite to the Dick’s Nationals could be in the offing. Season complete.

10. Marian, Bloomfield Hills, Mich. (18-1)

Previous: 10.

Low down: Defeated Divine Child (Dearborn), 63-39, for its second Detroit Catholic League A-B Tournament championship in three years and 14^th overall. In the semifinals, the Mustangs used a 26-2 first quarter spree to put away Regina (Warren), 76-56.

11. Cypress Woods, Cypress, Texas (29-1)

Previous: 11.

Low down: Crushed Katy Tompkins, 80-19, in the Class 6A Area playoff. Also defeated MacArthur (Houston), 62-32, in the bi-district playoff. Up next is the Region III quarterfinals vs. Cypress Ranch on Monday.

12. Elizabethtown, Ky. (26-2)

Previous: 12.

Low down: The 17^th District tournament opens on Wednesday.

13. Poly, Long Beach, Calif. (23-2)

Previous: 13.

Low down: Defeated Cajon, 59-42, in the CIF-Southern Section Open Division first round. The Jackrabbits host Vista Murrieta (Murrieta) Tuesday in the quarterfinals.

14. Olive Branch, Miss. (27-1)

Previous: 14.

Low down: Myah Taylor scored 13 points to help defeat Horn Lake, 39-36, in Class 6A district final. In the semifinals, Taylor scored 24 points and Mahogony Vaught had 20 as the Lady Quistors thrashed Southaven, 75-50. The state tournament is March 4-14.

15. Paul VI, Fairfax, Va. (28-2)

Previous: 15.

Low down: Freshman Kim Klimkiewicz equaled a career high with 17 points staking the Panthers to a 61-49 win over St. John’s (Washington, D.C.) in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference semifinals. In the quarterfinals, they trounced Bishop Ireton (Alexandria, Va.), 60-29, as Kendall Hunter and Jasmine Whitney scored 13 points apiece.

16. Miami (Fla.) Country Day (30-2)*

Previous: 16.

Low down: Won second consecutive Class 3A state championship, Seffner Christian, 77-59. Channise Lewis tossed in a game-high 22 points and Michelle Berry recorded a double-double, with 15 points and 12 rebounds. In the semifinals, drilled Calvary Christian (Clearwater), 71-35. Season complete.

17. Chaminade, West Hills, Calif. (22-3)

Previous: 17.

Low down: Leonna Odom flipped in 24 points during a 66-42 victory over Oaks Christian (Westlake Village) in the CIF-Southern Section Open Division first round. Ventura visits Tuesday for a quarterfinal matchup.

18. Desert Vista, Phoenix (28-3)

Previous: 18.

Low down: Ousted Mountain View (Mesa), 52-27, in the Division I state tournament second round. The Thunder plays Mesquite (Gilbert) in the quarterfinals on Wednesday. The semifinals are Friday and the final follows on March 2.

19. Braintree, Mass. (20-0)

Previous: 19.

Low down: Won Comcast Tournament championship, beating Bishop Feehan (Attleboro), 72-58, in the final. The Wamps are allowing only 35.5 points per game.

20. Cumberland Valley, Mechanicsburg, Pa. (25-1)

Previous: 20.

Low down: Kelly Jekot scored 16 points as the Eagles rolled past Red Lion, 43-27, in the Class AAAA District 3 quarterfinals. In the first round, Jekot scored 12 of her game-high 27 points in the opening quarter during a 69-29 blowout of New Oxford. Up next is Central Dauphin East (Harrisburg) in the semifinals on Tuesday at the Giant Center in Hershey.

21. Capital Prep, Hartford, Conn. (19-1)

Previous: 21.

Low down: The Trailblazers buried Nazareth Regional (Brooklyn, N.Y.), 90-39, in regular season finale. In the Constitution State Conference Tournament first round, they overwhelmed Windham Tech (Willimantic), 101-48. The semifinals are Tuesday and the final follows on Thursday.

22. Konawaena, Kealakekua, Hawaii (30-1)*

Previous: 22.

Low down: Won Division I state championship, Season complete.

23. Archbishop Alter, Kettering, Ohio (23-0)

Previous: 23.

Low down: Kara Stephenson paced three scorers in double figures with 13 points during an 85-21 victory over Stivers (Dayton) in the Division II Mason 2 District tournament first round. Up next is Wilmington on Tuesday in the quarterfinals.

24. Maize, Kan. (18-0)

Previous: 24.

Low down: Keiryn Swenson, an Arkansas recruit, netted 17 points in a 56-28 win over Salina South. Games this week with Salina Central and Newton cap the regular season.

25. Lawrence North, Indianapolis (27-1)

Previous: 25.

Low down: Won the Class 4A Decatur Central Regional, beating Pike (Indianapolis), 59-50, in the final. The Wildcats enter Saturday’s Semistate on a seven-game winning streak.

Dropped: None.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Ursuline Academy, Wilmington, Del. (19-1)

2. Central Bucks West, Doylestown, Pa. (26-1)

3. St. Rose, Belmar, N.J. (24-0)

4. Stonewall Jackson, Manassas, Va. (24-1)

5. Maury, Norfolk, Va. (21-2)

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

Midlands

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

2. Martin Luther King, Detroit (17-0)

3. Pius XI, Milwaukee (22-0)

4. Benson, Omaha, Neb. (24-0)

5. Marian Catholic, Chicago Heights, Ill. (27-2)

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

South

1. Holy Innocents’ Episcopal, Atlanta (29-0)

2. Dyer County, Newbern, Tenn. (29-0)

3. Warren Easton, New Orleans (32-1)

4. Lake Highland Prep, Orlando, Fl. (29-2)*

5. Northside, Fort Smith, Ark. (24-1)

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

Far West

1. Gonzaga Prep, Spokane, Wash. (23-0)

2. Miramonte, Orinda, Calif. (24-2)

3. ThunderRidge, Highlands, Colo. (22-2)

4. Centennial, Las Vegas (29-2)

5. Pinewood, Los Altos Hills, Calif. (22-2)

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

* Won state, national or conference postseason tournament championship

 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. 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. The final rankings will be released April 4. Follow him on Twitter: @clawlor.