RED ALERT: No. 1 Incarnate Word Academy (MO) Red Knights win 5th straight state title; 18 from Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ rankings have postseason titles

BENSALEM, Pa. – The Show Me State girls’ basketball champions showed the nation they are the best and so does the Blue Star Media Elite 25 rankings.

No. 1 Incarnate Word Academy (Bel Nor, Mo.) completed a perfect season, winning for the 29^th straight time this season to beat Kickapoo (Springfield), 67-50, last Friday in the Class 6 final. The Red Knights have won 12 state championships, the most of any girls team in the state. They also stretched their win streak to 68 games.

Incarnate Word has captured state championships in four different classes (3A, 4, 5 and 6) and won titles in eight of the last nine years. In 2020, the Red Knights qualified for the Class 4 semifinals but the tournament was cancelled over pandemic concerns.

The last time IWA lost was on Feb. 8, 2020, in a 46-44 decision to Rock Bridge (Columbia). They have won 60 contests by double digits during the streak.

Last week, three teams bagged state championships, bring the total to 19 for 18 teams. No. 8 Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.) were crowned Class AAAA champions. No. 3 St. John Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.) won their second postseason title after defeating Rutgers Prep (Somerset), 72-52, in the New Jersey State Tournament of Champions final. The Lady Lancers improved to 32-1 and will go down as one of the greatest teams in state history. Earlier this month, the Lady Lancers annexed the Non-Public A championship and the TOC will be the final one. New Jersey pulled the plug on the six-team tournament that grouped the six state champions after 31 years (starting in 1989).

Six teams from the Elite 25 rankings are still alive. No. 5 New Hope Academy (Landover Hills, Md.), No. 17 Montverde (Fla.) Academy and No. 19 DME Sports Academy (Daytona Beach, Fla.) along with IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) and Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.) will compete at the GEICO High School Nationals on March 31 to April 2 in Fort Myers, Fla.

The following week is the State Champions Invitational in Tampa, Fla. The inaugural four-team tournament will feature Elite 25 teams: No. 3 Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.) No. 13 Woodward Academy (College Park, Ga.) and No. 20 Lake Highland Prep (Orlando, Fla.) on April 8 and 9 in Tampa, Fla. Centennial (Las Vegas) rounds out the field.

There was no movement in the Elite 25 rankings and the Pennsylvania state championships will be played this week in Hershey, starting Thursday.

Okay, that’s a wrap for the third week in March.

The Blue Star Media Elite 25 girls’ rankings will return on March 30. Only three rankings remain.

Please stay safe and get vaccinated.

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

Blue Star Media Elite 25 Girls’ Basketball Rankings, March 23, 2022

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

Previous rank: 1.

The Low-down: Won a fifth straight state championship, defeating Kickapoo (Springfield), 67-50, in the Class 6 final. The Red Knights close the season with a 68-game win streak and 12^th state crown, the most of any Missouri girls’ team. Kentucky-bound guard Saniah Tyler scored 24 points in her final varsity game, junior center Natalie Potts manufactured 15 points and 6 rebounds and Brooke Coffey added 13 points and grabbed 8 boards. In the semifinals, they defeated rival St. Joseph’s Academy (St. Louis), 71-23.Tyler flipped in 11 points but the real story was defense. The Red Knights forced 33 turnovers and knocked down 10-of-22 three-point shots. With three rankings left, the Red Knights are in the driver’s seat for the Blue Star Media Elite 25 National Championship. Season complete.

2. Sidwell Friends, Washington, D.C. (28-0)*

Previous: 2.

Low-down: Idle. The Quakers will play at the inaugural State Champions Invitational in Tampa, Fla.

3. St. John Vianney, Holmdel, N.J. (32-1)**

Previous: 3.

The Low-down: Won the State Tournament of Champions, beating Rutgers Prep (Somerset), 72-52, in the final. The Lady Lancers set the tone early taking a 23-12 lead after one quarter. Princeton-bound guard Madison St. Rose closed out a brilliant career with 21 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 steals. Junior Zoe Brooks added 14 points and Julia Karpell had 11. In the semifinals, the Lady Lancers downed Sparta, 75-54. Season complete.

4. Sierra Canyon School, Chatsworth, Calif. (30-2)*

Previous: 4.

Low-down: Won the CIF Open Division state championship. For coach Alicia Komaki it was her fifth state title in 10 seasons. Season complete.

5. New Hope Academy, Landover Hills, Md. (26-2)*

Previous: 5.

The Low-down: Idle. The National Association of Christian Athletes Division 1 champions are top seed for the GEICO Nationals in Fort Myers, Fla.

6. Etiwanda, Calif. (29-1)

Previous: 6.

Low-down: Advanced CIF Southern Region Open Division final. Season complete.

7. DeSoto, Texas (35-2)*

Previous: 7.

The Low-down: Won a second consecutive UIL Class 6A state championship. Season complete.

8. Hopkins, Minnetonka, Minn. (26-1)*

Previous: 8.

The Low-down: Won the Class AAAA state championship, topping St. Michael-Albertville, 72-56, in the final. It was the eighth overall title for the Royals since 2003. Liv McGill scored 25 points, sinking 11 of 13 shots, and added 4 assists and 4 steals. Junior Taylor Woodson had 16 and Nunu Agara 11. In the semifinals, the Royals stopped White Bear Lake, 52-27. The defense clamped after the break allowing 8 points and forcing 24 turnovers for the game. Agara led the Royals with 14 points. In the quarterfinals, McGill finished with a game-high 20 points, canning four 3-pointers, during a 66-43 win over Lakeville North. Season complete.

9. Cedar Park, Texas (39-0)*

Previous: 9.

Low-down: Won a second straight UIL Class 5A state championship. Season complete.

10. Hazel Green, Ala. (35-0)*

Previous: 10.

Low-down: Won a fifth consecutive Class 6A state championship and Alabama State-bound Samiya Steele was named Alabama’s Gatorade player of the year. Season complete.

11. Classen SAS, Oklahoma City (24-1)*

Previous: 11.

Low-down: Won Class 4A state championship. Season complete.

12. Hoover, Ala. (34-3)*

Previous: 12.

Low-down: Won a second straight Class 7A state championship. Season complete.

13. Woodward Academy, College Park, Ga. (29-2)*

Previous: 13.

Low-down: Won its second straight Class AAAAA state championship and will play in the State Champions Invitational in Tampa, Fla.

14. Archbishop Mitty, San Jose, Calif. (30-2)

Previous: 14.

Low-down: Advanced to the CIF Open Division state final. Season complete.

15. La Jolla (Calif.) Country Day (25-3)

Previous: 15.

The Low-down: Won the CIF-San Diego Section Open Division championship and advanced to the Southern Region Open Division semifinals. Season complete.

16. Carondelet, Concord, Calif. (26-3)

Previous: 16.

Low-down: Advanced to CIF Northern Region Open Division final. Season complete.

17. Montverde (Fla.) Academy (18-3)

Previous: 17.

The Low-down: Idle. The Eagles will play in the GEICO Nationals April 1-2 in Fort Myers, Fla.

18. Stevenson, Lincolnshire, Ill. (36-2)*

Previous: 18.

Low-down: Won the Class 4A state championship. Season complete.

19. DME Sports Academy, Daytona Beach, Fla. (26-3)*

Previous: 19.

Low-down: Idle. Up next is the GEICO Nationals.

20. Lake Highland Prep, Orlando, Fla. (25-4)*

Previous: 20.

Low-down: Won third consecutive FHSAA Class 4A championship. Regular season is complete but they will play in the GEICO State Champions Invitational on April 8 in Tampa, Fla.

21. Reynoldsburg, Ohio (27-2)*

Previous: 21.

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

22. Duncanville, Texas (34-7)

Previous: 22.

Low-down: Advanced to the Class 6A, Region II final. Season complete.

23. Johnston, Iowa (26-0)*

Previous: 23.

Low-down: Won Class 5A state championship. Season complete.

24. Sacred Heart Academy, Louisville, Ky. (36-3)*

Previous: 24.

Low-down: Won second straight Mingua Beef Jerky Sweet Sixteen Tournament. Season complete.

25. Mason, Ohio (27-3)

Previous: 25.

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

Dropped: None.

High-Fives by Region

East

1. Westtown School, West Chester, Pa. (23-4)**
2. Rutgers Prep, Somerset, N.J. (29-3)*
3. Mount Lebanon, Pittsburgh (27-1)
4. Plymouth Whitemarsh, Plymouth Meeting, Pa. (30-0)
5. Cardinal O’Hara, Springfield, Pa. (15-15)* %

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

Midwest

1. Mount Notre Dame, Cincinnati (26-1)#
2. South Bend (Ind.) Washington (27-3)*
3. Noblesville, Ind. (25-4)*
4. Carmel, Mundelein, Ill. (28-7)*
5. Archbishop Alter, Kettering, Ohio (28-1)*

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

Southland

1. Neshoba Central, Philadelphia, Miss. (33-0)*
2. Bearden, Knoxville, Tenn. (37-3)*
3. Ponchatoula, La. (35-2)*
4. Brownsboro, Texas (40-2)*
5. The Webb School, Bell Buckle, Tenn. (30-6)*

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

Far West

1. Corona (Calif.) Centennial (26-7)
2. Lone Peak, Highland, Utah (23-0)*
3. Mater Dei, Santa Ana, Calif. (23-6)
4. Beaverton, Ore. (26-1)*
5. Woodinville, Wash. (26-1)*

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

Records through Monday’s games

 * Won state, national or recognized conference/league postseason tournament championship [Note: Multiple asterisks indicate a school has won at least two postseason titles]

 # Includes a forfeit win

 % Includes forfeits for use of ineligible player

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 at the conclusion of the season in April. Follow him on Twitter at @clawlor.