CLEVELAND, Ohio — As the dawn of the new year approaches, girls Basketball teams across Northeast Ohio have clearly shaken off any holiday rust and are now settling into an exceptionally intense competitive rhythm.
This week we saw a few familiar faces score points in the top 10 rankings.
The reigning state champions Olmsted Fallsfresh off a weather-related postponement against Strongsville, currently sit in 10th place as they prepare for a tough week with two top-10 matchups. Meanwhile, Warrensville Heights moved up to 9th place after scoring a victory over Luther East in a clash of previously undefeated teams.
Over the weekend, St. Vincent-St. Mary handed Avon Lake its first loss of the season, propelling both teams higher in this week’s standings.
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A total of four teams, namely Beaumont, North Ridgeville, Solonet Stowleft the rankings, leaving room for newcomers Twinsburg, Avon, Lutheran Eastet Mentor.
THE Blue Streaks showed their skills by finishing third at the Junior Orange Bowl Classic in Florida, defeating Doral Academy, and quickly returned to their home schedule. They head to Medina this Friday for a highly anticipated top 5 match.
Despite losing only to Olmsted Falls and Magnificat, the young Arcs will strive to navigate through a tough schedule, with an upcoming game against Avon Lake and the Classic in the Country on the horizon.
The Knights are riding a wave of success with a 10-game winning streak after an opening loss to Brush. They have beaten formidable opponents including Olmsted Falls and Green during this series, the dominance evident as they have won four of their last five matches by margins of 30 points or more.
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Last week: Ranked 6th; victory against Laurel 68-61.
Next match: Tuesday against Mentor; Thursday against Olmsted Falls; Friday against Shaker Heights.
THE Mustangs maintained an impeccable record in Ohio, winning two holiday tournaments in Florida, before falling to their first loss against St. John’s (DC).
The only defeat of Bees came at the hands of Greater Cleveland Conference rival Strongsville. They will look to get their revenge later in January, but must first face Magnificat and undefeated Highland.
THE Fighting Irish remain undefeated against Ohio opponents, having recently stifled Avon Lake’s score to just two points in the final quarter of their latest victory. The flagship recruit Sydney Ferguson has proven to be a key player for the team.
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THE Bulldogs have dominated the Federal League since their only defeat against Hoban. To secure the conference title, they will need to maintain their current level of performance, despite a difficult non-conference schedule that awaits them in the final stages of the season.
Although they suffered their first defeat this weekend, the Shoregals happily continue to celebrate a good record with seven victories by 10 points or more.
Last week: Ranked 11th; win over Garfield Heights 74-24; narrow victory against Lutheran East 60-57 in overtime.
Next match: Wednesday against Spire Academy; Saturday against Shaw.
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Demarionna Branch was exceptional as the points leader for the Tigers during their unbeaten streak. However, tough tests await them against Gilmour, Avon Lake and Brush in the second half of the season.
Last week: Ranked 13th; without a match.
Next match: Wednesday in Amherst; Thursday in Strongsville; Saturday against Avon Lake.
THE Bulldogs crushed their Southwestern Conference rivals after a loss to Hoban, with their only other loss coming against one of the best teams in the country, Red Bank Catholic (NJ).
THE Hornets are in control of the Suburban League American Conference after a solid win over Copley. Their undefeated record will face its biggest test next Monday against Medina.
THE Wildcats carried the momentum from their run to last season’s state semifinals, buoyed by sophomore point guard Madyson Sokolowski scoring over 21 points per game, supported by three other teammates also in double figures.
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After initially losing their season opening match, the Rockets went on a delightful eight-game winning streak before suffering a loss to Chippewa. Naomi Benson leads Streetsboro in every major statistical category.
Continually beating through the Suburban League National Conference, the Tigers control their destiny, although a loss to Stow would be a slight setback. Tough competitions await them against North Canton Hoover, Mentor, and Chardon as the season comes to a close.
Jessie Zenir et Ashley Perdion combined for an incredible 24 points, allowing the Bees to establish a commanding 36-4 halftime lead in their game against North Royalton. A win against Wadsworth would be crucial to the Bees’ hopes of winning the conference title.
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THE Grizzlies are right in the middle of the action at the top of the Suburban League National Conference, managing to keep their opponents under 40 points eight times, posting a commendable 7-1 record in those meetings.
Avon suffered their two losses this season against Southwestern Conference heavyweights Olmsted Falls and Avon Lake, but they managed to pull out three close victories by margins of just four points in their last five matches.
THE Royals have had a difficult start this season, winning just one of their first four matches. However, they then came away with a 6-2 record and will soon face Elyria Catholic in a crucial matchup for the Crown Conference standings.
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Sanaiiya GrayEllet’s leading rebounder and second-leading scorer last season, remains sidelined, but the Orangemen look poised for a great run in the Akron City Championship under the leadership of Caitlyn Holmes.
At the head of the Crown Conference, the Panthers are posting a solid 4-1 record in hard-fought matches decided by less than 10 points.
Last week: Ranked 14th; 60-22 loss to Toledo Notre Dame; 71-54 loss to Canton McKinley; victory against Cleveland Central Catholic 69-60.
Next match: Wednesday against Hoban; Saturday against VASJ.
The coach of Lancers Kevin Byrne described this season as a “baptism of fire” for his young team. The road ahead remains difficult with matchups against Hoban and Warrensville Heights looming.
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THE Falcons pushed Warrensville Heights to the limit in a matchup between two undefeated teams. With additional matches against St. Vincent-St. Mary and Brush still on the horizon, the Falcons will fully prepare to face the challenges of the postseason.
Last week: Ranked 23rd; narrowly lost 44-37 to Gilmour.
Next match: Wednesday against Chagrin Falls; Saturday against Hawken; Jan. 13 in St. Vincent-St. Mary.
THE Spartans have zoomed through their Chagrin Valley Conference games so far, with a non-conference schedule that includes a grueling trip to St. Vincent-St. Mary.
After an impressive 8-0 start to the season, the Indians hit a roadblock with three straight losses to Magnificat, Bellvue, and Highland. They await another opportunity to face Highland later in the season in hopes of capturing a share of the Suburban League American Conference title.
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THE Cardinals Hot on the heels of Medina and Strongsville in conference action, entering a critical three-game series against Strongsville in their quest to release those teams’ tight grip on the championship.
On the bubble: Berea-Midpark, Cleveland Heights, Cloverleaf, Hudson, John Hay, Rocky River, Tallmadge, et Wellington.
