If it's not one thing, it's another. In a season marred by COVID, weather made an appearance and erased a marquee MaxPreps Top 25 game between No. 1 Sidwell Friends and No. 3 St. John-Vianney.
Scheduling gets more complicated as postseason play looms, as coaches are gearing up for the win-or-die efforts needed to win state or tournament titles rather than looking for a marquee opponent, so the No. 1 vs. No. 3 showdown might not get made up.
Of course, in some states, those marquee opponents are in the same playoff bracket, which makes for some intense competition, but in other states, the top teams are in different divisions and never meet.
Still, expect upsets, as underdogs build confidence with each postseason win, so intimidation and reputation mean less and less in each round. After all, it wouldn't be high school basketball if a few heavy favorites didn't bite the dust down the stretch.
Madison St. Rose, St. John-Vianney
Photo by Dale Horton
1. Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.)
Record: 14-0 |
Last week: 1
The big game against No. 3 St. John Vianney was snowed out and has yet to be rescheduled, so the Quakers can now focus on 13-1 Georgetown Vistitation, which lost only when it visited Sidwell. The return trip is next Tuesday.
2. Etiwanda (Calif.)
Record: 21-0 |
Last week: 2
The Eagles finish the regular season Saturday against 21-1 South Pasadena, which last lost in late November, and is riding a 14-game winning streak. Then come the Southern Section playoffs.
3. St. John-Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.)
Record: 14-0 |
Last week: 3
The Lancers didn't get to play unbeaten Sidwell last weekend, so this weekend they'll take on unbeaten New Jersey power Saddle River Day. And the Sunday after that, it's No. 24 Rutgers Prep. Weather willing, of course …
4. DeSoto (Texas)
Record: 24-2 |
Last week: 4
It's playoff time in Texas, which means that sooner or later, the Eagles and Duncanville will meet again. Until then, though, even the always competitive 6A Division may not have enough to truly challenge DeSoto.
5. Hopkins (Minnetonka, Minn.)
Record: 14-1 |
Last week: 5
The Royals have two big games left on the schedule: A trip to once-beaten crosstown rival Minnetonka Feb. 15, and a Feb. 18 visit from Florida power IMG Academy — which just upset No. 11 DME.
6. La Jolla Country Day (La Jolla, Calif.)
Record: 19-2 |
Last week: 7
The Torreys have two games left: Home-and-away matchups with 13-2 Bishop's, which has been a San Diego rival of LJCD for years. And note that the Feb. 11 game is at Bishop's.
7. Classen SAS (Oklahoma City)
Record: 15-1 |
Last week: 8
The Comets can't help but shine in their last two regular season games against overmatched opponents, but once the 4A playoffs begin, the competition will stiffen. A little.
8. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)
Record: 21-1 |
Last week: 9
The Trailblazers have just one game left before the Southern Section playoffs begin – and once they start, the margin for error will not be great.
9. New Hope Academy (Landover Hills, Md.)
Record: 19-2 |
Last week: 10
New Hope will be on cruise control the rest of the way, as there are no state playoffs for them.
10. Incarnate Word Academy (St. Louis)
Record: 16-0 |
Last week: 11
The Red Knights' major challenge will come when No. 16 Rock Bridge shows up on the Class 6 playoff bracket. It may take a while, though, as first the teams must get through district tournaments.
11. DME Academy (Daytona Beach, Fla.)
Record: 20-2 |
Last week: 6
DME drops five spots after losing to previously ranked IMG, 68-58, but a bevy of quality wins, and a head-to-head victory over No. 12 Montverde stops the slide at No. 11.
12. Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)
Record: 18-3 |
Last week: 12
The Eagles finished their regular season with a 59-51 win over No. 16 Lake Highland Prep — but the New Year's Day loss to DME prevents a jump.
13. Cedar Park (Texas)
Record: 27-0 |
Last week: 13
The Timberwolves move on to the 5A playoffs, which don't include No. 4 DeSoto or traditional power Duncanville. Still, navigating the Texas postseason is never easy.
14. Conway (Ark.)
Record: 21-1 |
Last week: 14
The Wampus Cats face North Little Rock, always one of the state's best, on Friday, and have more tough local competition before postseason begins.
15. Rock Bridge (Columbia, Mo.)
Record: 16-0 |
Last week: 16
The Bruins and No. 10 Incarnate Word Academy seem to be on a postseason collision course but it's always dangerous — even for the best of teams — to look too far ahead.
16. Lake Highland Prep (Orlando, Fla.)
Record: 18-4 |
Last week: 15
The Highlanders wound up the regular season with a loss to No. 12 Montverde, and now move into the 4A playoffs — where they will be a heavy favorite to win a title.
17. Fremont (Plain City, Utah)
Record: 16-2 |
Last week: 18
The Silverwolves host Syracuse on Feb. 15 in their toughest remaining regular season test before the 6A playoffs.
18. Hazel Green (Ala.)
Record: 27-0 |
Last week: 19
The Trojans begin the 6A postseason next week, and, after disposing of 7A power Hoover, are expected to take care of business the rest of the way.
19. Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, Md.)
Record: 12-1 |
Last week: NR
The Falcons' only loss is to No. 9 New Hope, so a 10-point win over previous No. 19 St. Paul VI was more than enough to get them in the MaxPreps Top 25.
20. Johnston (Iowa)
Record: 14-0 |
Last week: 20
After handling Dowling Catholic on Monday, the Dragons have firmly established themselves as the best in Iowa — but games against Waukee, Ankeny and Dowling Catholic (again) will be tests.
21. Woodward Academy (College Park, Ga.)
Record: 19-2 |
Last week: 21
The War Eagles have two relatively easy regular season games left, and thus can start focusing on the AAAAA playoffs.
22. Franklin Community (Franklin, Ind.)
Record: 22-1 |
Last week: 23
The Grizzly Cubs have begun the 4A playoffs, and it will be far from an easy road to a state title.
23. Homestead (Fort Wayne, Ind.)
Record: 21-1 |
Last week: 24
Despite trailing Franklin Community in the MaxPreps Top 25, the Spartans are considered by many to be the real favorite in Indiana.
24. Rutgers Prep (Somerset, N.J.)
Record: 12-1 |
Last week: 25
Rutgers Prep must travel to 16-2 Red Bank Catholic on Sunday, and then a week later, gets a shot at No. 3 St. John-Vianney.
25. Blackman (Murfreesboro, Tenn.)
Record: 17-0 |
Last week: NR
Blackman is riding a 37-game win streak and has three games left in the regular season. Two of them are against crosstown rival Riverdale, which has fallen off considerably since its glory days in the not-too-distant past.
Dropped out: No. 19 St. Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.), No. 22 Sacred Heart (Louisville).
