The Top 10 girls basketball programs in Washington:
1. Auburn Riverside (Auburn): The Ravens, who started playing in 1995, have been the state's top program since 2005, when they made it to the state tournament for the first time. Since then, they won three of the last four state titles and won two state trophies. Even a jump from the 3A classification to 4A hasn't slowed them down. Adam Barrett started the dynasty and Terry Johnson leads it now.
2. Lewis & Clark (Spokane): The Tigers come from the state's hotbed of girls hoops: Spokane. LC won three straight Class 4A state titles from 2006-08 under coach Jim Redmon, and it has been to state every year since 2003. WNBA player Briann January was a key figure during that run of state titles.
3. Prairie (Brush Prairie): The Falcons from near Vancouver are always at the top of the list of state contenders. Prairie, ranked No. 2 among Class 3A teams, has won five state titles and has 15 top-three finishes under coach Al Aldridge. Prairie had a 137-game winning streak against Greater St. Helen's foes that was snapped last year in the district title game.
4. River Ridge (Lacey): The Hawks have emerged as a state power over the last decade. They lost in the 2005 Class 3A state title game to Chief Sealth, which had to vacate the title in a recruiting scandal. After the 2006 season, the Hawks dropped down to 2A where they won three of the four state titles under three different head coaches.
5. Colfax: The Bulldogs are a small-school power in most sports but especially girls basketball. Colfax won four consecutive Class 1A state titles under coach Corey Baerlocker from 2004-07. Colfax dropped down to the 2B classification and won the last two. Colfax has 18 state trophies and seven titles in 22 appearances.
6. King's (Seattle): The Knights, who hail from a private Christian school in Seattle, are always at state and always winning trophies. King's won three state titles — two in 2A and one in 1A — and had 11 top-four finishes under coach Eric Rasmussen. Dan Taylor is in his second year as coach.
7. Central Valley (Veradale): The Bears were a perennial state power under coach Dale Poffenroth, winning three state titles and finishing in the top four six other times. Poffenroth stepped down in 2004 and started coaching in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and the Bears haven't been back to state.
8. Kennedy (Burien): The Lancers seem to have a spot booked at the state tournament every year. Since 1988, Kennedy has been to state 19 times, but the Lancers have won only eight trophies during that span. Kennedy won a state title in 2009 under Tom Mummert and has three runner-up finishes.
9. Lakeside (Seattle): The Lions won five state titles and a total of 13 trophies in Sandy Schneider's 26 years (she retired after a fourth-place finish in 2009).
10. St. George's (Spokane): The Dragons from Spokane are a Class 2B power with four state titles and nine top-three finishes. The Dragons won three titles and had a runner-up finish from 2000-04.
Nathan Joyce has covered high school sports in Washington for 13 years. He works at the Kitsap Sun in Bremerton.
