The holidays are here, but they won't be slowing down the MIAA girls basketball season.
Many of the top teams in the state will play in some form of holiday tournament during winter break. I highly recommend checking out some of these matchups if you're looking for a winter basketball fix during your vacation.
We're about two weeks into regular season action. While most of the top teams are firing on all cylinders, a couple of surprise squads have approached as outside contenders for the top 10. With that said, I'll be writing an additonal short explainer for our "on the radar" additions to highlight which schools are threatening to break in.
Let's get to the latest rankings.
1. Bishop Feehan (3-0)
Previous ranking: 1
Next game: vs. Pinkerton (N.H.), Dec. 27, 11:00 a.m.
The Shamrocks passed their first major test of the season by winning a home thriller against St. Mary's, 60-57, on Dec. 17. Tufts-bound senior guard Maddy Steel has opened the winter on fire with three games of 20-plus points. Feehan participates in the high-caliber Londonderry Tournament Dec. 27-29, where they'll play three elite New Hampshire teams. I'm especially looking forward to a huge matchup against Bedford on Sunday (11 a.m.).
2. Foxboro (3-0)
Previous ranking: 2
Next game: vs. Wellesley, Dec. 27, 2:00 p.m.
The Warriors were challenged by Hockomock rival Franklin last Wednesday, but Kailey Sullivan's heroics (14 fourth-quarter points) kept them on top in a 54-51 victory. Foxboro has also received strong contributions from Alaysia Drummonds, Adrianna Porazzo and Ava Hill during its perfect start.
3. Medfield (3-0)
Previous ranking: 3
Next game: vs. Garfield (Calif.), Dec. 27, 3:30 p.m.
Since taking down Tri-Valley League rival Medway in its season opener, the Warriors have cruised to massive wins vs. Dover-Sherborn and Norton. Star sophomore Naya Annigeri is averaging 17.3 points and 8.3 steals (!) through her first three contests. Medfield takes a trip to Florida this week and will play a handful of games in the KSA Tournament.
4. St. Mary's (2-1)
Previous ranking: 5
Next game: at Dracut, Dec. 27, 7:30 p.m.
I give the Spartans a slight bump because of how well they played against Bishop Feehan. It was a game St. Mary's briefly led in the fourth quarter and certainly could have won if not for some bad turnovers. Bella Owumi scored 20 points in the loss and has cleared the benchmark in every game this season. St. Mary's has also found some other contributors, including eighth-grader Sysy McCausland-Emmanuel, who I'll be keeping an eye on going forward. She posted 18 points in the Dec. 20 win against Archbishop Williams.
5. Cathedral (3-1)
Previous ranking: 4
Next game: vs. Arlington Catholic, Jan. 3, 6:30
The Panthers traveled to Washington, D.C., for the She Got Game Classic, where they went 1-1 with a blowout loss to Menchville (Va.). But they've crushed their two MIAA opponents so far, and I have little concern about the Panthers' status as a top in-state team. They've got a light schedule coming out of the holidays and can build momentum.
6. Woburn (3-0)
Previous ranking: 6
Next game: vs. Millbury, Dec. 27, 12:00 p.m.
Woburn's defense is up to its usual elite standard, holding its first three opponents to 43, 45 and 44 points. The Tanners escaped that last contest with a 46-44 win against Lexington, so it hasn't been completely smooth sailing. But they've maintained balanced individual scoring and built on their three-year-plus Middlesex League win streak. Woburn next participates in the Garden City Tournament, facing Millbury at Newton North.
7. Norwell (2-0)
Previous ranking: 8
Next game: vs. Brecksville-Broadview Heights (Ohio), Dec. 27, 3:30 p.m.
We could get a fun MIAA matchup in Florida — the Clippers are in the same pool as Medfield at the KSA Tournament. They've also started the season strong with wins against South Shore League foes. Paige Maguire, who battled a wrist injury last season, notched a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds against Cohasset.
8. Central Catholic (1-0)
Previous ranking: 9
Next game: vs. Methuen, Dec. 27, 4:15 p.m.
There isn't much to say about the Raiders yet. They rolled over Dracut, 71-39, in their season opener. Central Catholic is part of the Commonwealth Motors Christmas Classic tournament at Merrimack College. The Raiders could receive some quality tests there, including potential opponents Andover, Bridgewater-Raynham, North Andover and Pentucket.
9. Notre Dame Hingham (3-0)
Previous ranking: 10
Next game: at Quincy, Dec. 28, 1:00 p.m.
The Cougars have a marquee matchup this winter break: a road date with Quincy as part of the Quincy Holiday Tournament. That'll be a great test for two teams on either side of the cutoff for these rankings. Ava Orlando continues to dominate as a senior, most recently posting 24 points, seven assists and seven steals against Archbishop Williams on Monday.
10. Springfield Central (0-2)
Previous ranking: 7
Next game: at Northampton, Dec. 27, 6:30 p.m.
It's tough to gauge the weight of the Golden Eagles' two losses. They both came at the hands of non-New England teams: Centreville (Va.) and Eastern (Washington, D.C.). Springfield Central falls a bit as a result, but I don't want to overreact until I see how the team fares against local competition.
On the radar:Â Bridgewater-Raynham, Dartmouth, Quincy, North Quincy, Wachusett
Each of these five schools have started unbeaten and just need more wins against top-notch opponents to garner serious consideration for a spot. Among the five, I'd consider North Quincy the biggest stock-riser, having knocked off a talented Whitman-Hanson team amid its 4-0 start. Sophomore Maeve Powers has been one of the state's early breakout players, averaging 13.5 points per game.
