The MIAA girls playoffs delivered once again, with most of the state's best teams meeting each other in postseason thrillers.
With the brackets largely playing out chalk, we got to see head-to-head matchups that made our Final Top 10 a bit easier to rank.
There's no surprise who's No. 1: Medfield, who went undefeated en route to a third consecutive Div. 2 title. Wachusett and Springfield Central are obviously at the front too. But who follows them?
Here's our end-of-year ranking of the MIAA's best.
1. Medfield (25-0)
There's not much left to say. The Warriors beat every opponent they played by double digits, including Wachusett, two New Hampshire powerhouses and their matchups in the loaded Division 2 playoff field. I'll go on record calling this the best MIAA girls team I've seen in my six years covering this level. And though Medfield graduates six seniors, Bowdoin-bound Tess Baacke was the only starter. On paper, the Warriors could somehow get even better.
2. Wachusett (22-3)
The Mountaineers defended their Division 1 championship in largely convincing fashion, losing only two MIAA contests to Medfield and Minnechaug. We knew Jae Scott was a superstar, but I was floored by the leap Teegan Lanpher took in her junior season. She'll be the leader of next year's team with Scott headed to Tulsa and steady point guard Sophie Gibbons going to Endicott. Though Scott, Gibbons and Ruth Marcel graduate, Wachusett should still be a Division 1 contender with Lanpher, Hannah Quinn and Kyla Yurkus as returning starters.
3. Springfield Central (21-4)
The Golden Eagles showed off a young core that could make them the next multi-year power in MIAA girls basketball. Zi'Yan Wallace scored 25 points in the Division 1 title game, and now that Jae Scott's high school career is over, Wallace is probably the top college prospect in the MIAA. She's got a quick, fierce point guard beside her in sophomore Gia Mars and another impact guard in Maya Ocana-Saunders. Springfield Central has zero seniors; it will be in the mix for No. 1 overall team next winter assuming this group stays put.
4. Andover (22-2)
The above three teams are in a tier of their own, and then we get to the discussion. But honestly, the Golden Warriors earned this spot decisively with just a lone early-season blemish against Natick and a perfect run in the Merrimack Valley Conference. They beat St. Mary's in Lynn during February vacation, then took down Taunton, Westford and Worcester South to reach the Div. 1 semifinals. Andover didn't have much star power this season, but the roster balance, defense and coaching of Alan Hibino helped it far exceed my expectations. They'll return a few of their top impact players next year.
5. St. Mary’s (23-4)
Only one program has made four state final appearances in the five years of the statewide tournament. This winter, now up in Division 2, was impressive from the Spartans. We saw freshman SySy Mcausland Emmanuel noticeably grow as a leader over the course of the season while other less-heralded names (McKenna O'Connell, Janae Holmes as some examples) flashed promise. Six freshmen played major minutes along with sophomore center Charleigh Green, which means there's massive potential for the Spartans next year.
6. Worcester South (19-4)
The Colonels moved up to Division 1 and hung strong, reaching the quarterfinals before faltering against Andover. They beat Bishop Feehan and Foxboro during the regular season to lead the quality victories. South does graduate a large senior class, including Gianah Estevez, Madi Leighton and Ava MacCollom. They'll lean on Lydia Charlonne and Stef Kyriazis as key playmakers next year.
7. Bishop Feehan (20-5)
Previous rank: 7
The Shamrocks ran into Wachusett during the Division 1 Final 4; two of their five losses this season came against the Mountaineers. I was impressed overall with this group after experiencing significant roster graduation from 2025. Senior Mollie Mullen lived up to her billing as a two-way MIAA star. She now leaves for Stonehill, but the Shamrocks showed they have solid future pieces, like Shannon LaMorticelli, Addie Frenette, Ava Teixeira and more.
8. Whitman-Hanson (22-3)
Previous rank: 9
The Panthers never failed to entertain. They were part of two thrilling playoff games in the Division 2 bracket: a 51-47 triumph over Oliver Ames and a 41-40 Final 4 heartbreaker against St. Mary's. Dylan Hurley will play at St. Anselm and leave as one of my most memorable crunch-time MIAA hoopers. But though Whitman-Hanson graduates the backcourt of her and Leah Daley, 2027 star Maliah Pierre should be one of the state's top producers next season.
9. Minnechaug (20-5)
Only one team defeated both Springfield Central and Wachusett this season. Minnechaug's winter was a wild ride that culminated in a strong Div. 2 semifinal run via a 45-39 victory against Foxboro. Zahara Wilson emerged as one of the state's top freshmen after transferring from Springfield International. She's an important building block for the program's future.
10. Bishop Fenwick (20-5)
Previous rank: NR
The Crusaders dialed in when it mattered most, taking care of business as the top seed in Division 3 and earning a state championship that meant a little bit more. It wasn't a smooth winter — Fenwick lost to unranked Billerica, along with Bishop Feehan twice and Worcester South — but they also beat St. Mary's, Pittsfield, Medway and more quality opponents. Celia Neilson and Caitlin Boyle were the dynamic duo we expected them to be, and I'm excited to follow their college careers.
The next six: Pittsfield, Foxboro, Braintree, Needham, Natick
Pittsfield reached the Div. 3 championship and gave Bishop Fenwick a battle in the 49-44 loss. Foxboro was in our Top 10 for a while and fought to the Div. 2 quarterfinals. And we never got a clear answer on the best team in the Bay State Conference, so throw Braintree, Needham, Natick and Walpole in a raffle to wrap things up.
