We don't see much change in this week's Top 10, but that wasn't for a lack of trying.
Cathedral led by as much as 18 points on the road before St. Mary's pulled off a stunning comeback victory. Medfield withstood an early challenge from Tri-Valley League rival Norwood. Foxboro was undeterred by playing three games in four days, sweeping the slate.
Several teams on the cusp of the rankings have beat up on each other in recent weeks. One game stuck out to me last week, though, leading to a returning member of the Top 10.
Here's the latest look at the state's top teams.
1. Bishop Feehan (10-1)
Previous ranking: 1
Next game: vs. Wellesley, Jan. 21, 6:45 p.m.
At least in state, there's nothing stopping the Shamrocks right now. They're getting contributions throughout the rotation in different games. The star backcourt of Charlotte Adams-Lopez and Maddy Steel remains rolling, but recently it's been Mollie Mullen leading the rest of the cast. Mullen averaged 13.7 points and 6.3 rebounds in wins against Needham, Walpole and Archbishop Williams. Also, shoutout to Sam Carlson for her whopping 14 assists Sunday against Needham.
2. Medfield (9-1)
Previous ranking: 2
Next game: vs. Dedham, Jan. 21, 6:00 p.m.
Naya Annigeri logged twin 20-point efforts last week and continues to step up her game as a sophomore. Freshman Abby Broderick also posted 20 points and 5 steals in the Warriors' dominant Tuesday victory over Ashland. Medfield's 60-41 win on Friday against Norwood, likely the second-best team in the Tri-Valley League, was a reminder of just how far ahead the Warriors are, even in a strong conference.
3. St. Mary’s (11-2)
Previous ranking: 3
Next game: at Bishop Fenwick, Jan. 24, 6:30 p.m.
The Spartans' 27-6 run that flipped Tuesday's matchup against Cathedral — done largely without their second-best player, Lily Norton, who fouled out — said a lot. This young roster has more talent that's ready to impact winning now than I initially anticipated, and Bella Owumi has grown (and is still growing) into a true centerpiece. St. Mary's played out-of-state powerhouses from Florida and Minnesota later in the week, going 1-1.
4. Cathedral (8-3)
Previous ranking: 4
Next game: at Cambridge, Jan. 24, 6:30 p.m.
Though the St. Mary's loss was heartbreaking for them, the Panthers spent 2.5 quarters of the matchup in total control and proved they're again among the elite. Hijjah Allen-Paisley and Keyona Raines are right up there with the MIAA's best backcourts, and Tamia Darling continues to flash impressive scoring and athletic tools. They travel to Bishop Feehan on Friday — another fantastic Catholic Central League rivalry game.
5. Woburn (10-0)
Previous ranking: 5
Next game: at Burlington, Jan. 21, 6:00 p.m.
It hasn't been against elite competition, but Woburn should feel good about its recent offensive outputs. The defense-first Tanners have reached 59 points or higher in each of their last five games, including 74 on Jan. 3 against Winchester and 80 last Tuesday vs. Wilmington. Shannon McCarthy averaged 18 points in last week's two victories.
6. Norwell (8-1)
Previous ranking: 6
Next game: at Pembroke, Jan. 20, 5:30 p.m.
Norwell only played once last week: a 67-19 rout of Weymouth led by 19 points from Maddie Oliver. But this evening's matchup with Pembroke should be one of the Clippers' toughest tests of the regular season. Norwell hasn't let an opponent reach 40 points during its current six-game win streak.
7. Foxboro (9-1)
Previous ranking: 7
Next game: vs. Sharon, Jan. 21, 6:30 p.m.
The Warriors cruised to three 20-plus-point wins last week, each spearheaded by 20-plus-point Kailey Sullivan performances. But the better news was Addie Ruter making her return to the lineup, posting 15 points and eight rebounds against Attleboro on Tuesday. Foxboro should have smooth sailing the next two weeks before a big rematch with Oliver Ames, who dealt the Warriors their only loss so far, on Feb. 4.
8. Wachusett (9-1)
Previous ranking: 8
Next game: vs. Newton North, Jan. 20, 5:00 p.m.
The Mountaineers have made things look easy against some solid opponents, including a 22-point victory over Leominster last Friday. Their budding star trio shined in both wins against Leominster and Algonquin last week. Jaelynn Scott averaged 21 points, Sophie Gibbons averaged 15 points and Teegan Lanpher averaged 14.5 points across the two games.
9. Dartmouth (9-0)
Previous ranking: 9
Next game: vs. Barnstable, Jan. 23, 6:30 p.m.
As Dartmouth rolls through an easier portion of its schedule, let's check on Kat Cheesebro's scoring milestone race. She's averaging 28.8 points per game, most recently posting 31 against Greater New Bedford. Cheesebro's up to 1,693 points. At her current scoring average, she'll surpass Dartmouth's all-time scoring record sometime in early February. It would take her about 11 games to reach the 2,000-point plateau, which would be right at the end of the regular season or start of the state tournament.
10. Notre Dame Hingham (9-1)
Previous ranking: NR
Next game: vs. Quincy, Jan. 14, 6:00 p.m.
The last spot in our Top 10 has been a revolving door recently. The Cougars get the spot for now after posting the most recent statement game to date: an 85-72 triumph against Central Catholic last Monday, fueled by a 43-point eruption from Ava Orlando. Notre Dame only has one loss to Quincy and is back to putting up massive point totals.
On the radar: Braintree, Central Catholic, Pittsfield, Quincy, North Quincy, Pembroke
All of these teams on the cusp of the Top 10 feel evenly-matched. The Patriot League in particular has been a tug-of-war at the top, with North Quincy just beating city rival Quincy head-to-head. The Raiders are 9-1, the Presidents are 9-2, and Pembroke (who just lost two Quincy and who has beaten North Quincy) is 9-1. That doesn't even account for Duxbury (9-2) and Whitman-Hanson (7-4).
Braintree (9-1) just took down Bridgewater-Raynham and faces both North Quincy and Quincy this week. I'm also still keeping an eye on undefeated Pittsfield (10-0) lurking in Western Mass.
