Even though most of our MIAA Top 10 won out, last week still reminded several of the state's best teams that nothing is guaranteed.
Half of the current Top 10 schools survived narrow, single-digit contests. Many were surprising near-upsets, including a home win for our top-ranked team that came down to the final second.
Most of the state still has one or two more weeks of conference play before February break tournaments. Some teams, however, will start turning up the strength of schedule this week with some big-time nonconference matchups.
Here's the latest Top 10 update, featuring one first-time newcomer.
1. Bishop Feehan (15-1)
Previous ranking: 1
Next game: at Dartmouth, Feb. 4, 6:30 p.m.
Worcester South nearly dealt the Shamrocks the upset of the season, pushing them to the brink in a low-scoring game before a Maddy Steel 3-pointer won it, 47-44. That's a good reality check for our top team, but they also had Brown commit Charlotte Adams-Lopez return against Cardinal Spellman, which is a huge boost. Adams-Lopez came back just in time; the next four games of Feehan's schedule are on the road at Dartmouth, St. Mary's, Central Catholic and Cathedral.
2. Medfield (13-1)
Previous ranking: 2
Next game: at Norton, Feb. 4, 6:00 p.m.
It's been smooth sailing for the Warriors, who routed another top Tri-Valley League opponent in their 60-28 road win against Medway on Friday. Izzy Kittredge has been leading the charge lately, posting two double-doubles last week. I expect the success to continue next week before the schedule starts to ramp up.
3. St. Mary’s (15-2)
Previous ranking: 3
Next game: vs. Bishop Fenwick, Feb. 4, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday's 38-29 triumph over Dartmouth was ugly, but a win's a win, and it did show the young Spartans are capable of executing a gameplan and succeeding with defense. I'd expect a similar type of gritty matchup against Bishop Fenwick on Tuesday. Then we get a St. Mary's-Bishop Feehan rematch Friday — the Shamrocks won the first in one of the best games I've watched all winter — and I'm sure the Spartans are excited to have this one back at home.
4. Woburn (14-0)
Previous ranking: 4
Next game: vs. Winchester, Feb. 4, 5:00 p.m.
Reading gave Woburn a sufficient scare, but the Tanners were undeterred in Tuesday's 49-42 road victory. Star duo Mckenna Morrison and Shannon McCarthy each reached double figures, and did it again in Friday's 59-44 win over Lexington. This Friday's rematch with a surging Belmont team will be Woburn's best in-conference test remaining.
5. Norwell (13-1)
Previous ranking: 5
Next game: at Abington, Feb. 3, 5:00 p.m.
Norwell has now held 11 consecutive opponents under 40 points. The streak dates back to when the Clippers were in Florida for the KSA Tournament on Dec. 28. They get a quality rematch on Wednesday, facing a strong Pembroke team that only lost by 10 on Jan. 20, but it's looking increasingly like the Clippers could win out until the state tournament.
6. Foxboro (13-1)
Previous ranking: 6
Next game: at Oliver Ames, Feb. 4, 6:30 p.m.
The Warriors are building a nice little under-40 streak of their own, holding opponents below the mark for eight consecutive contests. This upcoming matchup against Oliver Ames — the team who dealt Foxboro its only loss on Jan. 3 — should be a treat. We'll watch two of the MIAA's top guards duke it out in Kailey Sullivan (Foxboro) and Avery Gamble (Oliver Ames).
7. Cathedral (12-4)
Previous ranking: 7
Next game: at New Heights Charter, Feb. 4, 5:00 p.m.
The Panthers got back on track last week with three wins against solid opponents in Archbishop Williams, Belmont and Bishop Fenwick. Star guard Hijjah Allen-Paisley crossed the 1,000-point mark on Wednesday. As usual, Cathedral does a great job of sharing the scoring load. Malani Smith (17 points) and Leilani Benson (12 points, 13 rebounds) led the way against Belmont, and then Allen-Paisley (17 points), Keyona Raines (15 points) and Tamia Darling (14 points) spearheaded Friday's win against Fenwick.
8. Wachusett (13-1)
Previous ranking: 8
Next game: vs. Algonquin, Feb. 4, 6:00 p.m.
The Jaelynn Scott train kept chugging along last week. She posted 20 points in Tuesday's 58-29 rout of Nashoba, then came back with 25 points and 11 rebounds in a closer, 62-54 victory over Bishop Guertin (N.H.) at Emmanuel College on Saturday. Wachusett still has yet to lose in-state, and looking at the upcoming opponents, I expect that to continue for at least another week or two.
9. Notre Dame Hingham (13-1)
Previous ranking: 10
Next game: at Ursuline, Feb. 4, 6:30 p.m.
The Cougars ran into trouble against private school rivals Fontbonne and Arlington Catholic, but they managed to escape both matchups with single-digit victories. Ava Orlando once again shined, averaging 24 points across the two wins, and sister Elle Orlando scored 25 against Arlington Catholic.
10. Braintree (14-1)
Previous ranking: NR
Next game: vs. Weymouth, Feb. 4, 6:30 p.m.
This might be an overdue addition; Braintree has played a tough schedule, and aside from an early stumble against Cohasset, they've been rolling through Bay State Conference and quality nonconference foes. Braintree defeated Bridgewater-Raynham, North Quincy and Quincy in a week's span in mid-January, most recently took down Walpole by 19 points and hasn't lost a league game yet. This is a steady defense-first squad with multiple contributors who I didn't have on my preseason radar. They certainly are now.
On the radar: Dartmouth, Quincy, Natick, North Quincy, Pembroke
Dropping Dartmouth out of the Top 10 was difficult, especially considering the team's loss came in a competitive game against a fellow Top 10 opponent in St. Mary's. But Braintree has been on the heels of these rankings for a while, and following Dartmouth's offensive struggles, I had to make the change. I'd still consider Dartmouth next up on the radar. I'm also keeping a a closer eye on Natick, which, like Braintree, is asserting itself in the Bay State Conference.
