The progression of the regular season is supposed to help clarify the NEPSAC girls basketball championship picture. Instead, it's only made things more confusing.
That's most true at the top of Class AAA, where our No. 1 overall ranking passes to a third team in three weeks. A massive win from one AA contender adds to the intrigue in that class playoff race.
And for the second straight week, a Class B Large frontrunner makes its season debut in the Top 10.
Here's our latest look at the top squads around NEPSAC. This week, our updates comes a day earlier to accommodate schedule and content changes on the MIAA side. We'll be updating this ranking again late next week — our final check-in before the postseason.
1. Tabor (20-3)
Next game: at Governor's, Feb. 18, 4 p.m.
I don't think we've seen a more impactful statement from a team this season than Tabor this past weekend. The Seawolves went up to New Hampshire and knocked off Tilton and New Hampton on back-to-back days. I watched the first game against Tilton, a 60-52 triumph. Tabor kept the Rams from getting easy paint points, Corinne Lomax (Watertown, Conn.) dominated on the boards and Molly Corcoran (Medford, Mass.) caught fire, particularly in the first half, behind the arc. I might have snubbed Corcoran in my midseason discussion about AAA Player of the Year; she is definitely in the conversation amidst a scorching second half of the season.
Tabor has won 12 in a row and 16 of its last 17. The Seawolves have yet to take down Hoosac, though, and that rematch arrives on Saturday. I've been blown away by the 2026 portion of the season that has given Tabor a slight edge over its AAA rivals for now.
2. Hoosac (17-6)
Previous rank: 4
Next game: vs. Nobles, Feb. 17, 3:30 p.m.
Hoosac ran into a challenge against Worcester Academy but fought off the Hilltoppers during the second half of an eventual 64-51 victory. But this is an atypically difficult week, especially because it includes a rescheduled matchup with Nobles. Hoosac will meet four AAA opponents, all at home, in a six-day span. After the Nobles game is a Friday-Saturday-Sunday gauntlet against Dexter Southfield, Tabor and Newman, in that order.
3. Tilton (19-3)
Previous rank: 1
Next game: at Newman, Feb. 18, 3:30 p.m.
The Rams went 1-2 this week with Wednesday's dominant win against Kimball Union getting overshadowed by an 0-2 stretch against Tabor and Wilbraham & Monson. I watched Tilton play Tabor via live stream; it was still a close game even on a rare off shooting night from multiple of the Rams' top scorers. But the latter 63-51 defeat to Wilbraham & Monson is more of a surprise. Brooke Golden fouled out late and some others were in foul trouble, but Tilton trailed most of this game regardless. The Rams had cut it to 52-47 with 4:50 left in the final quarter but just couldn't get shots to fall.
Back-to-backs are difficult, especially with the second on the road. But those will also be the defining chunks in the rest of Tilton's winter. The Rams close the regular season with a back-to-back against New Hampton and Hoosac that will set the tone for the playoffs. And, of course, the semifinals and Super Sunday are a back-to-back. All that said — we could easily look back on this weekend as a two-day cold stretch that didn't ultimately mean anything.
4. New Hampton (14-5)
Previous rank: 3
Next game: vs. St. Andrew's, Feb. 20, 6 p.m.
The Huskies went 1-1 this week and drop slightly in the rankings, with the 68-60 home loss to Tabor following an easy win over Phillips Exeter. Vermont Academy forfeit its matchup Wednesday; I believe this goes in as a New Hampton W and will count it as such next week. With only four games on the schedule and two should-be wins next, New Hampton can build up to what should be a fun Feb. 27 rivalry game at home against Tilton.
The Huskies get the short straw here even though they've played great basketball recently. The head-to-head records among these top four teams are as follows: Hoosac (3-1), Tabor (3-2), Tilton (2-2), New Hampton (1-4). None of them have truly separated from each other and New Hampton's only other loss is to Nobles at the Nickerson Showcase. Throw these top four under a blanket as dead-even AAA title contenders.
5. Nobles (16-6)
Previous rank: 5
Next game: at Hoosac, Feb. 17, 3:30 p.m.
A 3-0 week for Nobles included domination against Groton and BB&N, and then a narrow, 72-68 win Sunday against Newman. Izzy Kittredge, a 2027 Brown commit from Medfield, Mass., also surpassed 1,000 career points. Five of the Bulldogs' six losses have come to teams ranked above them, plus an additional defeat to a healthier Dexter Southfield team. But to break into that lead contender conversation, Nobles needs to earn another win against those top four, starting with Hoosac on Tuesday.
6. Newman (12-13)
Next game: vs. Tilton, Feb. 18, 3:30 p.m.
The Cardinals could not defend home court against Nobles on Sunday, dropping them to 0-8 against the top five teams in NEPSAC. It's a tough spot to be in: sixth overall in our NEPSAC-wide rankings while also sixth out of eight teams in the AAA hierarchy. But this is the time for Newman to try and pounce on a stumbling Tilton team at home. The Cardinals then travel out to Hoosac on Sunday.
7. Darrow (17-3)
Previous rank: 7
Next game: at Wilbraham & Monson, Feb. 18, 4:30 p.m.
Darrow steamrolled MacDuffie and Brimmer & May en route to two Class AA wins by more than 25 points. Only one Class AA team has bested the Ducks this season: Wilbraham & Monson, who beat them at home two months ago. A rematch win would entrench Darrow as the class championship favorite with two other games left on the regular season schedule. But this will also prove a much different challenge than the last meeting.
8. Wilbraham & Monson (13-9)
Next game: vs. Darrow, Feb. 18, 4:30 p.m.
A dramatically up-and-down season reached perhaps its most extreme 24-hour stretch yet. Wilbraham & Monson lost Friday on the road to Hamden Hall by double digits. That's not a horrible loss — Hamden Hall is a strong program that's just outside our Top 10 — but with little room for error, the Titans were going to fall from these rankings.
And then they toppled Tilton on Saturday?! The 63-51 final score marked what coach Durelle Brown felt was a program-defining victory. Senior stars Caterina Ravosa (32 points, 11 rebounds) and Selah Prignano (15 points, six assists) combined for 47 of WMA's 63 in their first time finally starting together all winter. When WMA beat Darrow back on Dec. 17, Ravosa was still injured. A sweep would prove that the Titans, despite the turbulence of this season, are actually the team to beat in Class AA.
9. Suffield (16-0)
Next game: at Loomis Chaffee, Feb. 18, 3 p.m.
The Tigers easily disposed of Millbrook in their lone matchup last week. Their upcoming game at Loomis Chaffee is arguably their toughest test of the winter to date, and it kicks off a challenging 11-day close to the regular season.
10. St. George's (14-2)
Previous rank: NR
Next game: at Milton Academy, Feb. 18, 3:30 p.m.
The Dragons snatched their second Class AAA win of the season, earning a 60-56 win on the road against Dexter Southfield. Yes, Dexter is still battling multiple injuries, but they're a deep roster with a strong defense, so I think the win is notable. I'll remind you that St. George's only setbacks this year are against Tabor and Nobles. The Dragons can prove they belong by fighting off Milton Academy and Loomis Chaffee this week.
The next five:Â Worcester Academy, Dexter Southfield, Hamden Hall, Northfield Mount Hermon, Loomis Chaffee
Worcester Academy falls from the Top 10 after losing to Lawrence Academy, a solid Class B Large team, 56-55 on Saturday. I'm not too worried; the Hilltoppers played well in Friday's loss to Hoosac and also beat Northfield Mount Hermon on Wednesday. But the gap between these fringe teams is so narrow and St. George's did enough to join the list. Hamden Hall also scored a major victory by defeating Wilbraham & Monson at home to keep the Hornets hanging around.
