Faith Christian players celebrate probably after another three by record-breaking senior Lauren Harris. The Lions look like a big favorite to win CIF D4 state title since they probably would have been one of the best teams if they had been placed in D3. Photo: @FCSLionsSports / X.com.
Just like the boys, we have a first look at expected favorites for each division of the CIF state championships. These rankings are determined after the CIF released pairings for each division last Sunday and then there were first-round games played on Tuesday night. We can’t do division rankings any earlier since there’s no way to know which divisions these teams are going to be in. These also will be the same divisions used for upcoming divisional all-state teams. First No. 1 teams are Sierra Canyon of Chatsworth (Open), Mater Dei of Santa Ana (D1), McClatchy of Sacramento (D2), West Campus of Sacramento (D3), Faith Christian of Yuba City (D4) and Woodland Christian (D5).
FOR THE FIRST BOYS HOOPS DIVISION RANKINGS, CLICK HERE.
Note: We hope you enjoy this free post on CalHiSports.com. It will be a Gold Club post for the second state divisional rankings next week and the final rankings. All regular season weekly and final state rankings are available only to our Gold Club members as well as our state stat star of the week honor rolls. Some of our upcoming all-state teams also will be for Gold Club members only. To check out getting a Gold Club membership to see all of these features plus all of our updated state record lists, and more, CLICK HERE.
CHECK OUT CALGAMESWANTED.COM
Created for Coaches by Coaches for California Varsity High School Head Coaches and Athletic Directors, Start building your schedule with CalGamesWanted.com.
User friendly to take the stress out of scheduling.
NOTE: All results from regional first-round games played on Tuesday, March 3 are included.
*Indicates season complete.
**Indicates forfeit wins/losses not included in record.
***Indicates forfeits plus season complete.
OPEN DIVISION
(All nine teams in order)
Jerzy Robinson of Sierra Canyon attacks the defense of Ontario Christian during last week’s CIFSS Open Division title game in Ontario. Photo: Scott Kurtz.
1. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth) 30-2
2. Ontario Christian 31-2
3. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) 26-2
4. Etiwanda 30-3
5. Sage Hill (Newport Beach) 27-4
6. St. Mary’s (Stockton) 25-2
7. Carondelet (Concord) 25-5
8. Clovis West (Fresno) 29-3
9. San Ramon Valley (Danville) 25-4
Comments: These nine teams appear in the same order as our State TOP 30 rankings that were done earlier this week. The four-team SoCal Open semifinals on Saturday will see No. 1 Sierra Canyon at home vs Sage Hill with other matchup featuring CIFSS powerhouses Ontario Christian and Etiwanda. Remember that Etiwanda has won three straight CIF Open Division state titles and has had a penchant in those championships for stepping up in the regional/state games. Archbishop Mitty has had these two weeks in mind all season long, especially as it pertains to All-American McKenna Wolitzcko being as ready to go as possible after she came back from knee surgery in January. And if head coach Sue Phillips has any other tricks up her sleeve, she probably doesn’t have to show it until the state final. The heavily favored Monarchs in the north are playing the winner of a Wednesday game between Carondelet and San Ramon Valley on Saturday. The other semi on Saturday will be St. Mary’s at Clovis West. St. Mary’s will be challenged having to win on the road, but clearly deserves to be the higher ranked team coming into it despite the CIF’s head-scratching pairings that placed Clovis West higher.
DIVISION I
(Counting Tuesday results)
1. Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 25-7
2. Clovis 23-10
3. Rancho Christian (Temecula) 24-8
4. Francis Parker (San Diego) 30-7**
5. JSerra (SJ Capistrano) 21-8
6. Oak Park 22-9
7. Centennial (Corona) 20-5
8. St. Joseph (Lakewood) 21-8*
9. La Salle (Pasadena) 30-4
10. Central East (Fresno) 18-9
11. Moreno Valley 19-12**
12. Fairmont Prep (Anaheim) 17-15**
13. Piedmont 22-4
14. Priory (Portola Valley) 21-5
15. Clayton Valley (Concord) 22-9**
16. Bishop O’Dowd (Oakland) 17-10
17. Archbishop Riordan (San Francisco) 18-9*
18. Valencia 28-6*
19. Mission Hills (San Marcos) 19-12*
20. Redondo (Redondo Beach) 17-12*
Next: Caruthers 21-10*, St. Francis (Mountain View) 21-7, St. Ignatius (San Francisco) 20-8, Windward (Los Angeles) 18-14*.
Comments: From the State TOP 30 rankings we posted earlier on Tuesday and in our rough draft done before the Tuesday first round regional games, the teams that moved up the most were Moreno Valley in the south and Bishop O’Dowd in the north. Moreno Valley (from the same league as No. 3 Rancho Christian) topped Fairmont Prep of Anaheim, 75-69. Bishop O’Dowd took out CIF Central Coast Section Open Division runner-up Archbishop Riordan. The top seeds, Clovis in the north and Mater Dei in the south, which also would be the highest ranked teams according to our own rankings in each bracket, both won in first round games. The Cougars downed Cardinal Newman of Santa Rosa, 47-37, while the Monarchs had their way with Windward of Los Angeles, 67-47. Mater Dei would clearly have been the fifth team in if the CIF had more than four teams in the SoCal Open Division, which makes the Monarchs a favorite to win the state title in this division. Centennial of Corona, however, is now at full strength after five weeks of 6-foot-7 junior Sydney Douglas being out with a finger injury. Douglas returned in Tuesday’s 67-40 domination of a very solid Valencia with 19 points and 11 rebounds. Teamed with 6-foot-4 McDonald’s All-American Cydnee Bryant (19 pts, 18 rebs vs Valencia), it’s a combo that no team in the D1 state bracket may be able to deal with.
DIVISION II
1. McClatchy (Sacramento) 23-9
2. Crescenta Valley (La Crescenta) 29-4
3. Saugus 25-9
4. Oakland Tech (Oakland) 18-10
5. Birmingham (Lake Balboa) 28-4
6. Sierra Pacific (Hanford) 21-11
7. Salesian (Richmond) 21-10
8. Rosary (Fullerton) 22-10
9. Vanden (Fairfield) 26-6
10. St. Joseph (Santa Maria) 14-15
Next: Acalanes (Lafayette) 22-10, Cathedral Catholic (San Diego) 23-7, Chico 27-5*, Del Oro (Loomis) 25-6, Folsom 21-7, Grossmont (El Cajon) 23-5, Redwood (Larkspur) 25-7*, St. Margaret’s (SJ Capistrano) 27-7, Woodcreek (Roseville) 25-7.
Comments: As an Open Division team in the north from last season and also a team that went to the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section D1 final (lost to St. Mary’s of Stockton), McClatchy easily could have been a D1 team so it was a somewhat easy choice to be installed as a favorite in this group. The Lions (top seed in north) rolled to a 61-41 win in their regional opener vs Pleasant Valley of Chico, but should have a tougher time on Thursday in the regional semifinals vs Salesian of Richmond. Top seed in the south Birmingham of Lake Balboa won its game on Tuesday, but we like No. 3 seed Crescenta Valley a little better with a higher computer ranking and coming off of a CIFSS D2A title game win over Saugus, which has a head-to-head win over No. 2 seed St. Joseph of Santa Maria. The Falcons, who only won 65-63 on Tuesday vs La Costa Canyon, have the highest computer state ranking (MaxPreps) in the field from either north or south at 32 overall. Redwood of Larkspur came into Tuesday with a 35 state rankings, but the Giants lost to Vanden of Fairfield on Tuesday, 52-48. Vanden was in the SJS D1 playoffs.
Players and coaches from Crescenta Valley of La Crescenta celebrate last week after they won CIFSS D2 championship. Photo: Benjamin Harrison / outlooknewspapers.com.
DIVISION III
1. West Campus (Sacramento) 22-3
2. El Dorado (Placentia) 20-14
3. Murrieta Valley (Murrieta) 21-12
4. Placer (Auburn) 30-3*
5. East Union (Manteca) 27-6
6. Granada Hills Charter (GH) 21-9
7. Valley Christian (San Jose) 13-15
8. Carlsbad 19-14
9. Scotts Valley 30-1
10. Notre Dame (Belmont) 20-5
Next: Canyon (Anaheim) 16-17, Foothill (Palo Cedro) 21-6*, King/Drew (Los Angeles) 22-8, La Canada 20-13, Leuzinger (Lawndale) 21-14, Los Gatos 21-7, Menlo-Atherton (Atherton) 22-5, St. Bernard’s (Eureka) 23-8.
Comments: The biggest upset of the first round on the girls side in the entire state on Tuesday had to be NorCal top seed Placer of Auburn falling to Notre Dame of Belmont, 45-39. Notre Dame is from the same league in the CCS as Priory (Portola Valley) and Pinewood (Los Altos Hills). We still have Placer ranked higher after the loss due to its overall season success, including a win vs East Union in the Sac-Joaquin Section final. Notre Dame had a CCS loss to Scotts Valley, which is now up to 30-1 after a win on Tuesday of 57-51 over Central Catholic of Modesto. Scotts Valley now only needs to beat Notre Dame again on Thursday and it would be at 31-1 and into the regional semifinals. With Placer out, we like West Campus to move up to No. 1. The Warriors were only seeded sixth to start the NorCal bracket, but they have a head-to-head win vs Valley Christian and can be ahead of No. 2 seed East Union due to results involving Central Catholic. We also like El Dorado (No. 2 seed in south) a bit more than Murrieta Valley (No. 1 seed in south). The Golden Hawks have a higher computer ranking and they have a win over the St. Margaret’s team that beat Murrieta Valley in its CIFSS divisional final. Both won on Tuesday with El Dorado edging Montgomery of San Diego, 45-43, and Murrieta Valley downing Burroughs of Burbank, 62-55.
DIVISION IV
St. Bernard’s head coach Matt Tomlin led team to a CIF D4 state title two years ago. His team is in D3 this year and won on Tuesday after a seven-hour team to Salinas. Photo: Willie Eashman.
1. Faith Christian (Yuba City) 29-1
2. Lathrop 31-1
3. Liberty Ranch (Galt) 26-6
4. Bret Harte (Altaville) 26-5
5. Godinez (Santa Ana) 17-12
6. Marina (Huntington Beach) 19-14
7. West Valley (Cottonwood) 23-8
8. Miramonte (Orinda) 19-13
9. Tulare 24-8
10. Palisades (Pacific Palisades) 13-13
Next: Benicia 21-10, Hillcrest (Riverside) 19-14, Kennedy (Granada Hills) 21-9*, Oakwood (North Hollywood) 18-9, Savanna (Anaheim) 19-13, University Prep (Redding) 20-9,
Comments: As a NorCal D6 team from last year, one can see why the CIF didn’t want to place Faith Christian too high, but D4 and not D3 doesn’t make much sense. The Lions’ only loss is to D1 Chico and they had a head-to-head win during the regular season vs Placer of Auburn (top seed for the north in D3). While Placer got upset in its first-round game, the questionable placement of Faith Christian too low in D4 was shown right away in a 67-31 romp in the first round on Tuesday vs Rancho Cotate of Rohnert Park. No, we don’t think the CIF was thinking it would really like to see all-time national three-point record holder Lauren Harris playing in a state final, but her team may not have a close game all the way through the state final. Lathrop, with just one loss to East Union of Manteca, could be the team that Faith Christian runs into in the regional final. We would rank Lathrop higher than second seed Bret Harte in the north. Liberty Ranch of Galt also has a head-to-head win vs Bret Harte. All four of the Sac-Joaquin Section teams we have highest ranked in this division also are the highest ranked four teams by the MaxPreps computer (all well above Godinez and Marina from the south).
DIVISION V
1. Woodland Christian 29-3
2. Modoc (Alturas) 23-5
3. Rosamond 25-8
4. John Adams Academy (El Dorado Hills) 27-5
5. Palma (Salinas) 25-3
6. Escalon 26-6
7. Vista 19-12
8. Durham 27-4
9. North Hollywood 14-7
10. Marin Academy (San Rafael) 19-12
Next: Foothill (Bakersfield) 19-9, Laguna Hills 18-11, Lowell (San Francisco) 16-11, Orange 16-12, Patriot (Jurupa Valley) 18-14, Schurr (Montebello) 17-14, Washington (San Francisco)16-7*.
Comments: Defending D5 state champion Woodland Christian was only a sixth seed in the north, but its Sac-Joaquin Section playoff loss was only 51-45 to Bret Harte (up in D4). We’d also rank the Cardinals higher than top seed Modoc (which has two losses to Weed). Woodland Christian won its game on Tuesday, 69-43, over Oakland High. It is facing No. 3 seed Palma on Thursday in the next round. The team that Woodland Christian beat last year in the state final, Rosamond, was given the top seed in the south. The Roadrunners won their first round game, 59-25, over University Prep of Victor Valley. None of the top six seeds in either the north or south lost on Tuesday. Modoc has the highest computer ranking at 168 with John Adams Academy at 218, Escalon 236, Palma 240 and Woodland Christian 245.
Mark Tennis is the co-founder and publisher of CalHiSports.com. He can be reached at markjtennis@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow Mark on the Cal-Hi Sports Twitter handle.
