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Bullock's PIAA Rankings: Jan. 22, 2018

01/22/2018, 10:00am EST
By Michael Bullock

Michael Bullock (@thebullp_n)
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While we brought you our six preseason packages in those anxious days immediately preceding the start of the 2017-18 campaign, here’s a look at our sixth all-inclusive set of rankings for each and every classification.

So, enjoy, squawk and even ponder. There’s plenty more results to come.

Appearing below are all six of our top 10s, with PIAA district and this season’s record displayed in parentheses. Only those schools competing for PIAA state championships are eligible for ranking purposes.

CITY OF BASKETBALL LOVE STATE BASKETBALL RANKINGS

(records through games of Jan. 21/OW-others to watch/NR-not ranked)

CLASS 6A

Reigning Class 6A state champion Reading willed its way into the top 10 for the first time this season by defeating previous No. 3 Hazleton 65-56 Saturday night in the final game of its own Geigle Shootout. Xavier Starks netted 15 points and Wesley Butler added 14 for the Red Knights, who have won seven straight. … No. 1 Plymouth-Whitemarsh rallied Saturday night from early deficits of 12-1 and 21-3 to beat Haverford School in the Kobe Bryant Classic at Lower Merion. Ish Horn scored 19 points for the Colonials, while Ahmin Williams added 15 and Naheem McLeod chimed in with 11.

No.  School                                          Rec    Pvs
1.     Plymouth-Whitemarsh (1)            14-0        1
2.     Abington (1)                                  11-2       2                          
3.     State College (6)                           13-0       5
4.     Roman Catholic (12)                     7-5       4
5.     St. Joseph’s Prep (12)                 12-2        6                            
6.     La Salle College (12)                   10-4        7
7.     Reading (3)                                   13-2    OW
8.     Hazleton (2)                                  10-1        3
9.     Penn Hills (7)                                15-1       8 
10.   Woodland Hills (7)                     13-2     10

Checked in: No. 7 Reading.
Checked out: No. 9 Mt. Lebanon.

Others to watch: Abraham Lincoln (12, 12-2); Allderdice (8, 11-2); Archbishop Ryan (12, 9-6); Butler (7, 13-2); Canon-McMillan (7, 12-1); Cedar Crest (3, 14-3); Central Bucks South (1, 12-3); Central Bucks West (1, 11-4); Chambersburg (3, 13-3); Cheltenham (1, 10-5); Coatesville (1, 11-4); Downingtown East (1, 9-5); East Stroudsburg South (11, 13-1); Fox Chapel (7, 11-4); Garnet Valley (1, 11-4); Harrisburg (3, 10-5); Hempfield (3, 13-2); Latrobe (7, 10-5); Lower Merion (1, 13-3); Manheim Twp. (3, 12-3); McDowell (10, 13-2); Mt. Lebanon (7, 14-2); Neshaminy (1, 9-5); Northampton (11, 11-3); Pennridge (1, 10-4); Pine-Richland (7, 12-3); Upper Darby (1, 12-3).

Bullish matchups of the week: No. 2 Abington will spend Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the Montverde (Fla.) Invitational, an event Imhotep Charter captured last season. The Ghosts will open the eight-team invite against Findlay (Nev.) Prep. … No. 3 State College will try to endure a challenging week, as Joe Walker’s unbeaten Little Lions will take on Mid-Penn Commonwealth adversaries Harrisburg (Monday on the road), Chambersburg (Tuesday on the road) and Cumberland Valley (Friday at home) before meeting No. 7 Reading Saturday at Trinity.

CLASS 5A

Bonner-Prendergast spent its first week at No. 1 dodging flamethrowers, as the Friars needed overtime on Friday to edge Roman Catholic (68-66) and squeezed by  West Catholic on Sunday by a 68-67 count. Isaiah Wong totaled 43 points in the victories, while Tariq Ingraham added 31 and Ajiri Johnson 25. … No. 3 Archbishop Wood stretched its winning streak to three games by downing La Salle College and Cardinal O’Hara on Friday and Sunday, respectively. Andrew Funk banked 40 points in Wood’s two successes, while Tyree Pickron collected 35.

No.  School                                      Rec     Pvs
1.     Bonner-Prendergast (12)        13-2         1
2.     Archbishop Carroll (12)           10-4        2
3.     Archbishop Wood (12)                7-6        3
4.     Mars (7)                                         11-2        4
5.     Abington Heights (2)                 11-2        5
6.     Northeastern (3)                         16-0        7
7.     Bishop Shanahan (1)                  11-1        8
8.     Martin Luther King (12)            11-7        6
9.     Penncrest (1)                                13-2         9
10.  Allentown C.C. (11)                     14-2       10

Checked in: No one.
Checked out: No one.

Others to watch: Bangor (11, 13-1); Blue Mountain (11, 13-1); Carrick (8, 13-2); Central Mountain (6, 7-3); Chester (1, 9-5); Crestwood (2, 8-4); Dallas (2, 10-2); Dover (3, 12-2); Franklin Regional (7, 11-3); Great Valley (1, 10-4); Greencastle-Antrim (3, 12-2); Hershey (3, 14-1); Highlands (7, 9-3); Hollidaysburg (6, 7-4); Lampeter-Strasburg (3, 14-1); Lower Dauphin (3, 11-3); Mastery Charter North (12, 12-3); Meadville (10, 10-1); Milton Hershey (3, 11-1); Moon (7, 12-2); New Oxford (3, 10-5); Pottsville (11, 9-3); Shippensburg (3, 11-3); Trinity (7, 12-3); Wissahickon (1, 11-4); York (3, 9-6).

Bullish matchups of the week: No. 2 Archbishop Carroll will have a grueling week, visiting Class 6A No. 5 St. Joseph’s Prep Monday night before entertaining Class 6A No. 4 Roman Catholic and Archbishop Ryan on Friday and Sunday, respectively. … No. 4 Mars will go for its seventh consecutive victory Monday night at Allderdice. … No. 7 Bishop Shanahan will go for the regular-season sweep Tuesday night, when the Eagles visit Coatesville. Shanahan won the first meeting 49-42.

CLASS 4A

No. 5 Scranton Prep swept three opponents in as many days, spending Thursday, Friday and Saturday defeating North Pocono (73-37), Wallenpaupack (63-53) and Parkland (72-66). Leo O’Boyle totaled 71 points in the Cavaliers’ three-game sweep. … Off to the best start in school history, No. 2 Quaker Valley pocketed decisive wins over No. 9 Ambridge (70-41) and Beaver Area (70-49). Drexel recruit Coletrane Washington rang up 51 points in the wins. Washington sits at No. 4 on QV’s all-time scoring list with 1,240 career points.

No.  School                                               Rec     Pvs
1.     Imhotep Charter (12)                       14-2         1
2.     Quaker Valley (7)                               11-0         3
3.     Bethlehem Catholic (11)                  11-2         2
4.     Berks Catholic (3)                              12-2         4
5.     Scranton Prep (2)                               11-3         6
6.     Lancaster Catholic (3)                      14-2          7                                    
7.     Lower Moreland (1)                          12-4         5
8.     Sharon (10)                                          13-2      OW
9.     Ambridge (7)                                       10-3         9
10.  New Castle (7)                                     10-3       10

Checked in: No. 8 Sharon.
Checked out: No. 8 Hickory.

Others to watch: Belle Vernon (7, 10-4); Boiling Springs (3, 10-4); Central Martinsburg (6, 11-4); Danville (4, 9-2); Forest Hills (6, 11-4); Franklin (10, 10-4); Grove City (10, 11-2); Hickory (10, 10-2); Huntingdon (6, 12-1); Indiana (7, 12-1); Johnstown (6, 10-2); Middletown (3, 7-5); Nanticoke (2, 9-2); North Schuylkill (11, 9-4); Tamaqua (11, 11-3); Tyrone (6, 10-2); Universal Audenried (12, 6-8); Wyoming Area (2, 9-2).

Bullish matchups of the week: No. 2 Quaker Valley will make the jaunt to New Castle on Tuesday for the return engagement between the WPIAL playmates. QV won Game 1 by a 62-53 score. The Quakers also meet Class 3A No. 4 Lincoln Park on Saturday. … No. 3 Bethlehem Catholic will collide with Class 5A No. 10 Allentown Central Catholic on Friday at home, but the Golden Eagles also have a Sunday date with Class 5A No. 3 Archbishop Wood in a Hoop Group event at Parkland.

CLASS 3A

No. 3 Fairview stretched its winning streak to six games by besting Titusville (75-43), Mercyhurst Prep (55-34) and Girard (43-33). Army recruit Sam Parini totaled 53 points in the three wins, while Nick Franos added 38 and Jamison Cook banked 32. … Streaking No. 9 Wellsboro claimed three more victims, running its winning streak to 14 by defeating Jersey Shore (49-30), Wyalusing Valley (53-25) and North Penn-Liberty (67-36). Brandyn Tuttle collected 45 points in the Green Hornets’ three successes, but also grabbed 23 rebounds in the victory over Jersey Shore.

No.  School                                              Rec    Pvs

1.     Neumann-Goretti (12)                     10-3        1
2.     Valley Forge (1)                                 12-2        2
3.     Fairview (10)                                      12-1        3
4.     Lincoln Park (7)                                   8-4        4                                 
5.     Richland (6)                                        12-1        5
6.     Seton-La Salle (7)                              10-3     OW
7.     Steel-High (3)                                       9-5      OW
8.     Loyalsock (4)                                        9-3      OW
9.     Wellsboro (4)                                     15-1       10
10.   Westinghouse (8)                             11-2         9

Checked in: No. 6 Seton-La Salle, No. 7 Steel-High and No. 8 Loyalsock.
Checked out: No. 6 West Catholic, No. 7 Holy Redeemer and No. 8 Greenville.

Others to watch: Aliquippa (7, 11-4); Bellwood-Antis (6, 10-3); Bishop McDevitt (12, 11-4); Catasauqua (11, 10-5); Dunmore (2, 7-5); Greenville (10, 7-4); Holy Redeemer (2, 8-3); Kutztown (3, 14-1); Lancaster Mennonite (3, 10-5); Mount Carmel (4, 11-2); Notre Dame-Green Pond (11, 12-4);  Trinity (3, 11-3); Washington (7, 10-3); West Catholic (12, 6-9); Wyoming Seminary (2, 10-3); York Catholic (3, 11-3).

Bullish matchups of the week: No. 1 Neumann-Goretti will have its hands full all week, as Carl Arrigale’s Saints will visit Class 6A No. 6 La Salle College on Monday night, entertain Class 5A No. 3 Archbishop Wood on Friday night and close out the grueling seven-day stretch Sunday at Class 5A No. 1 Bonner-Prendergast.

CLASS 2A

In the first meeting between these rivals since last season’s WPIAL title game, new No. 2 Our Lady of the Sacred Heart earned its promotion by getting a combined 50 points from Dante Spadafora, Donovan Johnson and Daren DiMichele in a 70-68 triumph over previous No. 2 Sewickley Academy. With a victory several days later over Bishop Canevin, the Chargers ran their winning streak to 13 games. … Purchase Line returned to the top 10 at No. 10 by collaring Northern Cambria 85-57 on Friday night for its 10th straight victory. Melvin Sanchez pocketed a team-high 19 points for the Red Dragons, who nearly popped five players into double figures. … Also on Friday night, No. 5 Ridgway remained unbeaten by claiming a 46-36 win at Class A power Elk County Catholic. Johnny Mitchell and Andy Breier shared 26 points for the Elkers, who halted ECC’s remarkably impressive 53-game home winning streak.

No.  School                                                  Rec    Pvs
1.     Constitution (12)                                   8-7         1
2.     Our Lady Sacred Heart (7)               13-1         4                                    
3.     Sewickley Academy (7)                     10-2         2
4.     Math, Civics & Sciences (12)              7-8         3
5.     Ridgway (9)                                          11-0         5
6.     Bishop Guilfoyle (6)                           10-3         6
7.     Coudersport (9)                                   10-1         7
8.     Dock Mennonite (1)                            11-3        9
9.     Rocky Grove (10)                                 13-2     OW
10.   Purchase Line (6)                                12-2     OW

Checked in: No. 9 Rocky Grove and No. 10 Purchase Line.
Checked out: No. 8 Bishop McCort and No. 10 Jeannette.

Others to watch: Berlin Brothersvalley (5, 10-4); Bishop McCort (6, 9-4); Cambridge Springs (10, 10-2); Chartiers-Houston (7, 11-2); Church Farm (1, 6-7); Clarion (9, 9-4); Clarion-Limestone (9, 10-3); Halifax (3, 12-1); Holy Cross (2, 7-6); Homer-Center (6, 9-4); Jeannette (7, 9-2); Keystone (9, 11-2); Leechburg (7, 9-4); Moravian Academy (11, 9-5); North Penn-Mansfield (4, 10-5); Paul Robeson (12, 13-3); Serra Catholic (7, 11-2); Wyalusing Valley (4, 12-3).

Bullish matchups of the week: While No. 1 Constitution will entertain Mastery Charter North on Tuesday, the Generals will take on No. 4 Math, Civics & Sciences for the second time on Thursday at home. Constitution claimed meeting No. 1 by an 87-67 score. … New No. 9 Rocky Grove will have a pair of difficult road tests, playing Tuesday at Wilmington and Friday at Lakeview. … No. 3 Sewickley Academy will meet Class 5A No. 4 Mars as part of Sunday’s Hall of Fame Classic at Montour.

CLASS 1A

No. 3 Faith Christian extended its winning streak to 13 games by clipping Bicentennial Athletic League playmates MaST Community Charter (60-23) and The Christian Academy (79-53). Owen Bradford banked 31 points in the victories, while Charles Ervin totaled 29 and Derian Bradford added 22. … John Saxe dropped in 21 points on Saturday as No. 9 Sullivan County prepped for a difficult week by roughing up Benton 62-21.

No.  School                                              Rec    Pvs
1.     Kennedy Catholic (10)                    12-2        1
2.     Girard College (1)                             12-5        2
3.     Faith Christian (1)                            13-1        3
4.     Sankofa Freedom (12)                    11-4        4
5.     Millville (4)                                         13-0        5
6.     Shade (5)                                             12-1        6
7.     Lourdes Regional (4)                       11-3        7                                 
8.     Elk County Catholic (9)                   11-2        8
9.     Sullivan County (4)                             9-3      10
10.   Vincentian (7)                                      9-5     OW

Checked in: No. 10 Vincentian.
Checked out: No. 9 Clairton.

Others to watch: Bishop Carroll (6, 11-4); Blacklick Valley (6, 10-3); Cameron County (9, 9-2); Clairton (7, 10-3); Cornell (7, 10-4); Eden Christian (7, 10-2); Imani Christian (7, 7-7); Johnsonburg (9, 7-4); Juniata Valley (6, 9-5); Lancaster Country Day (3, 11-2); Monessen (7, 4-7); Nativity (11, 10-5); North Clarion (9, 11-2); Plumstead Christian (1, 10-2); Shanksville-Stonycreek (5, 9-4); Southern Fulton (5, 8-3); St. John Neumann (4, 7-4); St. Joseph’s Catholic (6, 11-4); Turkeyfoot Valley (5, 9-3); Union Area (7, 9-4).

Bullish matchups of the week: No. 4 Sankofa Freedom will have a showdown for one of the Philly Public League’s many divisional titles Tuesday at Class 6A Abraham Lincoln. … No. 5 Millville and No. 9 Sullivan County will collide for the second time on Wednesday at the lower-ranked squad’s playpen. Millville won Game 1 in overtime by a 45-40 score. Before Glenn Vaughan’s Griffins can even think about Millville, however, Sullivan will play Monday at St. John Neumann. … No. 8 Elk County Catholic and long-standing rival Johnsonburg will play for the second time this season on Friday at ECC. ECC won the earlier meeting 55-38.


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