Ultiworld announces the first annual Girls High School Power Rankings.
June 26, 2015 by Xavier Stewart in Rankings with 23 comments
With the announcement of a Women’s All Star tour, Ultiworld turns its attention to the pipeline from which such great stars can emerge. For the first time, Ultiworld has High School Girls Power Rankings.
1. Paideia (21-0 — Atlanta, GA)
Resume: Southern Regional Champions, Paideia Cup Champions, Deep Freeze Champions, Georgia State Champions
Key wins: USN x2 , Carrboro, HB Woodlawn, Neuqua Valley, HFC x3
Despite being one of three undefeated teams, the Atlanta-based school gets the nod here. They were the only undefeated team to play teams from another region, and they defeated those teams handily.
Often times rolling through tournaments with teams unable to even score consistently against them, Paideia is the number one school in the country.
2. Lakeside (25-0 — Seattle, WA)
Resume: Western Regional Champions, Washington State Champions
Key wins: Nathan Hale x2, Franklin, Northwest School x2, Corvallis, Roosevelt x3, Ingraham x2
Lakeside gets the number two spot thanks to playing in a region jampacked with talent. With the majority of the top players on other teams playing for Seattle Fryz, it stands to reason that it was not easy going undefeated. Having two elite level players in Jaclyn Verzuh and Hallie Dunham doesn’t hurt either.
3. Amherst Regional (13-0 — Amherst, MA)
Resume: Northeastern Regional Champion, Amherst Invite Champion
Key wins: Lexington x2, Watchung Hills, Pioneer Valley, Northampton
Amherst, the third undefeated team this season, lands at #3 in part because of their shorter schedule in comparison to those of some other teams. Their JV team is likely the best in the country, however. If the rankings were for entire programs, Amherst would find themselves higher. Regardless, they ruled the Northeast on the way to yet another Regional Championship. Amherst has owned their region for the past decade, and it doesn’t look like that hold is loosening any time soon.
4. Holy Family Catholic (33-4 — Stow, OH)
Resume: Central Regional Championship Runners-Up, Ohio State Champion, Rivertown Throwdown Champion, Neuqua Knockout Champion
Key wins: Neuqua Valley x3, St Paul Charter, South, Edina, USN x2
Key losses: Paideia x3, Neuqua Valley
The top team in the Central Region played the most games of any team in the country. HFC Omega ran into Paideia at quite a few of the top tournamets they played in, which landed them three of their four losses. Playing the number one team in the country as close as they did shows the depth and talent of the program. Omega owned their region all the way up until the final, but with a 3-1 record against Neuqua Valley, they edged out the Chicago team for the #4 spot.
5. Neuqua Valley (19-6 — Chicago, IL)
Resume: Rivertown Throwdown Runners Up, Central Regional Champion
Key wins: HFC, Hopkins, Edina, St Paul
Key losses: HFC x3, Paideia
eNVy overcame their major regional hump by beating HFC in the Central Regional Final. They still lost several times to Omega over the course of the season, which is why they find themselves behind them in the rankings. Still, they proved they could beat them when it mattered most.
6. Carrboro (14-5 — Carrboro, NC)
Resume: North Carolina State Champions, Southern Regional Championship Runners Up
Key wins: HB Woodlawn, ECHHS x3
Key losses: Paideia, ECHHS
Carrboro Koi had a rough start to the season with an uneven Wolfpack Invite performance. They bounced back as the Championship series rounded into form, however, becoming the first-ever North Carolina State Champion.
7. St. Paul Charter (26-4 — St. Paul, MN)
Resume: Minnesota State Champions
Key wins:Apple Valley, South x2, Edina x2
Key losses: Hopkins, Neuqua Valley, HFC
St. Paul Stars had trouble gaining distance from the top two teams in their region, but they have a significant body of work proving they’re better than the rest. They placed third in their region, and beat several good (and ranked) teams to take the Minnesota State Championship.
8. HB-Woodlawn (17-4 — Arlington, VA)
Resume: Virginia State Championship Runners-Up, YULA Invite Champions
Key wins: Oakland Catholic, Yorktown-Washington Lee
Key losses: Yorktown-Washington Lee, Paideia, Carrboro
Pandamonium had a very bad draw getting Paideia in the quarterfinals of Southern Regionals. Regardless, they’re the third best team in their region and have had an excellent season. Their loss to Yorktown-Washington Lee is more indicative of Y-lee’s improving talent, rather than HB Woodlawn being exposed.
9. Oakland Catholic (24-1 — Pittsburgh, PA)
Resume: Pennsylvania State Champions, Pittsburgh City Champions, YULA Invite Runners Up
Key wins: Fox Chapel x3, Yorktown-Washington Lee, Pennsbury, Pine Richland
Key loss: HB-Woodlawn
Oakland Catholic is the sole owner of the state of Pennsylvania, and with good reason. Facing multiple challenges from various teams, they fought through a tough Pittsburgh City Championship with relative ease. When they ventured away from home for the YULA Invite, the results were mostly the same. They gave HB Woodlawn all they could handle before falling to Pandamonium’s superior depth. This team is a serious regional power, despite not going to Regionals.
10. Watchung Hills (12-2 — Warrren, NJ)
Resume:New Jersey State Champions, Amherst Invite Runners Up
Key wins: Pennsbury, Lexington, Pioneer Valley
Key losses: Amherst Regional, Lexington
The New Jersey State Champs gave Amherst their best game of the season in the Amherst Invite final. They proved themselves against the region’s best and for the most part came out on top.
11. Lexington (17-6 — Lexington, MA)
Key wins:Watchung Hills, Pioneer Valley, Northampton
Key losses: Amherst Regional x2, Watchung Hills, Pioneer Valley, Northampton
Talented but not quite dominant, the Lexington Fooligals toured through the Northeast this season taking on all the talent their region had to offer. They split records with Watchung Hills and Pioneer Valley, but couldn’t quite overcome the regional juggernaut, Amherst.
12. University School of Nashville (16-9 — Nashville, TN)
Resume: Tennessee State Champions
Key wins: N/A
Key losses: Paideia x2, HFC x3, HB Woodlawn
USN had few wins over the great teams in their region, but it’s not their fault. Besides facing Paideia and HFC twice, they ran into a great HB Woodlawn team. Every Southern team that is ranked below them, they simply didn’t play in their season. Their invitations to prestigious tournaments such as Deep Freeze and Paideia Cup reflect the level of talent on this team.
13. Northwest (9-4 — Seattle, WA)
Resume: Western Regional Championship Runners-Up
Key wins: Franklin x2, Roosevelt, Corvallis
Key losses: Lakeside x2, Nathan Hale, Corvallis
Like a lot of teams in the country, Northwest found themselves constantly being stopped in tournaments by an undefeated team with elite talent. For Northwest it was Lakeside, but even the Lions couldn’t quite damper the Seattle based team’s season. They fought through a stacked Western region to face Lakeside in the Regional final and held their own in the contest.
14. Fox Chapel (14-4 — Pittsburgh, PA)
Resume: Pennsylvania State Championship Runners-Up, Pittsburgh City Championship Runners-Up
Key wins: Pine-Richland x2
Key losses: Oakland Catholic x3, Lower Merion
Much like their in state competitor Oakland Catholic, Fox Chapel stayed in state for their 2015 spring season. Through a few connecting games and their competitions against in-state competition, it’s clear to see that this team is worthy of their spot on the list. Their losses have come against teams that have beaten regional powers and competed when they left Pennsylvania. Fox Chapel then fended off these teams in both City and State Championships to make it to the final.
15. Edina (13-8 — Edina, MN)
Resume: Granite City Classic Champions
Key wins: Hopkins x2, Apple Valley
Key losses: Hopkins, South x2, HFC, St Paul Charter x2, Neuqua Valley
Edina Green Lantern held their own against a very even Central Region. When faced against opponents from their home state, Edina was 11-6; obviously this was a team that could handle business in the confines of Minnesota. Against elite opponents they weren’t the best, but they played tight all season long.
16. Apple Valley High School (11-2 — Apple Valley, MN)
Resume: Hopkins Hustle Champion
Key wins: Hopkins x2, South
Key losses: Edina, St. Paul Charter
Much like their counterparts in the Northeast, AVHS was a team that handled business on their home state’s soil, and only lost to teams that were extremely talented. Winning Hopkins Hustle and battling Edina to an 8-7 finish at Minnesota States shows the talent level this team has.
17. Lower Merion (12-5 — Ardmore, PA)
Key wins: Fox Chapel, Pioneer Valley, Northampton
Key losses: Amherst Regional, Watchung Hills, Pine Richland
As the Pennsylvania team with the best success out of state, Lower Merion takes the 16th spot. Although they couldn’t always overcome the best teams, they always could compete. Their gritty victory over Fox Chapel at Pennsylvania States, along with their win over Pioneer Valley at Amherst Invite shows the program’s ability to handle top regional competition.
18. East Chapel Hill (11-8 — Chapel Hill, NC)
Key wins: Yorktown-Washington Lee, Carrboro
Key losses: Carrboro x3
Eclipse had the tough task of playing mainly teams from their home state of North Carolina. 76% of the teams opponents this season were from North Carolina and against them, East finished 7-6. Against out of state opponents (albeit a small sample size), East was 3-1. Their ability in the games against teams outside their state shows how they stack up nationally just as much as their in-state record.
19. Pioneer Valley (11-5 — Northfield, MA)
Resume: Massachusetts State Champion
Key wins: Lexington, Northampton x2
Key losses: Amherst Regional, Watchung Hills, Lexington
Much like Lexington, Pioneer Valley was great but not the greatest team in the Northeast. They faced team after team with talent, and held their own. Despite that they find themselves at 18th on the list because they couldn’t notch a victory over the top two teams in their region and there were just so many good teams and not enough spots. Still, the Massachusetts State Champions have a title that none of their opponents can take away from them.
20. Nathan Hale (10-7 — Seattle, WA)
Key wins: Franklin, Corvallis
Key losses: Lakeside x2, Corvallis, Franklin
With the most overall wins and a tied record with Franklin, Hale takes the 20th spot. A few out of region games would probably help, but having to play Lakeside twice, along with the cutthroat Western regions teams doesn’t. Nathan Hale put up good fights in the majority of their games, wins or losses. They made it to the semis before running into the undefeated Lakeside team, but eliminated Corvallis on the way there.
21. Franklin (7-4 — Seattle, WA)
Key wins: Nathan Hale, Corvallis
Key losses: Lakeside, Northwest x2, Nathan Hale
With a direct win over Corvallis, Franklin takes the 21st spot on the list. With few reported results, the team sits here. In the large cloud of Western teams hoping to distinguish themselves from one another, Franklin is right in the thick of it.
22. Corvallis (9-5 — Corvallis, OR)
Resume: Oregon State Champion
Key wins:Northwest, Nathan Hale
Key losses: Lakeside, Northwest, Nathan Hale, Franklin
Corvallis was a very good team this year who found themselves in a region filled with great teams. Still, they won Oregon States and in their first year of existence they made considerable progress.
23. Hopkins (16-9 — Minnetonka, MN)
Resume: Hopkins Hustle Runners Up, Granite City Classic Runners Up
Key wins: South, St Paul, Edina
Key losses: Edina x2, Apple Valley x2, Neuqua Valley, South
Hopkins takes the last spot on this list of any Central team with good reason. Despite having losses against many of the teams ranked above them, they also have some quality wins. The ability to play teams such as South and Edina to a stalemate on the season is very impressive.
24. Roosevelt (7-4 — Seattle, WA)
Key wins: N/A
Key losses: Lakeside x2, Northwest
Roosevelt was hurt by their lack of reported results. Even still, when playing against unranked teams they excelled, going 5-3, but their record against ranked teams is what held them back. Even so, the Seattle team deserves a spot for their ability to prove themselves against teams not on this list, and do respectably against those on it.
25. Yorktown-Washington Lee (12-7 — Arlington, VA)
Resume: Virginia State Champion
Key wins: HB Woodlawn
Key losses: Oakland Catholic, Pennsbury, ECHHS, HB Woodlawn
The first year combination team rounds out the top 25. Their victory over HB Woodlawn in the Virginia State Finals shows the teams potential in the coming years. They lost to very good teams as the team built chemistry and gained tons of positive experience.
Honorable Mentions: South (MN), Pine Richland (PA), Pennsbury (PA), Monarch (CO), Northampton (MA)
