Sports Editor Matt Daniels reveals The News-Gazette’s latest Top 10 area high school girls’ basketball poll:
1. Watseka
➜ Record: 16-1
➜ Previous ranking: No. 4
Christa Holohan and the Warriors ran their win streak to 14 games with a road win on Wednesday night at Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin. The Warriors, whose lone loss is to Bishop McNamara on Nov. 21, return to the court with a home game against South Newton (Ind.) at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday.
2. Cissna Park
➜ Record: 15-3
➜ Previous ranking: No. 2
Addison Lucht and the Timberwolves started a busy week off in impressive fashion with a road win against Salt Fork on Monday night. The Vermilion Valley Conference wins continued on Wednesday night at Chrisman, and Cissna Park gets another chance to stay unbeaten in league play when it hosts Hoopeston Area at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.
3. Salt Fork
➜ Record: 17-2
➜ Previous ranking: No. 1
Alexa Jamison and the Storm still have plenty to play for this season, starting with the Vermilion County Tournament. Salt Fork is the No. 1 seed in the seven-team event at Danville Area Community College and opens play next Monday against Oakwood. Before that, though, Salt Fork tips off at Westville at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday.
4. Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley
➜ Record: 16-3
➜ Previous ranking: No. 3
Lily Sizemore and the Falcons have rolled in two lopsided wins against Iroquois West and Lexington after a loss last Thursday night at Eureka. GCMS now awaits the start of the McLean County/Heart of Illinois Conference Tournament next Monday against either Fieldcrest or Flanagan-Cornell in a quarterfinal game at Eureka College.
5. Mahomet-Seymour
➜ Record: 13-7
➜ Previous ranking: No. 5
Reese Gallier and the Bulldogs recovered from a close nonconference home loss against Springfield last Thursday with a comfortable home win against Apollo Conference foe Mattoon on Tuesday night. The nonconference challenges continue, though, on Thursday night at Sacred Heart-Griffin.
6. Sullivan
➜ Record: 16-3
➜ Previous ranking: No. 6
Emily Miller and the Redskins have cruised to wins against St. Thomas More and Cerro Gordo/Bement in the new year. Thursday night at Argenta-Oreana is on tap for Sullivan before it carries a No. 1 seed into the Lincoln Prairie Conference Tournament that starts Saturday.
7. Clinton
➜ Record: 15-5
➜ Previous ranking: No. 9
Clara Dempsey and the Maroons have four straight wins, all by double digits, going into Thursday night’s Central Illinois Conference showdown at Tuscola. Three of those wins have happened on the road since Clinton placed fourth at the Monticello Holiday Hoopla.
8. Tuscola
➜ Record: 10-7
➜ Previous ranking: Not ranked
Reese Davis and the Warriors are on a three-game win streak after wins in the past week against Villa Grove and Unity. Tuscola puts its current run of success on the line Thursday night against a red-hot Clinton team on the Warriors’ home court.
9. Arcola
➜ Record: 11-6
➜ Previous ranking: No. 7
Kacie Sisk and the Purple Riders avoided a two-game losing streak with a home win on Monday night against Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond after falling in overtime at home to Hoopeston Area this past Saturday. Next up: a Thursday night trip to Cumberland.
10. Monticello
➜ Record: 10-7
➜ Previous ranking: No. 8
Ali Weidner and the Sages hit the double-digit win mark on Monday night with a nonconference home win against Danville and will try to pick up their first Illini Prairie Conference victory when they are set to host Paxton-Buckley-Loda at 7 p.m. Thursday at the Sievers Center.
