The road to Normal begins Feb. 15. But before regional games begin to tip off, Sports Editor Matt Daniels has The News-Gazette’s latest area Top 10 poll:
1. Salt Fork
➜ Record: 25-2
➜ Previous ranking: No. 3
Bracie Hird and the Storm are back in the top spot thanks to an eight-game win streak heading into Monday night’s road game against Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin. A 44-41 home win against Watseka this past Monday helped out, with the Storm set to conclude the regular season at Schlarman next Thursday. Salt Fork opens the postseason as a No. 1 seed in Class 1A and will play either Chrisman or Georgetown-Ridge Farm in a regional semifinal game on Feb. 17.
2. Sullivan
➜ Record: 25-3
➜ Previous ranking: No. 4
Aeralyn Thrasher and the Redskins can win an outright Lincoln Prairie Conference regular-season title on Monday with a win at Blue Ridge before ending the regular season next Thursday night at home against Warrensburg-Latham. Winning is all Sullivan has done in 2025, with Thursday night’s 62-13 victory at Villa Grove the program’s 11th straight win. The Redskins are a No. 3 seed in the Class 2A postseason and will play either Sangamon Valley/Tri-City or Unity in a regional semifinal game on Feb. 17.
3. Cissna Park
➜ Record: 23-4
➜ Previous ranking: No. 2
Josie Neukomm and the Timberwolves control their destiny when it comes to a Vermililon Valley Conference regular-season title ahead of Monday night’s home showdown with Watseka. Cissna Park earned road wins this week against Tuscola, St. Joseph-Ogden and Paxton-Buckley-Loda and is a No. 1 seed in the Class 1A postseason, awaiting either Grant Park or Ridgeview in a regional semifinal game on Feb. 17.
4. Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley
➜ Record: 22-5
➜ Previous ranking: No. 5
Addison Kerchenfaut and the Falcons have won three straight home games, with Thursday night’s 61-47 home victory against Fieldcrest the latest. A trip to LeRoy awaits GCMS on Monday night before home games against Prairie Central on Tuesday and Tri-Valley next Thursday cap the regular season. The Falcons are a No. 2 seed in the Class 1A postseason and tip off against either Uni High or Armstrong-Potomac in a regional semifinal game on Feb. 17.
5. Watseka
➜ Record: 24-3
➜ Previous ranking: No. 1
Thayren Rigbsy and the Warriors got back in the win column after a rare two-game losing streak this season, with a 64-52 home win against Hoopeston Area on Thursday night. A highly-anticipated game at Cissna Park is on tap Monday night before the regular-season finale at home next Wednesday against Grant Park. Watseka holds a No. 2 seed in Class 2A and faces either Herscher or Prairie Central in a regional semifinal game on Feb. 18.
6. Clinton
➜ Record: 22-5
➜ Previous ranking: No. 6
Avery Smith and the Maroons ran their winning streak to 11 games on Thursday with a 62-32 victory at Central A&M, Clinton’s first game since beating Tuscola 43-40 to win the Central Illinois Conference Tournament title on Jan. 30. Four regular-season games remain, starting Saturday at home against Unity Christian, before the Maroons take a No. 7 seed in the Class 2A postseason and hosts Normal U-High in a regional quarterfinal game on Feb. 15.
7. Mahomet-Seymour
➜ Record: 18-10
➜ Previous ranking: No. 7
Courtney Fonte and the Bulldogs put together an impressive performance through Apollo Conference play this season, including a 68-61 overtime home win last Saturday against Effingham. Mahomet-Seymour — which lost a close one on Friday night at Taylorville, but still earned a share of the the league title — will now head into the Class 3A postseason with a No. 1 seed before playing either Rantoul or Urbana in a regional semifinal game on Feb. 17.
8. Monticello
➜ Record: 17-10
➜ Previous ranking: No. 8
Megan Allen and the Sages turned around a two-game losing streak at the start of the week into a two-game win streak by the weekend after home victories against Urbana and St. Thomas More. A home matchup with Unity is in store on Monday night before the regular season ends on Tuesday at Williamsville. Monticello brings a No. 4 seed into Class 2A postseason play and plays either Shelbyville or Meridian in a regional semifinal game on Feb. 18.
9. Hoopeston Area
➜ Record: 16-10
➜ Previous ranking: No. 9
Maddie Barnes and the Cornjerkers had a home win against Armstrong-Potomac sandwiched in between a home loss againt Iroquois West and a road loss against Watseka in their last three games. A home game against Georgetown-Ridge Farm on Monday and a trip to Chrisman next Thursday are all that’s left before Hoopeston Area, a No. 4 seed in Class 2A, plays either Iroquois West or Clifton Central in a regional semifinal game on Feb. 18.
10. Arcola
➜ Record: 18-9
➜ Previous ranking: Not ranked
Kacie Sisk and the Purple Riders have won six of their last seven games after a 53-32 home victory against Cerro Gordo/Bement on Thursday night. Home dates with Unity Christian on Monday and Neoga next Thursday put an end to the regular season before Arcola shifts its attention to the postseason. The Purple Riders are a No. 3 seed in Class 1A and will square off against either Okaw Valley or Casey-Westfield in a regional semifinal game on Feb. 17.
