Sports Editor Matt Daniels unveils The News-Gazette’s latest Top 10 area high school girls’ basketball poll and first one of 2025:
1. Salt Fork
➜ Record: 16-1
➜ Previous ranking: No. 1
Sailor Pacot and the Storm sustained its first loss of the season this past Saturday in the championship game of the Blue Devil Classic against Benton Central (Ind.). Still, Salt Fork has not lost to an Illinois team ahead of its next game at home against Georgetown-Ridge Farm on Jan. 9 in Catlin.
2. Cissna Park
➜ Record: 11-2
➜ Previous ranking: No. 2
Addison Lucht and the Timberwolves will have had a little more than two weeks off before they host Westville this upcoming Monday in Vermilion Valley Conference play. Cissna Park ended 2024 with a bang, winning in triple overtime at Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley in one of the best games so far this season.
3. Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley
➜ Record: 12-2
➜ Previous ranking: No. 4
Sophia Ray and the Falcons took second at the Monticello Holiday Hoopla, only losing to Tri-Valley by two points in the title game. That was preceded by lopsided wins against Paxton-Buckley-Loda and Neoga, along with a win against Clinton. That’ll serve GCMS well before it plays on Saturday at St. Joseph-Ogden.
4. Watseka
➜ Record: 11-1
➜ Previous ranking: No. 3
Lauren Tegtmeyer and the Warriors last played on Dec. 19, but will carry a nine-game winning streak into its home game with Vermilion Valley Conference foe Chrisman on Monday night. Nine wins have happened by double digits as Watseka looks poised to contend with Salt Fork and Cissna Park in the VVC race.
5. Mahomet-Seymour
➜ Record: 10-6
➜ Previous ranking: No. 7
Kylie Waldinger and the Bulldogs got to double-digit wins last Friday with victories against Jacksonville and Mattoon at the Coles County Holiday Tournament. M-S ultimately finished in fourth place at the 12-team event, but should feel confident heading into Saturday’s road nonconference game against Chatham Glenwood.
6. Sullivan
➜ Record: 14-3
➜ Previous ranking: No. 5
Addison Minor and the Redskins fared well against bigger-school competition at the Coles County Holiday Tournament, going 2-2 with wins against Danville and Mattoon before placing sixth. Sullivan still has some time on the practice court before it returns to play on Jan. 9 at St. Thomas More.
7. Arcola
➜ Record: 10-5
➜ Previous ranking: No. 8
Ava Simpson and the Purple Riders only lost to eventual champion Brownstown/St. Elmo at the Dieterich Holiday Tournament as Arcola placed third by beating the host team in its final game on Dec. 28. The Purple Riders will try to keep those good vibes intact when they return to the court this Monday at Unity.
8. Monticello
➜ Record: 7-6
➜ Previous ranking: Not ranked
Megan Allen and the Sages have had an impressive past two weeks to make up for a 2-5 start. Monticello finished third at its own Holiday Hoopla on Dec. 28, earning an overtime win against Tuscola and then topping Clinton in the third-place game. They’ll try to keep it going on Saturday with a home game against St. Teresa.
9. Clinton
➜ Record: 11-5
➜ Previous ranking: No. 6
Carly Anderson and the Maroons finished fourth at the Monticello Holiday Hoopla and take a two-game losing streak into Saturday’s road nonconference game against Riverton. Clinton has already had two separate winning streaks of at least four games and could easily go on a similar run of success in January.
10. LeRoy
➜ Record: 9-6
➜ Previous ranking: Not ranked
Kendyl Spratt and the Panthers won their last game right before Christmas, picking up a 59-43 road win against Cerro Gordo/Bement on Dec. 23. LeRoy will try to beat Lexington for the second time this season, but first time in Heart of Illinois Conference play, when the two teams meet on Monday night in LeRoy.
