HS: Winter state, region rankings, Feb. 20

by Sheldon Shealer

February 20, 2017

One-by-one, the winter states are starting to close out seasons and crown champions.

This past week, Hawaii's overflow boys games were finished as well as the Florida boys and girls seasons. This week, the first of the California sections finish, as well as the last groups of Mississippi's boys season and Louisiana boys and girls champions will be crowned. After this week, only a few California sections and Texas will remain in action for the winter states.

The top news from last week includes a state record 15th state title for the girls at St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), as well as a record sixth straight crown by the girls team at St. Johns Country Day (Orange Park, Fla.). Cypress Bay (Weston, Fla.) captured its fifth boys state title in seven years -- a staggering feat considering it has happened in the state's large school bracket.

The current state No. 1s for boys are Gilbert (Gilbert, Ariz.), Godinez (Anaheim, Calif.), Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.), Punahou (Honolulu, Hawaii), St. Paul's (Covington, La.), Northwest Rankin (Flowood, Miss.) and Strake Jesuit (Houston, Texas). On the girls side, the state No. 1s are Xavier College Prep (Phoenix, Ariz.), Carondelet (Concord, Calif.), St. Johns Country Day (Orange Park, Fla.), Iolani (Honolulu, Hawaii), Fontainebleau (Mandeville, La.), Oxford (Miss.) and Coppell (Texas).