HS: Winter state, region rankings, Feb. 27

by Sheldon Shealer

February 27, 2017

[Liberty ca-w] (Brentwood, Calif.) locked up the California No. 1 girls ranking with a section crown, but things are far from settled throughout the California and Texas boys and girls rankings.

A tie by former Texas girls No. 1 Coppell (Texas) leads to a reshuffling on that state's top three. Meanwhile, upsets galore in California reshape the boys and girls state and regional rankings. The big winners last week include the boys teams at Berkeley (Calif.) and Pleasant Valley (Chico, Calif.), which claimed section titles. Pleasant Valley's title win over rival Chico (Calif.) completed a 23-0 season and extended the program's undefeated streak to 86 matches.

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.), [Liberty ca-m] (Brentwood, Calif.), St. Johns Country Day (Orange Park, Fla.), Iolani (Honolulu, Hawaii), [Mt. Carmel la-w] (Covington, La.), Oxford (Miss.) and Highland Park (Texas).