Positional Breakdown: The Top Small-Forwards in the 2026 Class

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 'Positional Breakdown' series is an in-depth look at players who occupy a specific position. Furthermore, the series is connected to the latest rankings update. In regard to the rankings update, factors include the 'eye-test' and career stats.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here is how the following Small-Forwards, measure up to one another!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:table {"className":"is-style-stripes"} --> <figure class="wp-block-table is-style-stripes"><table class="has-fixed-layout"><tbody><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center"><strong>Player</strong></td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center"><strong>School</strong></td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center"><strong>Overall Class Rank</strong></td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">[player_tooltip player_id='828810' first='Caris' last='Dale']</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Farmington</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">15</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">[player_tooltip player_id='893558' first='Avery' last='Henard']</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Tatum</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">18</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">[player_tooltip player_id='893557' first='Neysa' last='Gutierrez']</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Cliff</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">19</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">[player_tooltip player_id='648229' first='Nyssa' last='Torres']</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Silver</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">31</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">[player_tooltip player_id='648219' first='Francesca' last='Otero']</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Valencia</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">40</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">[player_tooltip player_id='648227' first='Sofia' last='Herrera']</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Las Cruces</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">46</td></tr><tr><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">[player_tooltip player_id='828815' first='Jaysha' last='Hawkins']</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">Las Cruces</td><td class="has-text-align-center" data-align="center">58</td></tr></tbody></table></figure> <!-- /wp:table --> <!-- wp:separator --> <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" /> <!-- /wp:separator --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["828810"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6850b9e133bc6"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Dale arguably possesses the highest upside out of all Small-Forwards in the 2026 Class, due to her all-around steady play and overall fundamentals.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">In 66 games played, Dale has accumulated 589 points, 194 rebounds, 145 assists and 138 steals for the Scorpions.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>What's more, the 5'9" Dale is a career 45 percent shooter from the field overall, which is the highest FG% among all Small-Forwards.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["893558"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6850b9e133c3c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Having one of the most impressive resumes among all Small-Forwards, Henard is a Two-Time All-State Selection and 2A State Champion. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Henard does a multitude of things out on the court for the Coyotes like playing tenacious defense and team basketball on offense. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["893557"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6850b9e133c8d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Gutierrez is a Two-Time All-State Selection who has helped the Cowgirls reach the 1A <em>Final Four</em> in consecutive seasons. Moreover, Gutierrez is one of seven players from the 2026 Class to have earned at least two All-State nods. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["648229"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6850b9e133cd6"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">To this point, Torres is the only Small-Forward to have logged more than two Double-Doubles. In 81 games, the 5'9" Torres has seven Double-Doubles for the Fighting Colts!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Overall, the energetic Torres has 536 points, 468 rebounds and 140 steals. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["648219"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6850b9e133d1f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">In 88 career games, Otero, a budding 5'7" Small-Forward, has yielded 499 points, 298 rebounds, 198 assists and 124 steals for the Jaguars. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Otero helps provide a change of pace on offense, gives consistent effort overall and brings floor-spacing capablities. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["648227"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6850b9e133dc3"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">In her first season in a Bulldawg uniform, Herrera averaged 9.2 points per game on 42 percent shooting, with 4.9 rebounds and 4.2 steals. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Altogether, the 5'7" play-maker and transfer from Organ Mountain, put up 257 points, 137 rebounds and 117 steals in 28 games played. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_player":["828815"],"_player_evaluations_0_player":"field_62ab9d62ecf2c","player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_override_profile_image":"override-player-profile-image","player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"","_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6853a522eedfe"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Hawkins is currently one of four players at the Small-Forward position to shoot 40 percent or better from the field in her career. (minimum 40 games played)</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In 55 games played for the Bulldawgs, Hawkins, a physical slasher, has totaled 294 points, which averages out to 5.3 respectively.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>*Statistics via MaxPreps*</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>*Player statistics are dependent upon by the Coach/Staff of the attended high school to be accurately entered*</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">GLOSSARY</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>PTS:</strong>&nbsp;Points</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>PPG:</strong>&nbsp;Points Per Game</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>FG%:&nbsp;</strong>Field-Goal Percentage</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>3PM:</strong>&nbsp;Three-Pointers Made</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>STL:</strong>&nbsp;Steals</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>SPG:</strong>&nbsp;Steals Per Game</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->