Top 12 Teams in 5A: Is West Albany a State Title Contender?

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">The Bulldogs Return to No. 3 After Defeating No. 1 Redhawks in Week 6</h2>   <p>In <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2025/12/gbx-preseason-rankings-top-4-teams-in-5a/">my preseason rankings</a>, I projected South Albany and Crater to be the 5A state title contenders and, after Week 6, I'm still convinced they are. But with <a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2026/01/5a-no-6-west-albany-upsets-no-1-south-albany-40-34/">West Albany's recent upset over the Redhawks</a>, are the Bulldogs now part of that conversation? The ongoing Mid-Willamette Conference gauntlet will help answer that question.</p>   <p>Springfield and Redmond are on 9 and 11-game winning streaks, respectively, but both have played moderate to weak schedules. I still have questions about both teams that league play might answer in the coming weeks.</p>   <p>The MWC, Northwest Oregon Conference, and Midwestern League are all underway and the Intermountain Conference tips off this week. Here's what happened in Week 6:</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-instagram wp-block-embed-instagram"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.instagram.com/p/DTbW0hIEtWz/ </div></figure>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">1. South Albany (8-2, 2-1)</h2>   <p>South Albany split conference wins this week, defeating Crescent Valley in a 56-27 road victory and suffering a 34-40 upset against West Albany at home. The Redhawks step out of league play to host West Salem for an interesting matchup on Tuesday.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2. Crater (10-3, 1-0)</h2>   <p>Crater leads 5A in points scored and point differential, and no one else comes close. They defeated 4A-ranked Philomath for the second time and carried that energy into their league opener, overwhelming North Eugene in a 78–36 victory. Their next game is a league road contest at Ashland on Tuesday.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">3. West Albany (7-4, 3-0)</h2>   <p>West Albany had a statement start in the Mid-Willamette Conference gauntlet. They showcased an explosive offense in a 72–56 victory over Silverton and followed that up by knocking off No. 1-ranked South Albany 40–34 in a defensive battle. Their next game is a conference home matchup against Corvallis on Tuesday.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">4. Springfield (10-1)</h2>   <p>Springfield is on a 9-game winning streak, albeit with a moderate to weak schedule. They traveled to 4A-ranked Cascade on Tuesday for a non-league battle, coming away with a narrow 57–52 victory. The Millers' next game is a non-league home matchup against 4A-ranked Stayton on Monday.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">5. Redmond (11-1)</h2>   <p>Redmond picked up two more wins with a high-scoring road trip to eastern Oregon. They routed Pendleton 68–42 and followed it up on Saturday with a massive 83–29 victory over La Grande. The Panthers enter the heart of their schedule with an 11-game winning streak and will play rivals Summit next on Tuesday.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">6. Wilsonville (7-3, 2-0)</h2>   <p>I was tempted to move Wilsonville above Springfield and Redmond. Wilsonville's three losses are to ranked 6A teams, and they are an offensive threat. The Wildcats had a productive week in Northwest Oregon Conference play, securing two high-scoring victories. They defeated Hood River Valley 80–27, followed by a dominant 96–41 win over Centennial on Friday. Currently tied for the top of the league, Wilsonville will look to continue their 6-game winning streak against Parkrose at home on Monday.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">7. Lebanon (8-2, 2-0)</h2>   <p>Lebanon started the Mid-Willamette Conference strong, securing dominant, high-scoring victories — 70–43 over Woodburn and 69-35 over Dallas. The Warriors host Silverton for a conference game on Tuesday.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">8. Summit (8-4)</h2>   <p>Summit finished the preseason with a 62–39 win at 6A Forest Grove. The Storm return home to open Intermountain Conference play against rival Redmond on Tuesday.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">9. La Salle Prep (7-4, 2-0)</h2>   <p>The Falcons swept their Northwest Oregon Conference matchups this week. They defeated Canby 46–33 and followed it up with a 44-21 victory over Hood River Valley. Currently tied for the top of the league, the Falcons will travel to face Centennial on Monday.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">10. Silverton (6-5, 2-1)</h2>   <p>Silverton bounced back from a 72–56 loss to West Albany by defeating Corvallis 63–31. The Foxes continue conference play with a ranked road game against Lebanon on Tuesday.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">11. Crescent Valley (4-7, 0-2)</h2>   <p>Crescent Valley fell to No. 1-ranked South Albany 27-46. The Raiders look to secure their first league win as they host Woodburn on Tuesday.</p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">12. Crook County (8-3)</h2>   <p>Crook County defeated Madras by 1 point (54–53) at home. The Cowgirls will travel to McKay for another non-league contest on Tuesday.</p>