Class By Class: Pre-Playoff Predictions (1/22/26)

In this piece we cover the five teams that have the best chances at winning the State Title within their Class at this point in the High School season.   *Please note - With things like this it's all very fluid. Whoever is firing on all cylinders moving into the Playoff's is going to have the best chances at making it all the way to a State Championship before everything is said and done.   Thanks for tuning in and enjoy!   5A: Johnston High School   Johnston High School is defying the odds and giving every opponent their best so far this Winter season to keep their undefeated streak alive with their best player being [player_tooltip player_id='557354' first='Jenica' last='Lewis']. Lewis is playing at an elite level. Over the years we have heard everything out of the mouth of the public about Lewis but she has shown time and time again that she is a born winner. That's why she ALWAYS shows up when things get tough around her on the hardwood. When you pair that along with their team's other guard play, you understand why this group hasn't lost in 2.5 years. They have prosecutes like the Phillips sisters, Jaliyah Kinnetz, and Kelly Kalb. Not even including their other role players that step up each and every evening. Johnston has to be the favorite at this point in the Winter. If the post season started tomorrow, they would be looked upon as the team to beat in 5A. No doubt about it.   4A: Bishop Heelan High School   The 4A Class is LOADED with talented teams and prospects in all different shapes and sizes but I think the team to beat right now is Bishop Heelan and that's for a few reasons. The first is that they have the deepest roster, with the best talent overall at all positions. Second, they run a great system on defense, that is very versatile in what it can accomplish. They can zone their opponents to death with tight rotations or they can speed up the game in the full court with pressure so that the opposition takes some unnecessary attempts from the field once they break the press. This Class is one that is NOT for the faint of heart. This group will look to their three headed monster in [player_tooltip player_id='777232' first='Melina' last='Snoozy'], [player_tooltip player_id='582806' first='Trishelle' last='Miller'], and [player_tooltip player_id='1305404' first='Ella' last='Otten'] to lead the way as we move into the biggest contests of their season come Playoff time. From there, it's anyone's guess as to who else could take over for the Crusaders down the stretch. These three have really been holding it down this Winter as expected as they are all future D1 prospects but whenever the others step up, that's when they become really dangerous.   3A: Mount Vernon High School   Everyone is sleeping on Mount Vernon out of the 3A Class this Winter but I think they have the best chance at bringing home a back2back State Titles and that's because of one very specific reason. That reason is because most of the players on their roster, have been there before and that matters. Not only does this group have a very talented unit individually, they won it last year with basically the same group so they know exactly what to expect at this point in the process. They just need to finish on the season going 1-0 in each of their remaining contests and they will love where they are coming Playoff time. They have three killers at the PG, SG. and CG spots with the Franck Twins and [player_tooltip player_id='957840' first='Savanna' last='Wright']. They also bring in some shooters that can really launch it from deep, as well as rebounders and defenders underneath. This group won't be the #1 seed in the 3A Class but I give them the best chance to run the table and make some history at this point.   2A: Rock Valley High School   Rock Valley has sky-rocketed to the top of the leaderboard in the 2A Class and for good reasons. The Rockets have been looking like Golden State Warriors the way they they are hitting three pointers from deep over the past few weeks and that has been entirely too much for any 2A team to handle. When had a contest the other night were the Ranschau twins combined for 75 of their teams 94 points for the field, going a combined 19/40 from deep. That's insanity. In other Classes this production might not be enough but when you pair these two with other role players that put up eye-opening numbers, it's not even close. These guys are the group to beat and I don't know how they lose come February if they play their cards right. They have fallen once this season by 1, 55-56 to start their year against another very good defensive team in Central Lyon but I'm sure they will be looking to meet that group again for some revenge before everything is finished up for this Winter.   1A: St. Albert High School   St. Albert High School might take a few losses during their regular season but they are still the team to beat. Earlier in the year, the Saintes lost to Newell-Fonda at home by a few points but if you watched that contest, everything had to go right of the Mustangs and the Saintes still had a chance to win the game when it was down to the final two minutes. The Saintes just need to tighten up some things down low, they need to start quicker out of the gate, and they have to be able to label shooters defensively during each of their next contests. If they can do those three things, they should be favorited to run the table once again for another State title. They have 1A POTY last season in [player_tooltip player_id='901710' first='Avah' last='Underwood'] under the hoop, you have smart guard play on the outside in Coughlin and Wise, and you have an another athletic Forward in their SF - Rutledge. When accounting for all of those pieces, you start to see why this group is tough to beat down the stretch and why I expect them to keep on winning as things move forward.

In this piece we cover the five teams that have the best chances at winning the State Title within their Class at this point in the High School season.