Two of the three top-ranked teams in the state from currently published statewide preseason rankings are from Northern California and three of the top six are NorCal teams, so despite Southern California having around 60-percent of the schools the girls from north of Fresno more hold their own to start the season. This feature only sets a preliminary pecking order and doesn’t include the top players on each team. That will come separately in a feature later this week. Also, since no one has played yet other than in Foundation games we’re only going 15 deep on this list. When real rankings come out they will be in a top 25 format like the other rankings we do.
(Final 2017-18 record included)
(1) Archbishop Mitty-San Jose 29-1
Despite the fact the Monarchs did not win a CIF Open Division state championship both the computer and one other rankings had Mitty as the No. 1 team in California to end last season, and with the only human rankings, the Cal-Hi Sports preseason state rankings, putting Mitty on top in Northern California to start the season, plus with the ESPN national top player from the class of 2019 Haley Jones leading the way for Coach Sue Phillips and her girls, it’s makes a solid argument to make the Monarchs the top team in Northern California to begin the season with the talent that joins Jones.
(2) Pinewood-Los Altos Hills 27-3
Obviously an argument can be made for the Panthers to be the top team in Northern California based on their 78-67 triple overtime win over Mitty in the Northern Regional Open Division title game. That only got them even with Mitty after a 14-point loss to Mitty in the CIF Central Coast Section title game. After all is said and done Coach Doc Scheppler and his girls fall in behind Mitty be the narrowest of margins.
(3) Salesian-Richmond 27-6
The defending NCS Division III champions are loaded with talent, and despite the San Francisco Chronicle anointing Salesian as its top team over Mitty and Pinewood in its Bay Area Metro preseason rankings likely based on a 2-point win by Coach Stephen Pezzola and his girls over Pinewood early last season, the reality is Pezzola was a bit perplexed with that assessment. It’s not that Pezzola doesn’t have confidence in his girls, he just isn’t quite his girls should have the NorCal No. 1 target on their back to start the season. We have them where they finished last season to start this one but it wouldn’t be surprising if by the end of the season they found their way to the top of the heap.
(4) St. Mary’s-Stockton 27-3
With the Rams having their season ended last year by Pinewood in the CIF Open NorCals in a 3-point loss at home it is almost a no-brainer to have Coach Tom Gonsalves and his girls behind Pinewood to start this season. The Rams lost a ton of talent but return a solid group including 6-2 junior Amaya Oliver, who missed all last season with an injury after being one of the ESPN top-rated freshmen two years ago.
(5) Bishop O’Dowd-Oakland 19-11
The Dragons took CIF Open Division state champion and California consensus preseason No. 1 Windward to overtime before falling and then went on to springboard that loss and another close loss to Salesian to an NCS Division III championship. Coach Malik McCord and his girls should be very tough this season with just about everyone returning.
(6) Carondelet-Concord 22-8
After the Cougars season ended last year when the school pulled them out of the Open NorCals as a result of school-determined violations of disciplinary rules, the Cougars are looking to re-group with a fresh start and will have first year Coach Michael Morris at the helm after he come to Carondelet after a year at Vacaville Christian-Vacaville. Morris inherits a solid group with just about every top producer returning
(7) Miramonte-Orinda 28-6
The Mats faltered in a Northern Regional championship title game for the second straight year after losing to Sacred Heart Cathedral in the Division I title game. Even so, it was a solid season for Coach Kelly Sopak and his young team with everyone returning except Clair Steele and with his biggest stars all underclass players. .
(8) Antelope 26-6
Just about every coach and analysts agree that Coach Sean Chambers and his girls will be the top team from the Sacramento Metro area to begin the season so it makes perfect sense for a team that returns all but one senior scorer to fall in behind the Miramonte team that knocked them out of the playoffs last year in the second round of the D1 NorCals.
(9) Bear Creek-Stockton 28-4
Although a bit tongue in cheek one coach we interviewed suggested Coach Anthony Matthews and his girls might beat St. Mary’s if the two played right now, and that could be a possibility based on who the Bruins return. For now they’re still unproven but based on who they return Matthews and his girls can go ahead of the St. Francis team that beat them by four points in the CIF D1 NorCals and right below the Antelope team that beat them in overtime in the CIFSJS D1 title game.
(10) Cardinal Newman-Santa Rosa 24-5
The Cardinals all-time leading scorer for girls or boys, Maiya Flores, has graduated, and Newman will lack size, but they showed a lot of scrappiness over the summer and Coach Monica Mertle, who is one of the bright young top coaches in Northern California, has one of the top backcourts in Northern California and they are still by far the top team from the Redwood Empire. Newman will be hosting its Cardinal Newman Classic next week.
(11) St. Joseph Notre Dame-Alameda 28-5
The Pilots were slated to be higher than Cardinal Newman but one of their top players, Sophie Nilsson is likely out for the season and Coach Shawn Hipol has another top player out a few months and one other girl that decided not to play. Even so, St. Jo’s is still loaded with talent.
(12) McClatchy-Sacramento 23-7
Head Coach Jeff Ota and his girls come in as the No. 2 team from the Sacramento Metro area after two wins last season over the Sacramento team they’re ahead of and a season ending a 1-point loss to the St. Joseph Notre Dame team in the D1 NorCals they sit right behind. Ota has some very solid returning talent.
(13) Sacramento 18-12
After a tough season look for Coach Michele Massari and her girls to bounce back, particularly since the Dragons return just about everyone. Sacramento starts out as the No. 3 team from the Sacramento Metro area but after all is said and done don’t be surprised if the Dragons are the top team.
(14) St. Francis-Mountain View 16-13
The Lancers came on at the end of the season with upset wins over Bear Creek and St. Joseph Notre Dame before losing to Sacred Heart Cathedral. Former Pinewood star Sami Polisso is now in her second year at the Lancers helm and despite losing a lot of scoring punch her girls should be the No. 2 team in West Catholic Athletic League and Central Coast Section to start the season in a close race with the Irish team that ended their season last year.
(15) Sacred Heart Cathedral-San Francisco 15-15
Coach LyRyan Russell lost a ton of talent off his CIF Northern Regional Division I champions but they are still one of the top three teams in the Central Coast Section and arguably could be ahead of St. Francis. The Fighting Irish open their season at the Cardinal Newman Classic next week.
