Beginning now, and continuing regularly during the regular season, we'll run our District 3 girls’ basketball rankings. We'll go Top 5 in the smaller two classes and Top 10 in the upper two classes. These are not affiliated with the District 3 power rankings, which determine entry and seeding for the district tournament.
Here is our first set of Class AAA rankings, through games of Dec. 20 …
1. West Perry (8-0, Mid-Penn Capital) — Reigning District 3 champs picked up right where they left off last March, when coach Scott Moyer’s club made a spirited run to the district title and into the PIAA-AAA state quarterfinals, winning 17 unforgettable games in a row during their blitzkrieg. All-State pick Megan Smith has moved on to IUP, but WP hasn’t skipped a beat with a perfect start behind sniper Madi Urich (16.9, 9 3’s, plus her 1,000th point) and floor general Caitlyn Lavenberg (12.4, 19 3’s).
2. Greencastle-Antrim (8-0, Mid-Penn Colonial) — Proving last season’s 22-3 run was no fluke, coach Mike Rhine’s club is perfect at the holiday break for the second year in a row, including a gut-check nonleague win over Trinity. Soph Jenay Faulkner (17.5, 18 3’s) is thisclose from being a household name not only around the Mid-Penn, but District 3. She’s already garnering major Division I looks.
3. Lancaster Catholic (6-1, L-L Section 4) — A district semifinalist last February, the Crusaders have won six games in a row — after an opening-night loss at Hempfield — under first-year coach Charlie Detz, who has slid into Lamar Kauffman front-row seat and has Lancaster Catholic playing like, well, Lancaster Catholic. Junior post Caroline Scarff (17.4) has been a force in the lane, and floor general Erin Holt (12.0, 20 3’s) has been a whiz from the arc.
4. West York (7-0, York/Adams Division II) — There is a pair of undefeated teams in the Y/A at the holiday break: Class AA state-ranked Delone Catholic (7-0) and first-year coach Darrell Wildasin and his Bulldogs, who enjoy a 1-game lead in Division II at the holiday break. Shepherd recruit and 1,000-point scorer Kari Lankford, West York’s catalyst, makes the Bulldogs tick, despite an early season wrist injury.
5. Berks Catholic (7-1, Berks Section 2) — A solid start for coach Bob Birmingham and his troops; Saints’ lone loss was to Sevier County (Tennessee) last week in the KSA Events holiday tourney in Florida. Devon Merritt (17.5) and Brooke Wensel (12.0) steer the Saints, who could challenge for the Berks crown with just a pair Section 1 teams with winning records at the holiday break.
6. Middletown (6-3, Mid-Penn Capital) — An up-and-down start for the reigning Capital champ Blue Raiders under first-year coach Ron Stetler, but check the losses: Trinity, 1-loss Camp Hill and hot East Pennsboro. Junior ace Ja’lynn Burton-Jones (15.2) needs 86 points for 1,000. Grueling Capital slate will have Middletown primed for a postseason run.
7. Conrad Weiser (7-2, Berks Section 2) — We’ve heard nothing but good things about coach Mark Owens and his Scouts, who have won three in a row since a 9-point setback to Berks Catholic. Hannah Racis (10.8) leads a quick, defensive-minded group that can also beat you from deep; Weiser has 49 3’s already.
8. Fleetwood (5-2, Berks Section 2) — A district semifinalist last February, Matt Kellett and his Tigers returned Lauren Lister (14.6) and post matchup nightmare Cyre Virgo (12.4). Lone losses are an OT setback to Ephrata and a 5-point loss to Owen J. Roberts. Berks Section 2 race should be a dandy with Fleetwood, Weiser and Berks Catholic. Stay tuned.
9. Susquenita (5-2, Tri-Valley League West) — Blackhawks, in their first season in the TVL after jumping ship from the Mid-Penn, have losses to old Capital foes West Perry and East Pennsboro, but hit the holiday break riding a 4-game winning streak and with post threat Miranda Hoover (14.3) playing well for coach Shannon Dyer’s club. Just enough vets here for 'Nita to cause problems in February.
10. Northeastern (6-2, York/Adams Division II) — Bill Novak and crew are not in first place at the holiday break — his Bobcats are 3-2 and tied for third in the Y/A II hunt — but here’s what we like: Boston University recruit Payton Hauck, Jordyn Kloster and Ashley Meyer know the drill.
HONORABLE MENTION: Donegal (6-2, L-L Section3), York Suburban (6-2, York/Adams Division II).
