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Just one change in this week’s PennLive girls’ basketball Class AAA state rankings:
We moved North Pocono into the top 10 last week, and the Trojans lost in their very first game after joining the rankings.
So we wanted to give someone else a shot this week, and that team is Ambridge from the WPIAL. The Bridgers are riding a 4-game winning streak after a 4-point loss to Class AAA No. 1 Blackhawk, and Ambridge’s other losses are to Slippery Rock back in early December, and to Upperman (Tennessee) in the KSA Events holiday tourney in Florida.
Ambridge has four players averaging 13 or more points per game, and the Bridgers are locked in a fight for the WPIAL-AAA-2 crown with Blackhawk, who they play Feb. 6.
West York, now 16-0 and No. 1 in the District 3-AAA power ratings, and Mercyhurst Prep got bumps.
Reigning state champ Blackhawk continues to clamp down on the No. 1 spot; Cougars have won seven games in a row, including a solid victory over Norwin last week.
Archbishop Wood, which fell to Blackhawk in last year’s PIAA title game, has won four games in a row since a setback to Class AA No. 1 Neumann-Goretti; Vikings held off national power Christ the King (Middle Village, New York) 61-60 in the Blue Chip Super Showcase event on Sunday at Spring-Ford.
Bethlehem Catholic, still locked in at No. 3, also won Sunday at Spring-Ford, toppling Lansdale Catholic 71-41 as Pitt recruit and 2,000-point scorer Kalista Walters dropped 32 points.
Here is our PennLive Class AAA top 10, plus honorable mention selections, through games of Jan. 25, with home district in parenthesis and overall record …
1. Blackhawk (7) 14-3 — previously: 1
2. Archbishop Wood (12) 14-3 — previously: 2
3. Bethlehem Catholic (11) 17-1 — previously: 3
4. Scranton Prep (2) 15-1 — previously: 4
5. Villa Maria (10) 12-4 — previously: 5
6. Hickory (10) 15-0 — previously: 6
7. Allentown Central Catholic (11) 16-1 — previously: 7
8. West York (3) 16-0 — previously: 9
9. Mercyhurst Prep (10) 12-3 — previously: 10
10. Ambridge (7) 16-3 — previously: HM
HONORABLE MENTION
Athens (4) 14-2, Beaver Area (7) 11-5, Berks Catholic (3) 15-3, Bonner-Prendergast (12) 9-7, Conrad Weiser (3) 13-4, Danville (4) 12-3, Donegal (3) 15-3, Elizabeth Forward (7) 14-3, Fleetwood (3) 12-5, Ford City (7) 14-2, Forest Hills (6) 13-1, Girard (10) 12-2, Greencastle-Antrim (3) 15-2, Gwynedd Mercy (1) 14-2, Hampton (7) 12-4, Honesdale (2) 15-1, Indiana (7) 16-1, Juniata (6) 16-0, Lancaster Catholic (3) 16-2, Mars (7) 15-2, McGuffey (7) 13-3, Mifflinburg (4) 17-1, North Pocono (2) 15-1, Pope John Paul II (1) 12-5, Saucon Valley (11) 12-5, Southern Lehigh (11) 13-2, Trinity (7) 12-5, West Perry (3) 16-2.
