There is no shortage of iconic professional athletes cherished by children in Hopedale, Mass., a small town about 25 miles southwest of Boston.

But when 9-year-old Grace Rojee was tasked with dressing up for school one day as someone she admired, she did not choose Tom Brady or David Ortiz or Paul Pierce.

She chose someone who looks like her. She chose Bri Frongillo.

“(Bri) was blown away,” said Jason Rojee, Grace’s father and Frongillo’s basketball coach at Hopedale High School.

Grace walked into school dressed like her hero, with a Hopedale No. 1 jersey over her chest and her brown hair tied up in a bun. She cut a similar image to Frongillo, the senior guard committed to Bryant University who recently scored her 2,000th career point. When Frongillo graduates this spring, she’ll no doubt leave behind a legacy remembered for years to come.

“She’s one of a kind,” Rojee said.

Last Friday morning, the day after Hopedale closed the regular season with a 56-28 thumping of Milford. Rojee was messaging Frongillo on Google Chat about her nomination form for Massachusetts Gatorade State Player of the Year. It was not a matter of searching for statistics and accomplishments, but paring them down.

The 5-foot-3 Frongillo is the 78th player in state history, girl or boy, to reach the 2,000-point club. And she’s done it by being ruthlessly efficient. In 18 regular season games this season, she averaged 27.4 points, five assists, three rebounds and three steals. She shot 90 percent from the foul line and 55 percent from long range. She is Hopedale’s heartbeat, and it has led to success: The Blue Raiders entered the Central Massachusetts postseason tournament with a 17-1 record, before falling to Sutton 37-34 in the first round.

Hopedale lost its second game of the season but has been a juggernaut ever since, with Frongillo playing a leading role. The season reached a peak on Feb. 15, when she hit the 2,000-point mark late in the first half against Milbury. Frongillo wheeled around a screen and caught a pass at the top of the perimeter, took one dribble to her left and pulled up from deep. She held her follow-through as the ball sank through the net. Her teammates mobbed her in celebration and the referee called for a stoppage in play. Frongillo posed for photos with her parents.

Rojee is a first-year coach at Hopedale, after moving to the area five years ago from a nearby town where he coached basketball. His wife insisted he look to get back into the game. From afar, he watched Frongillo become one of the most dynamic players in the state, and when the Hopedale job opened ahead of this season, Rojee jumped at the opportunity.

He had been watching, after all, as Frongillo began her journey on Hopedale’s varsity team as an eighth grader. When she moves on to Bryant next season, the team will be without one of its most familiar faces, but the Milbury game hinted at a bright future. With the game knotted at 49, it was Phoebe Carroll, an eighth grader, who hit the go-ahead jumper with 1.4 seconds left to deliver the Blue Raiders the 51-49 win.

In that moment, Carroll, much like Rojee’s daughter, looked a lot like an athlete she admires.

“Everything (Frongillo) does,” Rojee said, “is at another level.”

Josh Needelman is the High School Sports Editor at Just Women’s Sports. Follow him on Twitter @JoshNeedelman.

Rare is it that Classen SAS is tested during the regular season.

Entering last Thursday, the team out of Oklahoma City had won all but one of their games in 2021-22 — they fell to Etiwanda (Calif.), 53-51, on Dec. 22 — and appeared ready to head into the postseason on a high note. That is, so long as they could get past Edmond North, which entered Thursday’s showdown with a 21-0 record.

In the end, Baylor commit Darianna Littlepage-Buggs and Classen SAS overcame a double-digit deficit to claim the 58-56 victory. The statement win helped the Comets bump up to No. 6 in this week’s rankings. Sidwell Friends remains at No. 1 after another high-profile victory.

1. Sidwell Friends (D.C.), 22-0

The Quakers capped a three-win week with a decisive 73-58 win over then-undefeated St. John Vianney to close out the regular season.

2. Hopkins (Minn.), 18-1

The Royals play their final regular season game Friday evening against Buffalo.

3. DeSoto (Tex.), 29-2

The Eagles advanced to the state quarterfinals with a 63-28 win over Lake Ridge.

4. Etiwanda (Calif.), 26-0

The Eagles edged Mater Dei, 64-53, to earn a spot in the Open Division championship game.

5. La Jolla Country Day (Calif.), 23-2

The Torreys challenge Mission Hills on Saturday in the San Diego Section championship.

6. Classen SAS (Okla.), 18-1

Darianna Littlepage-Buggs scored a game-high 21 points in the Comets’ win over Edmond North.

7. St. John Vianney (N.J.), 23-1

Madison St. Rose scored 28 points, but the Lancers fell to Sidwell Friends, suffering their first loss in more than two years.

8. Sierra Canyon (Calif.), 26-1

The Trailblazers beat Centennial by 27 points to earn a date with Etiwanda in the championship.

9. New Hope (Md.), 24-2

New Hope enters the National Association of Christian Athletes National Championship having beaten their previous two opponents by 55 and 72 points.

10. Conway (Ark.). 26-1

The Wampus Cats pushed their winning streak to 12 games with a 61-46 win over Northside.

11. Montverde (Fla.), 18-3

The Eagles, with no other games scheduled, are hopeful they’ll receive a bid to the GEICO National Championships.

12. Cedar Park (Tex.), 33-0

The Timberwolves are one win away from a spot in the 5A state semifinals.

13. Incarnate Word (Mo.), 23-0

The Red Knights ended the regular season undefeated.

14. Lake Highland Prep (Fla.), 21-4

The Highlanders edged Palm Bay, 56-51, to advance to the 4A state semifinals.

15. Fremont (Utah), 21-2

After a first-round bye, the Silverwolves play Corner Canyon on Thursday in a 6A second-round matchup.

16. Hazel Green (Ala.), 31-0

The Trojans defeated Mortimer Jordan, 48-38, in a defensive battle in the third round of the 6A playoffs.

17. Johnston (Iowa), 23-0

The Dragons clinched the 5A Region 1 championship with a 60-46 win over Des Moines North.

18. Woodward Academy (Ga.), 24-2

The War Eagles kicked off the AAAAA playoffs with a 42-point trouncing of lowly Coffee.

19. Bishop McNamara (Md.), 19-4

The Mustangs comfortably won six conference games over the past nine days.

20. DME (Fla.), 21-3

DME is hanging tight for a potential GEICO nationals bid.

21. Franklin Community (Ind.), 28-1

The Grizzly Cubs snuck past Mooresville, 49-46, to advance to the 4A state title game, where they will play Noblesville.

22. IMG (Fla.), 11-4

The Ascenders’ weekend clash against Hopkins was canceled due to weather.

23. Noblesville (Ind.), 24-4

The Millers advanced to the state finals for the first time in 32 years.

24. South Bend Washington (Ind.), 26-3

The Panthers play Silver Creek in the 3A state championship game on Saturday.

25. Rock Bridge (22-1)

The Bruins rolled to three straight wins by at least 24 points before squeaking by Helias, 57-42.

Josh Needelman is the High School Sports Editor at Just Women’s Sports. Follow him on Twitter @JoshNeedelman.

Five years ago, I was a mainstay in Washington, D.C.-area high school wrestling rooms.

I was not a wrestler but a reporter, on scene to chronicle the growing number of girls taking up the sport. There were no girls’ teams at the time, so the students were made to compete alongside their male classmates, and with their bright clothes and ponytails, they stuck out amid the hyper-masculine environment of grunts and expressionless faces.

Now girls’ wrestling is booming in the United States, with 32 states holding sanctioned championships. Much like aspiring basketball, soccer, volleyball and lacrosse players, a whole generation of aspiring female wrestlers are learning they can experience their dreams.

That’s a powerful feeling for a teenager to have, and it’s part of why I’m so excited to lead Just Women’s Sports’ new high school sports vertical, JWS Next. I’ve covered college football and basketball national championship games and MLB postseason races, but there is something special about high school sports. It’s at this level where future stars are born, and we’ll be telling the stories of these athletes before they become household names.

We’ve already started to publish stories that bring readers beyond the box scores and into the lives of the athletes at the top of their craft. Our focus will be on basketball, soccer and volleyball, but you can expect content from across the sports spectrum.

We take pride in our weekly rankings, which have already debuted for basketball and will continue with soccer and volleyball. We have our eyes on the national sports scene, reflected in our Player of the Week awards recognizing the very best across the country. And our features and profiles shed light on the lives of the athletes at the center of the high school sports world.

@justwomenssports destined for greatness @laurenbetts51 🔥 #JWSNextxUnderArmour @_nashley911 ♬ original sound - Just Women’s Sports

Our coverage extends to TikTok, where we break down some of the best players and teams in the country even further. On Instagram, we give athletes more of the spotlight they deserve.

In the coming weeks and months, you can expect more of everything as we dive deeper and deeper into the national high school sports scene. We hope you’ll follow along as we continue this journey.

Josh Needelman is the High School Sports Editor at Just Women’s Sports. Follow him on Twitter @JoshNeedelman.

The tail end of the high school basketball season is coming into focus, and this weekend is full of games with postseason implications. Here’s a look at three of the most important we’ll have our eyes on.

1. Sidwell Friends vs. Saint John Vianney

Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C) has rarely been tested this season.

Other than a five-point win over No. 3 Desoto, on Jan. 22, the top-ranked Quakers (18-0) have beaten all of their opponents by double digits. Point guard Kiki Rice is a finalist for the Naismith Player of the Year Trophy, and Tamika Dudley is a finalist for the Coach of the Year trophy.

The Quakers also have their sights set on GEICO nationals. But before they can think about hardware, Sidwell Friends will need to get past perhaps their stiffest test yet: No. 5 Saint John Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.).

The Lancers (18-0) have also rolled through their regular season slate, and have big postseason dreams. Sunday’s matchup between the two powerhouses will have repercussions on the national basketball landscape.

2. Etiwanda vs. Mater Dei – Southern Section Girls Championship

No. 4 Etiwanda (Etiwanda, Calif.) is also looking toward nationals, and will look to burnish its resume Saturday against Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.) in the Southern Section Championship.

The teams have not played yet this season, but Mater Dei has looked strong recently, with wins over Windward (Los Angeles) and Rosary Academy (Fullerton) over the past week.

Still, the Monarchs will need to be hitting on all cylinders to overcome an Etiwanda team that’s made a strong case for the best team in California.

3. Noblesville vs. Crown Point

Noblesville (Noblesville, Ind.) made waves when it eliminated Homestead (Fort Wayne, Ind.) and McDonald’s All-American forward Ayanna Patterson in the first round of the state playoffs. Now, the Millers are on the brink of the state championship game.

The team will challenge Crown Point (Crown Point, Ind.) in a semifinal contest Saturday.

When the teams played in the regular season, on Dec. 22, Noblesville won in a 57-32 rout. But Crown Point has looked like a different team since the matchup, and enters Saturday’s bout winners of six in a row. The stage is set for a memorable contest.

Josh Needelman is the High School Sports Editor at Just Women’s Sports. Follow him on Twitter @JoshNeedelman.

Audrey Harris, a 5-foot-8 guard at Faith Christian High School (Yuba City, Calif.), had one big goal entering this season: to break the school record for points scored in a single game, set at 51 by a player on the men’s team.

On Nov. 22, in the Lions’ season opener, Harris did just that, scoring 54 points in an 81-13 victory over Futures (Sacramento, Calif.). While a milestone on its own, at that point in the season, the junior was just getting started.

Twenty-five games into the 2021-22 campaign, Harris is averaging 45.5 points per game, the most in the nation per MaxPreps. She recently wrapped up another successful stretch, highlighted by a 47-point, 23-rebound performance in the team’s 78-5 win over Sacramento Country Day (Sacramento, Calif.) last Tuesday, earning her JWS Player of the Week honors. (Last week, Homestead’s Ayanna Patterson got the nod.)

“I didn’t anticipate a season like this,” said Geoffrey Harris, her father and Faith Christian’s head coach. “When she scored 54 points, I thought, ‘OK, good. You got your career high. Now, let’s get on with the season.’

“She wasn’t finished.”

Harris’ eye-popping numbers are, in part, a product of the Lions’ personnel. The team has just seven rostered players — roughly a third of the school’s enrolled girls — and, since the junior can score from anywhere on the court, she’s taking about 70 percent of Faith Christian’s shots, her father said.

That level of production is also a testament to Harris’ ability. She’s often double- or -triple teamed, but is comfortable enough shooting from several feet behind the perimeter that she baffles defenses anyway. Harris can create off the pick-and-roll, and if she has the size advantage, she can leverage her post moves into easy points. On Feb. 3, she scored a career-high 65 points in a 108-72 loss to Valley Christian (Roseville, Calif.).

The Lions fell to Sacramento Adventist (Carmichael, Calif.) 71-62 on Monday, but not because of Harris’ lack of effort: She scored 53 points, or 85 percent of the team’s total output. The team now turns its attention toward the Sac-Joaquin Section postseason, where Harris will look to continue to burnish her resume. Despite her big numbers, her father said college coaches have yet to show much interest.

“I imagine being at a small school has something to do with that,” Geoffrey Harris said.

With more 50-point outbursts like the ones she’s had this season, it will be hard for anyone not to notice.

Josh Needelman is the High School Sports Editor at Just Women’s Sports. Follow him on Twitter @JoshNeedelman.

The Saint John Vianney (N.J.) Lancers have had a brilliant season, most recently defeating Rutgers Prep in an 87-48 rout. The team is a level above the rest in New Jersey, but it also has bigger goals.

Saint John Vianney, slotted No. 5 in this week’s JWS high school rankings, will have a legitimate claim for the nation’s top-ranked team if it can defeat No. 1 Sidwell Friends on Sunday in a neutral site game in Delaware.

It won’t come easy, however. The Quakers are a juggernaut and have rarely been tested this season. Whatever happens, the national basketball landscape won’t look the same a week from now. Even this week, there was plenty of reshuffling from last week’s rankings.

1. Sidwell Friends (D.C.), 18-0

The Quakers blew out Georgetown Visitation on Tuesday with Susan Rice, director of the U.S. Domestic Policy Council, in attendance. Two days later, they bested Bullis by 43 points on the road.

2. Hopkins (Minn.), 18-1

The Royals avoided a potential upset Friday, edging league foe Wayzata by 10 points on the road.

3. DeSoto (Tex.), 26-2

The Eagles wrapped up the regular season with a 70-24 blowout of Waxahachie and now turn their attention toward the 6A playoffs.

4. Etiwanda (Calif.), 24-0

The Eagles used a 21-point fourth quarter to break a 39-39 tie and roll to a 71-58 win over Windward in the first round of the Open league playoffs.

5. St. John Vianney (N.J.), 20-0

Entering Sunday’s showdown with Sidwell Friends, the Lancers asserted their dominance over the New Jersey basketball scene once more with an 87-48 win over Rutgers Prep this weekend.

6. La Jolla Country Day (Calif.), 21-2

The Torreys swept a home-and-home series with Bishop’s, wrapping up their regular season with a 78-40 win on the road.

7. Classen SAS (Okla.), 17-1

The Comets begin the postseason on a seven-game win streak.

8. Sierra Canyon (Calif.), 24-1

The Trailblazers challenge Orangewood on Wednesday in the Southern Section championship.

9. New Hope (Md.), 22-2

After Saturday’s contest against Scotland Campus (Pa.) was canceled, New Hope concludes its regular season Tuesday against TPLS Christian.

10. Conway (Ark.). 23-1

Fresh off a pair of comfortable victories over Arkansas stalwarts Cabot and Northside, the Wampus Cats slide into the top ten for the first time this season.

11. Montverde (Fla.), 18-3

The Eagles hold steady as they await a potential bid to GEICO nationals.

12. Cedar Park (Tex.), 30-0

Senior forward Shelby Hayes, a Rice commit, recorded 17 points and 15 rebounds to help the Timberwolves to a 50-24 win over Georgetown in the District 25-5A championship game.

13. Incarnate Word (Mo.), 22-0

The Red Knights’ winning streak reached an astounding 61 games with wins over Lift for Life, Visitation and Notre Dame de Sion.

14. Lake Highland Prep (Fla.), 20-4

Forward Kayla Blackshear, an Alabama commit, and the Highlanders continued their romp through the postseason with a 91-35 smashing of The Villages.

15. Fremont (Utah), 19-2

The Silverwolves won their previous two games by an average of 46 points.

16. Hazel Green (Ala.), 29-0

After finishing the regular season undefeated, the Trojans kick off the state playoffs Monday against a formidable opponent in Fort Wayne (20-11).

17. Johnston (Iowa), 21-0

The Dragons closed out the regular season with a 60-28 win over Dowling Catholic, but not before recognizing senior center Jada Gyamfi for reaching the 1,000-point threshold for her career.

18. Woodward Academy (Ga.), 22-2

The defending state champion War Eagles rolled past lowly Creekside in a 53-point win on Tuesday.

19. Bishop McNamara (Md.), 13-4

The Mustangs claimed sole possession of first place in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference by knocking off then-No. 18 Good Counsel, 62-41.

20. Blackman (Tenn.), 20-0

The Blaze wrapped up the regular season with a commanding 63-25 win over Riverdale, pushing their winning streak to 40 games.

21. IMG (Fla.), 11-4

The Ascenders return to the court after a nearly three-week hiatus Wednesday, against Schoolhouse Prep.

22. DME (Fla.), 21-3

Coach Wesley Arocho’s team rebounded from an eight-point defeat to Central Pointe Christian by beating up on Schoolhouse Prep, 76-34.

23. Franklin Community (Ind.), 27-1

The Grizzlies kicked off the postseason with a doubleheader victory Saturday, over East Central and then Bedford North.

24. Rock Bridge (18-1)

The Bruins continued pushing the Webster Groves defeat into the rearview mirror by picking up two close wins over the weekend.

25. Homestead (23-2)

The Spartans’ season came to a crushing end with a 61-40 postseason defeat to Noblesville, which had dealt Homestead its only previous loss of the season.

Josh Needelman is the High School Sports Editor at Just Women’s Sports. Follow him on Twitter @JoshNeedelman.

In high school basketball, scores are settled on the weekend.

Once the final class bell rings on Friday afternoon, all attention turns to that weekend’s slate of games. Rivalries are decided. Breakout stars are born. Hearts are broken.

As teams prepare for the home stretch of their seasons, we decided to take a look at three storylines fans need to watch for this weekend, from teams across the country.

Lauren Betts prepares for swan song after special home finale

Lauren Betts, the nation’s No. 1 recruit and a Stanford commit, has three games remaining in her Grandview High School (Aurora, Colo.) career, but on Tuesday, in her final home game, she left the Wolves’ fans with a performance to remember.

Betts led Grandview to a 74-55 win over Arapahoe (Centennial, Colo.), but not before treating the crowd to a choreographed dance performance with her fellow seniors to the tune of Beyonce’s “Love on Top.”

As impressive as Betts’ dance moves were, her legacy at Grandview will be on the court. The 6-foot-7 Betts won 2021 Gatorade Colorado Player of the Year honors as a junior, averaging 17.5 points per game and 11 rebounds per game, and has followed it up with a senior season that’s validated all of her recognition.

On Saturday, she begins her final tour as a high school phenom, when Grandview challenges conference foe Smoky Hill (Aurora, Colo.) on the road. The Wolves then finish out the regular season with games at Arapahoe and Overland (Aurora, Colo.).

New Jersey powers face off

No. 5 Saint John Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.) turned heads last weekend when it disposed of then-undefeated Saddle River Day (Saddle River, N.J.), 76-51. Two days later, the Lancers earned a 47-point win over lowly Red Bank Regional (Little Silver, N.J.). At 18-0, the program is sitting in a class of its own in New Jersey.

That could all come crashing down Sunday, however, when the Lancers play Rutgers Prep (Somerset, N.J.) in a neutral site affair. The Argonauts, winners of 15 in a row, enter the game with a 16-1 record.

Saint John Vianney, led by guard Madison St. Rose, a four-star recruit per ESPN and a Princeton commit, wraps up the regular season next weekend against top-ranked Sidwell Friends, and will want to enter that bout still undefeated. First, it needs to take care of business against Red Bank Regional.

Blackman looks to push winning streak to 40 games

The Blackman High School (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) Blaze are the class of 4A District 7, and have been for some time. The team has won 39 games in a row, dating back to last season, and will aim to keep the streak going as it begins the state tournament. Last season, Blackman won its third state championship in school history.

Blackman (20-0) plays at Riverdale (6-14) in a game that is not expected to be a competitive contest. The Blaze are led by junior Emily Monson (11.6 points per game), a Purdue commit, and sophomore Kaelyn Flowers (10 points per game).

Josh Needelman is the High School Sports Editor at Just Women’s Sports. Follow him on Twitter @JoshNeedelman.

High school athletes and coaches across the country are achieving amazing things everyday. In keeping with our goal to make JWS Next the standard for high school sports news, we plan to scour the nation, from coast to coast and everywhere in between, to unearth the stories you need to know.

Every Wednesday, we will shine a spotlight on the best of the best in this space, from across the sports spectrum. This week, we look at some of the biggest things that happened in basketball, wrestling and hockey. As always, please connect with us if you have a story we need to know about.

Harvard-Westlake basketball coach Melissa Hearlihy joins 800-win club

Few high school basketball coaches can claim the level of influence of Melissa Hearlihy, who has presided over the Harvard-Westlake (Los Angeles) program for 37 years. On Saturday, Hearlihy reached a milestone that cemented her legacy even more: 800 career wins.

Hearlihy is the second California coach to achieve the marker, after Kevin Kiernan of Mater Dei (Santa Ana).

The Wolverines beat league rival Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks), 52-37, to clinch the historic number for their coach. Afterward, she posed for photos while donning a white ribbon on which “800” was written in black letters. Amelia Scharff and Jordyn Call led the way for Harvard-Westlake with 15 and 14 points, respectively.

Hearlihy’s most impressive season at Harvard-Westlake came in 2009-10, when she led the team to a 34-1 record and a state Division IV Championship. Her overall record is 800-292.

The Wolverines (17-12) conclude the regular season Saturday against North (Torrance, Calif.).

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Melissa Hearlihy took over at Harvard-Westlake in 2000. (Ricardo DeAratanha/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)

Rossview wins Tennessee’s first girls’ wrestling state championship

Girls’ wrestling has grown exponentially at the high school level in recent years, with 32 states now holding sanctioned championships. For girls across the country, that means the chance to make history.

The Rossview (Clarksville, Tenn.) team did just that Saturday, defeating rival Clarksville 39-27 to win Tennessee’s first-ever state dual title. In the final bout, 152-pounder Alyssa Adamo pinned her opponent to seal the victory.

“Proud of them staying together,” Rossview coach Jeff Price told local reporters. “The 5:30 a.m. practices, them not feeling the pressure, and just going out and doing what they wanted to do and having fun with it. They went out and they just wanted it.”

Illinois will hold its first state championship this weekend.

Kenmore/Grand Island hockey completes worst-to-first turnaround

The Kenmore/Grand Island (Buffalo, N.Y.) hockey team did not place limits on itself this season, not even after it finished the 2020-21 campaign in last place in its league.

On Saturday, the team completed the ultimate turnaround, defeating Williamsville 4-3 to claim the Section IV championship. Senior Carissa Buyea snapped a 3-3 tie, scoring the go-ahead goal with 9:29 left in the third period.

“This group of girls, they love each other,” coach Jeff Orlowski told local reporters afterward. “We worked over the summer when optional practices started over in August and they were all showing up because they wanted to be around each other.”

The result snapped Williamsville’s run of three straight championships. Orlowski’s team will play in the state semifinals Saturday.

Josh Needelman is the High School Sports Editor at Just Women’s Sports. Follow him on Twitter @JoshNeedelman.

In Indiana high school basketball, one player looms above the rest: Homestead’s Ayanna Patterson.

Patterson, a senior wing committed to UConn, cuts an imposing figure at 6-foot-2. But it’s her basketball ability that truly strikes fear in opposing players.

The five-star recruit, per ESPN, has recorded more than 1,000 rebounds in her high school career, and last Friday she put on a show in the Spartans’ 62-51 win over Columbia City with 35 points, 14 rebounds and six blocks. The following night, in Homestead’s 87-55 win over South Side to clinch the Class 4A-6 sectional championship, Patterson poured in 32 points to go along with 14 rebounds.

The pair of superlative performances helped Patterson earn JWS Player of the Week honors. Last week, Etiwanda’s Kennedy Smith won the inaugural award.

“She’s the best player in the state,” Homestead coach Rod Parker told local reporters in Fort Wayne, Ind. after the team’s win on Friday. “She was the difference in tonight’s game.”

That’s been the story for much of the past four years, including the 2021-22 campaign. The Spartans, ranked No. 22 in JWS’s national rankings, are on a school-record 19-game winning streak, and they’ll get the chance to avenge their lone loss of the season — a 69-48 defeat to Noblesville on Nov. 20 — this Saturday in the Marion Regional.

Patterson will take center stage in the matchup. It’s a role she’s comfortable with, after all.

On Aug. 7, 2020, she posted to Twitter a video of herself dunking in an empty gym, and as of Tuesday afternoon it had more than 58,000 views. Patterson attempted to dunk in a game this season, and though the ball bounced off the back of the iron, the effort speaks to the kind of athleticism that helped Patterson earn a scholarship offer to UConn.

Before she shines on the college stage, though, Patterson has one goal in mind: lead Homestead to a state championship. That quest reaches its most consequential point yet this weekend.

Josh Needelman is the High School Sports Editor at Just Women’s Sports. Follow him on Twitter @JoshNeedelman.

Sierra Canyon, slotted No. 8 in the JWS’ national girls’ basketball rankings, are one of the top teams in Southern California this year. What makes the Trailblazers special, however, is that they are primed to compete into next season and beyond.

That’s because two of Sierra Canyon’s best players, guard Juju Watkins and forward Mackenly Randolph, will be with the team beyond the 2021-22 season. Watkins, a five-star recruit per ESPN, is a junior. And Randolph, a four-star recruit, is a sophomore.

No. 4 Etiwanda is undefeated and remains a level above the rest in the area, but Sierra Canyon, with its lone blemish this season coming in a two-point defeat to No. 6 La Jolla, might very well be the Southern California’s future.

After debuting our high school basketball rankings last week, we’re back with another weekly installment.

1. Sidwell Friends (D.C.), 16-0

The top-ranked Quakers hit the road Tuesday to challenge Georgetown Visitation, which it beat by 16 points earlier in the season.

2. Hopkins (Minn.), 16-1

The Royals extended their winning streak to four games with a 75-42 road win over Edina on Friday.

3. DeSoto (Tex.), 24-2

The Eagles clinched the District 11-6A title with a 59-32 win over Cedar Hill on the road.

4. Etiwanda (Calif.), 23-0

The Eagles wrapped up the regular season without a loss and clinched the No. 1 seed in the Open Division playoffs.

5. St. John Vianney (N.J.), 17-0

Behind 28 points from senior Madison St. Rose, the Lancers thrashed Saddle River Day 76-51 in a battle between the top two teams in the state.

6. La Jolla Country Day (Calif.), 20-2

The Torreys smashed Bishop’s 71-52 on Friday in the first game of a home-and-home series that’ll conclude the regular season.

7. Classen SAS (Okla.), 16-1

The Comets enter their final two games of the regular season as heavy favorites against inferior opponents.

8. Sierra Canyon (Calif.), 23-1

Led by junior guard Juju Watkins and sophomore forward Mackenly Randolph, the Trailblazers are prepared to compete now and into the future.

9. New Hope (Md.), 21-2

Following a 70-42 win over National Christian on Sunday, the Tigers face a trio of out-of-state opponents.

10. DME (Fla.), 20-2

Two games separate coach Wesley Arocho’s team from the postseason, where DME will look to contend for a championship.

11. Montverde (Fla.), 18-3

The Eagles finished their regular season on Jan. 29 and will be well-rested when the Florida regional playoffs kick off this week.

12. Conway (Ark.), 21-1

After a seven-day break, the Wampus Cats return to the court Tuesday to challenge conference rival Cabot.

13. Cedar Park (Tex.), 29-0

The Timberwolves kicked off the 5A playoffs with a 62-34 blowout win over Rouse.

14. Incarnate Word (Mo.), 19-0

The Red Knights beat their two weekend opponents by an average of 21 points.

15. Lake Highland Prep (Fla.), 19-4

In the 4A District 6 Championship game, the Highlanders shellacked Horizon, 89-18.

16. Fremont (Utah), 17-2

The Silverwolves remained hot with a 72-22 rout of Layton on Friday.

17. Hazel Green (Ala.), 27-0

The Trojans kick off the Class 6A Area 16 tournament on Monday against lowly Columbia.

18. Good Counsel (Md.)., 13-1

The Falcons carry a six-game winning streak into Monday’s matchup with St. Mary’s Ryken.

19. Rock Bridge (Mo.), 18-1

After a stunning 49-45 defeat at Webster Groves on Saturday, the Bruins rebounded the following day with a 59-46 win over Cardinal Ritter Prep.

20. Johnston (Iowa), 16-0

Led by 6-foot-1 forward Jada Gyamfi, an Iowa commit, the Dragons preserved their undefeated season with a 81-50 win over Waukee.

21. Woodward Academy (Ga.), 21-2

The War Eagles look to end the regular season on a high note Tuesday against Creekside.

22. Homestead (Ind.), 23-1

Wing Ayana Patterson scored 32 points to lead the Spartans to an 87-55 win over South Side and help the team claim the 4A Sectional championship.

23. Bishop McNamara (Md.), 11-4

The Mustangs picked up a much-needed statement win with a 64-57 overtime triumph over Paul IV on Saturday.

24. IMG (Fla.), 11-4

The Ascenders have two regular season games remaining, including a highly anticipated Feb. 18 bout against Hopkins.

25. Edison (Mich.), 12-2

A 75-68 defeat to local power Joliet West marked the Pioneers’ second loss of the season.

Josh Needelman is the High School Sports Editor at Just Women’s Sports. Follow him on Twitter @JoshNeedelman.