Category: Howard County News

Eagles, Loyola enter first rankings of new season; Lake Clifton moves to No. 8

by Derek Toney

A pair of MIAA A Conference playoff hopefuls, Annapolis Area Christian School and Loyola Blakefield, are in the first VSN Boys Basketball Top 20 of the season.

AACS is 14th, thanks to a 5-1 start. The Eagles, whose only lost came against No. 12 St. Vincent Pallotti, are in their second season in the MIAA A. Loyola Blakefield, which made a brief appearance in the poll after upsetting No. 1 St. Frances Academy late last season, is back. The Dons have AACS and St. Frances on their home court this week.

Coming off a title-winning performance at the Gonzaga (DC) Classic, St. Frances is No. 1 followed by Poly, Patterson, Mount St. Joseph and Dulaney. Boys' Latin, New Town, Lake Clifton, Old Mill and Dunbar complete the Top 10.

Pictured above: Aaron Celcis is a reason Annapolis Area Christian is off to a 5-1 start. The Eagles debut at No. 14 in the latest VSN Boys Basketball Top 20.

Here is the entire VSN Boys Basketball Top 20 for week 1:

VSN BOYS BASKETBALL TOP 20 POLL - WEEK 1

1. ST. FRANCES ACADEMY (8-1)

VSN Top 20 Preseason rank: #1

Last week: The Panthers won the Gonzaga (DC) Classic, defeating Pennsylvania's Abington (77-54; final), Chicago's Whitney Young (66-57; semifinal) and Riverdale Baptist School (64-54; first round), and defeated St. Maria Goretti, 57-52.

This week: vs. Calvert Hall College, Dec. 12; at No. 15 Loyola Blakefield, Dec. 14

2. POLY (0-2)

VSN Top 20 Preseason rank: #2

Last week: The Engineers lost to Wilson (DC) at the Baltimore/Washington Classic at Theodore Roosevelt (DC), and forfeited to Digital Harbor.

This week: vs. Benjamin Franklin, Dec. 11; vs. St. John's College (DC), Uptown Hoop Fest at St. John's, Dec. 15

3. PATTERSON (2-0)

VSN Top 20 Preseason rank: #3

Last week: The Clippers defeated Archbishop Curley, 96-53.

This week: Monday, defeated Aberdeen, 88-38; at Southwestern, Dec. 11

4. MOUNT SAINT JOSEPH (7-1)

VSN Top 20 Preseason rank: #4

Last week: The Gaels defeated Calvert Hall College (79-41), then-No. 8 Gilman School (93-50) and then-No. 15 Gerstell Academy (81-50).

This week: Monday, defeated Loyola Blakefield, 66-61; vs. Glenelg Country School, Dec. 12; at Catonsville, Catonsville Cup, Dec. 15

5. DULANEY (1-0)

VSN Top 20 Preseason rank: #5

Last week: The Lions defeated Archbishop Curley, 79-51, at Johns Hopkins University.

This week: vs. Catonsville, Dec. 12

6. BOYS' LATIN SCHOOL (7-1)

VSN Top 20 Preseason rank: #6

Last week: The Lakers defeated McDonogh School, 69-53, and Mount Carmel, 69-46.

This week: at Archbishop Spalding, Dec. 12; vs. St. Mary's Ryken, Bullis School Holiday Classic, Dec. 14; vs. No. XX St. Vincent Pallotti or Mercersburg Academy (PA), Bullis Holiday Classic consolation or semifinal, Dec. 15; Bullis Holiday Classic consolation final or championship, Dec. 16

7. NEW TOWN (1-0)

VSN Top 20 Preseason rank: #7

Last week: The Titans defeated Henry A. Wise, 53-52.

This week: vs. Capital Christian Academy, Dec. 12; at Randallstown, Dec. 14

8. LAKE CLIFTON (3-0)

VSN Top 20 Preseason rank: #9

Last week: The Lakers defeated Dunbar (DC), 71-50, at the Baltimore/Washington Classic at Theodore Roosevelt (DC), and defeated Eastern Tech (81-31) and New Era Academy (59-20).

This week: vs. North County, Dec. 11; vs. SEED School, Dec. 14

9. OLD MILL (1-0)

VSN Top 20 Preseason rank: #12

Last week: The Patriots defeated Glen Burnie, 89-66.

This week: vs. Great Mills, Dec. 11

10. DUNBAR (1-1)

VSN Top 20 Preseason rank: #11

Last week: The Poets lost to Theodore Roosevelt, 67-64, at Baltimore/Washington Classic at Roosevelt; defeated Charles H. Flowers, 71-65.

This week: at Digital Harbor, Dec. 11; vs. Gilman School, Dec. 14

11. MCDONOGH SCHOOL (5-1)

VSN Top 20 Preseason rank: #14

Last week: The Eagles lost to No. 6 Boys' Latin School, 69-53, and defeated John Carroll School, 79-58.

This week: Monday, defeated Mount Carmel, 63-58; vs. St. Maria Goretti, Dec. 14

12. ST. VINCENT PALLOTTI (3-4)

VSN Top 20 Preseason rank: #13

Last week: The Panthers placed 6th at the Gonzaga (DC) Holiday Classic, losing to Gonzaga College (DC), 60-49, after a 55-49 consolation victory over Riverdale Baptist School and 65-63 first round loss to Chicago's Whitney Young. Pallotti defeated Calvert Hall College, 70-45.

This week: Monday, lost to Glenelg Country School, 46-44; vs. Gilman School, Dec. 12; vs. Mercersburg Academy (PA), Bullis School Holiday Classic, Dec. 14; vs. No. 6 Boys' Latin School or St. Mary's Ryken, Bullis Holiday Classic consolation or semifinal, Dec. 15; Bullis Holiday Classic consolation final or championship, Dec. 16

13. OAKLAND MILLS (2-0)

VSN Top 20 Preseason rank: #16

Last week: The Scorpions defeated Woodlawn, 64-42, at the IAABO Board 23 Challenge at CCBC-Catonsville, and defeated Catonsville, 67-52.

This week: at Glenelg, Dec. 12; vs. Wilde Lake, Dec. 14

14. ANNAPOLIS AREA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL (5-1)

VSN Top 20 Preseason rank: Not ranked

Last week: The Eagles defeated Mount Carmel, 74-59, and Archbishop Spalding, 56-50.

This week: at No. 16 Loyola Blakefield, Dec. 12; at John Carroll School, Dec. 14

15. LOYOLA BLAKEFIELD (6-4)

VSN Top 20 Preseason rank: Not ranked

Last week: The Dons defeated then-No. 8 Gilman School, 73-70, and Glenelg Country School, 56-54.

This week: Monday, lost to No. 4 Mount St. Joseph, 66-61; vs. No. 14 Annapolis Area Christian School, Dec 12; vs. No. 1 St. Frances Academy, Dec. 14

16. GERSTELL ACADEMY (3-4)

VSN Top 20 Preseason rank: #15

Last week: The Falcons defeated then-No. 10 City College, 64-54, at the IAABO Board 23 Classic at CCBC-Catonsville; defeated Chesapeake-Baltimore County, 65-61, and lost to No. 4 Mount St. Joseph, 81-50.

This week: vs. No. 17 Milford Mill Academy, Dec. 11; vs. Indian Creek School, Dec. 14

17. MILFORD MILL ACADEMY (1-0)

VSN Top 20 Preseason rank: #17

Last week: The Millers defeated Loch Raven, 64-61.

This week: at No. 16 Gerstell Academy, Dec. 11; vs. Perry Hall, Dec. 14; vs. Evander (NY), Concordia Prep Showcase, Dec. 15

18. CITY COLLEGE (1-2)

VSN Top 20 Preseason rank: #10

Last week: The Knights lost to No. 15 Gerstell Academy, 64-54, at the IAABO Board 23 Challenge at CCBC-Catonsville, and defeated Mervo, 68-49.

This week: Monday, lost to Reservoir, 60-50; vs. Green Street Academy, Dec. 14

19. C. MILTON WRIGHT

VSN Top 20 Preseason rank: #19

Last week: The Mustangs defeated North Caroline, 67-48, at the IAABO Board 23 Challenge at CCBC-Catonsville, and defeated Kenwood, 65-57.

This week: at Patterson Mill, Dec. 11; at Edgewood, Dec. 14

20. LIBERTY (1-0)

VSN Top 20 Preseason rank: #20

Last week: The Lions defeated Frederick, 58-51.

This week: at Walkersville, Dec. 13; at Winters Mill, Dec. 14