Baltimore City squad, C. Milton Wright enter; Poly moves into Top 5

For the second time this season, Coppin Academy has a spot in the latest VSN Girls’ Basketball Top 20. The Baltimore City charter school was in the first three polls of the regular season before falling out.

C. Milton Wright makes its first Top 20 appearance. The Harford County school handed then-No. 17 Aberdeen its first loss last week.

After a solid showing in a loss at No. 2 McDonogh School, Poly climbs from 10th to No. 5. The Engineers have a huge match Tuesday at No. 8 Western in a rematch of the last two city league Division I final.

St. Frances Academy remains No. 1, followed by McDonogh School, Roland Park Country School and Catonsville.

Pictured above: Coppin Academy coach Ulysses Hardy (center) talks to his team at last month’s USE Holiday Tournament at Western. The Eagles again have a spot in VSN’s Girls’ Basketball Top 20.

Here is VSN Girls’ Basketball Top 20 for week 8:

VSN GIRLS BASKETBALL TOP 20 – WEEK 8

1. SAINT FRANCES ACADEMY (14-4)

2. MCDONOGH SCHOOL (16-2)

Last week’s rank: #2

Last week: The Eagles defeated Theodore Roosevelt from the District (66-24), No. 3 Roland Park Country School (63-55), and then-No. 10 Poly (58-54).

This week: vs. Archbishop Spalding, Feb. 2

3. ROLAND PARK COUNTRY SCHOOL (18-5)

Last week’s rank: #3

Last week: The Reds defeated Annapolis Area Christian School, 74-39, after a 63-55 loss to No. 2 McDonogh School and 54-24 victory over Notre Dame Prep.

This week: vs. No. 1 St. Frances Academy, Jan. 30

4. CATONSVILLE (11-3)

Last week’s rank: #4

Last week: The Comets defeated Overlea, 72-12, and Catonsville, 75-32.

This week: vs. Randallstown, Jan. 31; at Chesapeake-Baltimore County, Feb. 2

5. POLY (10-3)

Last week’s rank: #10

Last week: The Engineers defeated City College, 49-35, after a 58-54 loss to No. 2 McDonogh School.

This week: at No. 8 Western, Jan. 30; vs. Edmondson, Feb. 2

6. LONG REACH (10-1)

Last week’s rank: #5

Last week: The Lightning defeated Glenelg, 68-58.

This week: vs. Hammond, Jan. 29; vs. Oakland Mills, Jan. 31

7. HOWARD (14-1)

Last week’s rank: #6

Last week: The Lions defeated Marriotts Ridge, 70-22.

This week: vs. Wilde Lake, Jan. 29; vs. Glenelg, Jan. 31

8. JOHN CARROLL SCHOOL (12-4)

Last week’s rank: #7

Last week: The Patriots defeated Harford Tech (72-35) Archbishop Spalding (58-42) and then-No. 8 Western, 51-49.

This week: at St. Paul’s School, Jan. 29; at No. 1 St. Frances Academy, Jan. 31

9. WESTERN (10-3)

Last week’s rank: #8

Last week: The Doves defeated Patterson, 65-9, and lost to then-No. 7 John Carroll School, 51-49.

This week: vs. No. 5 Poly, Jan. 30; at Mervo, Feb. 2

10. OLD MILL (11-3)

Last week’s rank: #9

Last week: The Patriots defeated Meade, 57-55, and No. 11 South River, 68-62

This week: at Archbishop Spalding, Jan. 29; at Severna Park, Jan. 30; at Chesapeake-Anne Arundel, Feb. 2

11. SOUTH RIVER (14-2)

Last week’s rank: #11

Last week: The Seahawks defeated Broadneck, 50-43, after a 68-62 loss to then-No. 9 Old Mill.

This week: vs. Meade, Jan. 30; vs. Severna Park, Feb. 2

12. SAINT JOHN’S CATHOLIC PREP (15-6)

Last week’s rank: #13

Last week: The Vikings defeated Maryvale Prep (56-32), Severn School (59-44) and St. Mary’s (62-51).

This week: vs. Urbana, Jan. 30; vs. St. Paul’s School, Jan. 31

13. INSTITUTE OF NOTRE DAME (12-6)

Last week’s rank: #14

Last week: The Penguins did not play.

This week: vs. Notre Dame Prep, Jan. 29; at Mount Carmel, Jan. 31; vs. Mercy, The Game at Towson University, Feb. 2

14. MOUNT DE SALES ACADEMY (14-6)

Last week’s rank: #15

Last week: The Sailors defeated St. Mary’s (60-32), St. Paul’s School (64-54) and Maryvale Prep (63-30).

This week: at Gerstell Academy, Jan. 29; vs. Mercy, Jan. 31; at Annapolis Area Christian School, Feb. 2

15. WESTMINSTER (14-0)

Last week’s rank: #16

Last week: The Owls defeated Century (52-38), Francis Scott Key (52-38) and Liberty (48-26).

This week: vs. Mount Hebron, Jan. 29; at Liberty, Jan. 30; at Winters Mill, Feb. 2

16. COPPIN ACADEMY (15-3)

Last week’s rank: Not ranked

Last week: The Eagles lost to northern Virginia’s Wakefield, 48-44, after victories over Dunbar (59-39), then-No. 12 St. Vincent Pallotti (61-50) and Calvert County’s Northern (50-48).

This week: at Grace Christian Academy, Jan. 29

17. SAINT VINCENT PALLOTTI (11-11)

Last week’s rank: #12

Last week: The Panthers lost to St. James School (63-50), No. 1 St. Frances Academy (81-48) and Coppin Academy (61-50).

This week: at Holy Cross, Jan. 31; vs. No. 8 John Carroll School, Feb. 2

18. PIKESVILLE (10-1)

Last week’s rank: #18

Last week: The Panthers defeated Carver A&T, 68-21, and then-No. 20 Hereford, 64-39.

This week: vs. New Town, Jan. 29; vs. Milford Mill Academy, Jan. 30; at Sparrows Point, Feb. 2

19. MANCHESTER VALLEY (12-3)

Last week’s rank: #19

Last week: The Mavericks defeated Francis Scott Key, 60-44, and Century, 52-20.

This week: at Winters Mill, Jan. 30; vs. Liberty, Feb. 2

20. C. MILTON WRIGHT (13-2)

Last week’s rank: Not ranked

Last week: The Mustangs defeated Patterson Mill (44-21), then-No. 17 Aberdeen (45-37), and Harford Tech (50-21).

This week: at Bel Air, Jan. 30; vs. Fallston, Feb. 1