Panthers rule again in final VSN Girls Basketball Top 20

St. Frances four-peats at No. 1; state champs Pikesville and River Hill capture Top 15 spots

by Derek Toney

It wasn’t a wire-to-wire like in 2016-17 and 2017-18 campaigns, but St. Frances Academy is No. 1 in the final VSN Girls Basketball Top 20 for the 2018-19 season.

The Panthers won their fourth straight IAAM A Conference championship, defeating Roland Park Country School, in the title game last month. The Reds supplanted the East Baltimore school at No. 1, thanks to a regular season sweep.

St. Frances got the victory that mattered most, securing a fourth consecutive No. 1 ranking in VSN’s Top 20. Roland Park, McDonogh School, Class 3A state finalist Poly and 4A state semifinalist Western makes up the Top 5.

4A state finalist Old Mill and 1A state champion Pikesville heads up the rest of the Top 10 which includes IAAM A semifinalist St. Vincent Pallotti, 3A state semifinalist Long Reach and Howard County co-champ Howard.

River Hill, which won its first state title since 2006, is No. 12. Hammond, which lost by two points to eventual state 2A champ River Hill in the South Region quarterfinals and enjoyed its first winning season since the 2001-02 season, shares the No. 20 spot with follow Howard County league member Reservoir.

Howard County was arguably the area’s best public league, placing six teams in the final Top 20, followed by the IAAM A. Baltimore City and IAAM B leagues each placed three.

Pictured above: St. Frances Academy celebrate a fourth consecutive IAAM A Conference championship last month. The Panthers end the season again at No. 1 in the final VSN Girls Basketball Top 20.

Here is the final VSN Girls’ Basketball Top 20 for the 2018-19 season:

FINAL 2018-19 VSN GIRLS BASKETBALL TOP 20 POLL

1. ST. FRANCES ACADEMY (24-4)

Previous rank: #1

SEASON RESULT – IAAM A CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS

2. ROLAND PARK COUNTRY SCHOOL (26-2)

Previous rank: #2

SEASON RESULT – IAAM A CONFERENCE FINALIST

3. MCDONOGH SCHOOL (23-7)

Previous rank: #3

SEASON RESULT – IAAM A CONFERENCE SEMIFINALIST

4. POLY (22-5)

Previous rank: #4

Last week: The Engineers lost to Frederick, 58-44, in the Class 3A state title game at Towson University after a 65-27 victory over No. 17 Aberdeen in the semifinals.

SEASON RESULT – CLASS 3A STATE FINALIST & BALTIMORE CITY CHAMPIONS

5. WESTERN (22-5)

Previous rank: #5

Last week: The Doves lost to Charles H. Flowers, 53-39, in the Class 4A state semifinals at Towson University.

SEASON RESULT – CLASS 4A STATE SEMIFINALIST & BALTIMORE CITY FINALIST

6. OLD MILL (22-5)

Previous rank: #6

Last week: The Patriots lost to Charles H. Flowers, 57-42, in the Class 4A state final at Towson University after defeating Bethesda Chevy-Chase, 57-55, in the semifinals.

SEASON RESULT – CLASS 4A STATE FINALIST & ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY CHAMPION

7. PIKESVILLE (25-4)

Previous rank: #7

Last week: The Panthers won the Class 1A state championship, defeating Smithsburg, 61-31 in the final, and Largo, 71-41, in the semifinals.

SEASON RESULT – CLASS 1A STATE & BALTIMORE COUNTY CHAMPIONS

8. ST. VINCENT PALLOTTI (15-10)

Previous rank: #8

SEASON RESULTS – IAAM A CONFERENCE SEMIFINALIST

9. LONG REACH (18-5)

Previous rank: #9

Last week: The Lightning lost to Frederick, 63-44, in the Class 3A state semifinals at Towson University.

SEASON RESULT – CLASS 3A STATE SEMIFINALIST & HOWARD COUNTY CO-CHAMPION

10. HOWARD (19-4)

Previous rank: #10

SEASON RESULT – CLASS 4A NORTH REGION SEMIFINALIST & HOWARD COUNTY CO-CHAMPION

11. SOUTH RIVER (21-4)

Previous rank: #11

SEASON COMPLETE – ANNE ARUNDEL COUNTY REGULAR SEASON CHAMPION & CLASS 4A EAST REGION FINALIST

12. RIVER HILL (20-7)

Previous rank: #16

Last week: The Hawks won the Class 2A state championship, defeating Middletown, 44-39, in the final and then-No. 15 Hereford, 57-43, in the semifinals.

SEASON RESULT – CLASS 2A STATE CHAMPION