#1 WARSAW TIGERS (17-1, 3-0 NLC)
Well when you are the best team in the state of Indiana, it only makes sense that you top this list. A lot has changed since the last girls hoops power poll, but something that has not is Warsaw’s sheer dominance. They have not lost since November 22 and even that loss is fair to call fluke-like at this point. Every night they area breaking records and tearing through competition and there are not many games left on the schedule that don’t kind of look like gimmes.
Why not higher?
This is the tippy top.
#2 HOMESTEAD SPARTANS (15-2, 5-0 SAC)
Homestead has not had an area setback since game four of the season. They have won 5 of their last 6, all against out of area talent and all away from their home gym. The SAC has some heavy hitters left, but right now the Spartans look like they can give and take with the best of them.
Why not higher?
Warsaw’s dominance is about the only thing keeping Homestead down. It sure is not Homestead’s fault.
#3 BELLMONT BRAVES (14-1, 3-0 SAC)
A dominant win over Eastside on January 2 has them edging out their NE8 foes right now for the three spot. Outside of the loss to Homestead to end November, the Braves have looked strong in every outing including their last two: 14 point win over Eastside and 10 point win over Bluffton. They have the 20th best offense in the state, averaging over 60 points per game and as long as that offense keeps rolling, we keep our eyes firmly on that January 17 showdown with Norwell.
Why not higher?
Their loss, while being the only one, was to the team right ahead of them in this poll.
#4 NORWELL KNIGHTS (14-4, 3-0 NE8)
Don’t get their lowest ranking of the season twisted, Norwell is still very good and proved so already this week with a bounce back win against a solid Carroll program that presents very real difficulties for teams. Norwell continues to be a balanced group in ways, very deep and present a defensive front that is hard to match up with or contain. The Knights struggled as the calendar year closed, but down the stretch of the season they are probably just fine.
Why not higher?
Three straight losses to end out 2025.
#5 FREMONT EAGLES (15-1, 5-1 NECC)
Give credit to Fremont, this is not an easy spot to climb to as a Class 1A school. But they continue to overwhelm those put in front of them ahead of next week’s conference tournament and a chance to avenge their only loss of the season. Fremont has won 12 in a row and are coming off holding Goshen to just seven points earlier this week. Goshen may not be solid, but seven points is still a feat and the second time that the Eagles have held a team in single digits this season.
Why not higher?
The strength of the NECC and that kind of schedule versus the teams ahead of Fremont keeps them ahead right now. But the Eagles are right there in the front of mind.
#6 SNIDER PANTHERS (15-5, 5-0 SAC)
The Panthers almost won out in December, going 7-1 with the only loss being to Valparaiso on the last day of their calendar year schedule. In the process, they also picked up a marquee win over Norwell. Janaya Cooper’s return to the lineup has sparked a lot, but defensively this team is averaging 11.1 steals per contest and that has led the way in a lot of their successes.
Why not higher?
There still are five losses on their schedule, even if they have been a while for most of them.
#7 EASTSIDE BLAZERS (14-2, 6-0 NECC)
Eastside’s 14-0 start sputtered a little bit with an upset loss in the title game of East Noble’s Max Platt Tournament, then they dropped one to Bellmont. Two losses means the Blazers need to right the ship before they go after another NECC Tournament title next week. They did open this week with a win over county foe DeKalb, so maybe they are only 7th for a real short time.
Why not higher?
They have lost 2 of their last 3. One of those to a team who is on the fringe of this top 10.
#8 WHITKO WILDCATS (12-1, 3-0 TRC)
Whitko almost gets lost in the shuffle because they are not in one of the 4 main area conferences. That isn’t their fault because the Wildcats rarely faulter. This team is on an 11-game winning streak with their only loss coming by 3 points in game two of the season. Right now, Whitko has the 13th best scoring average for a team in the state.
Why not higher?
While 12 wins wins is big, Whitko doesn’t have a single win over anyone in this week’s top 10 and don’t play any of those teams the rest of the way either.
#9 LEO LIONS (13-3, 2-1 NE8)
It was time to give Leo some love as this week Leah Shappell became the fifth player in program history to surpass 1,000 career points. Leo has three of the top teams in their conference still on the schedule but they have quietly put together a nice season thus far with their most wins since 2016-2017. They have also won five in a row, the most consecutive wins for the program since 2015.
Why not higher?
You hate to lean on strength of schedule, but that really is something that holds them back right now. Good showings opposite Norwell or Bellmont could help.
#10 BLUFFTON TIGERS (11-4, 3-1 ACAC)
With the ACAC Tournament looming, Bluffton is right in the thick of things but still needs some help if they hope to win the regular season title. Did a long layoff help? After December 20’s win over Adams Central, they didn’t play again until January 3 in a loss. That loss though saw them keep substantial pace at times with Bellmont and gives a glimmer of Bluffton’s potential down the stretch of the season.
Why not higher?
They do have a loss to a conference foe who they maybe shouldn’t have?
OTHERS IN CONSIDERATION
Columbia City, 10-6
East Noble, 11-4
Fairfield, 10-5
Northrop, 8-6
Westview, 10-5
Woodlan, 8-6
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