Wednesday,
December 14, 2015
By The Unkown Ranker
NJS.com's Anonymous Source
(Rankings will be updated every Monday this season)
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1.
QUEEN OF PEACE (0-0) --
The Griffins open up in the top spot after falling in a dramatic state sectional semifinal game last season against Saddle River Day. They will return 6-foot-4 senior center and LSU commit Raven Farley along with one of the best guards in Bergen County in sophomore Asonah Alexander. D'aviyon Magazine and Sydney Watkins will add depth to this team as well as they return four starters. They open Friday at home against Peddie for their first test of the season |
RAVEN FARLEY |
LAST WEEK'S
RANKING: N/A |
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2.
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION (0-0) --
The Blue Wolves will look to get back into the state playoffs after not qualifying last season due to a rules snafu. They will have a great opportunity to do some damagewith three Division 1 players on the court led by James Madison commit Breanne Bellerand and George Mason commit Danielle Deoull, a center who has transferred in from upstate NY. Junior Jordan McLemore, another returning starter, will add plenty on both ends of the court. The Wolves open with Curtis (NY) on Saturday. |
BREANNE BELLERAND |
LAST WEEK'S
RANKING: N/A |
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3.
SADDLE RIVER DAY (0-0) --
The Rebels won the program’s first-ever Bergen County title last season and reached the Non Public B final before losing to Rutgers Prep. Sophomore sensation Michelle Sidor will lead the way after scoring almost 800 points last season. Junior center Jenna Jordan will provide some bulk down low. Head coach Danny Brown will use his full court press to create turnovers as he has many others returning from last season. Rebels open at Rumson High School, a top 10 team in the state, on Friday and then have a showdown with No. 2 Immaculate Conception on Dec. 22 at home |
MICHELLE SIDOR
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LAST WEEK'S
RANKING: No. N/A |
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4.
PASCACK VALLEY (0-0) --
The Indians lost to Ramapo last season on their home court in the sectional semifinals, and will return four starters including junior guards Kelly Smith and Kelly Petro. Their best scoring threat from a team that loves shooting the 3 will be sophomore Briana Smith, who hit almost 50-percent from 3 in the second half of the year. They open at Teaneck on Friday and could face No. 6 Holy Angels in the semifinals of the Joe Poli Tournament. |
KELLY SMITH |
LAST WEEK'S
RANKING: N/A |
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5.
KENNEDY (0-0) --
The Knights graduated two starters but return three including one of the best players in the area in center Tajae Stevenson, who is heading to Temple next season. She carried her team to the Group 4 state final before falling to Lenape, 50-35. Guards Olyeshia Broxton, the Maryland at Baltimore County commit, will be heavily relied upon for Kennedy to have a big year. They open against Passaic Tech on Friday |
TAJAE STEVENSON |
LAST WEEK'S
RANKING: N/A |
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6.
RAMAPO (0-0) --
The Green Raiders dropped their second straight sectional final to Old Tappan last year, the eventual Group 3 State Champion. They will look for a return trip this season and will rely on 6-foot,, four-year starter Emily Calabrese, the St. Bonaventure commit, to lead the way. The Raiders should be very strong defensively as they return defensive specialist and PG Nikki Butler along with other experienced players. They open with Ridgewood at home on Friday and could see High Point, a state sectional Champ last year, in the Westwood Christmas tourney. |
EMILY CALABRESE
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LAST WEEK'S
RANKING: N/A |
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7.
HOLY ANGELS (0-0) --
Angels ended its season with a 42-29 loss to surprising Pope John last year, but Sue Liddy's squad should be back to being one of the top teams in the county this season as she returns her top two players from last year. Hartford commit Elizabeth Garcia leads the way and Elena Pulanco will control everything from the point guard spot. Getting others to support those two will be the key. DePaul comes to town on Friday and a meeting with Pascack Valley in The Poli is possible |
ELIZABETH GARCIA |
LAST WEEK'S
RANKING: N/A |
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8.
EASTSIDE (0-0) --The Ghosts lost to their crosstown rival, Kennedy, last season in the states and will revolve this season around 6-foot-9 center Andrea Aquino (high D1 recruit), who will be very difficult to stop with her height. They will be very talented in the guard position and will be one of the top teams in the area. They open with Bergen Tech on Friday and then we will learn more when they travel to Holy Angels on Dec 20. |
ANDREA AQUINO
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LAST WEEK'S
RANKING: N/A |
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9.
NORTHERN HIGHLANDS (0-0) --
The Highlanders, who lost to Ramapo last year in sectional quarterfinals, have been a Top 10 team in the county for a while now and should have another strong team this season. Madison Grossman will lead the way as their go to player down low as she was one of their leading scorers a year ago. Sarah Minchin and Breanne Davis will return as starters in the backcourt. The Highlanders open at home on Friday against Hackensack. Sunday they will meet Immaculate Conception in Englewood. |
SARAH MINCHIN
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LAST WEEK'S
RANKING: N/A |
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10.
WESTWOOD (0-0) --
The Cardinals lost at Jefferson last year in the states, but should be back with another solid team this year. Sam McClutchy returns as a 4 year starter and their leading scorer, but the key addition will be welcoming back Olivia Cassidy, who was out last season and is their long range shooter from 3. Also returning is Rachel Bussanich, who will provide size down low. They open with Mahwah at home on Friday |
SAM McCLUTCHY
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LAST WEEK'S
RANKING: N/A |
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11.
BAYONNE (0-0) --
The Bees, who had an incredible season last year capped by their 24th Hudson County title with a win over Lincoln, should be back in contention again this season. They lost a stunning state game to Columbia that ended their season. They will be led by Jesse Semeniak, Niaimani Marshall and Adriana Blake. They open the season on Friday at Lincoln and meet up with Pennington on Sunday. |
JESSE SEMENIAK
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LAST WEEK'S
RANKING: N/A |
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12.
IHA (0-0) --
The Blue Eagles had their season ended in a humbling loss to one of the best teams in the state, St. John Vianney, and lose four starters, but they bring back Emory bound Katie Jones at the PG spot. They will be young with an excellent freshman class, but they will still be a solid team that will get better all year. Anna Morris, a 6-foot-1 freshman, will be very good down low for the Eagles. They open the season at Paramus Catholic on Friday |
KATIE JONES
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LAST WEEK'S
RANKING: N/A |
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13.
NV/OLD TAPPAN (0-0) --
Brian Dunn’s team is coming off of a Group 3 state championship run and will look to reload with the loss of five starters. Compound that with the loss of junior Alex George to a knee injury; however, and the Golden Knights will need their defense and Sophie Downey, their most experienced play, to win a lot of games. They open with Bergenfield on Friday and then will play Saddle River Day on Sunday. |
SOPHIE DOWNEY
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LAST WEEK'S
RANKING: N/A |
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14.
NEW MILFORD (0-0) --
What a season the Knights had last season when they won the inaugural NJIC Tournament and a state sectional title. They will look to repeat it again this season as they return virtually the whole team. Senior guard Natalie Miller is one of the best 3-point shooters in the county as she hit for 83 last season and has 184 for her career. She will be complimented by Vianca Soriano and Esmeralda Reyes. The Knights will open with Bergen Tech and play No. 1 Queen of Peace at home on the Dec. 20. |
NATALIE MILLER |
LAST WEEK'S
RANKING: N/A |
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15.
SECAUCUS (0-0) --
John Sterling’s team lost to University in the states last year as well as in the Hudson County semifinals to Bayonne. The Patriots will be young with no seniors, but will feature an outstanding freshman point guard in Damaris Rodriguez along with two excellent returning starters in Lindsay Mack, who is a major scoring threat from 3, along with Amanda Ulrich. They open with Midland Park at home on Saturday. |
AMANDA ULRICH
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LAST WEEK'S
RANKING: N/A |
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16.
PARAMUS CATHOLIC (0-0) --
The Lady Paladins lost to IHA in sectional semifinals last year, 48-30, and will return a three-year starter in junior guard Sarah Scerbak, who will be one of the better guards in Bergen County this season. They will open the season against IHA at home on Friday night, and will meet Ridgewood in the Westwood Christmas Tournament on the December 27. |
SARAH SCERBAK
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LAST WEEK'S
RANKING: N/A |
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17.
MAHWAH (0-0) --
Mahwah had its season end in Jefferson in a tight 44-43 state tournament loss. The good news is their leading scorer in that game, Sam Haubner, returns this season and will be in the backcourt. Kayla Devine, a four-year starter, returns at center to provide some size down low. The Thunderbirds will open at No. 10 Westwood on Friday night |
SAM HAUBNER
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LAST WEEK'S
RANKING: N/A |
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18.
RIDGEWOOD (0-0) --
The Maroons were stunned by Hackensack in the states last year and will look to make a run this season. Sophomores Annie McCarthy and Brielle Sharry will provide the scoring from outside while Clare Smesko will be down low in the paint. They will also depend on their great defense, which will be led by Senior Hailey Ricciardi. They open at Ramapo on Friday night and play High Point on Sunday |
ANNIE McCARTHY
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LAST WEEK'S
RANKING: N/A |
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19.
INDIAN HILLS (0-0) --
The Braves lost in the opening round of the states last year to Montville and gave Old Tappan a fight in a Bergen County Tournament game. They will depend on Angela Saric to lead their team in scoring and she will do most of her work in the post area while senior Aileen Carey will be the point guard. They open at home against Paramus and head to Ridgewood on Dec. 20. |
ANGELA SARIC |
LAST WEEK'S
RANKING: N/A |
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20.
MARIST (0-0) --
Reggie Quinn’s squad suffered a tough loss to a talented Queen of Peace team in the states last year and will look to improve on their 19-9 season. They bring back All County guard Breyanna Frazier, one of the better guards in the area, along with seniors Emily Rosario and Alyssa Gomez. They will open at Hoboken on Friday night |
BREYANNA FRAZIER |
LAST WEEK'S
RANKING: N/A |
ALSO RECEIVING UNKNOWN VOTES:
Lincoln, Dumont, Wayne Hills, River Dell, Hudson Catholic
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