Preseason Statewide Girls Basketball Coaches Polls
OSAAtoday is thrilled to present preseason statewide Girls Basketball Coaches Polls in all classifications. Thanks to all the coaches who took the time and had the expertise to contribute their opinions to this endeavor.
Look for the polls every Monday during the winter season.
Please note: these polls are for generating interest and discussion only and have no impact on the OSAA’s RPI and Colley ratings that form the basis of the OSAA’s rankings for playoff purposes.
Girls Basketball
6A (compiled by Glen Lee)
1. Southridge (14) 140
2. Beaverton 111
3. Benson 108
4. Tigard 94
5. Sheldon 71
6. West Linn 55
7. Jesuit 51
8. South Medford 34
9. Grant 33
10. Clackamas 26
First-place votes in parentheses
Others receiving significant votes: Oregon City (22), St. Mary’s Academy (11)
Notes: Two-time reigning champion Southridge has one of the top juniors in the nation in 6-4 wing/post Cameron Brink, who has committed to Stanford. She is one of three returning starters from last year's team. ... Southridge's only loss to an Oregon team in the last two seasons was 54-53 to 5A La Salle Prep in 2016-17. .... Benson brings back all five starters from last season's runner-up team, including senior wing Tayler LyDay and senior guard Ciera Ellington, and added a talented transfer from Franklin in high-scoring junior guard Bria Dixson. ... Sheldon returns four starters from a quarterfinal team.
5A
1. La Salle Prep (9) 107
2. Wilsonville 81
3. Central 78
4. Crescent Valey 74
5. Springfield 50
6. Churchill (2) 44
7. Silverton 43
8. Crater 40
9. West Albany 29
10. Lebanon 22
First-place votes in parentheses
Others receiving significant votes: Corvallis (21)
Notes: La Salle Prep has appeared in three of the last four finals, winning titles in 2015 and 2017 and falling last season to Marist Catholic, which has moved to 4A. The Falcons have an experienced backcourt with junior Emily Niebergall, sophomore Addison Wedin and senior Alyson Miura, a transfer from 6A Clackamas, where she was first-team all-conference for three seasons. The Falcons also added a transfer from Prairie (Wash.) in 5-11 forward Lauren Vreeken. ... Silverton won the title in 2016, was runner-up in 2017 and was a semifinalist last season.
4A
1. Marshfield (11) 110
2. Banks 77
3. North Marion 60
4. Hidden Valley 57
5. Stayton 45
6. Marist Catholic 43
7. Newport 41
8. Baker 29
9. Valley Catholic 28
10. Cottage Grove 21
First-place votes in parentheses
Others receiving significant votes: Astoria (20), Philomath (13)
Notes: Marshfield went 27-2 to win the title last season, led by two first-team all-tournament picks in guards Tess Garrett and McKayla Myrand, who are seniors this season. ... Banks, which lost to Marshfield in the semifinals, has a first-team all-state player in 5-11 senior point guard Aspen Slifka. ... Marist Catholic won the 5A title last season.
3A (compiled by Ron Hittner)
1. Blanchet Catholic (7) 115
2. Salem Academy (5) 100
3. Clatskanie (1) 89
4. Yamhill-Carlton 54
5. Burns 53
6. Pleasant Hill 46
7. Warrenton 43
8. Amity 41
9. De La Salle North Catholic 40
10. Creswell 30
First-place votes in parentheses
Others receiving significant votes: Sutherlin (26), Dayton (25), Brookings-Harbor (13)
Notes: Dayton has won three of the last four titles, beating Salem Academy in the final last season. ... Salem Academy and Blanchet Catholic both play in the PacWest Conference. Salem Academy won all three meetings between the teams last season, including 48-35 in the semifinals. Blanchet returns all five starters, led by first-team all-state senior guard Ana Coronado.
2A
1. Kennedy (11) 127
2. Oakland (1) 85
3. Grant Union 79
4. Coquille (1) 77
5. Monroe 76
6. Central Linn 43
7. Heppner 26
8. Faith Bible 25
9. Portland Christian 24
9. Enterprise 24
First-place votes in parentheses
Others receiving significant votes: Santiam (21; 1 first-place vote), Jefferson (20), City Christian (18), Lost River (17), Culver (17), Toledo (17), Weston-McEwen (16), Western Christian (14), Regis(12), Gervais (11)
Notes: Kennedy won titles in 2016 and last season, beating 2017 champion Monroe in the championship game. Kennedy finished 29-1, losing only to 3A champion Dayton. The Trojans have a strong interior presence in 6-0 junior post Sophia Carley ... Faith Bible reached the semifinals last year, finishing 26-4.
1A (compiled by Russ Halverson)
1. St. Paul (9) 146
2. Joseph (2) 121
3. Crane (4) 116
4. Powder Valley 105
5. Jordan Valley 79
6. Days Creek 62
7. Country Christian (1) 58
8. Perrydale 56
9. Hosanna Christian 41
10. Damascus Christian 30
First-place votes in parentheses
Others receiving significant votes: North Douglas (24)
Notes: St. Paul has dropped down from 2A, where it was a semifinalist last year. The Buckaroos are led by junior post Isabelle Wyss. ... Country Christian and Nixyaawii have met in the final the last two years, with Nixyaawi winning in 2017 and Country Christian taking the title last season, its second championship in three years. ... Days Creek and Powder Valley lost in the semifinals last season.
