Kyle Williams' Super 25 high school girls basketball rankings for March 1, 2026
We’ve arrived at the final week of the season. After some thrilling upsets, the supersectional games Monday should be very competitive.
Class 8A: Rolling Meadows vs. Carmel, 7:30 p.m. at Dundee-Crown
Rolling Meadows is the lowest seed left in the Class 4A tournament. The Mustangs defeated Prospect, the No. 1 seed in the Schaumburg Sectional, in the sectional semifinal and No. 3 seed Fremd in the sectional final.
Rolling Meadows is led by senior forward Abby Ramel, who scored 23 points and grabbed eight rebounds in the sectional final. Senior center Dalia Grandberry is an imposing low-post threat who had a double-double (10 points, 10 rebounds) in the sectional final.
The Mustangs will have their hands full with Carmel. The Corsairs grinded their way to a 38-35 victory against Libertyville in the sectional final, giving them the first Class 4A sectional title in program history. Winning big or winning by three doesn’t matter in the playoffs; it’s all about surviving and advancing.
Carmel features freshman standout Liv Johnson, who’s one of the best freshmen in the country.
But Johnson isn’t one to hog the ball. She’s able to affect the game with her defense — she is athletic enough to guard on the perimeter and be a rim protector in the paint — and knows how to leverage the attention she draws on offense into scoring opportunities for her teammates.
Senior Josie Hartman is a steady presence at point guard, and junior guard Maliyah Mays is a disruptive defender at forward because of her superb athleticism.
Class 8A: Loyola vs. St. Charles East, 7 p.m. at Hoffman Estates
Loyola features one of the most battle-tested backcourts in the area in seniors Marycait Mackie and Clare Weasler (12 points per game), who are the winningest players in program history.
The emergence of junior forward Emily Naraky (15 ppg) has been a difference-maker for the Ramblers. She has a soft touch around the basket and, more important, is able to operate as the hub for the offense because of her ballhandling and passing skills. Junior forward Maddison Locke is at her best when she’s cutting to the basket and scoring on offensive rebounds. Loyola works well as a unit, which is a major advantage in the playoffs.
St. Charles East defeated No. 1 seed Glenbard West in the Bartlett Sectional. Sophomore forward Brooklyn Schilb (22 ppg) is one of the best players in the area at taking the ball to the basket.
Super 25 update
The top 10 of the Super 25 is substantially different from the one last week because I’m letting the postseason dictate the rankings. It might seem strange to see certain teams outside the top 10, but I wanted to reward those that have advanced to the final week.
1. Nazareth (32-3) 1
Plays Waubonsie Valley Monday in super-sectional at Lyons
2. Loyola Academy (32-2) 2
Plays St. Charles East Monday in super-sectional at Hoffman Estates
3. Waubonsie Valley (32-3) 4
Beat Naperville Central and Benet
4. Providence (31-4) 10
Plays Washington Monday in super-sectional at Kankakee
5. Carmel (25-9) 11
Plays Rolling Meadows Monday at Dundee-Crown
6. St. Charles East (22-11) NR
Beat Glenbard West in the sectional championship
7. Homewood-Flossmoor (24-9) NR
Plays Belleville East Monday in super-sectional at Bloomington
8. Rolling Meadows (21-10) NR
Beat Fremd in sectional championship
9. Trinity (24-10) 24
Plays Glenbard South Monday in super-sectional at Concordia
10. Benet (27-5) 4
Lost to Waubonsie Valley
11. Downers Grove North (29-3) 6
Lost to Nazareth in sectional championship
12. Fremd (26-7) 8
Season ended in sectional championship
13. Libertyville (25-7) 13
Season ended against Carmel
14. Maine South (25-9) 14
Season ended against Loyola
15. Mother McAuley (24-7) 5
Upset by Homewood-Flossmoor
16. Marist (26-9) 12
Season ended against H-F
17. Glenbard West (28-5) 15
Season ended against St. Charles East
18. Bolingbrook (25-4) 16
On eight-game winning streak
19. Hinsdale Central (21-12) 19
Plays Rolling Meadows Tuesday in sectional semifinal at Schaumbaurg
20. Prospect (21-11) 17
On four-game winning streak
21. Hersey (21-8) 18
Season ended in overtime against Fremd
22. Evanston (18-11) 21
Season ended against Loyola
23. Lane (17-15) 22
Season ended against Maine South
24. DePaul Prep (22-7) 23
Upset by Lane
25. Phillips (21-11) NR
Plays St. Edward Monday in 2A super-sectional