RANKINGS BY REGION
Team (Record), previous ranking
- Pewaukee (15-1), 1
- Arrowhead (12-1), 2
- Brookfield East (15-2), 3
- Catholic Memorial (13-1), 4
- Living Word Lutheran (15-0), 5
- Muskego (15-2), 6
- Homestead (11-4), 7
- Hartford (15-2), 8
- The Prairie School (13-3), 9
- Kettle Moraine Lutheran (12-2), 10
Other teams to watch: Elkhorn (13-3), Germantown (12-4), Grafton (9-4), Greenfield (11-5), Lake Country Lutheran (11-3), Mukwonago (9-5), St. Thomas More (12-3), Union Grove (11-5), Wauwatosa East (14-2), and Whitefish Bay (12-4).
HIGHLIGHT TEAM OF THE WEEK
The Prairie School
Selecting the team of the week proved to be a challenging decision this week.
Muskego made a strong case for the honor by securing three victories last week. Wauwatosa East continued its impressive winning streak, extending it to eight games. Hartford, last week’s recipient, triumphed over formidable opponents Oak Creek and Whitefish Bay.
Despite several deserving contenders, The Prairie School emerged as the winner. The team recently welcomed back its star player and is in a prime position to clinch another Metro Classic Conference title.
Following a shaky 1-2 start, the Hawks rallied to win 12 of their last 13 games, including notable victories against Kenosha St. Joseph’s (94-45) and title contender Dominican (50-43), maintaining an unblemished 8-0 record in the MCC. Jasonya “JJ” Barnes, in exceptional form since her return, boasts an average of 24.3 points per game, with a standout performance of 26 points and 12 rebounds in the win over Kenosha St. Joseph’s.
UPCOMING MATCHUPS
Brookfield East vs. Wauwatosa East at 7 p.m. on Tuesday: Wauwatosa East faces a tough challenge in the Greater Metro Conference as they take on defending champions and current leaders Brookfield East. While the Red Raiders have been dominant, the Spartans are on an impressive streak since their overtime showdown with top-ranked Pewaukee on Nov. 28.
Brown Deer vs. Homestead at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday: Ameerah Grant, averaging 31.3 points per game, will lead the Falcons against reigning co-North Shore Conference player of the year Madison Fitzgibbon (17.8 ppg) and the conference-leading Homestead team, winners of seven of their last eight games.
Catholic Memorial vs. Muskego at 6:45 p.m. on Friday: Muskego, victorious in 10 of their last 11 games since a loss to Catholic Memorial on Dec. 1, faces a formidable opponent. Both teams have suffered defeat against Arrowhead, the current leader in Classic 8 Conference play.
Greenfield vs. Whitnall at 7 p.m. on Friday: While Pewaukee dominates the Woodland Conference, the race for the Woodland East title intensifies. With Whitnall (6-1) already securing a convincing win over Brown Deer (6-1), a victory against the Hustlin’ Hawks (5-2) could significantly boost the Falcons’ championship prospects.
Living Word Lutheran vs. Watertown Luther Prep at 7:15 p.m. on Friday: Living Word Lutheran continues their impressive 15-game winning streak. Watertown Luther Prep faces pressure as they play their third game in four nights, striving to maintain their winning momentum in the Midwest Classic Conference after a close call against Ozaukee (67-66) on Jan. 2.