The nation goes via a significant winter chill, nevertheless it’s heating up in highschool gyms throughout the nation as league races involving groups within the FAB 50 Nationwide Staff Rankings powered by Ballislife.com comes into focus. One of many first main season objectives is to win a league crown and plenty of shall be determined within the coming weeks. There are 5 newcomers this week led by No. 35 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.).
By Ronnie Flores
Many areas throughout the nation are hoping for hotter climate this week as main winter storms wreak havoc on individuals’s lives and trigger cancellations of many highschool sporting occasions. It might be chilly exterior in most components of the nation, however the temperature is rising in gyms throughout as league and convention races warmth up.
One of many important objectives for profitable groups and people ranked within the FAB 50 Nationwide Staff Rankings powered by Ballislife.com is to win its league or convention crown and for some that’s beginning to come into focus earlier than it shifts to district and regional playoffs.
For the groups on the prime of the rankings which belong to the EYBL Scholastic Convention, the convention event championships remains to be a methods away. The second annual EYBL Scholastic Convention Event will happen March 12-14 in Augusta, Ga. For others, league tournaments start this week.
Sierra Canyon On A Mission
For California’s prime ranked crew, FAB 50 No. 11 Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), it hopes to seize the league tourney crown for the state’s hardest loop this season: The Mission League within the CIF Southern Part. On Monday, the semifinals of the Mission League Event will happen, as No. 1 seed Sierra Canyon hosts No. 4 seed Loyola (Los Angeles). The opposite semifinal will pit No. 2 seed Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) versus No. 6 seed Crespi (Encino, Calif.), which upset No. 3 seed Harvard-Westlake (North Hollywood, Calif.) in Saturday’s quarterfinal, 57-52.
Harvard-Westlake began the season ranked No. 19 within the FAB 50, however has now misplaced three of its final 4 video games within the ultra-competitive league. Notre Dame is considered one of 5 newcomers this week into the FAB 50, checking in at No. 48. The one membership Notre Dame has misplaced to that isn’t ranked within the FAB 50 is the Loyola membership Sierra Canyon faces on Monday night. The league title recreation is ready for February 4 with the upper seed internet hosting.
Sierra Canyon’s solely loss to date is to Bishop McNamara (Forestville, Md.), which performs within the highly effective Washington Catholic Athletic Convention (WCAC). That convention race is led by FAB 50 No. 7 Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.), which has spent a while at FAB 50 No. 1 this season. The Panthers are 6-0, whereas bubble membership DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) is at the moment 6-1 and simply knocked earlier No. 43 St. John’s (Washington, D.C.) out of the FAB 50 with a 50-47 victory on Sunday night. The Stags got here from behind to win behind the play of senior Ace Meeks with 26 factors. DeMatha’s protection compelled six charging fouls on St. John’s (5-2 in WCAC) whereas Jared Jeffers had 5 blocked photographs.
DeMatha Catholic hosts Paul VI on Monday with a share of first place on the road. The WCAC Event will happen later this month at American College. Paul VI has gained the convention crown three of the previous 4 seasons.
Groups Break In, Face Uphill Climb
One of many greatest wins final week was turned in by new No. 49 Layton Christian (Layton, Utah), which knocked off earlier No. 16 Timpview (Provo, Utah), 57-56, in come-from-behind style. The win wasn’t secured till Emilis Zibuda (8 factors) made the game-winning layup because the horn sounded. Roman Avdejev, a 6-foot-8 senior, led Layton Christian with 14 factors.
Although Layton Christian defeated Timpview, it may’t be ranked in entrance of the Thunderbirds due to the resume of each groups. Layton Christian has a loss to Notre Dame, to unranked Crespi in additional time and to No. 14 Wasatch Academy (Mt. Nice, Utah). As for Timpview, it drops 14 spots to No. 30 as a result of it may’t fall behind No. 31 Santa Margarita (Rancho SM, Calif.) due to a head-to-head outcome on the Tarkanian Basic in December.
Santa Margarita is competing within the first ever Trinity League Event, which just like the Mission League tourney, entails a few of the higher CIFSS groups. The Eagles will face the winner of Monday’s JSerra (San Juan Capistrano)-Servite (Anaheim) tussle on Tuesday in a single semifinal at Hope Worldwide College.
FAB 50 No. 37 St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) will face the winner of Monday’s Mater Dei (Santa Ana)-Orange Lutheran conflict within the second semifinal at Hope Worldwide. The championship recreation is ready for Wednesday on the similar location. St. John Bosco was upset by Orange Lutheran in league final week, which dropped it 14 spots within the FAB 50 proper behind the Salesian (Richmond, Calif.) membership it misplaced to at The Basic at Damien in December.
The very best ranked newcomer within the FAB 50 this week, No. 35 St. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.), is in a situation the place it has some keys wins that may’t be ignored, but in addition cannot be increased than No. 34 IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) due to a head-to-head outcome. SFA does personal wins over No. 20 Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.) and No. 25 Webb (Knoxville, Tenn.), however has additionally misplaced to 4 unranked golf equipment.
St. Frances was capable of crack the rankings by downing St. John’s, 75-71, in additional time on the A Very Melo Basic at Morgan State after trailing by 11 factors getting into the fourth interval. Terence Jones III had an unbelievable four-point play late within the recreation and hit a clutch 3-pointer to ship the sport to additional time tied at 67 apiece. He completed with 23 factors, whereas Carter Fisk and Michael Williams every netted 16.
The Baltimore Catholic League went 2-0 vs. WCAC golf equipment on the A Very Melo Basic, as not solely SFA gained, however FAB 50 bubble membership Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.) downed Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.), 66-56. BJ Ranson led the way in which with 21 factors.
The fifty fifth Baltimore Catholic League Event is scheduled for March 1-4 at Reitz Enviornment on the campus of Loyola College Maryland.
The fifth and ultimate newcomer this week is No. 50 Archbishop Wooden (Warminster, Pa.). The Vikings took some early losses, however at the moment lead the Philadelphia Catholic League with a 10-1 mark over 8-2 Roman Catholic (Philadelphia, Pa.). The Vikings beat Roman Catholic, 70-65, on Jan. 14.
The 2026 Philadelphia Catholic League semifinal doubleheader is scheduled for Feb. 18 on the iconic The Palestra. The PCL title recreation shall be held on the similar historic venue on Sunday, Feb. 22.
McDonald’s All-American Announcement
The girls and boys rosters and the host metropolis of the 2026 McDonald’s All-American Sport is scheduled to be launched on Monday afternoon (Feb. 2).
Up to date FAB 50 Nationwide Staff RankingsPowered by Ballislife.com
(seventh ballot of 2025-26 common season; By way of video games performed on Sunday, Feb. 1; *Signifies forfeit wins, forfeit losses not included; **Signifies forfeits and defaults not included)
No. Prev. Excessive Faculty (Metropolis)Document
11Spire Academy (Geneva, Ohio)21-1
22AZ Compass Prep (Chandler, Ariz.)15-1**
33Brewster Academy (Wolfeboro, N.H.)22-2
44Link Academy (Branson, Mo.) 17-2
55Calvary Christian Academy (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.)17-1
66Prolific Prep (Southwest Ranches, Fla.) 23-3
77Paul VI (Chantilly, Va.)20-2
88Principia (St. Louis, Mo.)16-2
99Seven Lakes (Katy, Texas)29-0
1010Fishers (Fishers, Ind.)18-0
1111Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)21-1
1212Sunnyslope (Phoenix, Ariz.)20-1
1313Redondo Union (Redondo Seashore, Calif.)24-3
1414Wasatch Academy (Mt. Nice, Utah)16-4
1515Wisconsin Lutheran (Milwaukee, Wis.)17-0
1617CIA Bella Vista (Phoenix, Ariz.)13-3
1722Benet Academy (Lisle, Sick.)25-1
1819Greensboro Day (Greensboro, N.C.)28-2
1920Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)14-5
2021Archbishop Stepinac (White Plains, N.Y.)16-4
2123Bartlett (Bartlett, Tenn.)19-4
2227Wheeler (Marietta, Ga.)18-5
2326East Lansing (East Lansing, Mich.)16-0
2418Oak Cliff Religion Household (Dallas, Texas)23-7
2525Webb (Knoxville, Tenn.)24-2
2629Concord Academy (Harmony, N.C.)24-2
2728Millennium (Goodyear, Ariz.)19-3
2830North Crowley (Ft. Value, Texas)24-3
2931Gainesville (Gainesville, Ga.)22-0
3016Timpview (Provo, Utah)17-2
3133Santa Margarita (Rancho SM, Calif.) 24-3
3237St. Joseph (Santa Maria, Calif.)25-2
3334Long Island Lutheran (Glen Head, N.Y.) 7-8
3435IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)17-7
35NRSt. Frances Academy (Baltimore, Md.)27-5
3638Salesian (Richmond, Calif.)21-3
3724St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.)19-6
3839Rainier Seashore (Seattle, Wash.)17-1
3932Columbus (Miami, Fla.)19-6
4036Southeastern Prep Academy (Orlando, Fla.) 30-8
4140La Lumiere (La Porte, Ind.)14-3
4241Lakota West (West Chester, Ohio) 16-1
4342Sunrise Christian Academy (Bel Aire, Kan.)11-7
4444Bishop O’Connell (Arlington, Va.)16-5
4545DePaul Faculty Prep (Chicago, Sick.)21-3
4649Kankakee (Kankakee, Sick.)19-1
47NRHeritage (Frisco, Texas)23-2
48NRNotre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.)18-6
49NRLayton Christian (Layton, Utah)18-3
50NRArchbishop Wooden (Warminster, Pa.)14-6
Dropped Out: No. 43 St. John’s (Washington, D.C.), No. 46 North Broward Prep (Conocut Creek, Fla.), No. 47 Plainfield (Plainfield, N.J.), No. 48 Crown Level (Crown Level, Ind.), No. 50 Muskegon (Muskegon, Mich.).
Bubble Groups: Appleton North (Appleton, Wis.) 15-2; Arvada West (Arvada, Col) 16-0; Atascocita (Humble, Texas) 21-6; Bearden (Knoxville, Tenn.) 25-1; Bergen Catholic (Oradell, N.J.) 16-3; Booker T. Washington (Tulsa, Okla.) 15-1; Brennan (San Antonio, Texas) 23-3; Bryant (Bryant, Ark.) 19-3; Cathedral Prep (Erie, Pa.) 19-1; Cedar Falls (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 15-0; Chaparral (Parker, Col.) 15-2; Crown Level (Crown Level, Ind.) 14-1; Curie (Chicago, Sick.) 19-1**; DeMatha Catholic (Hyattsville, Md.) 17-5; DME Academy (Daytona Seashore, Fla.) 19-6; Dream Metropolis Christian (Glendale, Ariz.) 15-6; East Kentwood (Kentwood, Mich.) 13-1; East St. Louis (East St. Louis, Sick.) 21-3; Forsyth Nation Day (Lewisville, N.C.) 23-2; Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) 18-1; Houston (Germantown, Tenn.) 14-5; La Mirada (La Mirada, Calif.) 21-6; Lawrence North (Indianapolis, Ind.) 15-2; Little Elm (Little Elm, Texas) 26-2; Millwood (Oklahoma Metropolis, Oklahoma.) 16-2; Mt. St. Joseph (Baltimore, Md.) 24-5; Mt. Vernon (Fortville, Ind.) 16-2; Our Girl of Mt. Carmel (Baltimore, Md.) 21-7; Petersburg (Petersburg, Va.) 11-4; Pike (Indianapolis, Ind.) 15-3; Plainfield (Plainfield, Ind.) 17-1; Plainfield (Plainfield, N.J.) 17-2; Windfall (Jacksonville, Fla.) 22-3; Ralston Valley (Arvada, Col.) 15-1; Rangeview (Aurora, Col.) 13-3; Richland (Richland, Wash.) 19-0; Riviera Prep (Miami, Fla.) 15-9; Rockford (Rockford, Mich.) 13-2; Sidwell Associates (Washington, D.C.) 14-5; Silver Creek (Sellersburg, Ind.) 18-1; South (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) 12-0; Southern Faculty of Power & Sustainability (Durham, N.C.) 17-3; St. John’s (Washington, D.C.) 17-6; St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.) 21-4; Tartan (Oakdale, Minn.) 15-0; The Rock (Gainesville, Fla.) 19-8; Veritas Prep (Chino Hills, Calif.) 13-6; Warren Township (Gurnee, Sick.) 21-2; Waukee Northwest (Waukee, Iowa) 14-2; West Allis Central (West Allis, Wis.) 16-1.
Word: The FAB 50 powered by Ballislife.com is a continuation of the Nationwide Sports activities Information Service rankings that started in 1952. These had been the primary nationwide highschool rankings and the late Artwork Johlfs of Minnesota compiled them. They had been compiled for a few years by the late Barry Sollenberger of Phoenix, who merged them into the FAB 50 26 years in the past.
Ronnie Flores is the nationwide Grassroots editor of Ballislife.com. He will be reached at [email protected]. Remember to observe him on Twitter: @RonMFlores
