Loudoun County, Va. — As the high school girls basketball season heats up in Loudoun County, a few local teams have started to stand out from the crowd, while several others are potential contenders. Each week, Varun Shankar and I will be alternating releasing our girls and boys basketball rankings. In a three-district county, we wanted a way to put things into perspective. Enter: the LoCo Top 5.
Of course, if you’re into hard numbers, check out the full Cedar Run District, Potomac District, and Dulles District standings.
[adrotate group=”5″]1. Loudoun Valley (1-0, 4-0) —
If there is one team to fear in Loudoun County right now, it’s the Loudoun Valley Vikings, and it all starts with senior forward Megan Stevenson. Stevenson is quick and athletic, can score from anywhere on the floor, and is going to frustrate opposing team’s with her length defensively. First-year head coach Bill Reynolds has his Vikings off to a 4-0 start, where they’re outscoring opponents by an average score of 71-37.
Next up: Loudoun Valley hosts Loudoun County on January 7
2. Tuscarora (1-0, 4-2) —
If there is one player to fear in Loudoun County right now, it’s Isabellah Middleton. The reigning All-LoCo Player of the Year, Middleton is the most lethal scorer in Loudoun County. And she has enough pieces around her that when she draws double teams and junk defenses, she can distribute around the perimeter. The Huskies will need to put it all together to compete at the top with Loudoun Valley, and their senior leadership will have a big role in that happening.
Next up: Tuscarora travels to No. 3 Potomac Falls on January 6
3. Potomac Falls (1-0, 5-3) —
Potomac Falls has been on the rise of the past few years and are now a staple at the top of the Potomac District. The Panthers are directed by experienced coach Lynn Ewald and returned 11 of 13 varsity players from there 2018-2019 team. Led by junior forward Ashley Allen and senior guard Ashley Pandelides, Potomac Falls is holding teams to just 40 points per game – the fifth best in the county – and do a great job scoring in transition.
Next up: Potomac Falls travels to Park View on January 3
4. Woodgrove (1-0, 3-2) —
Woodgrove scored 63 points against No. 1 Loudoun Valley on December 13 and show no signs of slowing down offensively. The Wolverines are led by sophomore forward Ashley Steadman, who after a stellar freshman year, will look to use her experience to maneuver through a wide open Potomac District. After reclassifying this year, Woodgrove already has shown it can win in Class 5A after defeating Stone Bridge 68-26 on December 19.
Next up: Woodgroves plays in the Falls Church tournament on December 26-28.
5. Briar Woods (1-0, 5-2) —
We’ll get some flack from Broad Run fans for this one, but Briar Woods has all the pieces to win right now; the Spartans are one year away — and teams need to be worried in 2020-2021 as Broad Run returns a huge portion of their team from this year to next. The Falcons fell to the Spartans on December 20, in a game riddled by fouls that forced three of Briar Woods’ starters to the bench in foul trouble, and they rebounded nicely in the second half when they had all five starts in the game. Led by menacing junior forward Grace Nathan, sharpshooting senior guard Camryn Adkins, and patient senior point guard Marissa Almonte, the Briar Woods starting five is tough to defend and athletic enough to keep up with anyone on the defensive end.
Next up: Briar Woods hosts a tournament on January 3-4.
On the bubble: Broad Run (0-2, 3-4)