Pennsylvania girls high school basketball rankings
From the farm-fueled towns of the heartland to the bustling concrete canyons on the coast, high school girls basketball is a cultural touchstone.
Basketball engages nearly 400,000 girls to join high school teams per year, according to 2021-22 data from the National Federation of State High School Associations. With almost 18,000 high schools maintaining girls teams, basketball is the most widely offered girls high school sport, beating out track and field and volleyball. Such data paints a clear picture of the sport's cultural impact.
And girls basketball dates back over a century. Iowa, for instance, traces its girls state championship history to 1920. That timeline doesn't lag far behind boys' basketball: Illinois' boys state championship began just 13 years before Iowa's girls event. However, girls across the country weren't given equal representation and support in the sport until the passage of the gender equality act known as Title IX in 1972. Since the arrival of that legislation, girls participation in basketball—and sports as a whole—exploded. Now, girls play basketball in high school gyms across all 50 states.
To dig into competition data behind the ever-growing sport of high school girls basketball, Stacker compiled statewide rankings in Pennsylvania using MaxPreps. MaxPreps' rankings factor in win-loss record, win quality, and strength of schedule. Keep reading to find out which schools top the girls basketball charts in Pennsylvania.
Class A
1. Union Area (New Castle): 21-6 (5-1 in WPIAL 1A 1), 20.7 rating, 16 straight wins
2. Berlin Brothersvalley (Berlin): 22-5 (4-0 in Conference), 20.3 rating
3. Williamsburg: 28-2 (14-0 in Inter County - North), 19.9 rating
4. Elk County Catholic (St. Marys): 17-5 (7-2 in Allegheny Mountain), 15.2 rating
5. Otto-Eldred (Duke Center): 25-3 (16-0 in North Tier), 14.6 rating
Class AA
1. Kennedy Catholic (Hermitage): 24-4 (14-0 in District 10 Region 1), 20.1 rating, 23 straight wins
2. Homer-Center (Homer City): 23-7 (11-3 in Heritage), 19.8 rating, 7 straight wins
3. Redbank Valley (New Bethlehem): 26-2 (8-0 in Conference), 17.2 rating
4. Montrose: 17-2 (9-0 in Lackawanna 4), 16.6 rating
5. Marian Catholic (Tamaqua): 25-3 (8-0 in Schuylkill County 3), 16.0 rating
6. Shenango (New Castle): 24-5 (11-1 in WPIAL 2A 1), 15.4 rating
7. Greensburg Central Catholic (Greensburg): 24-5 (12-1 in WPIAL 2A 3), 15.2 rating
8. United (Armagh): 17-9 (10-5 in Heritage), 15.0 rating, 2 straight losses
9. Penns Manor (Clymer): 17-7 (10-5 in Heritage), 14.0 rating
10. Freedom Area (Freedom): 21-6 (11-1 in WPIAL 2A 1), 13.2 rating, 2 straight losses
Class AAA
1. River Valley (Blairsville): 28-2 (13-0 in Heritage), 27.2 rating, 20 straight wins
2. Mount Carmel: 27-3 (10-1 in Heartland III), 25.2 rating
3. Lancaster Catholic (Lancaster): 26-3 (5-0 in Lancaster-Lebanon 3), 23.9 rating
4. Westmont Hilltop (Johnstown): 27-3 (19-0 in Laurel Highlands), 22.9 rating
5. Laurel (New Castle): 25-4 (9-1 in WPIAL 3A 1), 21.5 rating
6. Chestnut Ridge (New Paris): 23-4 (16-2 in Laurel Highlands), 20.8 rating
7. Forest Hills (Sidman): 22-5 (16-2 in Laurel Highlands), 20.6 rating
8. Bloomsburg: 21-7 (13-2 in Heartland III), 20.5 rating
9. Avonworth (Pittsburgh): 21-6 (9-1 in WPIAL 3A 2), 20.0 rating
10. Lake-Lehman (Lehman): 18-3 (3-1 in Wyoming Valley 2), 19.7 rating
11. Dunmore: 20-3 (10-0 in Lackawanna 3), 19.6 rating, 9 straight wins
12. Columbia: 21-5 (11-1 in Lancaster-Lebanon 4), 19.4 rating
13. Shady Side Academy (Pittsburgh): 25-3 (10-0 in WPIAL 3A 3), 18.8 rating
14. Loyalsock Township (Williamsport): 18-8 (6-4 in Heartland III), 17.2 rating, 2 straight losses
15. Our Lady of the Sacred Heart (Coraopolis): 19-8 (8-2 in WPIAL 3A 2), 17.0 rating
16. Neshannock (New Castle): 19-9 (9-1 in WPIAL 3A 1), 15.8 rating, 3 straight losses
17. Imhotep Charter (Philadelphia): 16-12 (7-2 in Conference), 14.3 rating
18. Southern Columbia Area (Catawissa): 14-11 (6-5 in Heartland III), 13.8 rating, 2 straight losses
19. Wilmington (New Wilmington): 21-5 (11-1 in District 10 Region 4), 13.4 rating, 2 straight losses
20. Pen Argyl: 15-3 (8-1 in Colonial - East), 12.9 rating
Class AAAA
1. Lansdale Catholic (Lansdale): 27-2 (9-1 in Conference), 34.2 rating, 12 straight wins
2. North Catholic (Cranberry Township): 24-2 (11-0 in WPIAL 4A 1), 30.5 rating
3. Blackhawk (Beaver Falls): 25-4 (11-0 in WPIAL 4A 2), 27.2 rating, 5 straight wins
4. Allentown Central Catholic (Allentown): 22-4 (10-1 in Conference), 25.3 rating
5. Punxsutawney: 22-3 (10-0 in District 9), 20.8 rating, 2 straight losses
6. Audenried (Philadelphia): 23-7 (8-1 in Conference), 20.3 rating
7. Scranton Prep (Scranton): 15-4 (6-0 in Lackawanna 1), 19.9 rating, 2 straight losses
8. Central Columbia (Bloomsburg): 23-4 (11-1 in Heartland II), 19.0 rating
9. North Schuylkill (Ashland): 21-4 (14-0 in Schuylkill County 1), 19.0 rating, 2 straight losses
10. Fairview: 21-7 (8-4 in District 10 Region 6), 18.1 rating
11. Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia): 12-14 (6-5 in Conference), 18.1 rating, 3 straight wins
12. Harbor Creek (Harborcreek): 16-7 (6-5 in District 10 Region 7), 17.5 rating
13. Delone Catholic (McSherrystown): 22-5 (10-0 in York-Adams 4), 17.4 rating, 2 straight losses
14. Knoch (Saxonburg): 19-10 (9-3 in WPIAL 4A 1), 16.2 rating
15. Northwestern Lehigh (New Tripoli): 14-2 (5-0 in Colonial - North), 16.1 rating
16. Wyomissing: 19-4 (5-0 in Berks County 3), 15.5 rating, 2 straight losses
17. Quaker Valley (Leetsdale): 17-9 (8-2 in WPIAL 4A 2), 15.3 rating
18. Berks Catholic (Reading): 20-9 (9-0 in Berks County 1), 14.8 rating
19. Nazareth Academy (Philadelphia): 11-11 (4-5 in Catholic Academies), 14.1 rating, 3 straight wins
20. Blue Mountain (Schuylkill Haven): 21-6 (12-3 in Schuylkill County 1), 13.7 rating, 2 straight losses
Class AAAAA
1. South Fayette (McDonald): 28-2 (10-0 in WPIAL 5A 4), 35.9 rating, 23 straight wins
2. Archbishop Wood (Warminster): 23-5 (9-1 in Conference), 34.0 rating, 5 straight wins
3. Oakland Catholic (Pittsburgh): 26-4 (12-0 in WPIAL 5A 3), 31.8 rating
4. Bayard Rustin (West Chester): 27-3 (10-0 in Ches-Mont - American), 30.1 rating
5. McKeesport: 22-6 (10-2 in WPIAL 5A 3), 27.1 rating
6. Villa Maria Academy (Malvern): 24-5 (10-0 in Catholic Academies), 27.0 rating
7. Bishop Shanahan (Downingtown): 24-6 (12-0 in Ches-Mont - National), 24.8 rating
8. Armstrong (Kittanning): 16-4 (10-3 in WPIAL 5A 2), 23.1 rating
9. Hollidaysburg: 25-1 (13-0 in Mountain), 21.5 rating
10. Trinity (Washington): 17-8 (8-2 in WPIAL 5A 4), 21.5 rating
11. Bethlehem Catholic (Bethlehem): 20-9 (6-5 in Conference), 20.6 rating
12. Mars: 17-8 (10-3 in WPIAL 5A 2), 20.2 rating
13. Penn-Trafford (Harrison City): 19-10 (7-5 in WPIAL 5A 3), 20.2 rating
14. Gwynedd Mercy Academy (Gwynedd Valley): 21-8 (7-3 in Catholic Academies), 20.2 rating
15. Greencastle-Antrim (Greencastle): 23-4 (13-1 in Mid-Penn - Colonial), 19.7 rating, 2 straight losses
16. Lincoln Park Performing Arts (Midland): 19-5 (6-4 in WPIAL 5A 4), 19.1 rating
17. Shaler Area (Pittsburgh): 16-7 (7-5 in WPIAL 5A 2), 18.9 rating
18. Indiana: 14-8 (10-1 in WPIAL 5A 1), 18.3 rating, 2 straight losses
19. Pittston: 14-3 (7-1 in Wyoming Valley 1), 18.0 rating
20. Northern York (Dillsburg): 21-4 (12-1 in Mid-Penn - Colonial), 16.7 rating, 3 straight losses
Class AAAAAA
1. Norwin (North Huntingdon): 24-4 (9-1 in WPIAL 6A 1), 34.6 rating
2. North Allegheny (Wexford): 20-6 (7-1 in WPIAL 6A 1), 31.9 rating
3. Upper St. Clair: 21-4 (10-0 in WPIAL 6A 2), 31.3 rating
4. Cardinal O'Hara (Springfield): 23-5 (9-1 in Conference), 30.2 rating, 4 straight wins
5. Cedar Cliff (Camp Hill): 29-0 (14-0 in Mid-Penn - Keystone), 30.1 rating, 30 straight wins
6. Perkiomen Valley (Collegeville): 28-2 (12-1 in Pioneer), 30.0 rating
7. Spring-Ford (Royersford): 25-6 (12-2 in Pioneer), 26.4 rating
8. Easton Area (Easton): 26-2 (13-1 in Conference), 26.1 rating
9. Haverford (Havertown): 18-2 (13-0 in Central), 26.0 rating, 2 straight losses
10. Archbishop Carroll (Radnor): 13-12 (7-3 in Conference), 25.0 rating, 3 straight wins
11. Plymouth Whitemarsh (Plymouth Meeting): 23-4 (3-0 in Conference), 24.9 rating, 2 straight losses
12. Souderton: 22-7 (12-0 in Conference), 24.8 rating
13. Neshaminy (Langhorne): 21-8 (8-2 in Conference), 24.5 rating
14. Abington: 24-7 (12-1 in Conference), 24.4 rating
15. Mt. Lebanon (Pittsburgh): 17-9 (8-2 in WPIAL 6A 2), 23.8 rating
16. Central York (York): 25-5 (12-1 in York-Adams 1), 23.4 rating
17. Lebanon: 26-3 (4-0 in Lancaster-Lebanon 2), 21.2 rating
18. Pennsbury (Fairless Hills): 21-9 (9-3 in Conference), 20.8 rating
19. Conestoga (Berwyn): 22-8 (14-2 in Central), 20.6 rating
20. McDowell (Erie): 18-7 (10-3 in District 10 Region 7), 20.5 rating, 2 straight losses
