The News-Gazette's final girls' basketball Top 10: Cissna Park lands at No. 1

One girls’ basketball team — Cissna Park — stood head and shoulders above the rest of the area this past winter. Sports Editor Matt Daniels unveils The News-Gazette’s final Top 10 area poll from the 2024-25 season.

1. Cissna Park

➜ Record: 31-6

➜ Previous ranking: No. 3

A successful season unlike any other the Timberwolves had produced. Addison Lucht and Co. arrived back in Iroquois County on March 7 with a Class 1A third-place trophy after the Timberwolves beat St. Edward 50-44 at CEFCU Arena in Normal during the state tournament to become the only area team to end its season with a win. Cissna Park never endured a losing streak all season en route to taking home 1A regional, sectional and super-sectional plaques, while setting a single-season record for wins.

2. Salt Fork

➜ Record: 29-3

➜ Previous ranking: No. 1

Good luck trying to beat the Storm this past season. Powered by one of the best players in program history, Alexa Jamison, Salt Fork won its first 16 games, losing only once in the regular season to an in-state foe in Cissna Park. Coach Brian Russell’s program won the Vermilion County Tournament for the fourth straight year, won an outright Vermilion Valley Conference regular-season title and won a second straight Class 1A regional title.

3. Sullivan

➜ Record: 29-4

➜ Previous ranking: No. 2

The first half of the season treated the Redskins well. The second half was even better. Sparked by Addison Minor and a host of contributors, Sullivan took a 14-3 record into 2025. And then proceeded to rattle off 15 consecutive wins en route to a Class 2A regional title, the first postseason hardware for the program since 2019. Veteran coach Sheri McCain’s latest team produced the most wins by a Sullivan team since the 1991-92 team that went 33-2 and placed second in state.

4. Mahomet-Seymour

➜ Record: 22-12

➜ Previous ranking: No. 6

A challenging schedule had the Bulldogs primed for a February postseason run. Mahomet-Seymour, under first-year coach Dan Campion, didn’t hit the 20-win mark until its first postseason win against Rantoul, but then won the program’s fourth straight Class 3A regional title. A trip to the Sweet 16 was in order, too, after cruising past Rochester in a sectional semifinal game. Seniors Kylie Waldinger and Reese Gallier will leave a void, but M-S is no stranger to sustained success.

5. Gibson City-Melvin-Sibley

➜ Record: 27-6

➜ Previous ranking: No. 4

Here’s a fact most coaches would love to see: only two losses all season by double digits. The Falcons, powered by sophomore sensation Lily Sizemore and a host of players who knew their roles, won their first nine games easily to assert themselves among the area’s best. The trend continued during the final two months of the season for coach Ross Harden and his program. GCMS won its second consecutive Class 1A regional championship.

6. Watseka/Milford

➜ Record: 28-5

➜ Previous ranking: No. 5

All the Warriors have done for the last decade, essentially, is win. This winter was no different. After a loss to Bishop McNamara in its third game of the season on Nov. 21, Megan Martin and teammates went the rest of November, all of December and all of January without losing a game. The eventual 20-game win streak allowed coach Barry Bauer’s program to post its fourth straight season of at least 25 wins. And a fourth straight season with a regional title after Wateska/Milford reached the Sweet 16 in Class 2A.

7. Arcola

➜ Record: 22-10

➜ Previous ranking: No. 10

Playing in and then winning one of the best games all season allowed the Purple Riders to hoist a Class 1A regional plaque for the first time since 2015. Dynamic senior scorer Kacie Sisk shined during Arcola’s thrilling 58-57 regional championship victory at rival Tuscola, signifying why the Purple Riders were a tough team to beat most nights this season. Especially late in the season, with Arcola going 10-2 during the final month.

8. Clinton

➜ Record: 25-8

➜ Previous ranking: No. 7

Three separate winning streak of at least four games proved Clinton’s value. Especially a 12-game win streak in January and early February that allowed the Maroons to win a Central Illinois Conference Tournament title and a CIC regular-season title. Although an elusive Class 2A regional title eluded coach Josh Williams’ program again this season — a feat last achieved by Clinton in 2013 — the Maroons had their third season of at least 20 wins in the last four seasons.

9. Monticello

➜ Record: 20-11

➜ Previous ranking: No. 8

Talk about battling back. The Sages, who had won 20 games combined each of the previous two seasons, enjoyed their first 20-win season since the 2017-18 season this winter. With senior Megan Allen leading the way among a host of talented underclassmen, coach Seth Melton’s program overcame a 2-5 start and ended up going 8-2 during its final 10 games of the season. Playing in the rugged Illini Prairie Conference certainly helped as Monticello reached a Class 2A regional title game.

10. Heritage/Academy High

➜ Record: 20-12

➜ Previous ranking: Not ranked

Getting two wins before Thanksgiving seeemed noteworthy by the Hawks. Mainly because Heritage only achieved two wins during the 2023-24 season and only one win in the 2022-23 season. But coach Brad Wilson’s latest team showed its early success wasn’t a fluke. Five separate winning streaks of at least three games helped the program stay well above .500 for nearly the entire season as the Hawks advanced to a Class 1A regional title game.