Kyle Williams' Super 25 high school girls basketball rankings for Jan. 18, 2026
Mother McAuley knew it had to be prepared for a physical game Saturday against St. Charles East.
The Saints are strong on the glass and feature one of the best sophomores in the state in forward Brooklyn Schilb. But the Mighty Macs did more than match the physicality; they became the aggressors. They played with a hunger that enabled them to knock off St. Charles East 58-49 in the Coach Kipp Hoopsfest at Maine East.
‘‘We had a lot of momentum coming into this game after [beating Providence and DePaul Prep last week], which were two teams that were ranked and we were supposed to lose to,’’ said Mother McAuley sophomore Ava Little, who scored 12 points and grabbed six rebounds.
Little was a big reason the Mighty Macs won. She was active in the paint, solid on the glass and a tremendous finisher.
It took a team effort to defend Schilb, who had 28 points and 11 rebounds. She has a high motor and is relentless on the glass, as evidenced by her eight offensive rebounds. But Little, Emily Kovar and Lily Costello limited her as best they could.
‘‘[Little] can defend one through five,’’ Mother McAuley coach Curtis Lewis said. ‘‘So [when we] put her on the floor, we gain a lot defensively because [even though] we might be smaller, we’re more athletic.’’
Senior guard Quinn Arundel had a big day for the Mighty Macs with 19 points, seven rebounds and three steals. She’s Mother McAuley’s engine and wanted to cap an impressive week with another victory.
Lewis emphasizes peaking toward the end of the season, and the Mighty Macs certainly seem to be on the right path. They are committed to making the extra pass, willing to draw charges and growing together as a unit. He said they went into the game against St. Charles East with a ‘‘chip on their shoulder.’’
‘‘We needed this win, especially [because] we were not the team picked to win,’’ Arundel said. ‘‘It gives us more confidence and [we gained] more grit because we wanted it more than them.’’
Mersinger’s standout defense
As the No. 1 team in the area, much has been said about Benet. From senior center Emma Briggs’ all-around brilliance to senior forward Bridget Rifenburg’s steadiness, the Redwings have one of the best rosters in the area.
But in their 61-39 victory against Glenbrook South at Maine East, junior guard Ava Mersinger was impressive. She scored only three points but had five assists, three blocks and a steal in 27 minutes. All her blocks came because she has incredible timing.
Briggs scored 19 points and grabbed 17 rebounds, Rifenburg scored 15 points and grabbed eight rebounds and Lucy Tierney added seven points. Senior guard Sailer Jones was out with an injury.
Black’s big night
Prospect junior forward Zoe Black scored a program-record 42 points, including 11 three-pointers, in a 79-60 victory against Phillips at Maine East.
The Super 25, with record and last week’s ranking:
1. Benet (18-1) 1
Plays Whitney Young Monday
2. Loyola Academy (20-2) 3
Beat Galesburg
3. Naperville Central (18-3) 4
Beat Waubonsie Valley
4. Nazareth (17-3) 5
Beat Maine South
5. Waubonsie Valley (19-1) 2
Loss to Naperville Central
6. Kenwood (18-4) 6
Plays Blair Academy Monday
7. Mother McAuley (15-4) 16
Beat St. Charles East
8. Fremd (18-3) 8
Plays Marist Monday
9. DePaul Prep (17-3) 7
Loss to Mother McAuley
10. Downers Grove North (20-2) 11
Beat Glenbard West
11. Marist (18-5) 9
Plays Fremd Monday
12. Providence (19-3) 14
Beat Montini
13. Carmel (17-6) 12
Beat Lincoln-Way East
14. Glenbard West (18-3) 15
Plays Wheaton North Tuesday
15. Libertyville (16-3) 20
Beat Prospect
16. Maine South (17-5) 12
Loss to Nazareth
17. Lyons (14-6) 9
Loss to Lake Zurich
18. Glenbrook South (15-5) 18
Plays Maine South Friday
19. Hersey (13-5) 19
Plays Lake Central Monday
20. Prospect (13-8) 17
Plays Maine South Wednesday
21. St. Charles East (13-6) 21
Loss to Mother McAuley
22. Trinity (14-7) 23
Plays Oak Park-River Forest Monday
23. Bolingbrook (14-3) 22
Beat Homewood-Flossmoor
24. Bloom (17-2) 24
Beat Kankakee
25. Lake Zurich (13-7) NR
Beat Lyons
The Super 25, with record and last week’s ranking:
1. Benet (18-1) 1
Plays Whitney Young Monday
2. Loyola Academy (20-2) 3
Beat Galesburg
3. Naperville Central (18-3) 4
Beat Waubonsie Valley
4. Nazareth (17-3) 5
Beat Maine South
5. Waubonsie Valley (19-1) 2
Loss to Naperville Central
6. Kenwood (18-4) 6
Plays Blair Academy Monday
7. Mother McAuley (15-4) 16
Beat St. Charles East
8. Fremd (18-3) 8
Plays Marist Monday
9. DePaul Prep (17-3) 7
Loss to Mother McAuley
10. Downers Grove North (20-2) 11
Beat Glenbard West
11. Marist (18-5) 9
Plays Fremd Monday
12. Providence (19-3) 14
Beat Montini
13. Carmel (17-6) 12
Beat Lincoln-Way East
14. Glenbard West (18-3) 15
Plays Wheaton North Tuesday
15. Libertyville (16-3) 20
Beat Prospect
16. Maine South (17-5) 12
Loss to Nazareth
17. Lyons (14-6) 9
Loss to Lake Zurich
18. Glenbrook South (15-5) 18
Plays Maine South Friday
19. Hersey (13-5) 19
Plays Lake Central Monday
20. Prospect (13-8) 17
Plays Maine South Wednesday
21. St. Charles East (13-6) 21
Loss to Mother McAuley
22. Trinity (14-7) 23
Plays Oak Park-River Forest Monday
23. Bolingbrook (14-3) 22
Beat Homewood-Flossmoor
24. Bloom (17-2) 24
Beat Kankakee
25. Lake Zurich (13-7) NR
Beat Lyons