The Upstate 20 & Weekly All-Upstate (Class AAA + CHSAA)

THE UPSTATE 20, comprehensive team rankings for all areas of the Empire State north of NYC, is back for a new installment. Not only are we well into the dog days of winter, it’s crossed into what I call the “wild card weeks” – a two-week span of late January/early February that tend to bring a few results that just don’t make sense. Never know what you’re going to get this time of year. Who is maintaining their daily approach to development & consistency?

Current rankings, Class AAA/Monsignor Martin notes, and more:

*** Note: I will include this prior to every ranking list for every class because it’ll always be someone’s first time reading the EST class rankings. All NYSPHSAA & non-NYSPHSAA ‘Federation’ schools north of NYC & Long Island are considered. Also, it isn’t called ‘The Upstate 20 and some more’ so I don’t include an honorable mention list, but approximately 35 teams are currently under consideration for this class. ***

Last year, I thought Shaker peaked early. Perhaps not the case this time around, as we’ve entered February and they’re still showing signs of significant in-season growth. And now with *Giada Lanni* back after missing a month with an ankle injury, they have all the top guns.

1.) Albertus Magnus (1)
2.) St. Mary’s-Lancaster (MMA-CHSAA)
3.) Shaker (2)
4.) Colonie (2)
5.) Roy C. Ketcham (1)
6.) Shenendehowa (2)
7.) West Seneca (6)
8.) Ursuline (1)
9.) Baldwinsville (3)
10.) Mamaroneck (1)
11.) Aquinas (5)
12.) Arlington (1)
13.) Fairport (5)
14.) Bishop Ludden-Grimes (3)
15.) Scarsdale (1)
16.) Cicero-North Syracuse (3)
17.) Albany (2)
18.) Our Lady of Lourdes (9)
19.) Rome Free Academy (3)
20.) John Jay East Fishkill (1)

Big Jumpers: none

New Entries: John Jay-East Fishkill (re-entry)

NOTES

Not a lot of movement this installment, but I did make the highest change of the year. Flipped Shaker and Colonie ahead of their ‘game of the year’ clash on Tuesday. Shaker is taking no prisoners and looking tremendous at the moment. I think they made the most of a tough situation, a la Colonie two years ago, with Giada Lanni‘s injury. Others like Aailay Powell got more minutes/reps & grew with them, and now Giada is back as the stretch run approaches. Both teams seeked out challenging nonleague schedules. Shaker got it (Christ the King, St. Mary’s-Manhasset, etc.); Colonie tried but things didn’t pan out quite that way (prominent programs on down years, couple lopsided Amsterdam games with one just being a mismatch, etc.). We get to see exactly where they’re at in comparison to each other this week. Can’t wait.
Speaking of challenging schedules, another time mentioning St. Mary’s-Lancaster for the smoke they clearly have no interest in ducking. Lopsided loss on Saturday down on Long Island, which is fine because it was national power LuHi – who features Emily McDonald, former St. Mary’s star. Credit to them for hitting the road & taking on anyone… like they’ll do in a couple weeks when they hit Albany to face off with Colonie.
Another big one that lies ahead is West Seneca against top-ranked AA North Tonawanda, and what a good one it should be as West Seneca is humming. They’ve rolled in recent weeks after their one loss to Orchard Park, including a wire-to-wire convincing win over that same team eight days later, and just put up 86 & 88 in a Fri/Sat back-to-back. Seems like things are clicking & they’re playing some of their best basketball now.
I’ve only caught Roy C. Ketcham once in person this winter, but their games must be topsy-turvy events. It’s fun reading Coach Mealy’s postgame reviews on X. They’re either giving up a big halftime lead and allowing it to get tighter than maybe it should, finding themselves in a big hole early that they have to dig out of, so on & so forth. Most recently in that sequence of intriguing affairs, they were down very big early to Arlington – 14-0 & 19-3 – but clawed back to take a 63-58 win. Heart rates are apparently not safe in Wappingers Falls.
Slipping back in the Upstate 20 is John Jay-East Fishkill after a week away, and that’s primarily because I slipped Kingston out. Kingston is in a situation with Newburgh similar to the Elmira/Corning dynamic in Section IV. Like Elmira compared to Corning, I think Kingston’s catalog is better than Newburgh’s. Like Elmira compared to Corning, Kingston can’t seem to get past Newburgh. A second loss to them this season has them just below the 20 – like Elmira.

RESULTS OF NOTE (Jan 26-Feb 1) (current U-20 AAA/CHSAA in bold)

1/27: Rome Free Academy 58, Liverpool 47
1/27: Shaker 84, Albany Academy (A) 51
1/28: Roy C. Ketcham 63, Arlington 58
1/28: Scarsdale 48, John Jay-East Fishkill 37
1/29: Albertus Magnus 70, Morris Catholic (NJ) 50
1/30: Cicero-North Syracuse 66, Nottingham (AA) 48
1/30: Bishop Ludden-Grimes 72, Marcellus (B) 66
1/30: Penfield (AA) 48, Fairport 42 (OT)
1/30: Newburgh 63, Kingston 60
1/31: Albertus Magnus 73, Mamaroneck 44
1/31: Roy C Ketcham 62, Mahopac (AA) 56

WEEKLY ALL-UPSTATE (Jan 26-Feb 1)

Riley Abernethy (Bishop Ludden-Grimes 2027): The Gaelic Knights keep on finding ways to win, and Riley, a wiry wing that’s one of the only additions from last year’s Bishop Grimes team, has been a key add this winter. Coming off a two-game skid and a week-long break, Riley went off for 25 – tying a season high that she achieved two other times – in a big 72-66 victory over Marcellus.

Ally Kaminski (Roy C. Ketcham 2026): The travel hasn’t been adventurous for RCK – all games against Section I competition – but the experience certainly has. One common presence has been Ally, who’s established as perhaps one of Class AAA’s most valuable players. The 5’10” lead guard averaged 23 PPG & 15.5 RPG in narrow wins over Arlington & Mahopac, teams that have emerged as two of the more competitive in their region. Ally went for 16 & 15 with 8 assists in the win over Arlington, a 63-58 comeback triumph that saw them down double digits in the blink of an eye, and in Saturday’s 62-56 victory over Mahopac, she went off for 30 & 16.

Sofia Lanni (Shaker 2027): A big part of the Bison’s eye-catching dominant showing against Albany Academy was Sofia’s exemplary play at both ends of the floor. The athletic 5’10” wing, who has already received a handful of D1 offers, was a strong, steady presence throughout their 84-51 win. She led all scorers with 22 points in the win while being handed the primary defensive assignment most of the way & competing at a high level. Sofia added 11 in a balanced effort Friday in a lopsided win over Bethlehem.

Kallie McCoy (Newburgh 2028): In a big showdown against their counterpart from a couple exits up I-87, Kallie delivered her biggest performance to date and what’s by and large been a breakout sophomore year. With fellow Section IX Class AAA contender Kingston on the other side, Kallie turned it up a notch from her 10 double-doubles leading into the game and went for a 31 point/14 rebound/10 steal triple-double, along with 3 assists & 3 blocks, in a big 63-60 triumph.

Sara Nezaj (Albertus Magnus 2028): Sara, one of New York’s premier 2028 point guards – already with several D1 offers to show for it, which is likely just the start of things – delivered a pair of big showings in notable wins for top dog Albertus Magnus. She averaged 25.5 PPG & 4 APG in convincing victories over Mamaroneck and Morris Catholic of NJ, most notably a 33 point/5 rebound/5 assist display in the 70-50 win over Morris Catholic.