Warrior girls reach top spot

The Wasilla girls' are now the top-ranked squad in the 4A class, according to the latest state basketball poll.

Wasilla earned seven first place votes and 47 total points as it jumped ahead of Lathrop to nab the top spot. Warrior senior Chandice Cronk banked a shot off the glass with just five seconds remaining in regulation to lead Wasilla to a 47-46 win over Lathrop last Friday at Wasilla High School. The win virtually assured the 13-4 Warriors of first place in their class.

Wasilla also defeated West Valley in non-conference action over the weekend.

Despite the loss, Lathrop received three first-place votes and 36 total points and is ranked second.

Colony earned five total points, placing it two spots shy of the top five. The Knights went 2-1 over the weekend with wins over West Valley and North Pole and a loss to Lathrop.

Colony is now 13-5 on the season.

Palmer held onto the fifth spot in the 4A boys class.

The 12-3 Moose earned 12 total points. Palmer, which was idle last weekend, will have a chance to shoot up the polls next weekend. Palmer has a pair of important home dates, hosting Service tonight and second-ranked East, Saturday at Palmer High School.

East received one first-place vote and 35 total votes. The 14-3 Thunderbirds are 13 points shy of first-place Bartlett.

The Golden Bears garnered nine first-place votes and 48 total points and held on to the top spot in the 4A boys class. Bartlett, 13-3 on the season, has been ranked first in each poll this year.

Lathrop and West are locked in a third-place tie with 27 points.

Valdez was a unanimous first place in the 3A boys poll. The 16-0 Buccaneers are 45 points ahead of second-place Metlekatla.

The 3A girls class continues to be the tightest race. Three teams received first-place votes in the latest poll. Petersburg used its 15-1 mark to attract four first-place votes and 37 total points. Petersburg is followed by second-place Barrow and third-place Seward, who each received three first-place votes.

Lumen Christi (2A boys), Ninilchik (2A girls), Kotlik (1A boys) and Shaktoolik (1A girls) are also in the top spot of their respective classes.

Teams are voted on by sportswriters statewide and results are tabulated by the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner.