Morning Journal Releases Girls Basketball Top of the Crop for Feb. 18

Olmsted Falls, Avon Lake, and Rocky River lead the rankings in Northeast Ohio high school girls basketball.

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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The Morning Journal, a local news publication, has released its latest girls basketball Top of the Crop rankings for Northeast Ohio high schools. Olmsted Falls, Avon Lake, and Rocky River hold the top three spots, with North Ridgeville and Elyria Catholic rounding out the top five. The rankings take into account overall team records and performances throughout the season so far.

Why it matters

High school sports rankings provide important recognition for top-performing teams and players, and can impact things like college recruitment, team morale, and community pride. The Morning Journal's Top of the Crop is a closely watched barometer of girls basketball talent in the region.

The details

The Top of the Crop rankings are led by Olmsted Falls at #1 with an 18-4 record, followed by Avon Lake at #2 with a 15-7 mark, and Rocky River at #3 with an 18-4 record. North Ridgeville and Elyria Catholic round out the top five at #4 and #5 respectively. Rounding out the top 10 are Avon, Bay, Midview, Vermilion, and Firelands. Keystone also received honorable mention on the watchlist.

  • The rankings were released on February 18, 2026.

The players

Olmsted Falls

The #1 ranked high school girls basketball team in the Morning Journal's Top of the Crop with an 18-4 record.

Avon Lake

The #2 ranked high school girls basketball team in the Morning Journal's Top of the Crop with a 15-7 record.

Rocky River

The #3 ranked high school girls basketball team in the Morning Journal's Top of the Crop with an 18-4 record.

North Ridgeville

The #4 ranked high school girls basketball team in the Morning Journal's Top of the Crop with a 15-7 record.

Elyria Catholic

The #5 ranked high school girls basketball team in the Morning Journal's Top of the Crop with a 15-6 record.

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The takeaway

The Morning Journal's girls basketball Top of the Crop rankings showcase the strong talent and competitive nature of high school girls basketball programs across Northeast Ohio. These rankings will continue to be closely watched as teams vie for playoff positioning and potential state tournament berths in the coming weeks.