The 4A North girls basketball season did not wield any massive surprises.
Bishop Manogue and Reno ultimately met in the regional title game for the fifth-straight year with the Miners claiming their third-straight title.
With the 2016-17 season complete, here’s how all 12 4A North programs stacked up.
To view how the rankings progressed over the course of the season, click here.
1. Bishop Manogue Miners (26-3)
Arguably the biggest revelation of the season was the fashion in which the Miners disposed of the Huskies in the title game.
Manogue rolled 65-32 with running clock the entire fourth quarter and has now won 52 straight against the 4A North going back to 2014-15.
The Miners beat Foothill in the state semifinals on Thursday (the 4A North’s first win at state since 2014) before succumbing to a nationally ranked Centennial team in the state title game.
2. Reno Huskies (25-5)
As clearly as Bishop Manogue was the best team in the 4A North, it was as obvious that Reno was the second-best team.
The Huskies won the two meetings with Reed by 49 total points, the three meetings with Spanish Springs by 85 points, and won 14 straight before the title-game defeat.
3. Reed Raiders (18-7)
Reed played Bishop Manogue tougher than anyone this year, losing by 10 at Bishop Manogue and by 17 in the regional semifinals.
The Raiders did not have one senior starter, so Sara Schopper-Ramirez’s team is in good spot heading into 2017-18.
4. Spanish Springs Cougars (18-10)
The Cougars were the only team in the girls or boys 4A North regional tournaments to win on the road.
Spanish Springs won its quarterfinal contest at Douglas before running into Reno.
In his fourth season, Art Cardenas was named the HDL Coach of the Year.
5. McQueen Lancers (16-11)
McQueen finished fourth in the HDL, but did have a 45-37 home win over Reed to its credit.
6. Douglas Tigers (11-15)
Regardless of the weak Sierra League perception, Werner Christian did a tremendous job leading the brutally young Tigers to a home playoff game.
The squad had three juniors. The rest were freshmen and sophomores.
7. North Valleys Panthers (9-15)
The Panthers missed the postseason, but it’s hard to discount the overwhelming strength of the HDL, compared to the Sierra League, against them.
North Valleys beat Carson and Galena, the Sierra League’s No. 3 and 4 seeds.
8. Galena Grizzlies (10-14)
Galena won four of its final six regular-season games, including a 62-28 home thumping of Carson, which finished third ahead of the Grizzlies.
Only one senior will graduate from this year’s team.
9. Carson Senators (12-14)
The Senators’ best win was a four-point home victory over Galena in early January.
First-year coach Melissa Larsen also worked with an inexperienced roster that featured a solo senior.
10. Damonte Ranch Mustangs (4-17)
An incredible amount of production from last year’s team that advanced to the regional semifinals graduated. Throw in a key injury early in the season and you get a four-win campaign.
11. Wooster Colts (2-20)
A win over Hug proved to be the Colts’ one win in the 4A North.
12. Hug Hawks (1-20)
Hug’s lone win came over Excel Christian – a 1A private school in Sparks.
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