Defending state champion QND opens as No. 1 team in Class 2A, Unity starts No. 3 in Class 1A

QUINCY — The initial Associated Press state basketball rankings set up an intriguing showdown in just two days.

The Quincy Notre Dame girls basketball team — the defending Class 2A state champion — opens the season as the No. 1-ranked team in the state. The Raiders are 5-0 going into Thursday’s game at West Hancock and received all of the first-place votes from a statewide panel.

In Class 1A, Unity is off to a 7-0 start and is ranked third out of the gate. The Mustangs reached the sectional championship game last season, losing to eventual state champion Brimfield, and they return a stacked lineup led by Quincy University signee Ashlynn Arnsman.

At 11 a.m. Saturday, the Raiders and the Mustangs go head-to-head at The Pit.

Here is a look at the entire state poll:

Class 4A

School	W-L	Pts
1. Benet (4)	5-1	40
2. Hersey	6-1	32
3. Loyola	4-1	31
4. Fremd	6-0	30
5. Stevenson	4-1	20
6. O’Fallon	4-1	16
(tie) Bolingbrook	6-0	16
8. Kenwood	6-0	12
9. Geneva	3-1	8
10. Lyons	5-1	7

Others receiving votes: Barrington 4. Normal Community 2. Hononegah 1. Whitney Young 1.

Class 3A

School	W-L	Pts
1. Nazareth (4)	5-0	40
2. Carmel	5-1	36
3. Peoria Central	6-0	31
4. Montini	5-1	29
5. Washington	5-0	21
6. Geneseo	5-0	19
7. Deerfield	6-0	18
8. Lincoln	6-0	10
9. Peoria Notre Dame	7-0	9
10. Oak Forest	3-2	2
(tie) Chicago Heights Marian Catholic	5-0	2
(tie) Rockford Boylan	4-1	2

Others receiving votes: Rochester 1.

Class 2A

School	W-L	Pts
1. Quincy Notre Dame (4)	5-0	40
2. Fieldcrest	7-0	35
3. Chicago (Noble Street Butler)	0-2	33
4. Stillman Valley	7-0	26
5. Teutopolis	3-1	21
6. Princeton	5-0	15
(tie) Byron	5-0	15
8. Paris	5-0	10
9. Pana	7-1	8
10. Canton	6-3	5

Others receiving votes: Winnebago 4. Althoff Catholic 3. Peotone 2. Knoxville 1. Sherrard 1. Eureka 1.

Class 1A

School	W-L	Pts
1. Galena (3)	5-0	39
2. Okawville (1)	5-0	37
3. Mendon Unity	7-0	29
4. Neoga	5-0	27
4. Havana	6-0	27
6. Tuscola	8-0	17
7. Effingham St. Anthony	7-0	12
8. Orangeville	5-1	9
9. Brimfield	6-2	7
(tie) Christopher	5-0	7

Others receiving votes: Waterloo Gibault 5. Altamont 2. Carrollton 1. Tri-County 1.