luhi [608x342]
luhi [608x342] (Credit: Photo by John Jones/Icon Sportswire)

Ben Wells Gloucestershire rising star forced to retire with rare heart condition

This year's ESPNW Power Rankings finish with 16 state champions in the final top 25.

Montverde Academy won the Chipotle Nationals in thrilling fashion over the weekend by defeating three top-15 teams in as many days, culminating in the championship game over Florida rival, IMG Academy.

The final rankings came down to a hair-splitting effort of strength of schedule, point differentials, and hypothetical discussions -- weighing many factors and leaning on late season results more than the early season. The final decision: Long Island Lutheran -- with its two one-point losses to top 4 teams in the country and with the strongest schedule possibly ever for a high school team -- is this year's No. 1 team in the high school ranks.

State champions

Purcell Marian won OHSAA Division 2 championship over Laurel 79-52. Dee Alexander scored 18 for the Cavaliers. Saniyah Hall had 21 points and 14 rebounds for Laurel.

Incarnate Word won 53-43 over Kickapoo in the MSHSAA Class 6 Championship.

Minnetonka won the Class 4A MSHSL by defeating Hopkins 64-56. Junior wing Aaliyah Crump led the team with 23 points in a complete offensive display.

Outside the top 25

Springboro won the OHSAA Class Division 1 semifinal over Pickerington Central, 63-54. Junior guard/wing Bryn Martin scored 38 points.

1. Long Island Lutheran (N.Y.) 22-2 3. Etiwanda (Calif.) 32-3 3. Montverde Academy (Fla.) 24-4 4. Archbishop Mitty (Calif.) 30-1 5. IMG Academy (Fla.) 25-4 6. Sierra Canyon (Calif.) 31-3 7. Grayson (Ga.) 32-1 8. Morris Catholic (N.J.) 29-1 9. Hebron Christian (Ga.) 30-2 10. Duncanville (Texas) 35-4 11. Bishop McNamara (Md.) 28-5 12. Sidwell Friends (Washington, D.C.) 25-7 13. Purcell Marian (Ohio) 28-1 14. Incarnate Word Academy (Mo.) 31-0 15. Grace Christian Sanford (N.C.) 30-1 16. Minnetonka (Minn.) 28-2 17. Lawrence Central (Ind.) 30-1 18. DeSoto HS (Texas) 27-6 19. Johnston (Iowa) 29-0 20. St. John's College Prep (Washington, D.C.) 26-5 21. Hopkins (Minn.) 26-4 22. Timberview (Texas) 40-2 23. Putnam City West (Okla.) 27-1 24. Manchester (Va.) 27-2 25. Lake Highland Prep (Fla.) 25-5