Defending Class 4A state champion Chicago Whitney Young has been chosen the team to beat again as the girls basketball season gets under way across Illinois.

Coach Corry Irvin's Dolphins, who finished 30-3 last season, are led by Pittsburgh recruit Ashlee Anderson, a 5-foot-9 senior guard who averaged 11.4 points per game for the state champs last year. Irvin is also counting on returnees Porsha Harris, a 6-1 senior who scored at an 8.8 per game clip last season, and sophomore guard Chanise Jenkins, who averaged 7.2 points per game a year ago.

Bolingbrook, which lost to Young 54-45 in the 2007-08 state championship game, is No. 2 in the preseason poll, which was conducted by a statewide panel of sports writers and broadcasters and compiled by John Radtke of the (Arlington Heights) Daily Herald.

The Raiders of coach Tony Smith return four starters, including sophomore guard Ariel Massengale, who led the team in scoring last year at 13.2 ppg.

Wheeling and Thornton Fractional North tied for third in the rankings, and Oak Park Fenwick came in fifth.

In Class 3A, Lombard Montini nosed out Freeport for the top spot, while in Class 2A Warsaw West Hancock edged Sterling Newman Catholic for No. 1. Biggsville West Central took the top spot in Class 1A over Newark and Dakota.

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Polls

Here is the Illinois girls basketball prep poll as voted on by a statewide panel of sports writers and broadcasters and compiled by John Radtke of the (Arlington Heights) Daily Herald. Listing includes rank, team, first-place votes in parenthesis, and total points.

Class 4A

1. Whitney Young (5) 50

2. Bolingbrook 45

3. Wheeling 33

Thornton Fractional North 33

5. Oak Park Fenwick 25

6. Marian Catholic 24

7. Moline 21

8. Lake Zurich 17

9. Chicago Marist 6

Chicago Bogan 6

Others receiving votes: Chicago Von Steuben, Edwardsville, Cary-Grove, Geneva.

Class 3A

1. Lombard Montini (2) 46

2. Freeport (3) 44

3. Peoria Richwoods 36

4. Chicago Marshall 31

5. Quincy Notre Dame 25

6. River Forest Trinity 22

7. Rock Island Alleman 19

8. Hampshire 16

9. Hillcrest 13

10. Galesburg 11

Others receiving votes: Lemont.

Class 2A

1. Warsaw West Hancock (5) 50

2. Sterling Newman Catholic 44

3. Addison Driscoll 39

4. Bismarck-Henning 35

5. Champaign St. Thomas More 31

6. Central Catholic 19

7. Carlinville 17

8. Massac County 14

Bishop McNamara (1) 14

10. Teutopolis 10

Others receiving votes: Tolono Unity, Nashville, Peru St. Bede, Rochester, Olney East Richland, West Frankfort, Pleasant Plains, Byron, Ziegeler-Christopher-Royalton, Pinckneyville, Spring Valley Hall, Clifton Central.

Class 1A

1. Biggsville West Central 42

2. Newark (3) 38

3. Dakota (1) 31

4. Prophetstown 29

5. Tuscola 28

6. Mowequea Central A&M 24

7. Salt Fork 23

8. Greenfield 17

9. Annawan 16

10. Kewanee Weathersfield 15

Jacksonville Routt 15

Others receiving votes: Pope County, Okawville (1), Gardner South Wilmington, West Central, Freeport Aquin, Lanark Eastland, Chrisman, Havana, Hume Shiloh, Sessier-Valier.

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