Just three years ago, wins were scarce for the
Shelley (Idaho) girls basketball program. Losers of 49 games in a row over the course of four seasons, Shelley was near the bottom of the state rankings. Today, the Russets are the envy of the state with a 25-0 record and a No. 1 ranking in the Small Town Top 25.
Under the guidance of head coach Jessica Carlson, Shelley reached the state championship game last year but lost to Sandpoint by four points.
This year, behind the play of
Brinley Cannon, Shelley won its games by an average of 30 points and defeated
Skyline (Idaho Falls) 59-49 in the Class 4A state final. The championship was the first at the 4A level for the Russets. Shelley had previously won six state titles at the 3A level but none since 2008.
Shelley had struggled since moving up to the 4A level in 2018-19, losing its first 47 games (part of a 49-game overall losing streak) before posting a 12-11 record in 2021-22 and 22-4 in 2022-23.
Cannon, who is headed to BYU, is the two-time Class 4A Player of the Year by the Idaho Statesman. She averaged 21.8 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.8 steals this season.
Shelley finished ahead of
Averill Park (N.Y.) and
Glen Rose (Texas), two teams that did not win a state title but played in higher enrollment classifications despite having lower enrollments.
Averill Park reached the Class AA state semifinals in New York before losing its only game of the season to eventual AA runner-up
Hilton, which did not qualify for the Small Town Top 25.
Glenn Rose, meanwhile, reached the regional finals in the Texas Class 4A division, but lost in an upset to eventual champion
Shallowater.
The Small Town Top 25 is based on the MaxPreps computer rankings along with state playoff brackets and state championship lists. Qualifying schools have fewer than 1,000 students and are located in a town with a population of fewer than 10,000 people.
Ace Austin led Spring Garden to Alabama's Class 1A state title and the No. 7 spot in the Small Town Top 25. (Photo: Kenny Grimes)
1. Shelley (Idaho), 25-0
Class 4A state champion.
2. Averill Park (N.Y.), 24-1
Class AA state semifinalist.
3. Glen Rose (Texas), 33-4
Class 4A regional finalist.
4. Nooksack Valley (Everson, Wash.), 22-1
Class 1A state champion.
5. Seiling (Okla.), 26-3
Class 1A state champion.
6. Clear Creek-Amana (Tiffin, Iowa), 26-0
Class 4A state champion.
Class 1A state champion.
8. Laconia (Rosendale, Wis.), 30-2
Division 4 state champion.
9. Idabel (Okla.), 25-1
Class 3A state champion.
10. Silver Lake (Kan.), 27-0
Class 3A state champion.
11. North Pitt (Bethel, N.C.), 29-3
Class 2A state champion.
12. Martins Mill (Ben Wheeler, Texas), 36-5
Class 2A state champion.
13. Gibson Southern (Fort Branch, Ind.), 26-4
Class 3A state champion.
14. Saco/Whitewater/Hinsdale (Saco, Mont.), 24-0
Class C state champion.
15. Colfax (Calif.), 34-3
Division 2 state runner-up.
16. Albany (Minn.), 31-3
Class AA state runner-up.
17. Gibson County (Dyer, Tenn.), 32-1
Class AA state champion.
18. Loretto (Tenn.), 29-4
Class AA state runner-up.
19. Kirtland Central (Kirtland, N.M.), 29-3
Class 4A state champion.
20. Skyline (Urbana, Mo.), 30-2
Class 2 state champion.
21. Rosepine (La.), 33-5
Division III Non-Select state champion.
22. Fair Grove (Mo.), 22-7
Class 3 state champion.
23. Solon (Iowa), 24-3
Class 3A state champion.
24. North Linn (Troy Mills, Iowa), 26-1
Class 1A state champion.
25. Ishpeming (Ishpeming, Mich.), 29-1
Division 4 state champion.
