Category: Super 25

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The first four places in the USA TODAY Sports/NFCA High School Super 25  remained the same this week, led by unbeaten No. 1 Pacifica.

The (13-0) Mariners stayed perfect for the season with a 13-0 romp over Valencia on Wednesday, and also defeated Crean Lutheran and El Modena in a 3-0 week. Katy (22-1-1), Jackson (5-0) and Northwest Rankin (12-0) combined to go 5-0 and keep pace in places 2-4.

After that, things got interesting with big moves and three poll newcomers joining the top 10.

Losses above them allowed one-loss Calvary Baptist (20-1) to surge six spots to fifth and highly-rated Austintown-Fitch, which opens its season Saturday against Lakeview, to move up to No. 6. Basha (14-1-1) stayed eighth after a 3-0-1 week that included a 10-0 rout of No. 18 Canyon Del Oro, just below new No. 7 Sterlington. The (21-0) Panthers have wins over last week’s fifth-ranked team, North DeSoto and debuting No. 20 St. Thomas More this season.

Unbeaten newcomers Antioch (4-0) and Diamond (7-0) round out the top 10. Antioch beat incoming No. 17 Lincoln-Way East on Saturday, while Diamond defeated then-No. 22 Mount Vernon twice in the last week, including 9-5 on Wednesday in the final of the two-day Mount Vernon Tournament.

Coral Springs Charter and West Stanly are tied for the 25th spot after losses dropped them four and eight places, respectively. Desert Mountain, Lake Creek, Mount Vernon and Norco all fell out of the poll this week.

State rankings submitted by the 2024 NFCA High School Steering Committee are used to compile the USA TODAY Sports/NFCA High School Super 25. Teams are chosen based on performance, roster quality and strength of schedule.

USA TODAY Sports/NFCA High School Super 25 Poll – March 21, 2024

1. Pacifica (Calif.)

Record: 13-0 | PR: 1

2. Katy (Texas)

Record: 22-1-1 | PR: 2

3. Jackson (Wash.)

Record: 5-0 | PR: 3

4. Northwest Rankin (Miss.)

Record: 12-0 | PR: 4

5. Calvary Baptist (La.)

Record: 20-1 | PR: 11

6. Austintown-Fitch (Ohio)

Record: 0-0 | PR: 7

7. Sterlington (La.)

Record: 21-0 | PR: NR

8. Basha (Ariz.)

Record: 14-1-1 | PR: 8

9. Antioch (Ill.)

Record: 4-0 | PR: NR

10. Diamond (Mo.)

Record: 7-0 | PR: NR

11. Watkins Memorial (Ohio)

Record: 1-0 | PR: 13

12. Rockridge (Ill.)

Record: 1-0 | PR: 14

13. Bingham (Utah)

Record: 7-0 | PR: 24

14. Red Mountain (Ariz.)

Record: 12-1 | PR: 15

15. Ballard (Ky.)

Record: 1-0 | PR: 19

16. Roncalli (Ind.)

Record: 0-0 | PR: 20

17. Lincoln-Way East (Ill.)

Record: 4-1 | PR: NR

18. Canyon Del Oro (Ariz.)

Record: 15-1 | PR: 18

19. Benton (Ark.)

Record: 4-1 | PR: 22

20. St. Thomas More (La.)

Record: 20-2 | PR: NR

21. North DeSoto (La.)

Record: 20-3 | PR: 5

22. Marist (Ill.)

Record: 2-1 | PR: 6

23. Lemont (Ill.)

Record: 1-1 | PR: 12

24. Neshoba Central (Miss.)

Record: 8-2 | PR: 16

t-25. Coral Springs Charter (Fla.)

Record: 7-2 | PR: 21

t-25. West Stanly (N.C.)

Record: 8-1 | PR: 17

Dropped out: Desert Mountain (Ariz.), Lake Creek (Texas), Mount Vernon (Mo.) and Norco (Calif.).

About the NFCA:

The NFCA is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded coaches polls and All-America awards, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from podcasts to awards, to in-person events and National Convention. 

Learn more about the NFCA and consider joining our lineup of over 7,000 coaches today!

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LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Reigning California Division 1 Southern Section champion Pacifica opens the 2024 USA TODAY Sports/NFCA High School Super 25 as the top-ranked team, fresh off winning the prestigious Dave Kops Tournament of Champions in Arizona.

The unbeaten (9-0) Mariners won all six games at that event, including a 6-1 triumph over defending titlist Norco in the championship game’s matchup of ranked squads. Pacifica has now won its last 16.

No. 2 Katy (20-1-1) is the new Texas team at the top of the poll to start the year, after two-time 5A state champion Lake Creek spent all but two weeks of the last two seasons in the No. 1 spot, including the last 31 weeks. The Tigers followed up Saturday’s scoreless eight-inning tie with perennial Texas power Barbers Hill by mauling Paetow 16-0 on Tuesday.

Jackson, which finished second nationally in 2023 after winning its final 14 to capture the Washington state 4A crown, is strongly positioned at No. 3 heading into its March 11 season opener at Inglemoor.

No. 4 Northwest Rankin (8-0), which returned nine starters from last year’s Mississippi state 6A championship team, hasn’t skipped a beat in the newly-created Class 7A, outscoring its eight opponents so far 78-12. Louisiana powerhouse North DeSoto (14-0), which is chasing its fourth straight state crown and sixth title since 2015, rounds out the top five.

The other three teams in the poll off to perfect starts — North Carolina’s West Stanly (2-0), Arizona’s Canyon Del Oro (14-0) and Arkansas’ Benton (2-0) find themselves grouped at Nos. 16-18 this week.

State rankings submitted by the 2024 NFCA High School Steering Committee are used to compile the USA TODAY Sports/NFCA High School Super 25. Teams are chosen based on performance, roster quality and strength of schedule.

USA TODAY Sports/NFCA High School Super 25 Poll – March 7, 2024

1. Pacifica (Calif.)

Record: 9-0

2. Katy (Texas)

Record: 20-1-1

3. Jackson (Wash.)

Record: 0-0

4. Northwest Rankin (Miss.)

Record: 8-0

5. North DeSoto (La.)

Record: 14-0

6. Marist (Ill.)

Record: 0-0

7. Austintown-Fitch (Ohio)

Record: 0-0

8. Basha (Ariz.)

Record: 8-1

9. Desert Mountain (Ariz.)

Record: 7-1

10. Norco (Calif.)

Record: 8-2

11. Lemont (Ill.)

Record: 0-0

12. Watkins Memorial (Ohio)

Record: 0-0

13. Rockridge (Ill.)

Record: 0-0

14. Red Mountain (Ariz.)

Record: 7-1

15. Neshoba Central (Miss.)

Record: 5-1

16. West Stanly (N.C.)

Record: 2-0

17. Canyon Del Oro (Ariz.)

Record: 11-0

18. Benton (Ark.)

Record: 2-0

19. Ballard (Ky.)

Record: 0-0

20. Roncalli (Ind.)

Record: 0-0

21. Coral Springs Charter (Fla.)

Record: 3-1

22. Mount Vernon (Mo.)

Record: 0-0

23. Bingham (Utah)

Record: 0-0

24. St. Amant (La.)

Record: 10-3

25. Lake Creek (Texas)

Record: 17-5

Dropped out: Queen Creek (Ariz.).

About the NFCA:

The NFCA is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its highly-regarded coaches polls and All-America awards, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from podcasts to awards, to in-person events and National Convention. 

Learn more about the NFCA and consider joining our lineup of over 7,000 coaches today!

National scoreboard from ScoreStream

Live Stream High School Sports on the NFHS Network