LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Nebraska’s Skutt Catholic is off to a perfect start to its season, including a 14-1 victory over in-state rival and 2020’s top-ranked team, Papillion-LaVista, to open this year’s NFCA Fall High School Top 25 Coaches Poll in the No. 1 spot.
Perrenial power Papillion-LaVista, which could be in a rare rebuilding position after losing 10 seniors, including Gatorade National Player of the Year Jordyn Bahl, in the offseason, is now 2-3 and unranked, after winning its first two games of 2021.
Meanwhile, reigning Georgia state 7A titlist East Coweta (8-1) is rolling again at No. 2 behind junior Jaliyah Holmes, who tossed a perfect game and fanned 17 of 21 batters in a 4-0 win over McEachern on Tuesday and is already a third of the way to the school-record 270 strikeouts she posted last season.
Elsewhere, first-time champions Fort Dodge (38-4) and Western Dubuque (35-7) are among five Iowa state titlists in the first ranking. North Linn (42-6) is also in the mix after claiming its second crown in the last three seasons.
State rankings submitted by NFCA member coaches are used to compile the NFCA Fall High School Top 25 Coaches Poll. Teams are chosen based on performance, roster quality and strength of schedule. Five states — Colorado, Georgia, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Missouri — play a fall fastpitch schedule, while Iowa plays a summer schedule.
NFCA Fall High School Top 25 Coaches Poll – Aug. 26, 2021
Rank | Team | 2021 Record
1. Skutt Catholic (Neb.): 2-0
2. East Coweta (Ga.): 8-1
3. Omaha Marian (Neb.): 2-0
4. Hastings (Okla.): 5-0
5. Fossil Ridge (Colo.): 5-0
6. Southmoore (Okla.): 5-1
7. Coweta (Okla.): 8-1
8. Holy Family (Colo.): 2-1
9. Rock Bridge (Mo.): 0-0
10. Washington (Okla.): 13-1
11. Piedmont (Okla.): 10-1
12. Assumption (Iowa): 40-3
13. Lee’s Summit North (Mo.): 0-0
14. North Linn (Iowa): 42-6
15. Pocola (Okla.): 12-2
16. Fort Dodge (Iowa): 38-4
17. Harrison (Ga.): 16-1
18. Eaton (Colo.): 4-2
19. Newell-Fonda (Iowa): 38-4
20. Gretna (Neb.): 5-1
21. Western Dubuque (Iowa): 35-7
22. Cherokee Trail (Colo.): 2-2
23. Broomfield (Colo.): 1-2
24. Rock Canyon (Colo.): 2-2
25. North Gwinnett (Ga.): 4-2