LOUISVILLE, Ky. —Buford continued its undefeated run in the Georgia state playoffs on Wednesday to remain No. 1 in the NFCA Summer/Fall High School Top 25 Coaches Poll for a 13th straight ranking, dating to the final three polls of last season.
The (29-0) Wolves blanked Lowndes, 4-0, on Wednesday, and will be seeking their 30th victory when they face Mill Creek later today in the state 7A tournament. Buford has been the top-ranked team all 10 weeks of the 2023 season.
Meanwhile, the next five teams gained at least one place in the poll, with three-time reigning Oklahoma 5A titlist Piedmont (39-3) moving up two spots, to sixth, despite not playing. Fellow state champion Caddo (39-2) is the new No. 2, while Blue Springs South (26-2) is now third after advancing to today’s Missouri Class 5 state semifinal against No. 7 Raymore-Peculiar (30-2).
Lutheran is one of three Colorado newcomers to the poll this week, after the (23-5) Lions knocked off two top-10 teams — Holy Family and Riverdale Ridge — en route to the state 4A crown. Chatfield (23-6), defeated then-No. 18 Arvada West in the 5A semifinals and new No. 18 Erie (23-6) in the championship game.
Eaton (28-1) wrapped up its season in style, outscoring its final four opponents by a 52-4 margin, including rolling past Thomas Jefferson, 11-0, in the Colorado 3A final.
The other ranked teams still playing are No. 5 Washington (35-1-1), No. 8 Lassiter (29-2), No. 10 East Coweta (30-3) and 15th-ranked Pope (29-4). Washington faces Parkway West in today’s Missouri Class 4 semis, while Lassiter and Pope are still alive in the Georgia 6A playoffs.
If East Coweta and Buford win their playoff games today, they’d square off Friday for a berth in Saturday’s Georgia 7A championship. The duo have combined to win four of the last six state crowns.
State rankings submitted by the 2023 NFCA High School Steering Committee are used to compile the NFCA Summer/Fall High School Top 25 Coaches Poll. Teams are chosen based on performance, roster quality, strength of schedule, and active NFCA membership. Five states — Colorado, Georgia, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Missouri — play a fall fastpitch schedule, while Iowa recently completed its summer season.
NFCA Summer/Fall High School Top 25 Coaches Poll – Week 10
1. Buford (Ga.)
Record: 29-0 | PR: 1
2. Caddo (Okla.)
Record: 39-2 | PR: 3
3. Blue Springs South (Mo.)
Record: 26-2 | PR: 4
4. Owasso (Okla.)
Record: 33-1-1 | PR: 5
5. Washington (Mo.)
Record: 35-1-1 | PR: 6
6. Piedmont (Okla.)
Record: 39-3 | PR: 8
7. Raymore-Peculiar (Mo.)
Record: 30-2 | PR: 12
8. Lassiter (Ga.)
Record: 29-2 | PR: 7
9. Lutheran (Colo.)
Record: 23-5 | PR: NR
10. East Coweta (Ga.)
Record: 30-3 | PR: 13
11. Chatfield (Colo.)
Record: 23-6 | PR: NR
12. Holy Family (Colo.)
Record: 26-2 | PR: 2
13. Eaton (Colo.)
Record: 28-1 | PR: 19
14. Moore (Okla.)
Record: 32-3 | PR: 11
15. Pope (Ga.)
Record: 29-4 | PR: 14
16. Papillion-LaVista (Neb.)
Record: 29-8 | PR: 15
17. Gretna (Neb.)
Record: 32-4 | PR: 16
18. Erie (Colo.)
Record: 23-6 | PR: NR
19. Riverdale Ridge (Colo.)
Record: 26-3 | PR: 10
20. Columbine (Colo.)
Record: 22-5 | PR: 9
21. Arvada West (Colo.)
Record: 22-5 | PR: 18
22. North Linn (Iowa)
Record: 39-6 | PR: 21
23. Ankeny Centennial (Iowa)
Record: 36-5 | PR: 22
24. Millard North (Neb.)
Record: 28-6 | PR: 23
25. Regina Catholic (Iowa)
Record: 30-8 | | PR: 24
Dropped out: East Paulding (Ga.), Houston County (Ga.) and Williamsburg (Iowa).