LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Lake Creek capped a perfect season with its first state championship and remained atop the USA TODAY Sports/NFCA High School Super 25 for an 12th week.
The (41-0) Lions beat Rock Hill, 8-2, in last Friday’s Texas state 5A semis and then blanked Georgetown, 7-0, on junior Ava Brown’s one-hit shutout in Saturday’s title game.
No. 2 Roncalli (32-0) can claim a state crown of its own when it faces Harrison in Saturday’s Indiana Class 4A championship. The Royals defeated both Pendleton Heights and Shelbyville last Saturday to advance in the tournament.
Unbeaten schools Rockridge (35-0) and Monroe-Woodbury (24-0) moved up to the sixth and seventh spots, respectively, following Donovan Catholic’s shocking loss in the New Jersey Tournament of Champions. Rockridge repeated as the Illinois 2A titlist, becoming the first team in state history to compile consecutive perfect seasons. Monroe-Woodbury won its regional game and plays Lancaster in the New York state Class AA final four on Saturday.
Donovan Catholic (30-1), meanwhile, slipped to No. 8 after following up last Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Mount St. Dominic for a third-straight state Non-Public A title with a 6-1 loss to Haddon Heights on Wednesday. The defeat halted the Griffins’ 48-game win streak and stopped them two wins short of becoming the first New Jersey squad to finish a season unbeaten since 2014.
Elsewhere, No. 10 Oaks Christian (34-1) won its CIF SoCal Division I final, 6-5, over Roosevelt, 14th-ranked Eastern Alamance (28-2) beat North Buncombe in the best-of-three North Carolina state 3A championship, and No. 18 Lakota West (29-3) beat Springfield, 9-2, to capture its first Ohio state Division I title.
State rankings submitted by the 2022 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, strength of schedule, and active NFCA membership.
USA TODAY Sports/NFCA High School Super 25 Poll – June 9, 2022
1. Lake Creek (Texas)
Record: 41-0 | Previous Rank: 1
2. Roncalli (Ind.)
Record: 32-0 | Previous Rank: 2
3. Benton (Ark.)
Record: 32-0 | Previous Rank: 3
4. Riverton (Utah)
Record: 28-1 | Previous Rank: 4
5. Anthony Wayne (Ohio)
Record: 30-1 | Previous Rank: 5
6. Rockridge (Ill.)
Record: 33-0 | Previous Rank: 8
7. Monroe-Woodbury (N.Y.)
Record: 24-0 | Previous Rank: 9
8. Donovan Catholic (N.J.)
Record: 30-1 | Previous Rank: 7
9. Lakewood Ranch (Fla.)
Record: 30-2 | Previous Rank: 6
10. Oaks Christian (Calif.)
Record: 34-1 | Previous Rank: 10
11. Neshoba Central (Miss.)
Record: 31-3 | Previous Rank: 11
12. Clovis North (Calif.)
Record: 21-3 | Previous Rank: 12
13. North Augusta (S.C.)
Record: 33-2 | Previous Rank: 13
14. Eastern Alamance (N.C.)
Record: 28-2 | Previous Rank: 15
15. Concord (N.H.)
Record: 26-1 | Previous Rank: 18
16. Patterson Mill (Md.)
Record: 21-1 | Previous Rank: 16
17. Immaculate Heart Academy (N.J.)
Record: 27-2 | Previous Rank: 17
18. Lakota West (Ohio)
Record: 29-3 | Previous Rank: 25
19. Watkins Memorial (Ohio)
Record: 28-3 | Previous Rank: 14
20. Alexander Central (N.C.)
Record: 25-3 | Previous Rank: 19
21. Lexington (S.C.)
Record: 27-4 | Previous Rank: 21
22. New Palestine (Ind.)
Record: 23-4-1 | Previous Rank: 22
23. John Curtis (La.)
Record: 29-3 | Previous Rank: 23
24. Diamond (Mo.)
Record: 29-3 | Previous Rank: 24
25. Rosemount (Minn.)
Record: 21-4 | Previous Rank: 20
Dropped out:
None.
The NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) 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.