LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Undefeated Lake Creek swept its Texas playoff series to remain No. 1 for a 24th straight week, and everyone else kept pace in an unchanged 2023 USA TODAY Sports/NFCA High School Super 25.
The defending state champion (36-0) Lions kicked Shoemaker, 12-0 and 11-1, last Friday to claim their bi-district playoff series. A best-of-three area playoff series against Elgin starts tomorrow.
Meanwhile, just one team in the entire Super 25 lost over the last week, and that loss came in extra innings to an undefeated team.
Two-time reigning Gatorade National Player of the Year Keegan Rothrock struck out 13 and had four hits, including a home run, as fourth-ranked Roncalli (14-2-1) breezed past New Palestine, 13-4, on Wednesday. Rothrock had a perfect game against Martinsville last Wednesday, during which she fanned 11 of the 15 batters she faced.
No. 10 St. Amant (34-2) was the first team in the rankings to claim a state championship in 2023, winning its second straight crown and third in the past four years. The Gators defeated West Monroe — which they beat in the final last season — in Friday’s semis, 13-1, and then topped Sam Houston, 4-0, for the Division I non-select title on Saturday.
Elsewhere, defending Kentucky state champion Ballard (22-0) kept rolling, extending its win streak to 61 games with a 4-2 victory over Green County on Wednesday to stay put in the 11th spot.
No. 20 Donovan Catholic (16-1) didn’t move in the rankings after Wednesday’s 3-0 loss to Notre Dame in eight innings. Julia Apostolakos was her usual stellar self, fanning 12 batters and allowing just one hit through the first seven innings. But Rylee Michalak was a wee bit better for the (13-0) Irish, striking out 16. And after Notre Dame had gone ahead, 1-0, in the top of the eighth, Madelena Creo made sure the game was out of reach with a two-run homer.
State rankings submitted by the 2023 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 – May 4, 2023
1. Lake Creek (Texas)
Record: 36-0 | PR: 1
2. Willow Canyon (Ariz.)
Record: 28-0-1 | PR: 2
3. Bentonville (Ark.)
Record: 27-1 | PR: 3
4. Roncalli (Ind.)
Record: 14-2-1 | PR: 4
5. Jackson (Wash.)
Record: 17-1 | PR: 5
6. Los Alamitos (Calif.)
Record: 24-3 | PR: 6
7. Neshoba Central (Miss.)
Record: 22-3 | PR: 7
8. Moorpark (Calif.)
Record: 18-1 | PR: 8
9. Watkins Memorial (Ohio)
Record: 19-0 | PR: 9
10. St. Amant (La.)
Record: 34-2 | PR: 10
11. Ballard (Ky.)
Record: 22-0 | PR: 11
12. Springfield (Holland, Ohio)
Record: 19-0 | PR: 12
13. Rockridge (Ill.)
Record: 21-1 | PR: 13
14. Saint Francis (Calif.)
Record: 21-2 | PR: 14
15. Coral Springs Charter (Fla.)
Record: 23-0-2 | PR: 15
16. Mount Vernon (Mo.)
Record: 29-1 | PR: 16
17. Anthony Wayne (Ohio)
Record: 16-1 | PR: 17
18. Salpointe Catholic (Ariz.)
Record: 32-1 | PR: 18
19. West Stanly (N.C.)
Record: 22-1 | PR: 19
20. Donovan Catholic (N.J.)
Record: 16-1 | PR: 20
21. Queen Creek (Ariz.)
Record: 28-1-1 | PR: 21
22. Benton (Ark.)
Record: 21-4 | PR: 22
23. Norco (Calif.)
Record: 24-3 | PR: 23
24. Spanish Fork (Utah)
Record: 20-2 | PR: 24
25. Bend (Ore.)
Record: 19-2 | PR: 25
Dropped out: None.
Celebrating 40 years in 2023, the NFCA (National Fastpitch Coaches Association) is the professional organization for fastpitch softball coaches. Known for its vast library of digital education, the NFCA also educates and supports softball coaches on a variety of different levels: from podcasts to an extensive Awards & Scholarships platform, to NFCA Webinars and a National Convention.