LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Back-to-back Mississippi state champion Northwest Rankin is the new No. 1 team in the USA TODAY Sports/NFCA High School Super 25 following two playoff losses by Katy, who had been the top school for the past eight weeks.
The (34-0) Cougars completed their undefeated season on May 16 with a second-straight victory over Hernando in the Class 7A championship series. The final game was called due to weather after a delay with the Cougars leading 12-3 in the bottom of the sixth, and the trophy presentation was made on the team’s bus. Northwest Rankin allowed just 41 runs all season while scoring 324. The Cougars won the 6A title in 2023.
With most teams still active in the Super 25 winning, Katy (39-3-1) plummeted to No. 20 in the rankings after being swept by Kingwood in last week’s best-of-three Texas Class 6A regional final. The Tigers lost the first game 6-3 on Thursday and dropped the second contest 7-6 on Friday.
State titlists Calvary Baptist, Sterlington, Orange Beach and St. Anthony’s fill out the new top five. St. Anthony’s allowed one run combined in victories over St. Joseph’s by the Sea and St. Mary’s to win New York’s Catholic Class AA title — the Friars’ third straight crown — last Friday. The three others have been finished for several weeks.
Skyview (28-1-1) also fell significantly following its early ouster in the Washington state tournament, going from third to 13th after a 6-5 loss to eventual Class 4A runner-up Emerald Ridge in last Friday’s state quarterfinals. Jackson (26-2) moved up three spots to 12th after routing Emerald Ridge, 10-1, in the 4A final to claim a second straight state crown.
Austintown-Fitch (21-1) moved ahead of Walsh Jesuit this week after dealing the (22-1) Warriors their first loss, 8-2 last week in an Ohio Division I regional final. The Falcons play Fairfield in the state final four on Friday.
In the other Ohio Division I semi, No. 8 Anthony Wayne and No. 10 Watkins Memorial (both 30-1) face each other, with the potential of another Super 25 matchup for the state title on Saturday at Akron Firestone Stadium.
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 – May 30, 2024
1. Northwest Rankin (Miss.)
Record: 34-0 | PR: 2
2. Calvary Baptist (La.)
Record: 35-2 | PR: 4
3. Sterlington (La.)
Record: 33-1 | PR: 5
4. Orange Beach (Ala.)
Record: 46-1 | PR: 7
5. St. Anthony’s (N.Y.)
Record: 25-0 | PR: 9
6. Austintown-Fitch (Ohio)
Record: 21-1 | PR: 12
7. Walsh Jesuit (Ohio)
Record: 22-1 | PR: 8
8. Anthony Wayne (Ohio)
Record: 30-1 | PR: 10
9. Diamond (Mo.)
Record: 38-1 | PR: 11
10. Watkins Memorial (Ohio)
Record: 30-1 | PR: 13
11. Lake Central (Ind.)
Record: 31-1 | PR: 14
12. Jackson (Wash.)
Record: 26-2 | PR: 15
13. Skyview (Wash.)
Record: 28-1-1 | PR: 3
14. Saint Francis (Calif.)
Record: 28-1 | PR: 6
15. Mount St. Dominic (N.J.)
Record: 28-1 | PR: 18
16. Notre Dame (N.J.)
Record: 24-1 | PR: 19
17. Bartow (Fla.)
Record: 30-2 | PR: 16
18. Sheridan (Ark.)
Record: 29-2 | PR: 17
19. Pacifica (Calif.)
Record: 27-2 | PR: 20
20. Katy (Texas)
Record: 39-3-1 | PR: 1
21. Marist (Ill.)
Record: 33-3 | PR: 21
22. Oak Grove (N.C.)
Record: 24-3 | PR: 22
23. Shenendehowa (N.Y.)
Record: 16-3 | PR: 23
24. Owyhee (Utah)
Record: 25-4 | PR: 24
t-25. St. Thomas More (La.)
Record: 31-4-1 | PR: t-25
t-25. North DeSoto (La.)
Record: 31-5 | PR: t-25
Dropped out: none.
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