High School Top 25 Poll

Fort Bend Elkins (Missouri City, Texas) remained unbeaten and atop the latest release of the USA Today/NFCA High School Top 25 Poll. 

The Knights, the top team in Texas Class 5A, defeated Willowridge 13-1 to improve to 22-0 on the campaign. Elkins faces Austin, Kemper and Hightower this week. 

Flowing Wells (Tucson, Ariz.) won three games by a combined score of 33-0 last week to improve to 8-1. Their only loss came two weeks ago to Fort Bend Elkins in the Tournament of Champions hosted by Mohave (Bullhead City, Ariz.) High School. 

Hillcrest (Simpsonville, S.C.) improved its winning streak to 86 games and moved up one spot to No. 3 in the poll. Bartow (Fla.), who finished the 2003 season ranked No. 1, is fourth. The Yellowjackets are 11-0 on the season. 

Cactus (Glendale, Ariz.) was idle last week due to Arizona spring break, but moved up two spots to fifth. Norco (Calif.) moved up eight spots to No. 6 and was followed by Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), La Porte (Texas), Santiago (Corona, Calif.) and Pacifica (Garden Grove, Calif.). 

St. Amant (La.) moved up one spot to 11th after going 4-0-1 last week. Clovis (Calif.) fell six spots after dropping a 1-0 decision to Edison. Palm Beach (Fla.) Gardens, St. Thomas Aquinas (Melbourne, Fla.) and Notre Dame (Salinas, Calif.) round out the top 15. 

Three of the next four ranked teams are new to the poll. Garland (Texas) debuts at No. 16 after a 9-1 start. Baker (Mobile, Ala.) jumped up two spots to 17th despite dropping their first game of the year to cross-bay rival Daphne. The Honeybees are 36-1 on the season, and have won 46 of their last 47 games. 

A pair of Florida teams debut at 18th and 19th. Cocoa and Escambia (Pensacola) are both off to undefeated starts at 10-0 and 11-0, respectively. 

Centennial (Peoria, Ariz.) moved up three spots to 20th while Miami Palmetto returns to the top 25 at 21st. Owensboro Catholic remained 22nd and Central Cabbarus (Concord, N.C.) jumped two spots to 23rd after knocking off the two-time defending state champs Hopewell. 

Brighton (Mich.) begins their season this week ranked 24th in the nation. Hanford (Richland, Wash.) debuts at 25th in the poll after a 3-0 start. 

A pair of games featuring two nationally-ranked games highlight this week's schedule. No. 6 Norco faces No. 9 Santiago and third-ranked Hillcrest steps out-of-state to face No. 23 Central Cabbarus.