LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Unbeaten Buford won three more games this week to strength its position as the No. 1 team in the NFCA Summer/Fall High School Top 25 Coaches Poll.
The (11-0) Wolves allowed just one run combined while scoring 31 in victories over Central Gwinnett, Collins Hill and Wesleyan. The top team in the rankings for a third week this season — and sixth consecutive poll dating back to last year — has Dakula up next later today.
The next two teams swapped places, with still-perfect Caddo (19-0) leapfrogging Gretna (13-1) for the second slot. The Dragons’ only loss in a 6-1 week came Saturday to new No. 20 Papillion-LaVista (9-4) in the final of the NFCA Kaiti Williams Memorial Leadoff Classic. Caddo, meanwhile, added six more victories to its season ledger.
Holy Family (9-0), Seward (8-0), Horizon (10-0) and East Paulding (13-1) all gained one place, ahead of unbeaten poll newcomer Grandview (5-0), Turner (17-2) and Columbine (9-1) in the top 10.
Perennial Missouri powers Blue Springs South (7-2) and Washington (9-1-1) are the other two teams making their 2023 ranking debuts, at Nos. 13 and 17, respectively.
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 – Sept. 7, 2023
|
Rank |
Team |
2023 Record |
Previous |
|
1 |
Buford (Ga.) |
11-0 |
1 |
|
2 |
Caddo (Okla.) |
19-0 |
3 |
|
3 |
Gretna (Neb.) |
13-1 |
2 |
|
4 |
Holy Family (Colo.) |
9-0 |
5 |
|
5 |
Seward (Neb.) |
8-0 |
6 |
|
6 |
Horizon (Colo.) |
10-0 |
7 |
|
7 |
East Paulding (Ga.) |
13-1 |
8 |
|
8 |
Grandview (Colo.) |
5-0 |
NR |
|
9 |
Turner (Okla.) |
17-2 |
9 |
|
10 |
Columbine (Colo.) |
9-1 |
4 |
|
11 |
Erie (Colo.) |
8-2 |
10 |
|
12 |
Eaton (Colo.) |
8-1 |
11 |
|
13 |
Blue Springs South (Mo.) |
7-2 |
NR |
|
14 |
Houston County (Ga.) |
12-2 |
14 |
|
15 |
Pope (Ga.) |
13-2 |
15 |
|
16 |
Owasso (Okla.) |
20-2-1 |
16 |
|
17 |
Washington (Mo.) |
9-1-1 |
NR |
|
18 |
Broken Arrow (Okla.) |
17-2 |
18 |
|
19 |
Moore (Okla.) |
16-2 |
20 |
|
20 |
Papillion-LaVista (Neb.) |
9-4 |
NR |
|
21 |
Lone Grove (Okla.) |
17-5 |
21 |
|
22 |
North Linn (Iowa) |
39-6 |
22 |
|
23 |
Ankeny Centennial (Iowa) |
36-5 |
23 |
|
24 |
Regina Catholic (Iowa) |
30-8 |
24 |
|
25 |
Williamsburg (Iowa) |
36-9 |
25 |
Dropped out: Lincoln Southwest (Neb.), Lincoln East (Neb.), Millard West (Neb.) and Riverdale Ridge (Colo.).
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.
Celebrating 40 years in 2023, the NFCA 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.
Learn more about the NFCA and consider joining our lineup of over 6,500 members today!
