LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Unbeaten Neshoba Central won five more games to extend its run atop the USA TODAY Sports/NFCA High School Super 25 poll to 10 consecutive weeks.
The (9-0) Rockets are led by Mississippi State-bound senior pitcher Aspen Wesley, the three-time reigning Gatorade Mississippi Player of the Year. Neshoba defeated then-No. 5 Fairhope, 2-0, on Saturday at the Jubilee Shootout in Alabama, dropping the previously-unbeaten (13-1) Pirates two spots to seventh this week.
The other three top teams remained unchanged. No. 2 James Madison doesn’t open defense of its two-straight Virginia state 6A titles until March 26, while third-ranked Norco (14-0) topped then-No. 19 Los Alamitos (8-2) in Saturday’s title game of the 32-team Dave Kops Tournament of Champions, and Texas’ Cedar Ridge (10-0) added two wins to stay fourth.
Back-to-back Kansas state 5A titlist Shawnee Heights (opening April 5) and Alabama’s Spain Park (13-1) both jumped ahead of Fairhope at Nos. 5 and 6, while two-time Indiana state champ New Palestine (opening April 2), Texas’ Forney (9-1) and poll newcomer Pinnacle (6-0) of Arizona round out the top 10. Since suffering their only loss — 4-2 to College Station on March 2 — the Jackrabbits have outscored their last four opponents by a combined 66-0.
California’s San Marcos was the lone team to drop out of the poll this week.
State rankings submitted by NFCA member coaches 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 – March 14, 2019
|
Rank |
Team |
2019 Record |
Previous |
|
1 |
Neshoba Central (Miss.) |
9-0 |
1 |
|
2 |
James Madison (Va.) |
0-0 |
2 |
|
3 |
Norco (Calif.) |
14-0 |
3 |
|
4 |
Cedar Ridge (Texas) |
10-0 |
4 |
|
5 |
Shawnee Heights (Kan.) |
0-0 |
7 |
|
6 |
Spain Park (Ala.) |
13-1 |
8 |
|
7 |
Fairhope (Ala.) |
13-1 |
5 |
|
8 |
New Palestine (Ind.) |
0-0 |
9 |
|
9 |
Forney (Texas) |
9-1 |
10 |
|
10 |
Pinnacle (Ariz.) |
6-0 |
NR |
|
11 |
Huntington Beach (Calif.) |
5-0 |
11 |
|
12 |
Foothill (Pleasanton, Calif.) |
4-0 |
12 |
|
13 |
Winter Springs (Fla.) |
9-0 |
13 |
|
14 |
Oakleaf (Fla.) |
7-1 |
6 |
|
15 |
Marist (Ill.) |
0-0 |
15 |
|
16 |
Olathe Northwest (Kan.) |
0-0 |
16 |
|
17 |
Center Grove (Ind.) |
0-0 |
17 |
|
18 |
Donovan Catholic (N.J.) |
0-0 |
18 |
|
19 |
Immaculate Heart Acad. (N.J.) |
0-0 |
20 |
|
20 |
Louisville Male (Ky.) |
0-0 |
21 |
|
21 |
Eagle (Idaho) |
4-1 |
22 |
|
22 |
Los Alamitos (Calif.) |
8-2 |
19 |
|
23 |
Wachusett Regional (Mass.) |
0-0 |
23 |
|
24 |
Orange Lutheran (Calif.) |
6-3-1 |
25 |
|
25 |
Hamilton (Ariz.) |
3-2 |
24 |
Dropped out: San Marcos (Calif.)
