LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Eight-time reigning Mississippi state Class 5A champion Neshoba Central won two games this past week to remain the top team in the 2022 USA TODAY Sports/NFCA High School Super 25 for an 13th straight week, dating to April 8, 2021.
The (6-0) Rockets beat East Webster, 8-5, last Thursday — which snapped their streak of five straight games with at least 16 runs scored — then returned to scoring form in a 13-1 rout of Leake Central last Friday. Neshoba plays one-loss Northwest Rankin (8-1) on Saturday.
The teams below them in an unchanged top five continued to win also, going a combined 11-0 since last week’s first ranking. No. 2 Lakewood Ranch (9-0) won twice, while No. 3 Lake Creek (19-0) added four victories, fourth-ranked West Monroe (12-0) had three, and No. 5 Clovis North (6-0) recorded two.
California’s unbeaten South (11-0) joins the poll at No. 6, while Park Vista (5-0), John Curtis (19-1), Byrnes (4-0) and Roncalli (0-0) round out the top 10.
No. 11 Riverton (7-0) and No. 25 Owosso (0-0) are the two other newcomers this week.
State rankings submitted by the 2022 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 – March 17, 2022
Rank |
Team |
2022 Record |
Previous |
1 |
Neshoba Central (Miss.) |
6-0 |
1 |
2 |
Lakewood Ranch (Fla.) |
9-0 |
2 |
3 |
Lake Creek (Texas) |
19-0 |
3 |
4 |
West Monroe (La.) |
12-0 |
4 |
5 |
Clovis North (Calif.) |
6-0 |
5 |
6 |
South (Calif.) |
11-0 |
NR |
7 |
Park Vista (Fla.) |
5-0 |
8 |
8 |
John Curtis (La.) |
19-1 |
6 |
9 |
Byrnes (S.C.) |
4-0 |
11 |
10 |
Roncalli (Ind.) |
0-0 |
12 |
11 |
Riverton (Utah) |
7-0 |
NR |
12 |
Deer Park (Texas) |
22-2 |
14 |
13 |
Hewitt-Trussville (Ala.) |
12-2-1 |
15 |
14 |
Xavier College Prep (Ariz.) |
10-2 |
10 |
15 |
Willow Canyon (Ariz.) |
13-2 |
13 |
16 |
New Palestine (Ind.) |
0-0 |
16 |
17 |
Marist (Ill.) |
0-0 |
17 |
18 |
Bentonville (Ark.) |
4-0 |
18 |
19 |
South Caldwell (N.C.) |
2-0 |
19 |
20 |
Lakota West (Ohio) |
0-0 |
20 |
21 |
Alexander Central (N.C.) |
7-0 |
22 |
22 |
Keystone (Ohio) |
0-0 |
21 |
23 |
Donovan Catholic (N.J.) |
0-0 |
23 |
24 |
Lexington (S.C.) |
4-0 |
25 |
25 |
Owosso (Mich.) |
0-0 |
NR |
Dropped out: Beaumont (Calif.), Georgetown (Texas) and Southern Alamance (N.C.).
State rankings submitted by the 2022 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.