LOUISVILLE, Ky. — East Coweta is the new No. 1 team in the NFCA Summer/Fall High School Top 25 Coaches Poll this week after back-to-back Georgia state 7A champion Buford lost for the first time in nearly two years.
The (16-0) Indians gained two places in the rankings this week following a pair of lopsided victories over Trinity Christian and Campbell by a combined 24-1 margin to take the top spot from their fellow Georgia school. Oklahoma’s Pocola (14-0) and Nebraska’s Gretna (11-0) also leapfrogged Buford (10-1) in the poll, while Iowa 2A state champion Van Meter (43-1) remained fifth.
Before their 5-3 loss to unbeaten new-No. 9 Wesleyan (10-0) on Wednesday, Buford had won 49 straight games. The Wolves’ last loss before that was a 1-0 defeat to Lambert on Oct. 20, 2022 in the 7A Super Regionals.
This was three-time reigning state champion Wesleyan’s second victory over a ranked squad this season. The Wolves, who have won the past two Georgia state 3A crowns and captured the A Private title the year before that, rolled past then-No. 13 Pope, 12-1, on Aug. 8.
Perennial Missouri power Washington (4-3) tumbled 20 places in the poll this week, going from second to No. 22 following a strange start to its season, which saw the team lose three of its first seven contests despite scoring 71 runs over that span.
Five ranked teams will be competing in the third annual NFCA Kaiti Williams Leadoff Classic this Friday and Saturday in Nebraska, including Gretna, Blue Springs South (No. 12), Valor Christian (No. 14), Lincoln Southwest (No. 15) and defending tournament champion Papillion-LaVista (No. 17).
State rankings submitted by the 2024 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 and strength of schedule.
NFCA Summer/Fall High School Top 25 Coaches Poll - Sept. 5, 2024
|
Rank |
Team |
2024 Record |
Previous |
|
1 |
East Coweta (Ga.) |
16-0 |
3 |
|
2 |
Pocola (Okla.) |
14-0 |
4 |
|
3 |
Gretna (Neb.) |
11-0 |
6 |
|
4 |
Buford (Ga.) |
10-1 |
1 |
|
5 |
Van Meter (Iowa) |
43-1 |
5 |
|
6 |
North Cobb (Ga.) |
14-1 |
7 |
|
7 |
Broomfield (Colo.) |
12-0 |
8 |
|
8 |
Lutheran (Colo.) |
7-1 |
9 |
|
9 |
Wesleyan (Ga.) |
10-0 |
NR |
|
10 |
Pueblo Central (Colo.) |
8-0 |
10 |
|
11 |
Eaton (Colo.) |
7-0 |
12 |
|
12 |
Blue Springs South (Mo.) |
4-0 |
21 |
|
13 |
Piedmont (Okla.) |
9-1 |
14 |
|
14 |
Valor Christian (Colo.) |
8-1 |
NR |
|
15 |
Lincoln Southwest (Neb.) |
9-1 |
17 |
|
16 |
Owasso (Okla.) |
15-2 |
18 |
|
17 |
Papillion-LaVista (Neb.) |
7-2 |
15 |
|
18 |
Pope (Ga.) |
10-3 |
19 |
|
19 |
Dale (Okla.) |
14-1 |
NR |
|
20 |
Caddo (Okla.) |
10-2 |
11 |
|
21 |
Silver Creek (Colo.) |
5-2 |
16 |
|
22 |
Washington (Mo.) |
4-3 |
2 |
|
23 |
Pleasant Valley (Iowa) |
40-3 |
22 |
|
24 |
Raymore-Peculiar (Mo.) |
1-0 |
23 |
|
25 |
Helias Catholic (Mo.) |
1-0 |
24 |
Dropped out: Carlisle (Iowa), Francis Howell (Mo.) and Millard North (Neb.).
2024 NFCA High School Steering Committee
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 7,000 coaches today!
