LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Top-ranked Katy swept its playoff series to continue as the leader in the USA TODAY Sports/NFCA High School Super 25 for a fifth week.
The (34-1-1) Tigers roared past Fort Bend Dulles 10-0 and 14-0 late last week in their best-of-three Texas Class 6A bi-district matchup, and will face Cesar E. Chavez in a playoff series starting today.
Similarly, No. 2 Northwest Rankin blanked Harrison Central, 2-0 and 4-0, in the first round of the Mississippi state tournament to remain unbeaten. The (28-0) Cougars open a best-of-three Class 7A playoff series against D’Iberville on Friday.
Third-ranked Jackson (17-1) scored two more victories as the Washington state regular season is winding down, while No. 4 Calvary Baptist (35-2) and No. 5 Sterlington (33-1) both captured Louisiana state championships last Saturday. It was the fourth straight title for Calvary Baptist.
Unbeaten Saint Francis (21-0) stayed put in the No. 6 spot after posting three more victories.
Alabama’s Orange Beach jumped from 11th to seventh this week, after routing Mobile Christian by a combined 21-0 in the two games of its best-of-three playoff series. The (39-1) Makos have now won 21 straight games at home dating back to last season.
No. 8 Lake Central (24-0) moved up two places, while No. 9 Shenendehowa (13-1) cracked the top 10 just one week after joining the rankings. Poll newcomer Walsh Jesuit (15-0) is the No. 10 team, fresh off its 1-0 victory over then-No. 8 Anthony Wayne last Saturday.
Ohio teams occupy the No. 10 through 13 spots, with little to separate them from each other. A fifth school from the state, Lancaster (20-2), is the 17th-ranked team.
New Jersey’s Mount St. Dominic (14-1) is the other team making its debut, entering the Super 25 at No. 21. The Lions have won 12 straight since a 1-0 loss to St. Thomas Aquinas on April 6.
The No. 25-ranked duo of St. Thomas More (31-4-1) and North DeSoto (31-5) both lost deep in their respective Louisiana state tournaments. St. Thomas More dropped a 3-2 heartbreaker in the Division I select semis to eventual state champion Archbishop Chapelle, while North DeSoto lost 9-4 in the Division II non-select final to Lutcher, snapping a run of three straight state titles for the Griffins.
State rankings submitted by the 2024 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 and strength of schedule.
USA TODAY Sports/NFCA High School Super 25 Poll
May 2, 2024
|
Rank |
Team |
2024 Record |
Previous |
|
1 |
Katy (Texas) |
34-1-1 |
1 |
|
2 |
Northwest Rankin (Miss.) |
28-0 |
2 |
|
3 |
Jackson (Wash.) |
17-1 |
3 |
|
4 |
Calvary Baptist (La.) |
35-2 |
4 |
|
5 |
Sterlington (La.) |
33-1 |
5 |
|
6 |
Saint Francis (Calif.) |
21-0 |
6 |
|
7 |
Orange Beach (Ala.) |
39-1 |
11 |
|
8 |
Lake Central (Ind.) |
24-0 |
10 |
|
9 |
Shenendehowa (N.Y.) |
13-1 |
12 |
|
10 |
Walsh Jesuit (Ohio) |
15-0 |
NR |
|
11 |
Austintown-Fitch (Ohio) |
14-1 |
16 |
|
12 |
Watkins Memorial (Ohio) |
23-0 |
7 |
|
13 |
Anthony Wayne (Ohio) |
17-1 |
8 |
|
14 |
Oak Grove (N.C.) |
21-1 |
13 |
|
15 |
St. Anthony’s (N.Y.) |
12-0 |
14 |
|
16 |
Diamond (Mo.) |
32-1 |
9 |
|
17 |
Lancaster (Ohio) |
20-2 |
15 |
|
18 |
Bartow (Fla.) |
25-1 |
17 |
|
19 |
Owyhee (Idaho) |
17-2 |
18 |
|
20 |
Sheridan (Ark.) |
24-2 |
19 |
|
21 |
Mount St. Dominic (N.J.) |
14-1 |
NR |
|
22 |
Notre Dame (N.J.) |
15-1 |
20 |
|
23 |
Roncalli (Ind.) |
16-1 |
23 |
|
24 |
Pacifica (Calif.) |
23-2 |
21 |
|
T25 |
St. Thomas More (La.) |
31-4-1 |
22 |
|
T25 |
North DeSoto (La.) |
31-5 |
T25 |
Dropped out: Bingham (Utah) and Marist (Ill.).
2024 NFCA High School Steering Committee
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