LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Lake Creek remained undefeated and atop the 2023 USA TODAY Sports/NFCA High School Super 25 for a 20th straight week.
The defending Texas state 5A champion (28-0) Lions got 14 strikeouts from Ava Brown and 14 hits from their offense in a 10-0 rout of College Station last Friday, then breezed past Montgomery, 12-3, on Tuesday. Lake Creek will be vying for its 70th consecutive victory later today when its hosts Magnolia West. Over the last three seasons, the Lions have won 107 of 109 games.
Second-ranked Roncalli (1-0-1) finally got its season started with a Keegan Rothrock perfect game in a 12-0 triumph over Terre Haute South on Monday. Reigning Gatorade National Softball Player of the Year Rothrock fanned 12 batters and helped herself at the plate with two hits and three RBI. She then followed that up with 13 strikeouts against Columbus North on Tuesday, in a game that was called with the score tied 3-3 after eight innings due to darkness.
No. 3 Benton (6-1) has remained idle since its 16-1 win over Hot Springs on March 14, and stayed put. The Panthers don’t return to the field until April 11 at El Dorado, but new No. 4 Los Alamitos (14-2) saw plenty of action, going 6-0 for the week and winning the prestigious Michelle Carew Classic.
Norco’s 2-0 loss to Huntington Beach in nine innings at the Carew dropped the (16-2) Cougars not only below Los Alamitos — who defeated Huntington Beach, 12-3 at the tournament — but also underneath a number of teams who continued to win this past week.
Elsewhere, Missouri’s Mount Vernon (14-1) finally broke into the rankings this week at No. 15 after adding four more victories to its ledger. The Mountaineers’ lone loss this season was to Diamond, the reigning Class 2 state champion.
State rankings submitted by the 2023 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 Softball Poll
|
Rank |
Team |
2023 Record |
Previous |
|
1 |
Lake Creek (Texas) |
28-0 |
1 |
|
2 |
Roncalli (Ind.) |
1-0-1 |
2 |
|
3 |
Benton (Ark.) |
6-1 |
3 |
|
4 |
Los Alamitos (Calif.) |
14-2 |
5 |
|
5 |
Neshoba Central (Miss.) |
17-2 |
6 |
|
6 |
Saint Francis (Calif.) |
9-1 |
7 |
|
7 |
Jackson (Wash.) |
10-0 |
8 |
|
8 |
Moorpark (Calif.) |
11-0 |
9 |
|
9 |
St. Amant (La.) |
26-1 |
10 |
|
10 |
Willow Canyon (Ariz.) |
18-0-1 |
11 |
|
11 |
Bentonville (Ark.) |
11-1 |
12 |
|
12 |
Watkins Memorial (Ohio) |
5-0 |
13 |
|
13 |
Rockridge (Ill.) |
7-0 |
14 |
|
14 |
Norco (Calif.) |
16-2 |
4 |
|
15 |
Mount Vernon (Mo.) |
14-1 |
NR |
|
16 |
Coral Springs Charter (Fla.) |
13-0-2 |
16 |
|
17 |
Salpointe Catholic (Ariz.) |
23-1 |
17 |
|
18 |
West Stanly (N.C.) |
13-1 |
18 |
|
19 |
Anthony Wayne (Ohio) |
1-0 |
19 |
|
20 |
Spanish Fork (Utah) |
6-1 |
20 |
|
21 |
Queen Creek (Ariz.) |
18-1-1 |
21 |
|
22 |
Bend (Ore.) |
6-2 |
22 |
|
23 |
Bingham (Utah) |
3-2 |
23 |
|
24 |
Immaculate Heart Academy (N.J.) |
2-0 |
24 |
|
25 |
Donovan Catholic (N.J.) |
3-0 |
25 |
Dropped out: North Augusta (S.C.).
State rankings submitted by the 2023 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.
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