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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Richard Suter

2024 USA TODAY Sports/NFCA High School Super 25 softball rankings: Week 9

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

1. Katy (Texas)

Record: 34-1-1 | PR: 1

2. Northwest Rankin (Miss.)

Record: 28-0 | PR: 2

3. Jackson (Wash.)

Record: 17-1 | PR: 3

4. Calvary Baptist (La.)

Record: 35-2 | PR: 4

5. Sterlington (La.)

Record: 33-1 | PR: 5

6. Saint Francis (Calif.)

Record: 21-0 | PR: 8

7. Orange Beach (Ala.)

Record: 39-1 | PR: 11

8. Lake Central (Ind.)

Record: 24-0 | PR: 10

9. Shenendehowa (N.Y.)

Record: 13-1 | PR: 12

10. Walsh Jesuit (Ohio)

Record: 15-0 | PR: NR

11. Austintown-Fitch (Ohio)

Record: 14-1 | PR: 16

12. Watkins Memorial (Ohio)

Record: 23-0 | PR: 7

13. Anthony Wayne (Ohio)

Record: 17-1 | PR: 8

14. Oak Grove (N.C.)

Record: 21-1 | PR: 13

15. St. Anthony’s (N.Y.)

Record: 12-0 | PR: 14

16. Diamond (Mo.)

Record: 32-1 | PR: 9

17. Lancaster (Ohio)

Record: 20-2 | PR: 15

18. Bartow (Fla.)

Record: 25-1 | PR: 17

19. Owyhee (Utah)

Record: 17-2 | PR: 18

20. Sheridan (Ark.)

Record: 24-2 | PR: 19

21. Mount St. Dominic (N.J.)

Record: 14-1 | PR: NR

22. Notre Dame (N.J.)

Record: 15-1 | PR: 21

23. Roncalli (Ind.)

Record: 16-1 | PR: 23

24. Pacifica (Calif.)

Record: 23-2 | PR: 21

t-25. St. Thomas More (La.)

Record: 31-4-1 | PR: 22

t-25. North DeSoto (La.)

Record: 31-5 | PR: t-25

Dropped out: Bingham (Utah) and Marist (Ill.).

About the NFCA:

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!

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