LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Top-ranked Katy closed out another playoff series to continue as the No. 1 team in the USA TODAY Sports/NFCA High School Super 25 for an eighth consecutive week.
The (39-1-1) Tigers advanced to Saturday’s best-of-three Texas Class 6A regional final against Kingwood after sweeping Brazoswood in the semifinal round.
Meanwhile, No. 2 Northwest Rankin (34-0) captured its second straight Mississippi state title, winning the 7A crown last Thursday with an unconventional victory over Hernando. The game was called due to weather after a delay with the Cougars leading 12-3 in the bottom of the sixth, and the trophy presentation was made on the team’s bus. Northwest Rankin allowed just 41 runs all season while scoring 324. The Cougars won the 6A title in 2023.
Third-ranked Skyview (22-0-1) stayed unbeaten with a 4-0 week and plays Puyallup on Friday in the opening round of the Washington state 4A tournament. Sixth-ranked Saint Francis (26-0) stayed perfect with a 10-0 rout of Willow Glen to advance to Saturday’s California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Central Coast Section Open Division final against Archbishop Mitty.
Orange Beach (46-1), which wrapped up its fourth Alabama state title in four years as a varsity program before last week’s poll, bookended an unchanged first seven teams, which includes fellow state champs Calvary Baptist (35-2) and Sterlington (33-1), who had wrapped up their Louisiana titles back in April.
Undefeated Walsh Jesuit (22-0) and St. Anthony’s (23-0), and one-loss Anthony Wayne (29-1) round out the revised top 10.
Diamond (38-1) moved up three spots to No. 11 after capturing its second Missouri Class 2 state crown in the last three seasons on Tuesday, 8-5 over Kennett. No. 17 Sheridan (29-2) also improved three places after blanking Beebe 5-0 in the Arkansas 5A state final last Thursday.
No. 20 Pacifica (27-2) defeated Orange Lutheran 3-0 last Friday to run its win streak to 12 and claim the 2024 CIF Southern Section crown.
Marist (31-3) made its return to the Super 25 at No. 21 after three weeks on the sidelines, following a 4-3 victory over then-No. 8 Lake Central last Friday. The Red Hawks have won 12 of their last 13 and compiled two six-game win streaks over that stretch.
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 23, 2024
1. Katy (Texas)
Record: 39-1-1 | PR: 1
2. Northwest Rankin (Miss.)
Record: 34-0 | PR: 2
3. Skyview (Wash.)
Record: 22-0-1 | PR: 3
4. Calvary Baptist (La.)
Record: 35-2 | PR: 4
5. Sterlington (La.)
Record: 33-1 | PR: 5
6. Saint Francis (Calif.)
Record: 26-0 | PR: 6
7. Orange Beach (Ala.)
Record: 46-1 | PR: 7
8. Walsh Jesuit (Ohio)
Record: 22-0 | PR: 9
9. St. Anthony’s (N.Y.)
Record: 23-0 | PR: 11
10. Anthony Wayne (Ohio)
Record: 29-1 | PR: 13
11. Diamond (Mo.)
Record: 38-1 | PR: 14
12. Austintown-Fitch (Ohio)
Record: 20-1 | PR: 10
13. Watkins Memorial (Ohio)
Record: 29-1 | PR: 12
14. Lake Central (Ind.)
Record: 29-1 | PR: 8
15. Jackson (Wash.)
Record: 21-2 | PR: 16
16. Bartow (Fla.)
Record: 29-1 | PR: 17
17. Sheridan (Ark.)
Record: 29-2 | PR: 20
18. Mount St. Dominic (N.J.)
Record: 27-1 | PR: 21
19. Notre Dame (N.J.)
Record: 23-1 | PR: 22
20. Pacifica (Calif.)
Record: 27-2 | PR: 24
21. Marist (Ill.)
Record: 31-3 | PR: NR
22. Oak Grove (N.C.)
Record: 24-3 | PR: 18
23. Shenendehowa (N.Y.)
Record: 16-3 | PR: 15
24. Owyhee (Utah)
Record: 25-4 | PR: 19
t-25. St. Thomas More (La.)
Record: 31-4-1 | PR: t-25
t-25. North DeSoto (La.)
Record: 31-5 | PR: t-25
Dropped out: Thunder Ridge (Idaho).
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