LOUISVILLE, Ky. — There were plenty of changes in this week’s NFCA Summer/Fall High School Top 25 Coaches Poll, but not at the top, as undefeated Buford continued rolling along.
The (15-0) Wolves won four more games to stay the big dog nationally for a fourth week this season, and seventh week overall dating back to last year. Buford, who just beat Mill Creek, 16-5, on the road on Wednesday, will play the Hawks again later today — this time at home.
The next two teams each moved up one spot after Caddo dropped back-to-back games last Friday at the Dale-Tecumseh Tournament. New No. 2 Gretna (18-1) avenged its loss earlier this season to Papillion-LaVista in the championship game of the NFCA Kaiti Williams Memorial Leadoff with a 4-1 victory over the No. 20 Monarchs in Monday’s Metro Conference final. Meanwhile, Holy Family (15-0) went 6-0 this past week to stay unbeaten and move up to No. 3.
Caddo (23-2) slipped two places to fourth after a pair of one-run losses to Purcell and Tecumseh, but managed to stay ahead of big movers Eaton (12th to fifth), Turner (ninth to sixth), Blue Springs South (13th to seventh) and Houston County (14th to eighth), who combined to go 14-0 over the past seven days.
Elsewhere, No. 14 Riverdale Ridge (12-2) returned to the rankings after a week’s absence. The Ravens’ only losses this season are to No. 3 Holy Family and fifth-ranked Eaton.
A pair of Nebraska schools — Lincoln East (15-2) at No. 15 and Millard North (12-4) at No. 19 — and Missouri’s Rock Bridge (12-4) at No. 21 round out the four new poll teams this week.
State rankings submitted by the 2023 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, strength of schedule, and active NFCA membership. Five states — Colorado, Georgia, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Missouri — play a fall fastpitch schedule, while Iowa recently completed its summer season.
NFCA Summer/Fall High School Top 25 Coaches Poll – Week 4
1. Buford (Ga.)
Record: 15-0 | PR: 1
2. Gretna (Neb.)
Record: 18-1 | PR: 3
3. Holy Family (Colo.)
Record: 15-0 | PR: 4
4. Caddo (Okla.)
Record: 23-2 | PR: 2
5. Eaton (Colo.)
Record: 11-1 | PR: 12
6. Turner (Okla.)
Record: 23-2 | PR: 9
7. Blue Springs South (Mo.)
Record: 11-2 | PR: 13
8. Houston County (Ga.)
Record: 13-2 | PR: 14
9. Columbine (Colo.)
Record: 13-3 | PR: 10
10. Owasso (Okla.)
Record: 23-1-1 | PR: 16
11. Washington (Mo.)
Record: 18-1-1 | PR: 17
12. Horizon (Colo.)
Record: 12-1 | PR: 6
13. East Paulding (Ga.)
Record: 15-3 | PR: 7
14. Riverdale Ridge (Colo.)
Record: 12-2 | PR: NR
15. Lincoln East (Neb.)
Record: 15-2 | PR: NR
16. Pope (Ga.)
Record: 13-3 | PR: 15
17. Moore (Okla.)
Record: 20-3 | PR: 19
18. Broken Arrow (Okla.)
Record: 22-3 | PR: 18
19. Millard North (Neb.)
Record: 12-4 | PR: NR
20. Papillion-LaVista (Neb.)
Record: 13-5 | PR: 20
21. Rock Bridge (Mo.)
Record: 12-4 | PR: NR
22. North Linn (Iowa)
Record: 39-6 | PR: 22
23. Ankeny Centennial (Iowa
Record: 36-5 | PR: 23
24. Regina Catholic (Iowa)
Record: 30-8 | | PR: 24
25. Williamsburg (Iowa)
Record: 36-9 | PR: 25
Dropped out: Erie (Colo.), Grandview (Colo.), Lone Grove (Okla.), Seward (Neb.)
