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State champ Neshoba holds strong at the top
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Another year, another state title for Neshoba Central.
The top-ranked (32-0) Rockets capped their run to an eighth straight Mississippi Class 5A crown with the second of two victories over East Central, 14-0, last Friday. Neshoba opened the best-of-three championship series with a 7-3 victory last Thursday. The No. 1 team in the USA TODAY Sports/NFCA High School Super 25 heads into the offseason having won 39 consecutive games.
Second-ranked Lake Creek (37-0) rolled to a 16-0 triumph in last Friday’s Texas 5A playoff showdown with Magnolia West, and will face Crosby tonight. No. 3 Hewitt-Trussville topped Baker, 5-4, this morning, and will face the winner of the Hoover-Sparkman matchup at 1:30 p.m. today, then potentially play another contest at 5 p.m. to set up Friday’s Alabama state 7A championship.
In that 5 p.m. contest, Hewitt-Trussville could face No. 19 Bob Jones (35-4), who blanked Thompson, 5-0, this morning, and will play the winner of the earlier Fairhope-Vestavia Hills matchup at 1:30 p.m.
Meanwhile, No. 4 Lakewood Ranch (28-2) competes in its third straight Florida 7A final four on Friday against Palmetto Bay, after dispatching West Orange, 7-2, in their regional final last Friday. Park Vista (28-0), Leander (34-1) and Clear Springs (28-0) all advanced in their respective state tournament brackets to remain fifth through seventh this week.
Crown Point (26-3) dropped one spot, to 22nd, following last Thursday’s 7-2 ranked loss to Marist (24-1), who subsequently lost 2-1 to Lake Central on Monday to fall one place themselves to No. 12.
Elsewhere, No. 25 Trenton (20-1) beat Jay, 5-4, on Wednesday to capture the Florida Class 1A state championship.
State rankings submitted by NFCA member coaches 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. In 2021, schools that are not competing will not be eligible for the poll.
USA TODAY Sports/NFCA High School Super 25 Poll – May 20, 2021
Rank | Team | 2021 Record | Previous Ranking
1. Neshoba Central (Miss.): 32-0 – PR: 1
2. Lake Creek (Texas): 37-0 – PR: 2
3. Hewitt-Trussville (Ala.): 45-2-1 – PR: 3
4. Lakewood Ranch (Fla.): 28-2 – PR: 4
5. Park Vista (Fla.): 28-0 – PR: 5
6. Leander (Texas): 34-1 – PR: 6
7. Clear Springs (Texas): 28-0 – PR: 7
8. Barbe (La.): 31-2 – PR: 8
9. Norco (Calif.): 20-1 – PR: 9
10. New Palestine (Ind.): 25-0 – PR: 12
11. St. Amant (La.): 25-3 – PR: 10
12. Marist (Ill.): 24-1 – PR: 11
13. Keystone (Ohio): 28-1 – PR: 13
14. Byrnes (S.C.): 27-1 – PR: 14
15. Rocky Mountain (Idaho): 21-1 – PR: 15
16. Lakota West (Ohio): 27-1 – PR: 16
17. Roncalli (Ind.): 22-2 – PR: 17
18. South Warren (Ky.): 26-1 – PR: 18
19. Bob Jones (Ala.): 35-4 – PR: 19
20. Barbers Hill (Texas): 34-2 – PR: 20
21. Masuk (Conn.): 16-0 – PR: 22
22. Crown Point (Ind.): 26-3 – PR: 21
23. San Antonio Warren (Texas): 25-2 – PR: 23
24. Winnacunnet (N.H.): 4-0 – PR: 24
25. Trenton (Fla.): 20-1 – PR: 25
Dropped out: None