Blair Academy remains #1 high school wrestling team in the national in latest Win Magazine rankings

by Jeff Fisher
Host, NHSCA Sports Hour
Follow @NHSCARadioShow

Blair Academy from Blairstown, New Jersey had quite a month of January with impressive dual meet victories over nationally-ranked Graham (St. Paris, Ohio), Perry (Massillon, Ohio) and Wyoming Seminary (Kingston, Pennsylvania).  The narrow 27-24 win over Sem came in the gold medal match at the NHSCA Final Four Wrestling Festival in York, Pennsylvania on January 11th.  

Those three victories solidified the Bucs at the top of the latest Win Magazine national high school wrestling rankings.  Blair's win moved former #2 Graham down three spots, while Perry moves up one spot to #9.  On the other hand, Wyoming Seminary's narrow loss moves them up three to #6.

Three are four new teams in the latest rankings: Broken Arrow (Oklahoma) at #12, Kaukauna (Wisconsin) at #15, Bettendorf (Iowa) at #16 and Bethlehem Catholic (Pennsylvania) at #23.

Win Magazine Top 25
…rankings through January 26, 2014

1. Blair Academy (New Jersey)
2. Apple Valley (Minnesota)
3. Oak Park-River Forest (Illinois)
4. Clovis (California)
5. Graham (Ohio)
6. Wyoming Seminary (Pennsylvania)
7. Bergen Catholic (New Jersey)
8. Archer (Georgia)
9. Perry (Ohio)
10. Franklin Regional (Pennsylvania)
11. Brandon (Florida)
12. Broken Arrow (Oklahoma)
13. Stillwater (Oklahoma)
14. Montini Catholic (Illinois)
15. Kaukauna (Wisconsin)
16. Bettendorf (Iowa)
17. Marist (Illinois)
18. Lowell (Michigan)
19. Edmond North (Oklahoma)
20. Buchanan (California)
21. St. Peter's Prep (New Jersey)
22. Bound Brook (New Jersey)
23. Bethlehem Catholic (Pennsylvania)
24. Poway (California)
25. St. Edward (Ohio)

Teams announced for 2014 National High School Invitation baseball tournament

by Jeff Fisher
Host, NHSCA Sports Hour
Follow @NHSCARadioShow

With so much cold weather keeping a lot of the country in the deep freeze, it's never too early to think baseball to warm-up.

USA Baseball has announced the sixteen teams that will take part in the 3rd annual National HIgh School Invitation that will be played in Carey, North Carolina March 26th through the 29th.

Two-time defending champ Mater Dei from Santa Ana, California will not be back to defend it's title at this tournament that is considered the best in America. This year's field will feature teams from Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee.

Here are the team that are entered:

Aliso Niguel (California)
Bishop Verot (Florida)
Clovis (California)
Coral Springs Christian (Florida)
Dyer County (Tennessee)
Gainesville (Georgia)
Huntsville (Alabama)
Milton (Georgia)
Mountain Pointe (Arizona)
Orange Lutheran (California)
Parkview (Georgia)
Regis Jesuit (Colorado)
Roberson (North Carolina)
The First Academy (Florida)
ThunderRidge (Colorado)
Venice (Florida)

Mater Dei moves to #1 in latest MaxPreps Boys' Basketball Top 25

by Jeff Fisher
Host, NHSCA Sports Hour
Follow @NHSCARadioShow

There's a new #1 in the latest MaxPreps.com boys' basketball rankings.

Mater Dei (Santa Ana, California) moves up one spot after last week's top dog Montverde Academy (Florida) lost to Curie High School (Chicago) in the Spalding Hoop Classic Monday 73-69.  That victory for the Condors moved Curie up five spots to #3.

MaxPreps' Xcellent 25

1. (2) Mater Dei (CA) 19-0
2. (5) Ranier Beach (WA) 15-0
3. (8) Curie (IL) 16-1
4. (1) Montverde Academy (FL) 18-1
5. (4) White Station (TN) 16-1
6. (6) Northside Christian Academy (NC) 18-1
7. (7) Arsenal Technical (IN) 13-1
8. (11) Paul VI (VA) 16-3
9. (13) Providence (FL) 19-3
10. (15) La Lumiere (IN) 15-2
11. (3) Oak Hill Academy (VA) 23-2
12. (9) Our Savior New American (NY) 13-2
13 (16) Greater Atlanta Christian (GA) 19-0
14. (18) Findlay Prep (NV) 21-3
15. (19) Corona del Sol (AZ) 18-1
16. (20) Apple Valley (MN) 15-1
17. (22) Loyola (CA) 16-1
18. (21) Archbishop Carroll (PA) 12-2
19. (23) Whitney Young (IL) 12-4
20. (25) Huntington St. Joseph Prep (WV) 17-4
21. (NR) St. John's (DC) 13-1
22. (NR) DeMatha (MD) 15-1
23. (NR) Blue Valley Northwest (KS) 6-1
24. (NR) Cape Henry Collegiate (VA) 12-0
25. (NR) Garfield (WA) 14-0