NHSCA and USA TODAY High School Sports announce partnership for HS Wrestling Rankings

by Jeff Fisher
Host, NHSCA Sports Hour
Follow @NHSCARadioShow

Having helped the National High School Coaches Association with its radio show and media relations since 2010, I've very pleased to announce a HUGE partnership today.

I've engineered a partnership between USA TODAY High School Sports and the NHSCA to produce a Super 25 High School Wrestling Poll for the 2015-16 season.

We jointly released our preseason poll on Wednesday and beginning December 15th, we'll put-out weekly ratings on every Tuesday through the end of the season.

Below you can read the USA TODAY announcement on the partnership....

USA TODAY High School Sports and the National High School Coaches Association are teaming up to produce and promote Super 25 team rankings for scholastic wrestling.

To kick off this partnership, USA TODAY and the NHSCA are releasing the Super 25 Preseason Rankings for the 2015-16 season. The first regular season rankings will be released in mid-December. The content is available at usatodayhss.com.

"We are excited to partner with USA TODAY High School Sports to produce a national high school wrestling poll," said Bobby Ferraro, executive director of the National High School Coaches Association.  "To do the Top 25 in conjunction with the nation's leading producer of high school sports content will mean a lot for the sport of high school wrestling.  Our National Top 25 is a perfect complement to our individual national championships that we've been conducting for over a quarter of a century."

Said Josh Barnett, director of content for USA TODAY High School Sports: “We are excited to be working with the National High School Coaches Association. With nearly 11,000 schools nationwide with wrestling teams and more than 250,000 athletes participating, we feel like the addition of wrestling is an important step in expanding our overall Super 25 content. We are eager to provide more content for the dedicated wrestlers and coaches and passionate fans of high school wrestling.”

With the addition of wrestling, the Super 25 expands to 11 sports (six boys and five girls), a growth from four sports in the 2013-14 academic year. USA TODAY High School Sports has added boys and girls soccer and field hockey this fall.

 
About USA TODAY High School Sports
USA TODAY High School Sports is the leading destination for high school sports news and information, providing nationwide coverage and aligning locally with USA TODAY Sports and Gannett properties in various markets across the country. USATHSS is home to the Super 25 national rankings and the American Family Insurance ALL-USA Teams for boys and girls sports, both serving for more than 30 years as the leading platforms for determining the best teams, and the best athletes, in scholastic sports. USATODAY HSS also is the official media partner for the Gatorade Athlete and Player of the Year programs.

High School Football America Top 25 (Week 10)

By Jeff Fisher

Follow @HSFBamerica

 

This is the last week of the regular season for the 2013 high school football season, so it’s a good time to look back and see how we did since August 5^th when we released our Preseason Top 25.

 

All-in-all, not too bad with 12 of the original Top 25 still being in the latest rankings.  Allen (Texas), our preseason #1 is still at the top of it all.  Booker T. Washington (Florida), which began the season #6, is just a hair behind the Eagles.  If you take a look at the preseason Top 10, six of the teams are still there – Allen (Pre-Season #1), De La Salle (PS #2), Booker T. Washington (PS #6), Katy (PS #7), Miami Central (PS #8) and St. John Bosco (PS #9).

 

Here’s a look at how the 13 teams that fell out of the Preseason Top 25 have made out so far:

 

#3 John Curtis (Louisiana) 6-2

#4 Norcross (Georgia) 7-2

#5 Corona Centennial (California) 7-2

#11 DeMatha (Maryland) 9-1

#12 Paramus Catholic (New Jersey) 6-2

#13 Bishop Gorman (Nevada) 8-2

#14 St. Thomas Aquinas (Florida) 8-1

#15 Long Beach Poly (California) 8-1

#16 Good Counsel (Maryland) 6-4

#17 Ensworth (Tennessee) 8-1

#21 North Allegheny (Pennsylvania) 7-3

#23 Highlands (Kentucky) 9-1

#25 Sandy Creek (Georgia) 8-0-1

 

As far as the latest poll, only a small change as #16 Ensworth (Tennessee) saw its 29-game win streak come to a close at the hands of Brentwood Academy (Tennessee).  Entering the poll at #25 is Southlake Carroll (Texas), which is a perfect 8-0 after a season opening loss to top-ranked Allen.

 

High School Football America Top 25

 

1. (1) Allen (Texas)

Overall Record: 9-0

Rewind: defeated McKinney (Texas) 56-7

Fast Forward: Friday, Plano (Texas)

 

2. (2) Booker T. Washington (Florida)

Overall: 10-0

Rewind: defeated Edison (Florida) 62-0

Fast Forward: November 15th, Glades Central (Florida) – 4A playoffs

 

3. (3) Katy (Texas)

Overall Record: 9-0

Rewind: defeated Cinco Ranch (Texas) 40-7

Fast Forward: Friday, Memorial (Houston, Texas)

 

4. (4) Colerain (Ohio)

Overall Record: 10-0

Rewind: defeated Oak Hills (Ohio) 29-17

Fast Forward: Saturday, Springboro (Ohio) – Division I playoffs

 

5. (5) DeSoto (Texas)

Overall: 9-0

Rewind: defeated Grand Prairie (Texas) 67-7

Fast Forward: Thursday, Mansfield (Texas)

 

6. (6) De La Salle (California)

Overall Record: 9-0

Rewind: defeated Monte Vista (California) 35-7

Fast Forward: Saturday, California (San Ramon, California)

 

7. (7) Miami Central (Florida)

Overall Record: 7-1

Rewind: Idle

Fast Forward: November 15, Boynton Beach (Florida) – 6A playoffs

 

8. (8) St. John Bosco (California)

Overall Record: 9-0

Rewind: defeated Mater Dei (California) 24-2

Fast Forward: Friday, Servite (California)

 

9. (9) St. Joseph Regional (New Jersey)

Overall Record: 7-0

Rewind: defeated DePaul (New Jersey) 38-14

Fast Forward: Saturday, Ramapo (New Jersey)

 

10. (10) Hoover (Alabama)

Overall: 9-0

Rewind: defeated Opelika (Alabama) 29-7

Fast Forward: Friday, Huntsville (Alabama) – 6A playoffs

 

11. (11) Northwestern (South Carolina)

Overall Record: 10-0

Rewind: defeated Nation Ford (South Carolina) 63-18

Fast Forward: Friday, Rock Hill (South Carolina)

 

12. (13) Bellevue (Washington)

Overall Record: 9-0

Rewind: defeated Mercer Island (Washington) 49-7

Fast Forward: Friday, Ferndale (Washington)

 

13. (13) Manatee (Florida)

Overall Record: 10-0

Rewind: defeated Palm Harbor (Florida) 48-14

Fast Forward: November 15, Vero Beach (Florida) – 8A playoffs

 

14. (14) Serra (California)

Overall: 9-0

Rewind: defeated St. Francis (California) 35-21

Fast Forward: Friday, St. Paul (California)

 

15. (15) Miramar (Florida)

Overall: 10-0

Rewind: defeated Cooper City (Florida) 60-0

Fast Forward: November 15, South Plantation (Florida) – 8A playoffs

 

16. (17) Byrnes (South Carolina)

Overall: 9-1

Rewind: defeated Dorman (South Carolina) 54-14

Fast Forward: Friday, Wade Hampton (South Carolina)

 

17. (18) Mallard Creek (North Carolina)

Overall Record: 10-0

Rewind: defeated Robinson (North Carolina) 62-0

Fast Forward: Friday, North Mecklenburg (North Carolina)

 

18. (20) Mountain Pointe (Arizona)

Overall: 10-0

Rewind: defeated Dobson (Arizona) 57-3

Fast Forward: Friday, Boulder Creek (Arizona) – Division I playoffs

 

19. (20) Jenks (Oklahoma)

Overall: 9-0

Rewind: defeated Bixby (Oklahoma) 45-7

Fast forward: Friday, Putnam City (Oklahoma)

 

20. (21) Brother Rice (Michigan)

Overall: 10-0

Rewind: defeated Groves (Michigan) 42-0

Fast forward: Friday, Seaholm (Michigan) – Division 2 playoffs

 

21. (22) Folsom (California)

Overall: 9-0

Rewind: defeated Ponderosa (California) 52-0

Fast forward: Friday, Pleasant Grove (California)

 

22. (23) Coppell (Texas)

Overall: 7-1

Rewind: defeated Denton Ryan (Texas) 28-3

Fast forward: Friday, Lewisville (Texas)

 

23. (24) St. Edward (Ohio)

Overall: 8-1

Rewind: defeated Eastern Christian Academy (Maryland) 41-40

Fast forward: Saturday, Shaker Heights (Ohio) – Division I playoffs

 

24. (25) University (Florida)

Overall: 9-1

Rewind: defeated Island Coast (Florida) 49-7

Fast Forward: November 15, Gulliver Prep (Florida) – 4A playoffs

 

25. (NR) Southlake Carroll (Texas)

Overall: 8-1

Rewind: defeated Fossil Ridge (Texas) 31-27

Fast forward: Friday, Haltom (Texas)

New XCNation.com Boys' High School Cross Country Rankings

by Jeff Fisher
Host, NHSCA Sports Hour
Follow @NHSCARadioShow
Follow @NHSCA

XCNation.com has released its new high school boys' cross country rankings, and once again, there's a new #1...or should I say and old #1.

Arcadia (California) has returned to the top spot after York (Illinois) held the top perch for the last two Top 25 polls.  York falls to #4 this week.

Here's the Top 10...

XCNation.com Boys' Cross Country Rankings
released October 20, 2013

1. Arcadia (California)
2. American Fork (Utah)
3. Christian Brothers Academy (New Jersey)
4. York (Illinois)
5. Madera South (California)
6. Brentwood (Tennessee)
7. North Allegheny (Pennsylvania)
8. Gig Harbor (Michigan)
9. Ogden (Utah)
10. Hinsdale Central (Illinois)

Click here to view the entire Top 25.

The girls' rankings will be released on Thursday.  Also on Thursday, XCNation.com editor David Taylor will join me on the NHSCA Sports Hour to discuss what should be an exciting finish to the 2013 high school cross country season.

You can learn what goes into the XCNation.com Power Rankings, by clicking here.

High School Football America Top 25 (Week 8)

by Jeff Fisher

Follow @HSFBamerica

 

There’s still a lot of chatter about whether Allen (Texas) should be ahead of Booker T. Washington (Florida) in the High School Football America Top 25 presented by The Debris Inhibitor Razur. 

 

A couple of interesting numbers – 1) both teams have outscored their opponents by an average of 30 points a game 2) Allen’s opponents (coming into this week’s games) have won 65% of their games, while Booker T’s opponents have won 63% of their games.

 

From my perspective it is hard to separate the two, but again this week, based on strength of schedule, the Eagles hold a razor’s edge lead over the Tornadoes.

 

This Saturday’s Garden State showdown between #9 St. Joseph Regional (New Jersey) and Paramus Catholic lost a little bit of luster when then #16 PC lost 20-13 to Don Bosco Prep this past weekend.  Paramus Catholic, which dropped out of our national rankings, was the only Top 25 team to lose last week.

 

There will be a Top 25 showdown when #15 Manatee (Florida) squares-off with in-state rival #21 University.

Archbishop Moeller of Ohio is the only new team in this week's poll. The Crusaders enter at #23.

 

High School Football America Top 25
presented by The Debris Inhibitor Razur

 

1. (1) Allen (Texas)

Overall Record: 7-0

Rewind: defeated Plano West  (Texas) 77-37

Fast Forward: Friday, Boyd (Texas)

 

2. (2) Booker T. Washington (Florida)

Overall: 8-0

Rewind: defeated Gulliver Prep (Florida) 41-7

Fast Forward: Thursday, Norland (Florida)

 

3. (3) Katy (Texas)

Overall Record: 7-0

Rewind: defeated Seven Lakes (Texas) 17-12

Fast Forward: Saturday, Strake Jesuit (Texas)

 

4. (4) Colerain (Ohio)

Overall Record: 8-0

Rewind: defeated Mason (Ohio) 63-14

Fast Forward: Friday, Middletown (Ohio)

 

5. (5) DeSoto (Texas)

Overall: 7-0

Rewind: defeated Midlothian (Texas) 62-42

Fast Forward: Friday, Duncanville (Texas)

6. (6) De La Salle (California)

Overall Record: 7-0

Rewind: defeated Logan (California) 49-7

Fast Forward: Friday, Amador Valley (California)

 

7. (7) Miami Central (Florida)

Overall Record: 6-1

Rewind: defeated Northwestern 44-13

Fast Forward: Friday, Carol City (Florida)

 

8. (8) St. John Bosco (California)

Overall Record: 7-0

Rewind: defeated Orange Lutheran (California) 42-24

Fast Forward: Friday, JSerra (California)

 

9. (9) St. Joseph Regional (New Jersey)

Overall Record: 5-0

Rewind: defeated St. Peter’s Prep (New Jersey) 56-28

Fast Forward: Saturday, Paramus Catholic (New Jersey)

 

10. (10) Ensworth (Tennessee)

Overall Record: 7-0

Rewind: Idle

Fast Forward: Friday, Baylor (Tennessee)

 

11. (11) Hoover (Alabama)

Overall: 8-0

Rewind: defeated Minor (Alabama) 41-9

Fast Forward: Thursday, Tuscaloosa County (Alabama)

 

12. (12) Northwestern (South Carolina)

Overall Record: 8-0

Rewind: defeated Fort Mill (South Carolina) 42-20

Fast Forward: Friday, York (South Carolina)

 

13. (13) Bellevue (Washington)

Overall Record: 7-0

Rewind: defeated Mount Si (Washington) 52-13

Fast Forward: Friday, Liberty (Washington)

 

14. (14) North Gwinnett (Georgia)

Overall: 7-0

Rewind: defeated Habersham Central (Georgia) 41-0

Fast Forward: Friday, Collins Hill (Georgia)

 

15. (15) Manatee (Florida)

Overall Record: 8-0

Rewind: defeated St. Petersburg 51-13

Fast Forward: Friday, #21 University (Florida)

 

16. (17) Serra (California)

Overall: 7-0

Rewind: defeated Chaminade (California) 36-0

Fast Forward: Friday, Cathedral (California)

 

17. (18) Miramar (Florida)

Overall: 8-0

Rewind: defeated Flanagan (Florida) 22-13

Fast Forward: Friday, Cypress Bay (Florida)

 

18. (19) Byrnes (South Carolina)

Overall: 7-1

Rewind: defeated Gaffney (South Carolina) 61-20

Fast Forward: Friday, Mauldin (South Carolina)

 

19. (20) Mallard Creek (North Carolina)

Overall Record: 8-0

Rewind: defeated Vance 41-0

Fast Forward: Friday, A.L. Brown (North Carolina)

 

20. (21) Mountain Pointe (Arizona)

Overall: 9-0

Rewind: defeated Corona del Sol 63-0

Fast Forward: Idle, 11/1 Dobson (Arizona)

 

21. (22) University (Florida)

Overall: 7-0

Rewind: defeated Glades Central 48-13

Fast Forward: Friday, #15 Manatee (Florida)

 

22. (23) Mater Dei (California)

Overall: 7-0

Rewind: defeated JSerra (California) 38-14

Fast Forward: Friday, Santa Margarita (California)

 

23. (NR) Archbishop Moeller (Ohio)

Overall: 8-0

Rewind: defeated Indianapolis Cathedral (Indiana) 35-14

Fast Forward: Saturday, St. Edward (Ohio)

 

24. (24) Jenks (Oklahoma)

Overall: 7-0

Rewind: defeated Westmore (Oklahoma) 24-0

Fast forward: Friday, Muskogee (Oklahoma)

 

25. (25) Highlands (Kentucky)

Overall Record: 8-0

Rewind: defeated Holmes (Kentucky) 71-14

Fast Forward: Friday, Elder (Ohio)

Dropped-out: #16 Paramus Catholic (New Jersey)