Greene Central Claims No. 2 Spot in nation in Small Town Top 25 Rankings
Greene Central Claims No. 2 Spot in nation in Small Town Top 25 Rankings
In a spectacular season that showcased deep talent and incredible defense, Greene Central High School baseball clinched the No. 2 position out of all teams in the United States within the Small Town Top 25 high school baseball rankings. Greene Central's achievement comes on the heels of their victory in the North Carolina Class 2A state championship, where they swept Burns High School, the 2023 2A state champions, who finished this season at No. 25. This is Greene Central’s 6th state championship.
The Small Town Top 25 rankings, compiled using MaxPreps computer ratings, include schools with fewer than 1,000 students from towns with populations under 10,000. Greene Central, with a record of 29-1 and a rating of 32.15, stood out among the best, solidifying their special season that ended as champions.
Greene Central's remarkable season not only earned them the No. 2 spot in the Small Town Top 25 but also saw individual players achieving significant national and state statistics. Braden Burress finished 8th in the nation in runs scored with 59, while pitcher Austin Hardy was 11th in the nation with 147 strikeouts; both Burress and Hardy tied for 13th nationally with 12 pitching wins each. In the NCHSAA, Will Radford finished sixth in batting average with .588, and Burress was fourth with .596. Burress also placed second in runs scored with 59 and 11th in ERA with 0.51, while Hardy was 10th in ERA with 0.46 and second in strikeouts with 147. Radford additionally secured 12th in the state with 37 RBIs.
Leading the pack is Sumrall (Miss.), which not only captured Mississippi's Class 4A state championship with a 2-1 series win over Ripley but also added their seventh state title to their impressive resume. Sumrall's record of 34-5 and rating of 34.24 earned them the top spot.
Here's a breakdown of the final Small Town Top 25 rankings:
1. Sumrall (Miss.)
- Record/Rating: 34-5, 34.24
- Class 4A state champion.
2. Greene Central (Snow Hill, N.C.)
- Record/Rating: 29-1, 32.15
- Class 2A state champion.
3. Bald Eagle Area (Wingate, Pa.)
- Record/Rating: 25-2, 31.55
- Class 2A state champion.
4. East Webster (Maben, Miss.)
- Record/Rating: 30-3, 31.41
- Class 3A state champion.
5. Brock (Texas)
- Record/Rating: 35-4, 29.48
- Class 3A state runner-up.
6. Franklin (Texas)
- Record/Rating: 35-5, 29.34
- Class 3A state champion.
7. New Prairie (New Carlisle, Ind.)
- Record/Rating: 27-5, 27.37
- Class 3A state champion.
8. Brunswick (Md.)
- Record/Rating: 22-2, 27.21
- Class 1A state champion.
9. Yarmouth (Maine)
- Record/Rating: 17-3, 26.77
- Class B state champion.
10. Eaton (Colo.)
- Record/Rating: 28-0, 26.70
- Class 3A state champion.
11. Gunter (Texas)
- Record/Rating: 36-2, 26.55
- Class 3A semifinalist.
12. Oktaha (Okla.)
- Record/Rating: 32-3, 26.21
- Class 2A state champion.
13. Corner (Warrior, Ala.)
- Record/Rating: 33-8, 25.67
- Class 4A state champion.
14. China Spring (Texas)
- Record/Rating: 32-8, 25.40
- Class 4A regional finalist.
15. Lonoke (Ark.)
- Record/Rating: 27-6, 25.14
- Class 4A semifinalist.
16. East Union (Blue Springs, Miss.)
- Record/Rating: 25-7, 24.90
- Class 2A runner-up.
17. Bullard (Texas)
- Record/Rating: 32-9-2, 24.78
- Class 4A semifinalist.
18. Rappahannock (Warsaw, Va.)
- Record/Rating: 22-3, 24.58
- Class 1 state champion.
19. Greely (Cumberland Center, Maine)
- Record/Rating: 16-3, 24.57
- Class B semifinalist.
20. East Rutherford (Forest City, N.C.)
- Record/Rating: 27-3, 24.55
- Class 2A semifinalist.
21. Ripley (Miss.)
- Record/Rating: 24-12, 24.23
- Class 4A runner-up.
22. **Collinsville (Texas)**
- Record/Rating: 39-3, 24.02
- Class 2A champion.
23. Thomasville (Ala.)
- Record/Rating: 33-5, 23.95
- Class 3A state champion.
24. West Marion (Foxworth, Miss.)
- Record/Rating: 30-12, 23.7
- Class 3A runner-up.
25. Burns (Lawndale, N.C.)
- Record/Rating: 31-3, 23.58
- Class 2A runner-up.
As Greene Central celebrates its incredible season, the Snow Hill community and supporters look forward to witnessing more exceptional performances from their team in the future.
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