After the winter high school sports season ended, a total of 42 schools around the country
have scored at least 1,000 points in the MaxPreps Cup standings.
Schools from North Carolina represent 14 percent of that total.
A change in playoff format is one of the
reasons for that state's prominence. After traditionally crowning state champions in four
classifications for most sports, the North Carolina High School Athletic
Association now awards state titles in eight classifications.
Junior Collin McKee scored 16 goals and contributed seven assists in 26 matches to help Marvin Ridge win North Carolina's boys soccer state championship last fall. The Mavericks are the state leader in the MaxPreps Cup standings. (PHOTO: Greg Stavish)
In
previous years, each classification had over 100 schools competing for a
state championship. Now, each classification has roughly 60 teams with a
low of 32 in the largest classification (8A). As a state, North Carolina
ranks in the top 10 in the country for most high schools and the
numbers are growing.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau,
North Carolina leads the nation in domestic migration as reported by
the Daily Tar Heel in February. Another report stated that the state added 145,000 residents between July 2024 and July 2025.
Since
the MaxPreps Cup algorithm is based on state championships and state
runner-up finishes, it's only logical that North Carolina would benefit
from the change in enrollment classifications. The state has six schools
with over 1,000 points, topped by
Marvin Ridge (Waxhaw) with 1,451.
Only
five other states have more than one school with 1,000 points and 22
states do not have any schools with 1,000. Florida, a state with
nine enrollment classifications, is the closest to North Carolina with
four 1,000-point schools.
Below is a look at the top five schools in each state and the District of Columbia in the MaxPreps Cup standings.
The
MaxPreps Cup recognizes the best high school sports programs in the
country. The competition uses an algorithm that awards points for state
championships, runner-up finishes and national rankings based on size of
state, popularity of the sport, size of school and number of teams in
each playoff division.
The winner of the MaxPreps
Cup will be announced in
July.
MaxPreps Cup state-by-state standings
Alabama
1. Hoover — 1,167Winter state championships: Girls basketball, girls indoor track
Winter state runners-up: Boys basketball, boys bowling, boys indoor track, girls bowling
Winter national rankings: Girls basketball No. 12
Fall state runners-up: Boys cross country
2.
Scottsboro, 949
3.
Thompson (Alabaster), 718
4.
Moody, 648
5.
Mountain Brook (Birmingham), 556
Alaska
1.
South Anchorage (Anchorage) — 1,086Winter state championships: Boys ice hockey, boys skiing, girls skiing
Winter state runners-up: Boys basketball, boys wrestling
Winter national rankings: Boys ice hockey No. 14
Fall state championships: Football, boys cross country, girls flag football
2.
Colony (Palmer), 477
Arizona
1.
Casteel (Queen Creek) — 890
Winter state championships: Girls soccer
Winter national rankings: Girls soccer No. 14
Fall state championships: Football
Fall state runners-up: Girls golf
Fall national rankings: Girls golf No. 6, boys golf No. 8
2.
Xavier College Prep (Phoenix), 872
3.
Salpointe Catholic (Tucson), 648
4.
Desert Mountain (Scottsdale), 580
5.
Notre Dame Prep (Scottsdale), 566
Arkansas
1.
Bentonville — 1,017Winter state championships: Boys swimming, girls swimming, boys wrestling
Fall state championships: Boys cross country, girls cross country
Fall state runners-up: Football
2.
Rogers, 770
3.
Mountain Home, 732
4.
Pulaski Academy (Little Rock), 651
5.
Brookland, 632
California
1.
Mater Dei (Santa Ana) — 1,501
Winter state championships: Boys soccer, girls soccer
Winter national rankings: Boys soccer No. 1, girls soccer No. 9
Fall state championships: Girls volleyball
Fall national rankings: Football No. 9, girls volleyball No. 2
2.
Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita), 1,101
3.
Buchanan (Clovis), 1,083
4.
Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth), 910
5.
San Ramon Valley (Danville), 899
Colorado
1.
Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village) — 1,019
Winter state championships: Boys ice hockey, girls swimming
Winter national rankings: Boys ice hockey No. 8
Fall state championships: Football, girls field hockey
Fall state runners-up: Boys tennis
Fall national rankings: Girls swimming No. 20
2.
Kent Denver (Englewood), 877
3.
Niwot, 757
4.
Broomfield, 605
5.
Lutheran (Parker), 548
Connecticut
1.
Greenwich — 1,764
Winter state championships: Boys indoor track, boys swimming, girls basketball, girls indoor track
Fall state championships: Boys cross country, football, girls soccer, girls swimming, girls volleyball
Fall state runners-up: Boys soccer, girls cross country
2.
New Canaan, 754
3.
Windsor, 611
4.
Darien, 511
5.
East Lyme, 498
Delaware
1.
Salesianum (Wilmington) — 642Winter state championships: Boys swimming, boys wrestling
Fall state championships: Boys soccer
Fall state runners-up: Boys cross country, football
2.
St. Mark's (Wilmington), 391
3.
Middletown, 316
4.
Wilmington Charter (Wilmington), 283
5.
Padua Academy (Wilmington), 268
District of Columbia
1.
St. John's — 1,020Winter state championships: Boys basketball, boys ice hockey, boys wrestling, girls swimming, girls basketball
Winter state runners-up: Boys swimming, girls indoor track
Fall state championships: Boys cross country
Fall state runners-up: Boys soccer, girls cross country
2.
Gonzaga, 370
3.
Sidwell Friends, 355
4.
Georgetown Visitation Prep, 295
5.
Georgetown Day, 280
Florida
1.
St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale) — 1,761
Winter state championships: Boys basketball, girls basketball, girls soccer
Winter national rankings: Boys basketball No. 15, girls soccer No. 5
Fall state championships: Football
Fall state runners-up: Girls volleyball
Fall national rankings: Football No. 10
2.
Bolles (Jacksonville), 1,310
3.
American Heritage (Plantation), 1,105
4.
Bishop Kenny (Jacksonville), 1,060
5.
Montverde Academy (Montverde), 830
Georgia
1.
Hebron Christian (Dacula) — 963
Winter state championships: Girls basketball
Winter national rankings: Girls basketball No. 19
Fall state championships: Boys cross country
Fall state runners-up: Football, girls softball, girls volleyball
2.
Marist (Atlanta), 927
3.
Buford, 855
4.
Creekview (Canton), 823
5.
Carrollton, 693
Hawaii
1.
'Iolani (Honolulu) — 870Winter state championships: Boys soccer
Winter state runners-up: Boys swimming, girls basketball
Winter national rankings: Boys soccer No. 5
Fall state championships: Boys cross country, girls volleyball
Fall national rankings: Girls volleyball No. 21
2.
Kamehameha Kapalama (Honolulu), 796
3.
Punahou (Honolulu), 648
4.
Kapa'a, 399
5.
Pearl City, 355
Idaho
1.
Bishop Kelly (Boise) — 632
Winter state championships: Boys basketball
Fall state championships: Boys golf, football, girls swimming
2.
Malad, 581
3.
Timberline (Boise), 507
4.
Rocky Mountain (Meridian), 419
5.
Sugar-Salem (Sugar City), 377
Illinois
1.
New Trier (Winnetka) — 796
Fall state championships: Boys golf, girls tennis
Fall national rankings: Boys swimming No. 9, girls field hockey No. 9, girls swimming No. 7
2.
Columbia, 500
3.
Marmion (Aurora), 556
4.
Benet Academy (Lisle), 539
5.
Marist (Chicago), 702
Indiana
1.
Carmel — 2,035
Winter state championships: Boys swimming, girls swimming
Fall state championships: Boys soccer, boys tennis, girls cross country
Fall state runners-up: Girls soccer
Fall national rankings: Boys soccer No. 1, boys swimming No. 8, girls soccer No. 3, girls swimming No. 14
2.
Brownsburg, 791
3.
Center Grove (Greenwood), 710
4.
Roncalli (Indianapolis), 708
5.
Carroll (Fort Wayne), 553
Iowa
1.
Johnston — 648Winter state championships: Girls basketball
Winter state runners-up: Boys basketball
Winter national rankings: Girls basketball No. 11
Fall state runners-up: Boys golf
2.
Dowling Catholic (West Des Moines), 608
3.
Cedar Falls, 466
4.
Pella, 455
5.
Kuemper (Carroll), 357
5.
St. Ansgar, 357
Kansas
1.
Kapaun Mt. Carmel (Wichita) — 1,067
Winter state runners-up: Boys basketball, boys swimming, girls wrestling
Fall state championships: Boys cross country, football, girls golf, girls cross country
2.
Manhattan, 721
3.
Shawnee Mission East (Shawnee Mission), 628
4.
Washburn Rural (Topeka), 573
5.
Andale, 515
Kentucky
1.
St. Xavier (Louisville) — 1,323
Winter state championships: Boys swimming
Winter state runners-up: Boys basketball
Fall state championships: Boys golf, boys soccer
Fall national rankings: Boys golf No. 7, boys soccer No. 3, boys swimming No. 9
2.
Sacred Heart (Louisville), 1,034
3.
Assumption (Louisville), 808
4.
Trinity (Louisville), 561
5.
Lexington Christian (Lexington), 543
Louisiana
1.
Jesuit (New Orleans) — 766Winter state championships: Boys soccer
Winter state runners-up: Boys indoor track
Winter national rankings: Boys soccer No. 3
Fall state championships: Boys cross country
Fall state runners-up: Boys swimming
2.
Parkview Baptist (Baton Rouge), 722
3.
E.D. White (Thibodaux), 632
4.
St. Joseph's Academy (Baton Rouge), 612
5.
Edna Karr (New Orleans), 567
Maine
1.
Yarmouth — 661Winter state championships: Boys skiing
Winter state runners-up: Boys basketball, boys indoor track, girls ice hockey
Winter national rankings: Girls ice hockey No. 12
Fall state championships: Boys soccer, boys cross country
2.
Cheverus (Portland), 603
3.
Thornton Academy (Saco), 572
4.
Freeport, 531
5.
Falmouth, 527
Maryland
1.
Glenelg — 711
Fall state championships: Boys soccer, girls field hockey, girls volleyball
Fall national rankings: Boys soccer No. 11
2.
Severna Park, 698
3.
Churchill (Potomac), 640
4.
Urbana (Ijamsville), 567
5.
Leonardtown (Leonardtown), 516
Massachusetts
1.
St. John's Prep (Danvers) — 851Winter state championships: Boys indoor track, boys swimming
Winter state runners-up: Boys ice hockey
Fall state runners-up: Boys soccer, football
2.
Natick, 649
3.
Medfield, 626
4.
Wayland, 601
5.
Hopedale, 545
Michigan
1.
Pioneer (Ann Arbor) — 1,411
Winter state championships: Boys swimming
Fall state championships: Girls field hockey, girls swimming, girls cross country
Fall state runners-up: Boys cross country
Fall national rankings: Girls swimming No. 11, girls field hockey No. 13, girls cross country No. 21, boys swimming No. 21
2.
Detroit Country Day (Beverly Hills), 765
3.
Northville, 750
4.
Marquette, 645
4.
Lumen Christi Catholic (Jackson), 645
Minnesota
1.
Edina — 1,300
Winter state championships: Boys swimming
Winter national rankings: Girls ice hockey No. 15, boys ice hockey No. 20
Fall state championships: Boys soccer, football, girls swimming
Fall national rankings: Girls swimming No. 12, boys swimming No. 6
2.
Minnetonka, 834
3.
Wayzata (Plymouth), 678
4.
St. Michael-Albertville (Albertville), 440
5.
Moorhead, 427
Mississippi
1.
Madison Central (Madison) — 1,078
Winter state championships: Boys soccer
Winter national rankings: Boys soccer No. 4
Fall state championships: Boys golf, girls swimming
Fall state runners-up: Girls golf, girls volleyball, girls cross country
2.
Tupelo, 1,042
3.
New Albany, 711
4.
Saltillo, 689
5.
St. Patrick (Biloxi), 677
Missouri
1.
Principia (St. Louis) — 823Winter state championships: Boys basketball, girls basketball
Winter national rankings: Boys basketball No. 4
Fall state runners-up: Boys soccer
2.
Kearney, 810
3.
St. Michael the Archangel (Lee's Summit), 585
4.
Blue Springs South (Blue Springs), 570
5.
Father Tolton (Columbia), 540
Montana
1.
Billings Central Catholic (Billings) — 1,041Winter state championships: Boys basketball, boys swimming, girls swimming
Winter state runners-up: Girls basketball
Fall state championships: Girls golf, girls volleyball
Fall state runners-up: Football, boys golf
2.
Gallatin (Bozeman), 946
3.
Billings West (Billings), 764
4.
Bozeman, 608
5.
Billings Senior (Billings), 352
Nebraska
1.
Creighton Prep (Omaha) — 657
Winter state championships: Boys swimming, boys wrestling
Fall state championships: Boys cross country
Fall state runners-up: Boys tennis
2.
Lincoln Southwest, 543
3.
Elkhorn North (Elkhorn), 541
4.
Wynot, 527
5.
Lincoln North Star (Lincoln), 478
Nevada
1.
Coronado (Henderson) — 1,146
Winter state championships: Boys basketball, boys bowling, boys wrestling
Fall state championships: Boys soccer, girls golf, girls tennis
Fall state runners-up: Girls soccer, girls volleyball
Fall national rankings: Boys soccer No. 9
2.
Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), 1,063
3.
The Meadows School (Las Vegas), 579
4.
Faith Lutheran (Las Vegas), 551
5.
McQueen (Reno), 446
New Hampshire
1.
Pinkerton (Derry) — 1,154
Winter state championships: Boys basketball, boys indoor track, girls gymnastics
Winter state runners-up: Girls indoor track, boys swimming
Fall state championships: Boys cross country, girls volleyball, girls cross country
Fall state runners-up: Girls soccer, football
2.
Bedford, 704
3.
Hanover, 692
4.
Souhegan (Amherst), 469
5.
Oyster River (Durham), 427
New Jersey
1.
Haddonfield — 1,133Winter state championships: Boys indoor track, boys swimming, girls indoor track, girls swimming
Fall state championships: Boys cross country
Fall state runners-up: Girls cross country
Fall national rankings: Boys cross country No. 9
2.
Ramsey, 806
3.
Union Catholic (Scotch Plains), 753
4.
Chatham, 735
5.
Montclair Kimberley Academy (Montclair), 657
New Mexico
1.
Cleveland (Rio Rancho) — 926Winter state championships: Boys wrestling, girls wrestling
Winter state runners-up: Boys basketball
Fall state championships: Boys cross country, football
Fall state runners-up: Girls cross country
2.
Albuquerque Academy (Albuquerque), 878
3.
St. Michael's (Santa Fe), 603
5.
St. Pius X (Albuquerque), 453
New York
1.
Rye — 1,027
Winter state championships: Boys ice hockey
Winter national rankings: Boys ice hockey, No. 21
Fall state championships: Football, girls soccer
Fall state runners-up: Boys soccer
Fall national rankings: Girls soccer No. 17
2.
Tottenville (Staten Island), 903
3.
Westhill (Syracuse), 842
4.
Massapequa, 730
5.
Commack, 710
North Carolina
1.
Marvin Ridge (Waxhaw) — 1,451
Winter state runners-up: Boys swimming, girls indoor track, girls swimming
Fall state championships: Boys soccer, girls golf, girls volleyball
Fall state runners-up: Girls cross country
Fall national rankings: Boys soccer No. 4
2.
Lake Norman Charter (Huntersville), 1,110
3.
Charlotte Catholic (Charlotte), 1,068
4.
Cardinal Gibbons (Raleigh), 1,055
5.
Hoggard (Wilmington), 1,041
North Dakota
1.
Century (Bismarck) — 659Winter state championships: Boys basketball
Winter state runners-up: Boys swimming
Fall state championships: Girls swimming
Fall state runners-up: Football, girls cross country
2.
Sheyenne (West Fargo), 577
3.
Bismarck, 498
4.
Fargo Davies (Fargo), 438
5.
Langdon/Edmore/Munich (Langdon), 338
Ohio
1.
Upper Arlington (Columbus) — 1,020
Winter state championships: Girls swimming
Fall state championships: Girls soccer
Fall state runners-up: Girls field hockey
Fall national rankings: Boys swimming No. 11, girls soccer No. 8, girls swimming No. 14
2.
Dublin Jerome (Dublin), 986
3.
Avon, 840
4.
Bishop Watterson (Columbus), 780
5.
St. Henry, 715
Oklahoma
1.
Carl Albert (Midwest City) — 1,298Winter state championships: Boys swimming, girls basketball, girls swimming
Winter state runners-up: Boys wrestling
Fall state championships: Football, girls softball
2.
Lincoln Christian (Tulsa), 814
Oregon
1. Jesuit (Portland) — 1,084
Winter state championships: Boys swimming, girls swimming
Fall state championships: Boys cross country, girls volleyball, girls soccer
Fall national rankings: Boys cross country No. 10, girls soccer No. 16
2.
Marist (Eugene), 510
3.
Summit (Bend), 459
4.
West Linn, 432
5.
Bend, 417
Pennsylvania
1.
North Allegheny (Wexford) — 727Winter state championships: Boys swimming
Winter state runners-up: Girls swimming
Fall national rankings: Boys swimming No. 5, girls swmming No. 3
2.
South Fayette (McDonald), 656
3.
Cathedral Prep (Erie), 655
4.
Faith Christian Academy (Sellersville), 615
5.
La Salle College (Wyndmoor), 604
Rhode Island
1.
La Salle Academy (Providence) — 1,151
Winter state championships: Boys ice hockey, boys indoor track, girls indoor track, girls ice hockey
Winter state runners-up: Boys basketball
Fall state championships: Girls soccer, girls tennis, girls cross country
Fall state runners-up: Football, girls field hockey
2.
North Kingstown, 796
3.
Bishop Hendricken (Warwick), 716
4.
Barrington, 697
5.
Westerly, 620
South Carolina
1.
Fort Mill — 740
Winter state championships: Boys wrestling
Fall state championships: Boys cross country, girls cross country
Fall state runners-up: Girls swimming, boys swimming
2.
Bishop England (Charleston), 677
3.
Christ Church Episcopal (Greenville), 529
4.
Oceanside Collegiate Academy (Mt. Pleasant), 515
5.
South Pointe (Rock Hill), 515
South Dakota
1.
Sioux Falls Christian (Sioux Falls) — 1,024
Winter state runners-up: Boys basketball
Fall state championships: Boys cross country, football, girls soccer, girls tennis, girls cross country
Fall national rankings: Girls cross country No. 6
2.
Lincoln (Sioux Falls), 909
3.
Harrisburg, 893
4.
O'Gorman (Sioux Falls), 507
5.
Dakota Valley (North Sioux City), 427
Tennessee
1.
Baylor (Chattanooga) — 1,632
Winter state championships: Boys wrestling
Fall state championships: Football, girls golf, girls soccer
Fall state runners-up: Boys cross country
Fall national rankings: Girls soccer No. 5, boys swimming No. 4, girls golf No. 12, football No. 16, girls swimming No. 10
2.
Brentwood, 669
3.
Webb (Knoxville), 658
4.
Page (Franklin), 612
5.
Westview (Martin), 611
Texas
1.
Smithson Valley (Spring Branch) — 904Winter state championships: Girls soccer
Winter national rankings: Girls soccer, No. 8
Fall state championships: Football
Fall state runners-up: Girls cross country
2.
Southlake Carroll (Southlake), 900
3.
Walnut Grove (Prosper), 790
4.
Wimberley, 712
5.
Episcopal (Bellaire), 695
Utah
1.
Lone Peak (Highland) — 1,070
Winter state championships: Boys swimming
Winter state runners-up: Girls basketball
Fall state championships: Girls tennis, girls cross country
Fall state runners-up: Boys golf, football, girls soccer
Fall national rankings: Boys golf No. 4, girls cross country No. 4
2.
Corner Canyon (Draper), 705
3.
Olympus (Salt Lake City), 649
4.
American Fork, 513
5.
Skyline (Salt Lake City), 493
Vermont
1.
Champlain Valley Union (Hinesburg) — 1,198
Winter state championships: Girls indoor track
Winter state runners-up: Boys skiing
Fall state championships: Boys cross country, girls golf, girls soccer, girls cross country
Fall state runners-up: Boys golf, boys soccer, girls field hockey
Fall national rankings: Girls soccer No. 13, girls cross country No. 15
2.
Rice Memorial (South Burlington), 713
3.
Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans), 559
4.
Essex (Essex Junction), 540
5.
Burr & Burton (Manchester), 506
Virginia
1.
Blacksburg — 938
Winter state championships: Girls indoor track
Winter state runners-up: Boys swimming, girls swimming
Fall state championships: Boys golf, boys cross country, girls cross country
2.
Western Albemarle (Crozet), 739
3.
Robinson (Fairfax), 727
4.
Paul VI (Chantilly), 625
5.
First Colonial (Virginia Beach), 501
Washington
1.
Lake Stevens — 605Winter state championships: Girls wrestling
Fall state championships: Girls volleyball
Fall state runners-up: Football
2.
Bellevue, 577
5.
Lynden, 496
West Virginia
1.
Morgantown — 516Fall state championships: Football, Girls volleyball
Fall state runners-up: Girls volleyball, boys cross country
2.
Wheeling Central Catholic (Wheeling), 464
3.
George Washington (Charleston), 427
4.
Bridgeport, 337
5.
Herbert Hoover (Elkview), 302
Wisconsin
1.
Whitefish Bay — 1,008Winter state championships: Boys basketball, boys swimming, girls basketball
Fall state championships: Boys soccer, girls swimming
2.
Arrowhead (Hartland), 787
3.
Middleton, 704
4.
Oostburg, 524
5.
Grafton, 421
Wyoming
1.
Cody — 899Winter state championships: Boys indoor track, boys wrestling, girls basketball, girls indoor track, girls skiing
Fall state championships: Girls cross country
Fall state runners-up: Football, girls golf, girls volleyball
2.
Sheridan, 771
3.
Central (Cheyenne), 639
4.
Lander Valley (Lander), 441
5.
Star Valley (Afton), 391
