Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village, Colo.) has been one of the top all-around high school athletic programs in the state of Colorado for several decades. After a strong fall sports season in 2021, the Bruins are the top athletic program in the nation, according to the MaxPreps Cup standings.
After finishing No. 2 in Colorado last year behind Valor Christian and No. 44 overall in the nation, Cherry Creek begins the 2021-22 school year as the nation's top program thanks to three state championships, two runner-up finishes and a national ranking. The Bruins won a state title in football, boys tennis and girls volleyball while the boys golf and girls cross country teams each finished second. The girls cross country team also finished the year ranked No. 6 in the nation by Dyestat.
Cherry Creek is the only school in the country to score over 1,000 points in the MaxPreps Cup standings during the fall with Ponte Vedra (Fla.) coming in at No. 2 with 952 points. Fayetteville (Ark.) is third with 905 points while Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory (Indianapolis) and Carmel (Ind.) are Nos. 4 and 5 with 893 and 874 points, respectively.
The MaxPreps Cup is a formula designed to determine the top overall high school athletic programs in the nation. Points are awarded for state championships, runner-up finishes and placement in national rankings. Points are awarded on a weighted basis with larger states receiving more points than smaller states (due to more competition), more popular sports (based on NFHS participation survey) receiving more points than less popular sports and larger schools gaining more points than smaller schools (again based on more competition).
Cherry Creek has won more state championships in its history than any other school in Colorado, coming in with 207 overall and a whopping 44 in boys tennis. The football team has also won three straight state championships under former Cleveland Brown, and longtime high school coach, Dave Logan.
Marist (Atlanta), the 2020-21 overall MaxPreps Cup champion begins the year tied at No. 68 while last year's 2020-21 fall standings leader Bolles (Jacksonville, Fla.) is No. 13.
The MaxPreps Cup standings will be updated in late April to account for the winter sports season with the final 2021-22 standings posting in early August.
MaxPreps Cup 2021-22 fall standings
1. Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village, Colo.), 1,021
Fall state champions: Girls volleyball, football, boys tennis
Fall state runners-up: Boys golf, girls cross country
National rankings: Girls cross country No. 6
2. Ponte Vedra (Fla.), 952
Fall state champions: Girls cross country, boys golf, girls swimming
Fall state runners-up: Girls volleyball
National rankings: Girls volleyball No. 2
3. Fayetteville (Ark.), 905
Fall state champions: Girls volleyball
Fall state runners-up: Football, boys cross country, girls cross country, boys golf, girls golf
National rankings: Girls golf No. 18
4. Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory (Indianapolis), 893
Fall state champions: Boys cross country, boys soccer, girls volleyball
Fall state runners-up: Football
National rankings: Boys cross country No. 15
5. Carmel (Ind.), 874
Fall state champions: Boys tennis
Fall state runners-up: Girls cross country, girls soccer, boys soccer
National rankings: Boys soccer No. 25, Girls soccer No. 10
6. Champlain Valley Union (Hinesburg, Vt.), 865
Fall state champions: Boys cross country
Fall state runners-up: Boys volleyball, boys golf, girls golf, girls cross country, football, girls soccer, girls volleyball.
7. North Allegheny (Wexford, Pa.), 862
Fall state champions: Girls cross country, boys cross country, girls volleyball
National rankings: Girls volleyball No. 20; boys cross country No. 18.
8. Boise (Idaho), 860
Fall state champions: Boys swimming, girls cross country
Fall state runners-up: Boys soccer, girls swimming, girls soccer
National rankings: Girls soccer No. 8
9. Conestoga (Berwyn, Pa.), 851
Fall state champions: Boys soccer, girls tennis
Fall state runners-up: Girls soccer
National rankings: Girls field hockey No. 14; Boys soccer No. 7
10. E.D. White (Thibodaux, La.), 849
Fall state champions: Boys swimming, girls cross country, girls swimming
Fall state runners-up: Boys cross country, girls volleyball, football
11. La Salle Academy (Providence, R.I.), 792
Fall state champions: Boys cross country, girls cross country, girls tennis, boys soccer
Fall state runners-up: Football, girls soccer
12. Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.), 772
Fall state champions: Football
Fall state runners-up: Boys swimming, boys golf
National rankings: Football No. 8
13. Bolles (Jacksonville, Fla.), 770
Fall state champions: Boys cross country, girls cross country, boys swimming, girls swimming
14. Massapequa (N.Y.), 765
Fall state champions: Football, girls soccer
Fall state runners-up: Girls volleyball
15. Jenks (Okla.), 750
Fall state champions: Girls volleyball, girls cross country, football
16. Newbury Park (Calif.), 729
Fall state champions: Boys cross country
Fall state runners-up: Girls cross country
National rankings: Boys cross country No. 1; girls cross country No. 13
17. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), 725
Fall state champions: Boys cross country, girls volleyball, football
Fall state runners-up: Girls golf
National rankings: Football No. 15
18. Porter-Gaud (Charleston, S.C.), 715
Fall state champions: SCISA boys cross country, SCISA girls swimming, SCISA girls volleyball, SCISA boys swimming
Fall state runners-up: SCISA girls golf, SCISA girls tennis, SCISA girls cross country
19. Lone Peak (Highland, Utah), 711
Fall state champions: Girls volleyball, boys golf, football
Fall state runners-up: Girls cross country
National rankings: Boys golf No. 6
20. Baylor (Chattanooga, Tenn.), 699
Fall state champions: Boys golf, girls golf
Fall state runners-up: Girls soccer
National rankings: Boys golf No. 2; girls golf No. 2
21. Madison Central (Madison, Miss.), 698
Fall state champions: Boys swimming, girls swimming, football
22. Essex (Essex Junction, Vt.), 695
Fall state champions: Boys soccer, girls volleyball, football
Fall state runners-up: Boys cross country
23. Sugar-Salem (Sugar City, Idaho), 692
Fall state champions: Boys cross country, girls volleyball, boys soccer
Fall state runners-up: Girls cross country, football
24. McDonogh (Owings Mills, Md.), 690
Fall state champions: IAAM girls soccer, IAAM girls tennis, IAAM girls cross country
Fall state runners-up: MIAA football, MIAA boys soccer
25. York (Elmhurst, Ill.), 683
Fall state champions: Girls cross country, boys soccer
National rankings: Boys soccer No. 16; Girls cross country No. 5
26. Westfield (N.J.), 679
Fall state champions: Boys cross country, girls soccer
Fall state runners-up: Girls tennis
National rankings: Girls soccer No. 9
27. (tie) Lee's Summit West (Lee's Summit, Mo.), 650
Fall state champions: Girls softball
Fall state runners-up: Boys swimming, girls volleyball
27. (tie) Jesuit (Portland, Ore.), 650
Fall state champions: Boys cross country
Fall state runners-up: Girls cross country, girls volleyball
National rankings: Girls cross country No. 7, boys cross country No. 3.
29. O'Gorman (Sioux Falls, S.D.), 649
Fall state champions: Boys golf, girls volleyball, girls cross country
Fall state runners-up: Boys soccer
30. Kelly Walsh (Casper, Wyo.), 639
Fall state champions: Girls tennis, boys tennis
Fall state runners-up: girls golf, boys golf, girls volleyball
31. St. Ignatius (Cleveland), 636
Fall state champions: Boys golf, boys soccer
National rankings: Boys golf No. 23, boys soccer No. 1
32. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 631
Fall state champions: Football
National rankings: Football No. 1, girls volleyball No. 4.
33. Billings West (Billings, Mont.), 630
Fall state champions: Girls golf, girls soccer
Fall state runners-up: Girls volleyball, football
34. (tie) Southside Christian (Simpsonville, S.C.), 623
Fall state champions: Boys cross country, girls volleyball, football
Fall state runners-up: Girls cross country
34. (tie) Niwot (Colo.), 623
Fall state champions: Girls cross country
Fall state runners-up: Girls gymnastics, boys cross country
National rankings: Girls cross country No. 2; Boys cross country No. 9
36. Lovejoy (Lucas, Texas), 610
Fall state champions: Girls volleyball, girls cross country
National rankings: Girls volleyball No. 11
37. Jesuit (New Orleans), 605
Fall state champions: Boys swimming, boys cross country
Fall state runners-up: Football
National rankings: Boys cross country No. 17
38. Wayzata (Plymouth, Minn.), 603
Fall state champions: Boys cross country, girls volleyball
Fall state runners-up: Girls cross country
39. North Kingstown (R.I.), 600
Fall state champions: Football, girls soccer
Fall state runners-up: Girls cross country, boys soccer
40. (tie) Mountain Brook (Birmingham, Ala.), 593
Fall state champions: Girls cross country, girls volleyball
Fall state runners-up: Boys cross country
40. (tie) Cheyenne Mountain (Colorado Springs, Colo.), 593
Fall state champions: Boys cross country
Fall state runners-up: Boys tennis, girls volleyball
National rankings: Boys cross country No. 2
42. (tie) Arapahoe (Centennial, Colo.), 587
Fall state champions: Boys golf, girls cross country
National rankings: Boys golf No. 14; Girls cross country No. 4
42. (tie) Bayshore Christian (Fairhope, Ala.), 587
Fall state champions: Boys cross country
Fall state runners-up: Girls cross country, girls swimming, girls volleyball
44. Mount Academy (Esopus, N.Y.), 580
Fall state champions: Boys soccer, girls volleyball, girls soccer
45. Oceanside Collegiate Academy (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.), 579
Fall state champions: Girls swimming, girls tennis, girls volleyball
Fall state runners-up: Boys swimming
46. Brookline (Mass.), 578
Fall state champions: Boys soccer
Fall state runners-up: Girls swimming, boys cross country
47. Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.), 574
Fall state champions: Boys golf, girls volleyball
National rankings: Boys golf No. 1, football No. 23
48. (tie) Lewisburg (Pa.), 570
Fall state champions: Boys cross country
Fall state runners-up: Boys golf, boys soccer
48. (tie) Chiles (Tallahassee, Fla.), 570
Fall state champions: Boys swimming
Fall state runners-up: Girls swimming, boys golf
48. (tie) Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake (Burnt Hills, N.Y.), 570
Fall state champions: Girls field hockey, boys cross country, girls volleyball
51. Bayside Academy (Daphne, Ala.), 568
Fall state champions: Boys cross country, girls cross country, girls volleyball
52. Laurel (Mont.), 567
Fall state champions: Boys golf, girls golf, girls soccer
Fall state runners-up: Football
53. (tie) Westlake (Austin, Texas), 566
Fall state champions: Football
National rankings: Football No. 2
53. (tie) Huntsville ( Ala.), 566
Fall state champions: Boys swimming, boys cross country, girls swimming
55. Battle Ground Academy (Franklin, Tenn.) 564
Fall state champions: Girls volleyball
Fall state runners-up: Boys cross country, girls soccer
56. Andrean (Merrillville, Ind.), 561
Fall state champions: Girls volleyball, football
Fall state runners-up: Girls soccer
57. Rockhurst (Kansas City, Mo.), 558
Fall state champions: Boys swimming, boys soccer
National rankings: Boys soccer No. 15
58. Deer Creek (Edmond, Okla.), 554
Fall state champions: Boys cross country
Fall state runners-up: Girls cross country, football
59. Valor Christian (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), 546
Fall state runners-up: Boys tennis, boys cross country, football
National rankings: Boys cross country No. 10
60. Shorewood (Wis.), 543
Fall state champions: Boys cross country, boys soccer
Fall state runners-up: Girls cross country
61. McCallie (Chattanooga, Tenn.), 536
Fall state champions: Boys cross country, football
National rankings: Boys golf No. 13
62. Hunter College (New York, N.Y.), 534
Fall state champions: PSAL girls soccer, PSAL girls golf
Fall state runners-up: PSAL boys soccer, PSAL girls tennis
63. (tie) Union Catholic (Scotch Plains, N.J.), 529
Fall state champions: Boys cross country, girls cross country
National rankings: Boys cross country No. 4
63. (tie) Homestead (Fort Wayne, Ind.), 529
Fall state champions: Girls soccer
Fall state runners-up: Girls golf
National rankings: Girls soccer No. 1
65. Jackson Hole (Jackson, Wyo.), 528
Fall state champions: Boys golf
Fall state runners-up: Boys cross country, girls cross country, boys tennis, football
66. Mountain Lakes (N.J.), 526
Fall state champions: Girls tennis
Fall state runners-up: Girls cross country, girls soccer
National rankings: Girls soccer No. 15
67. American Fork (Utah), 525
Fall state champions: Girls cross country
Fall state runners-up: boys cross country
National rankings: Girls cross country No. 15; boys cross country No. 11
68. (tie) Skutt Catholic (Omaha, Neb.), 523
Fall state champions: Girls volleyball, girls softball
Fall state runners-up: Boys cross country
68. (tie) Marist (Atlanta), 523
Fall state champions: Girls cross country, girls volleyball
Fall state runners-up: Boys cross country
70. Pioneer (Ann Arbor, Mich.), 517
Fall state champions: Girls cross country, girls swimming
National rankings: Girls cross country No. 12
71. (tie) Stone Bridge (Ashburn, Va.), 516
Fall state champions: Girls volleyball, football
71. (tie) Pleasant Valley (Iowa), 516
Fall state champions: Girls volleyball
Fall state runners-up: Girls cross country, boys golf
73. (tie) Madison-Ridgeland Academy (Madison, Miss.), 515
Fall state champions: Girls cross country, football, girls swimming
Fall state runners-up: Boys swimming
73. (tie) Freehold Township (Freehold, N.J.), 515
Fall state runners-up: Girls gymnastics, girls soccer, boys soccer
National rankings: Girls soccer No. 25
75. (tie) St. Pius X Catholic (Atlanta), 513
Fall state champions: Girls cross country, girls volleyball
Fall state runners-up: Boys cross country
75. (tie) Grapevine (Texas), 513
Fall state champions: Boys cross country
Fall state runners-up: Girls volleyball
National rankings: Boys cross country No. 5
77. Hellgate (Missoula, Mont.), 509
Fall state champions: Boys soccer, boys cross country
Fall state runners-up: Girls cross country
78. (tie) Valley View (Jonesboro, Ark.), 506
Fall state champions: Girls cross country, boys golf, girls volleyball
78. (tie) Glenelg (Md.), 506
Fall state champions: Girls field hockey, girls volleyball, girls soccer
80. Hampton (Allison Park, Pa.), 505
Fall state champions: Boys soccer
Fall state runners-up: Girls volleyball
National rankings: Boys soccer No. 11
81. Bishop Kelly (Boise, Idaho), 504
Fall state champions: Girls swimming, boys swimming, boys soccer
82. Faith Lutheran (Las Vegas), 503
Fall state champions: Boys tennis
Fall state runners-up: Boys cross country, girls tennis, girls soccer
83. St. Joseph's Academy (Baton Rouge, La.), 501
Fall state champions: Girls cross country, girls swimming
Fall state runners-up: Girls volleyball
84. Blair Oaks (Jefferson City, Mo.), 500
Fall state champions: Girls volleyball, girls softball
85. (tie) St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 498
Fall state champions: Football
National rankings: Football No. 9
85. (tie) Pace Academy (Atlanta, Ga.), 498
Fall state champions: Girls cross country, boys cross country, girls volleyball
85. (tie) Noblesville (Ind.), 498
Fall state champions: Boys soccer
National rankings: Boys soccer No. 2; Girls soccer No. 4
88. Buford (Ga.), 496
Fall state champions: Girls volleyball, football
89. North Shore (Houston), 492
Fall state champions: Football
National rankings: Football No. 13
90. Century (Bismarck, N.D.), 489
Fall state champions: Girls swimming, girls volleyball
Fall state runners-up: Girls golf
91. Summit (Bend, Ore.), 488
Fall state champions: Girls cross country, boys soccer
National rankings: Girls cross country No. 9
92. North Tahoe (Tahoe City, Calif.), 488
Fall state champions: Boys cross country (Nevada), boys soccer (Nev.), girls soccer (Nev.)
Fall state runners-up: Girls golf (Nev.), girls cross country (Nev.)
93. (tie) Hamilton (Mont.), 487
Fall state champions: Boys cross country, football
Fall state runners-up: Girls golf
93. (tie) Highland (Gilbert, Ariz.), 487
Fall state champions: Girls cross country, football
Fall state runners-up: Boys cross country
95. St. Mary's (Lancaster, N.Y.), 485
Fall state champions: Football, girls volleyball
Fall state runners-up: Girls soccer
96. (tie) Brunswick (Md.), 483
Fall state champions: Boys cross country, boys soccer
Fall state runners-up: Girls soccer
96. (tie) Cardinal Gibbons (Raleigh, N.C.), 483
Fall state champions: Football
Fall state runners-up: Girls golf
National rankings: Girls golf No. 22
98. Harpeth Hall (Nashville, Tenn.), 481
Fall state champions: Girls cross country, girls soccer
National rankings: Girls soccer No. 22
99. (tie) Salpointe Catholic (Tucson, Ariz.), 479
Fall state champions: Boys cross country
Fall state runners-up: Girls cross country, girls golf, football
99. (tie) Lincoln East (Lincoln, Neb.), 479
Fall state champions: Boys tennis, girls cross country
Fall state runners-up: Girls golf
