Garner Magnet won North Carolina's Class 4A state title but will have its hands full in the first round of our fantasy bracket against unbeaten Florida state champ Blanche Ely.
Photo by Carin Goodall-Gosnell
Everybody is infected by March Madness at this time of year.
The bracket bug led us to ponder the idea of re-creating the NCAA Tournament at the high school level. We like to call it "MaxMadness."
Putting together a 68-team high school field- Using the
MaxPreps Xcellent 25 and
MaxPreps Computer Rankings, the highest ranked champion from all 50 states earns an automatic bid. The private school champions in North Carolina (NCISAA) and Virginia (VISAA), as well as the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference tournament champ and District of Columbia State Athletic Association champ also earn an invite, bringing the grand total to 54 automatic bids.
- The 14 highest ranked teams in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25, Composite Rankings and Computer Rankings not to earn an automatic bid will earn an at-large invite.
- Unlike the NCAA Tournament, participants are clustered geographically, then seeded within respective regions.
Enjoy.
Breaking down the 2015 fieldAutomatic BidsAlabama: J.O. Johnson (Huntsville), Class 5A state champion
Alaska: West (Anchorage),
Projected Class 4A state champion
Arizona: Corona del Sol (Tempe), Division I state champion
Arkansas: North Little Rock, Class 7A state champion
California: Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland),
Projected Open Division state champion
Colorado: Overland (Aurora), Class 5A state champion
Connecticut: Sacred Heart (Waterbury),
Projected Class L state champion
Delaware: Salesianum (Wilmington), DIAA state champion
District of Columbia (WCAC): DeMatha (Hyattsville), WCAC regular season champion
District of Columbia (DCSAA): St. John's (Washington, D.C.), DCSAA tournament champion
Florida: Blanche Ely (Pompano Beach), Class 7A state champion
Georgia: Wheeler (Marietta), Class AAAAAA state champion
Hawaii: Kalaheo (Kailua), Division I state champion
Idaho: Post Falls, Class 5A state champion
Illinois: Stevenson (Lincolnshire),
Projected Class 4A state champion
Indiana: Homestead (Fort Wayne),
Projected 4A state champion
Iowa: North Scott (Eldridge), Class 4A state champion
Kansas: East (Wichita), Class 6A state champion
Kentucky: Ballard (Louisville),
Projected state champion
Louisiana: Riverside Academy (Reserve), Class 2A state champion
Maine: Hampden, Class A state champion
Maryland: Centennial (Ellicott City), Class 3A state champion
Massachusetts: Catholic Memorial School (West Roxbury), Division 1 state champion
Michigan: Western International (Detroit),
Projected Class A state champion
Minnesota: Apple Valley, Class AAAA state champion
Mississippi: Callaway (Jackson), Class 5A state champion
Missouri: Chaminade (St. Louis),
Projected Class 5 state champion
Montana: Skyview (Billings), Class AA state champion
Nebraska: Creighton Prep (Omaha), Class A state champion
Nevada: Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), Division I state champion
New Hampshire: Pelham, Division I state champion
New Jersey: Roselle Catholic (Roselle),
Projected Tournament of Champions winner
New Mexico: Hobbs, Class 6A state champion
New York: Long Island Lutheran (Brookville),
Projected Federation AA state champion
North Carolina (NCHSAA): Garner Magnet (Garner), Class 4A state champion
North Carolina (NCISAA): Greensboro Day (Greensboro), Class 3A state champion
North Dakota: Minot, Class A state champion
Ohio: St. Vincent-St. Mary (Akron),
Projected Division II state champion
Oklahoma: Mustang, Class 6A state champion
Oregon: West Linn, Class 6A state champion
Pennsylvania: Roman Catholic (Philadelphia),
Projected Class AAAA state champion
Rhode Island: La Salle Academy (Providence), Division I state champion
South Carolina: Sumter, AAAA state champion
South Dakota: Washington (Sioux Falls),
Projected Class AA state champion
Tennessee: Hamilton (Memphis), Division I Class AAA state champion
Texas: Plano West (Plano), Class 6A state champion
Utah: Bountiful, Class 4A state champion
Vermont: Rice Memorial (South Burlington), Division I state champion
Virginia (VHSL): Henrico (Richmond), Class 5A state champion
Virginia (VISAA): Cape Henry Collegiate (Virginia Beach), Division I state champion
Washington: Garfield (Seattle), Class 3A state champion
West Virginia: Parkersburg South (Parkersburg),
Projected Class AAA state champion
Wisconsin: Germantown,
Projected Division 1 state champion
Wyoming: Natrona County (Casper), 4A state champion
At-large bidsOak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Va.), No. 1 Xcellent 25 national ranking
Montverde Academy (Fla.), No. 2 Xcellent 25 national ranking
Jonesboro (Ga.), Class AAAA state champion/No. 8 Xcellent 25 national ranking
Huntington St. Joseph Prep (W.Va.), No. 9 Xcellent 25 national ranking
Findlay Prep (Henderson, Nev.), No. 12 Xcellent 25 national ranking
Wesleyan Christian Academy (High Point, N.C.), No. 13 Xcellent 25 national ranking
Bishop Montgomery (Torrance, Calif.), No. 15 Xcellent 25 national ranking
Cardinal Gibbons (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), No. 17 Xcellent 25 national ranking
La Lumiere (LaPorte, Ind.), No. 22 Xcellent 25 national ranking
Fairfax (Los Angeles), No. 24 Xcellent 25 national ranking
Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), No. 24 media composite national ranking
Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia), Ranked nationally by three media outlets
Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.), Ranked nationally by three media outlets
Providence (Jacksonville, Fla.), Ranked nationally by two media outlets
Tournament Brackets
