Maintaining the status quo has been the norm for the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Softball Rankings of late, especially at the top of the rankings where the top five teams remain unchanged for the third straight week.
Playoffs have already begun in Florida, with district play complete and regional competition beginning this week. Texas has also completed its regular season and will begin bi-district play this week.
Few teams moved into the Xcellent 25 this week, however unbeaten teams from Chesapeake (Pasadena, Md.) and Morris Knolls (Rockaway, N.J.) both joined the list. Chesapeake is ranked No. 2 in the Washington D.C. area by the Washington Post. Meanwhile Morris Knolls is ranked No. 1 in the New Jersey rankings.
MAXPREPS XCELLENT 25 NATIONAL SOFTBALL RANKINGS
1. (last week 1) The Woodlands (Texas), 32-0
The Highlanders finished the regular season unbeaten with a 14-0 win over College Park (The Woodlands) and 7-0 over Conroe.
Faith Bohack was 4-for-4 with 5 RBIs, a double and two home runs against College Park. Four of Bohack's last eight hits have been home runs.
2. (2) Alexander Central (Taylorsville, N.C.), 17-0
The Cougars dropped South Caldwell (Hudson) 6-2 and Hibriten (Lenoir) 4-0 to stay undefeated.
Chelsea Wilkinson allowed just one hit and struck out 10 against South Caldwell.
Feature story about Chelsea Wilkinson3. (3) East Lake (Tarpon Springs, Fla.), 25-0
The Eagles won their first two games in district play, defeating Tarpon Springs 12-0 and Seminole 14-4.
Alyssa Bache struck out six against Tarpon Springs.
Sydney Dinelli had a three-run homer and a three-run double in the fifth inning against Seminole and finished the game with seven RBIs.
4. (4) American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.), 21-0
The Patriots topped Pine Crest 6-2 and Pompano Beach 10-0 in district play.
Bailey Castro was 2-for-2 with a double and a home run against Pine Crest. She went 2-for-2 with a double and a home run against Pompano Beach as well, giving her 15 home runs on the season.
5. (5) Hudsonville (Mich.), 4-0
The Eagles swept a doubleheader from Jenison, winning 5-1 and 10-0.
Sara Driesenga got the win in both games, pitching a one-hitter in the opener. Hudsonville has had seven rainouts thus far on the season.
Bethany Kemp, Valencia
Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea
The Wildcats completed the regular season with impressive wins over Plano East, 2-1, and Plano West, 5-3.
Kristen Miles had a triple against Plano East and
Katherine Batey picked up the win. Batey also defeated Plano West and had a double on offense.
7. (7) Sarasota (Fla.), 24-2
The Sailors won the Class 6A District 7 championship behind the pitching of
Sam Messer, who had a no-hitter in the 3-0 win over Palm Harbor in the championship game. The Sailors had to rally in the fourth inning to beat Clearwater Countryside 7-3 in the semifinals.
8. (14) Bartow (Fla.), 24-1
The Yellowjackets avenged their only loss of the season with a 3-1 win over George Jenkins in the district finals.
Taylor Wagner had a key triple and drove in the game's first run in the win. Bartow also topped Auburndale 7-4 in the first round.
9. (8) Gulliver Prep (Miami), 26-2
The Raiders won the Class 3A District 16 championship last week and open the regionals against Doral Academy Charter. The Raiders dropped in the rankings this week because they are rated below Bartow in the Florida state rankings.
10. (9) Poland Seminary (Ohio), 9-0
The Bulldogs won twice last week, defeating McKinley (Niles) 10-0 and 17-3.
Erin Gabriel struck out 17 batters in the 10-0 win and also went 2-for-3 at the plate with a pair of doubles.
11. (10) Riverdale (Murfreesboro, Tenn.), 35-2
Riverdale played twice last week, beating Beech (Hendersonville) 3-2 and Siegel (Murfreesboro) 1-0.
Rachel Albritton struck out 14 and
Dene Souviney had the game-winning RBI triple against Beech.
Megan Quinn had an RBI triple against Siegel and Albritton had a one-hitter with 11 strikeouts.
12. (11) Canyon del Oro (Tucson, Ariz.), 27-1
The Dorados won big last week, defeating Catalina Foothill 10-0 and Vista Grande 14-0.
13. (12) Coronado (Lubbock, Texas), 32-0
The Mustangs finished the regular season unbeaten in district play and then defeated Randall, one of the top-ranked teams in Class 4A in Texas, 13-4.
Ciarra Galindo was 3-for-5 with five RBIs in the win while
Megan Granado got the victory.
14. (13) Johansen (Modesto, Calif.), 16-0
The Vikings did not play last week due to spring break.
15. (15) Northern (Owings, Md.), 10-0
The Patriots had just one game last week, knocking off North Point 19-0.
Kaitlyn Schmeiser had 13 strikeouts in the win.
16. (16) Sunrise Mountain (Peoria, Ariz.), 22-1
The Mustangs won twice last week, dropping Peoria in both games, 10-0 and 9-2.
Michala Erickson had a pair of triples in the 10-0 victory and
Annie Jordan,
Mickayla Heller and
Morgan Leonard all homered in the 9-2 win.
17. (18) Bonita Vista (Chula Vista, Calif.), 24-0
The Barons did not play last week due to spring break.
18. (20) Esperanza (Anaheim, Calif.), 18-1
The Aztecs defeated El Modena 6-5 in their only game last week. The Aztecs scored five runs thanks to four doubles in the bottom of the sixth to pull out the win.
19 (NR) Chesapeake (Pasadena, Md.), 11-0
The Cougars are ranked No. 2 in the Washington Post rankings and have seven straight shutouts on the season. Chesapeake has outscored its opponents 112-7 to start the year.
20. (21) Bishop O'Connell (Arlington, Va.), 14-1
The Knights won twice, defeating Our Lady of Good Counsel (Olney, Md.), 14-5, and Paul VI (Fairfax, Va.), 12-2.
21. (23) Etiwanda (Calif.), 17-2
The Eagles won twice last week, beating Upland 4-0 and Los Osos 14-3 in league play.
Melissa Taukeiaho threw a two-hitter in the win over Upland while
Delaney Spaulding and
Desiree Gonzalez each hit a home run against Los Osos.
22. (24) Lake Norman (Mooresville, N.C.), 19-1
The Wildcats defeated North Iredell 3-1, Carson 11-6 and Mooresville 10-0 last week.
23. (17) North Davidson (Lexington, N.C.), 16-1
The defending North Carolina Class 4A champions lost their first game in nearly two years with a 4-0 defeat against East Rowan. The Knights had won 49 games in a row dating back to the 2009 season. Earlier in the week North Davidson defeated East Davidson 14-1.
24. (NR) Morris Knolls (Rockaway, N.J.), 12-0
The Golden Eagles are ranked No. 1 in the New Jersey state softball rankings and have outscored opponents 78-7 to open the season.
25. (19) Valencia (Calif.), 17-3
The Vikings fell to Hart (Newhall) 6-3 early in the week, but rebounded to top Saugus 13-7 and El Modena in a nonleague contest, 8-5.
Dropped Out: No. 20 Soddy Daisy (Tenn.), No. 25 Braden River (Bradenton, Fla.).
