MaxPreps Top 25 national high school softball rankings

Video: Mission Viejo softball highlights
Video of the top softball team in the nation.

Top-ranked Mission Viejo (Calif.) captured the Dave Kops Tournament of Champions in Bullhead, Ariz. last weekend to improve to 8-0 on the season and remain atop MaxPreps Xcellent 25 Softball Rankings.

MaxPreps All-American Taylor McQuillin was in top form as the Diablos shut out the Yucaipa Thunderbirds 1-0 to repeat as tourney champions.

The Mission Viejo senior struck out 14, walked three and gave up four hits to earn the seven-inning, complete-game victory.

McQuillin had plenty of help from her future University of Arizona teammate Alyssa Palomino, who became Orange County's all-time home run leader, hitting her 46th and 47th career home runs in the Kops TOC.

Palomino also had the lone RBI in the tourney's championship game.

Moving from No. 3 to No. 2, Alexander Central (Taylorsville, N.C.) is averaging almost a dozen runs per game in starting 6-0 and running its win streak to 74.

Horizon (Scottsdale, Ariz.) improved to 7-0 and moved up one spot to No. 3, while No. 4 belongs to Pioneer (San Jose, Calif.) after beating previously-ranked No. 2 Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) and Rancho (Las Vegas) remained unbeaten and logged in at No. 5.

New to the Top 25 this week are Forest (Ocala, Fla.), Rockwall (Texas), Curry (Jasper, Ala.) and Santiago (Corona, Calif.).


1. (No. 1 last week) Mission Viejo (Calif.), 8-0
The Diablos won the prestigious 44-team Dave Kops TOC for the second-straight year.

2. (3) Alexander Central (Taylorsville, N.C.), 6-0
The runs keep coming as the Cougars ran their win streak to 74 and are getting it done in every aspect of the game, scoring 71 times and allowing just five runs

3. (4) Horizon (Scottsdale, Ariz.), 9-0
Tamara Statman recorded 22 strikeouts in a pair of shutout wins as the Huskies ran their win streak to nine. She has 92 strikeouts in 51 innings this season and is hitting .520. Gabby Moreno (.538, 14 RBIs) and Kaila Jacobi (11 RBIs, .462) are leading the offense.

4. (9) Pioneer (San Jose, Calif.), 4-0
Behind the pitching of sophomore Holly Azevedo, the Pioneers blanked previously ranked No. 2 Mitty, 2-0, then blanked Los Altos (Calif.), 5-0.

5. (10) Rancho (Las Vegas), 7-0
Sam Pochop is averaging two strikeouts per inning as the Rams have allowed just two runs this season.

6. (4) Atascocita (Humble, Texas), 14-1
After seeing its 13-0 start spoiled by Kingwood, Astacocita routed Summer Creek (Houston), 13-0, as Shelby McGlaun had four hits and Kandace Johnson and Tierrah Williams combined on a one-hitter and struck out 13.

7. (7) Crown Point (Ind.), 0-0
The Bulldogs open the season March 30.

8. (NR) Orange Lutheran (Calif.)
Led by pitcher Maddy Dwyer (7-0, 0.65 ERA), along with hitters Mackenzie Boesel and Hanna Boyd (both hitting over .500), the Lancers are off to best start in many years.

9. (2) Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), 4-1
Mitty lost to Pioneer, 2-0, for only its third loss in three seasons, then rebounded with 3-1 win over St. Ignatius (San Francisco).

10. (12) Hagerty (Oviedo, Fla.), 16-1
Since losing, Hagerty has won 10 straight and Samantha Worrell has a nation-leading 10 home runs and is 6- 1 with a 1.18 ERA.

11. (11) Edwardsville (Ill.), 0-0
Edwardsville was 36-4 a year ago and will open its season April 11.

12. (12) Aledo (Texas), 7-0
The Lady Bearcats have run their win streak to 36.

13. (15) Bloomingdale (Valrico, Fla.), 9-1
Lace Smith is 8-1 and Elizabeth Jackson is hitting .696.

14. (NR) Forest (Ocala, Fla.), 14-0
Morgan White is tearing the 6A up with 28 RBIs in 14 games. She is also 14-0 with 157 strikeouts in 91 innings. The Wildcats are hitting .402 as a team.

15. (NR) Rockwall (Texas), 8-0
The Ladyjackets are led by pitcher Emily Cowan and first baseman Bailey Wallace.

16. (20) La Grange (Texas), 17-0
After averaging 10 runs per game in its first 16 games, LaGrange needed a two-hit, 10 strikeout effort from Missy Zoch to beat Burnett, 1-0. It was the 23rd consecutive win for LaGrange.

17. (17) North Little Rock (Ark.) 0-0
Reigning 7A state champions' season opener is Thursday against Jonesboro (Ark.).

18. (18) Neshoba Central (Philadelphia, Miss.), 4-0
Pitchers Aspen Wesley and Meg Martin have allowed just one earned run.

19. (16) - Norco (Calif.), 7-1
Since losing, Norco has rebounded with four wins by a combined 20-4 margin.

20. (NR) - Santiago (Corona, Calif.), 9-1
Despite pitching by committee (four pitchers with at least one win), the Sharks have lost only to 10-2 Los Osos and have won six straight. The Sharks are batting .412 as a team.

21. (21) Russellville (Ark.), 1-0
Shelbi Thompson drove in eight runs with a pair of home runs and a double and Andrea Kindrick struck out 11 in a five-inning no-hitter over Ozark (Ark.) to open the season.

22. (22) Washburn Rural (Topeka, Kan.), 0-0
Returning state champions open season on April 3.

23. (23) Viera (Fla.), 17-1
Since losing, Viera has scored 46 runs and allowed one in four victories.

24. (24) Keystone (La Grange, Ohio), 0-0
Season opener is April 11.

25. (NR) Curry (Jasper, Ala.) 13-1
Ashlee Swindle is 12-1 with a 0.35 ERA.

Dropped Out: No. 5 Pacifica (Garden Grove, Calif.), No. 15 Bayshore (Fla.), No. 16 O'Connor (Phoenix, Ariz.), No. 20 Carson (Calif.), No. 25 Red Mountain (Mesa, Ariz.).