MaxPreps Top 25 national high school softball rankings

By Tom Mauldin Apr 16, 2014, 12:00am

Teams from Washington, Tennessee, Kentucky climb into Top 25.

Camas enters this week's Xcellent 25 after a 6-0 start to the season.
Camas enters this week's Xcellent 25 after a 6-0 start to the season.
Photo by Jeff Napier
The top five teams — all unbeaten — remained the same in this week's MaxPreps Xcellent 25 Softball Rankings.

Despite playing only one game last week, Mission Viejo (Calif.) remained No. 1 as it ran its record to 15-0. The Diablos defeated El Toro (Lake Forest, Calif.), 13-4, and have outscored their opponents 105-22 this season.

Two other California teams held on to No. 2 (Amador Valley of Pleasanton, Calif.) and No. 4 (Archbishop Mitty of San Jose, Calif.), with Alexander Central (Taylorsville, N.C.) holding down the No. 3 spot.

Ponte Vedra (Fla.) improved to 24-0 and remained No. 5.



Greenwood (Bowling Green, Ky.) returned to the Top 25 for the first time since losing 8-0 three weeks ago. Since the loss, Greenwood has won nine straight and has 56 wins in its lat 57 games. Greenwood started the season ranked in the Top 10.

New to the Top 25 this week are unbeaten No. 24 Camas (Washington) and No. 14 Halls (Knoxville, Tenn.), winner of 23 straight.

Previously ranked Hoover (North Canton, Ohio) lost 3-1 to Lebanon (Ohio) and saw its 51-game winning streak end.

MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Softball Rankings

1. (No. 1 last week) Mission Viejo (Calif.), 15-0
The Diablos beat El Toro (Lakeforest, Calif.) last Thursday and host Tesora (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.) on April 22.

2. (2) Amador Valley (Pleasanton, Calif.), 14-0
Johanna Grauer, Amador Valley
Johanna Grauer, Amador Valley
Photo by Samuel Stringer
Johanna Grauer had two hits and pitched a two-hitter for her ninth shutout of the season as Amador Valley beat California (San Ramon, Calif.), 10-0. Up next they face Foothill (Pleasanton, Calif.).

3. (3) Alexander Central (Taylorsville, N.C.), 19-0
Central's win streak stands at 47 after routs over four opponents. Central hosts Statesville (N.C.) on Tuesday.



4. (4) Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), 16-0
Mitty won for the second time in a week by one run, hanging on to beat St. Ignatius (San Francisco), 5-4. Junior Danielle Bowers leads the team with 23 RBIs. Next up is Presentation (San Jose, Calif.) on Tuesday.

5. (5) Ponte Vedra (Fla.), 24-0
The Sharks are led by senior Avery Geehr, 24-0 with 241 strikeouts in 144 innings and 0.34 ERA.

6. (7) Barbers Hill (Mt. Belvieu, Texas), 22-0
Barbers Hill visits Summer Creek (Houston) on Tuesday.

7. (8) Russellville (Ark.), 13-0
Andrea Kindrick has 150 strikeouts in 68 innings and a 0.31 ERA. Next up is Conway (Ark.) on Tuesday.

8. (9) Cy-Fair (Cypress, Texas), 24-1
With a 10-0 blanking of Cypress Lakes (Katy, Texas), the Bobcats recorded their 10th shutout win in their last 12 games. They host Cy-Ridge (Houston) on Tuesday.

9. (13) Mauldin (S.C.), 20-0
The Mavericks got three home runs from Kaitlyn Wagers and a pair of shutouts from Amanda Storch in running their record to 20-0. They host Spartanburg on April 22.



10. (15) Bloom-Carroll (Carroll, Ohio), 8-0
Behind the pitching of Taran Alvelo, the Bulldogs won the Wendy's Classic. Alvelo improved her record to 8-0 and she has recorded 94 strikeouts in 50 innings while allowing just one earned run. They host Logan Elm (Circleville, Ohio) on Wednesday.

11. (12) Cinco Ranch (Katy, Texas), 23-1
Cinco Ranch blanked Seven Lakes (Katy, Texas) and Houston Christian to run its win streak to 14. Next up is Katy on Tuesday.

12. (12) La Grange (Texas), 29-1
The Cougars, who have won 29 straight, visit rival Giddings (Texas) on Tuesday.

13. (14) Clovis (Calif.), 17-0
Samantha Blair, Clovis
Samantha Blair, Clovis
File photo by Gerardo Coronado
The Cougars won their first four games of the Fresno Easter Softball Classic to move on to Tuesday's semifinals. Samantha Blair pitched a no-hitter in a 7-0 win over Dinuba (Calif.). On April 22, the Cougars will play 18-5 rival Clovis West (Clovis, Calif.).

14. (NR) Halls (Knoxville, Tenn.), 29-1
Since losing 1-0 to Collierville, the Red Devils have won 23 straight. Last Saturday, they won five games by a combined margin of 40 runs.

15. (18) Columbia (Lake City, Fla.), 18-1
Since losing 2-0, the Tigers have shut out four opponents by a combined 29-0 score.



16. (16) The Woodlands (Texas), 26-2
The Highlanders recorded their 17th straight win as Abby Langkamp homered and picked up her 16th win without a loss. They visit College Park (The Woodlands) on Tuesday.

17. (17) Atascocita (Humble, Texas), 23-1
The Eagles are averaging 12 runs per game. They visit Dekaney (Houston) on Tuesday.

18. (20) Sherwood (Sandy Spring, Md.), 8-0
The Warriors have scored 105 runs in just eight games. They visit Blake on April 22.

19. (22) Olathe East (Kan.), 6-0
The Hawks, who have won 30 of their last 31 games, visit East (Shawnee Mission, Kan.) on Thursday.

20. (21) Immaculate Heart Academy (Washington Township, N.J.), 10-0
IHA has won 102 of its last 108 games and had an impressive week as Steph Thomas pitched a no-hitter, a trio of one hitters and spread nine hits over two other victories, allowing only a pair of earned runs. Next up is Wayne Valley (Wayne, N.J.) on Tuesday.

21. (22) South Salem (Ore.), 9-0
Julia DePonte, Vacaville
Julia DePonte, Vacaville
Photo by David Steutel
The Saxons have recorded six straight shutouts and have outscored their opponents 50-4. They visit North Salem (Ore.) on Tuesday.



22. (24) Vacaville (Calif.), 16-0-1
Senior Julia DePonte is hitting .513. The Lady Bulldogs host Vintage (Napa, Calif.) on Wednesday.

23. (25) Sparkman (Harvest, Ala.), 41-2
The Senators have scored 288 runs this season. They host Hazel Green (Ala.) on Tuesday.

24. (NR) Camas (Wash.), 6-0
Katie Schroeder and Harli Hubbard have combined to allow just three earned runs and have struck out 78 in 40 innings. They have also combined to bat .600 with 18 RBIs. The Papermakers play Kelso on Friday.

25. (NR) Greenwood (Bowling Green, Ky.), 12-1
Since losing early in the season, Greenwood has won nine straight by a 79-16 margin.

Dropped Out:
No. 6 Hoover (North Canton, Ohio)
No. 10 Esperanza (Anaheim, Calif.)
No. 25 Reed (Sparks, Nev.)