Defending national champion The Woodlands is doing fine despite temporary loss of star pitcher Paige McDuffee.
The Woodlands is getting all the attention as a Texas team leading the nationwide rankings. Tomball High is close behind, though, as it holds the No. 6 spot in the Xcellent 25.
File photo by Jason Jump
So far the absence of MaxPreps National Player of the Year
Paige McDuffee has not been an issue for The Woodlands Highlanders.
The defending MaxPreps national champions began the season without their ace hurler, who is sitting out the first part of the season with an arm injury. However the Highlanders, ranked No. 1 in this week's Xcellent 25 National Softball Rankings presented by the Army National Guard, have barely been fazed by the absence in racking up a 10-0 record and winning their own tournament.
Gulliver Prep, previously the nation's No. 2 team, was not as fortunate as it dropped a 12-2 contest to defending Florida Class 5A state champion Niceville at the Florida-Alabama Softball Classic. The loss dropped the Raiders to No. 9 this week and also allowed Niceville to jump into the rankings at No. 8.
Other teams to drop out included Dothan (Ala.), Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), Wakeland (Frisco, Texas) and Santa Fe (Texas). Others moving in besides Niceville include Eau Gallie (Fla.), Santiago (Corona, Calif.) and Basha (Chandler, Ariz.).
MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Softball Rankings presented by the Army National Guard
1. (1 in preseason rankings) The Woodlands (Texas), 10-0The Highlanders won their own tournament, defeating Bellaire 5-3 in the championship game. The Woodlands has opened the season with 10 straight wins and has received solid pitching from
Caitlin Bartsch and
Abby Langkamp in the absence of MaxPreps National Player of the Year McDuffee. Bartsch is 8-0 on the season with four shutouts, 29 strikeouts and a 1.00 ERA. Langkamp is 2-0 with 21 strikeouts and a 0.70 ERA.
Jessica Snyder and
Faith Bohack have led the offense with 11 and 12 RBIs, respectively. Snyder has two home runs while Bohack has a home run and six doubles.
2. (3) Alexander Central (Taylorsville, N.C.), 0-0Season opens March 6 vs. St. Stephens (Hickory, N.C.).
3. (4). Plano (Texas), 9-0If anyone is going to give The Woodlands a run for the 5A title in Texas, it might be Plano. The Wildcats opened the season with nine straight wins, including a first-place finish at the Southlake Carroll Tournament that included a 10-5 win over Flower Mound.
4. (5) Lee-Davis (Mechanicsville, Va.), 0-0Season opens March 10 vs. Dinwiddie (Va.).
5. (6) North Davidson (Lexington, N.C.), 0-0Season opens March 7 at Glenn (Kernersville, N.C.).
6. (7) Tomball (Texas), 4-0The Cougars are off to a 4-0 start behind the pitching and hitting of
Kandace Patek. She is batting .500 on the season with three doubles and a home run while also picking up all four wins with 17 strikeouts and a 2.33 ERA.
Kelsey Vincent has also been spectacular, batting .583 with eight RBIs and four home runs.
7. (8) Newton County (Decatur, Miss.), 2-0The defending Mississippi 4A state champions have posted two shutout wins, beating New Hope (Columbus) 3-0 and Southeast Lauderdale (Meridian) 10-0.
Ashton Lampton batted .833 in the two games with four RBIs and a home run.
8. (NR) Niceville (Fla.), 7-1The defending 5A state champions avenged their only loss of the season, a 1-0 defeat at the hands of defending Alabama 6A state champion Dothan, with a 16-6 victory in the Florida-Alabama Softball Classic. Niceville also defeated Gulliver Prep 12-2, giving the Eagles a pair of wins over defending state champions.
9. (2) Gulliver Prep (Miami), 4-1In a battle of defending state champions, Gulliver Prep dropped a 12-2 decision to Niceville at the Florida-Alabama Softball Challenge. The loss was the only one of the tournament for the Raiders, who defeated Dothan 3-1, Mosley 10-0 and Bob Jones 3-2. Gulliver Prep also opened the season with a 16-0 win over Coral Shores.
10. (23) American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.), 8-0The Patriots traditionally start strong and this year is no different. American Heritage is 8-0 on the season with five shutout wins.
Aimee Chapdelaine has five of those victories and has struck out 41 with a 0.23 ERA.
Alyssa Enrique has the other three wins and has struck out 34 batters in 22 innings pitched.
11. (NR) Eau Gallie (Melbourne, Fla.), 8-0The defending 4A state champion in Florida is now in 7A and has started the year 8-0 with two shutout wins.
Brittany Wylie has driven in 13 runs and hit three home runs while batting .500 to lead the team.
Megan Lafon is 6-0 with 46 strikeouts in 51 innings pitched.
12. (11) Walla Walla (Wash.), 0-0Season opens March 20 vs. Southridge (Kennewick, Wash.).
13. (12) Riverdale (Murfreesboro, Tenn.), 0-0Season opens Saturday vs. Ooltewah (Tenn.).
14. (14) Keystone (La Grange, Ohio), 0-0Season opens April 3 vs. Edison (Milan, Ohio).
15. (17) Soddy Daisy (Tenn.), 0-0Season opens Saturday at Riverdale (Murfreesboro, Tenn.).
16. (18) Beech (Hendersonville, Tenn.), 0-0Season opens at the Nike Gulf Coast Classic, March 12-14.
17. (19) Robbinsville (N.J.), 0-0
No. 18 Santiago is looking good thusfar as it tries to defend its CIFSouthern Section Division I title.
File photo by Vince Pugliese
Season opens March 15 vs. Monroe Township (N.J.).
18. (NR) Santiago (Corona, Calif.), 2-0The Sharks begin the season atop the Southern Section Division I rankings and have already posted two wins in the Stu Penter Tournament. Santiago topped Colony (Ontario) 16-2 and shut out Arlington (Riverside) 10-0.
19. (20) Los Alamitos (Calif.), 0-0Season opens Saturday vs. Rosary (Fullerton, Calif.).
20. (21) Bonita Vista (Chula Vista, Calif.), 0-0Season opens March 21 at Poway (Calif.).
21. (NR) Basha (Chandler, Ariz.), 7-0The Bears won the Red Mountain Lion Classic with a 5-2 victory over Gilbert in the championship game. Basha also topped Saguaro 6-0 in the first round and Desert Ridge 4-1 in the second round to claim the title.
22. (22) Estrella Foothills (Goodyear, Ariz.), 1-0The Wolves won their season opener with a 10-2 victory over Northwest Christian.
Kasia Smith struck out 12 in the victory.
23. (13) Red Mountain (Mesa, Ariz.), 6-1The Mountain Lions came up short in their own tournament, falling to Mountain View 2-1. Red Mountain did manage to pick up six wins, however, including a 9-3 win over Perry and a 3-0 victory over Corona del Sol.
Breana Macha has been on fire at the plate, batting .542 with 14 RBIs and five home runs.
24. (24) Poland Seminary (Ohio), 0-0Season opens April 9 at American Heritage (Delray Beach, Fla.)
25. (25) Carson (Calif.), 0-0Season opens Saturday vs. Garden Grove at Downey Tournament.
Dropped out: No. 8 Dothan, No. 10 Archbishop Mitty, No. 15 Wakeland, No. 16 Santa Fe (Texas).
