MaxPreps Top 25 national high school softball rankings

Video: The behind-the-back drag bunt
10-year-old Amani Stanley pulls off the unconventional base hit.

With a dominating three-pitcher rotation, Canyon (New Braunsfels, Texas) ran its record to 13-0 and moved atop this week's MaxPreps Xcellent Top 25 Softball Rankings.

The Cougars are led by unbeaten hurlers Aliyah Pritchett (5-0), Hunter Vestal (3-0) and All-American and future Oklahoma Sooner Brooke Vestal is (5-0). Pritchett has committed to Baylor and tossed a no-hitter in her last start. Opponents have scored just five runs against the Cougars this season.

Riding the pitching of MaxPreps All-American Megan Faraimo, Cathedral Catholic (San Diego) moved to No. 2 after opening the season with four-straight wins.



Defending national champion Los Alamitos won the Gold Division of the prestigious Dave Kops Tournament of Champions in Boulder City, Nev., to move to No. 3. The Griffins have won 21 straight over two seasons.

New to the Top 25 this week are Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.), Sparkman (Harvest, Ala.), Newsome (Lithia, Fla.) and Mt. Carmel (New Orleans).

1. (Last week 2) Canyon (New Braunfels, Texas), 12-0
The pitching strong Cougars, edged Clemens, 2-1, and blanked rival New Braunsfels, 12-0.

2. (6) Cathedral Catholic (San Diego), 4-0
Future UCLA Bruin Megan Faraimo is 4-0 and in 20 innings has allowed four hits and struck out 47. She opened the season with a no-hit, 18-strikeout win over Olympian.

3. (9) Los Alamitos (Calif.), 8-0
The Griffins swept the Dave Kops Tournament of Champions Green Division outscoring its opponents 44-10. They defeated Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 8-7 in the title game.

4. (4) Marist (Chicago), 0-0
The season begins on March 14.



5. (5) Foothill (Pleasanton, Calif.), 3-0
The Falcons have won first three games, but have been tested 8-4 and 4-2 in last two wins.

6. (7) Gainesville (Fla.), 11-0
After shutting out six of seven previous opponents, the Hurricanes needed eight innings to defeat Columbia (Lake City), 6-4. Sophomore Alissa Humphrey is 10-0 with a 0.53 ERA and 146 strikeouts in 65 innings.

7. (10) King (Riverside, Calif.), 6-0
The Wolves won the Stu Pender Classic.

8. (8) Hurricane (W. Va.), 0-0
The three-time state champion Redskins open the season on Tuesday.

9. (12) Johnson (San Antonio), 16-0
The Jaguars are hitting .417 and have scored 118 times,

10. (11) Keller (Texas), 16-1-1
The Indians have won eight in a row and have scored 50 runs in their last three shutout wins.



11. (19) Katy (Texas), 19-1, 20-1
Since losing 4-3 to Alvin (Texas), Katy has won 10 straight.

12. (NR) Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.), 8-1
The Lancers beat last week's No. 3 Norco (Calif.), 7-2, to go unbeaten and win the Dave Kops Tournament of Champions Gold Division last weekend.

13. (13) East Carter (Grayson, Ky.), 0-0
Season opener is March 19.

14. (22) Land O' Lakes (Fla.), 10-0
The Gators have allowed seven earned runs in 10 games.

15. (15) Barrington (Ill.), 0-0
The Phillies open their season Saturday.

16. (14) Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 7-1
The Monarchs earned the runner-up trophy in the Green Division at the Dave Kops Tournament of Champions, losing 8-7 to Los Alamitos.



17. (NR) Sparkman (Harvest, Ala.), 13-0
The Senators have scored 113 runs.

18. (1) Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.), 8-1
The Huskies drop from the top spot after losing 5-1 to Mater Dei in the Kops Tournament of Champions.

19. (3) Norco (Calif.), 8-1
The Cougars lost 7-2 to Xcellent 25 newcomer Orange Lutheran in the Gold Division finals at the Kops Tournament.

20. (20) O'Connor (Phoenix), 12-1-1
The Eagles lost 3-2 to Villa Park (Calif.), but went 4-1 to win consolation title at the Dave Kops TOC.

21. (24) Neshoba Central (Philadelphia, Miss.), 11-0
Neshoba is hitting .398 and its opponents are batting .141.

22. (25) Hazel Green (Ala.), 7-0
The reigning state 6A champions shutout two opponents last week.

23. (23) King's Academy (Seymour, Tenn.), 0-0
King's Academy begins play Tuesday.



24. (NR) Newsome (Lithia, Fla.), 7-0
A pitching committee of five has limited opponents to .103 batting average and 13 hits in seven games. Mary Beth Feldman has two shutouts, including one over previously unbeaten Alonso. The Wolves have outscored opponents 73-2.

25. (NR) Mt. Carmel (New Orleans), 13-1
LSU signee Shelby Wickersham has been tough to hit this season.

Dropped out: Bartram Trail (St. John's Fla.), Gahr (Cerritos, Calif.), West (Salt Lake City) and Eustis (Fla.).