The Woodlands, Plano could be the top two teams in the country by the time they meet in their expected battle in the Texas 5A state playoffs.
The Texas 5A state softball championships head into the final two weeks with showdowns expected between at least three members of the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Softball Rankings.
The Woodlands, ranked No. 1, reached the Region 2 finals where it will face No. 20 Tomball. Meanwhile No. 3 Plano advanced to the Region 1 championship game and will take on Keller, a former member of the Xcellent 25. Winners of the regional finals advance to the state final four the following week.
North Carolina will also have some exciting matchups as No. 4 Alexander Central, No. 14 North Davidson and No. 19 Lake Norman are all still alive in the 4A West bracket. Lake Norman and Alexander Central are on the same side of the bracket while North Davidson is on the top half. All three teams could potentially reach the semifinals this week.
MAXPREPS XCELLENT 25 NATIONAL SOFTBALL RANKINGS1. (last week 1) The Woodlands (Texas), 40-0The Highlanders kept it close, but they still managed to advance to the regional finals with a sweep of Belton.
Kelsey Jolly hit a home run in a 2-1 win while
Alyssa Jorgensen,
Paige McDuffee and Jolly all tripled in a 3-2 victory.
2. (2) Gulliver Prep (Miami), 30-2Florida 3A state champions. Season over.
3. (3) Plano (Texas), 37-4The Wildcats edged Weatherford 1-0 and 6-2 to advance to the regional finals.
Katherine Batey and
Jill Holub each hit a home run in the 6-2 victory.
4. (4) Alexander Central (Taylorsville, N.C.), 26-1The Cougars shut out TC Roberson 10-0 to advance to the district championship against North Meck.
Chelsea Wilkinson struck out nine batters to surpass 1,000 career strikeouts in the win.
5. (6) Canyon del Oro (Tucson, Ariz.), 34-1Arizona Class 4A Division I state champions. Season over.
6. (7) Northern (Owings, Md.), 20-0Got past Thomas Stone 5-0 and Huntingtown 4-0. Seventeen of Northern's 20 wins are by shutout.
7. (5) Riverdale (Murfreesboro, Tenn.), 44-3The Warriors lost for the first time since April 1 with a 5-1 defeat at the hands of Lincoln County. Riverdale stayed alive in the Tennessee AAA playoffs, however, with a 5-1 win over Coffee County Central (Manchester).
Rachel Albritton struck out 13 in the win.
8. (8) Niceville (Fla.), 26-4Florida 5A state champions. Season over.
9. (9) Bartow (Fla.), 28-2Season over.
10. (10) East Lake (Tarpon Springs, Fla.), 28-1Season over.
11. (11) American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.), 23-1Season over.
12. (12) Chesapeake (Pasadena, Md.), 22-0Defeated Severna Park 3-1 and Glen Burnie 5-0 last week.
13. (13) Bonita Vista (Chula Vista, Calif.), 33-1The Barons won their first two playoff games, whipping Steele Canyon 11-1 and Point Loma 10-1 in the San Diego Section Division I playoffs.
Kayla Jordan and
Ruby Elliot each had a home run against Steele Canyon while
Celinna Cosio hit one out against Point Loma.
14. (14) North Davidson (Lexington, N.C.), 25-1Defeated Providence 15-0 and South Alamance 6-1 to advance to the North Carolina 4A West district championship game.
15. (15) Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.), 29-5Florida 6A state champions. Season over.
16. (16) Lakota East (Liberty Township, Ohio), 25-2The Thunderhawks defeated Fairfield 7-1 for the GMC championship. Also defeated Fairborn 10-0 for the sectional final.
Sara Pearson went over 1,000 career strikeouts in the win, fanning eight in the process.
17. (17) Eau Gallie (Melbourne, Fla.), 27-5Florida 4A state champions. Season over.
18. (18) Deer Valley (Glendale, Ariz.), 30-6Arizona Class 5A Division II state champions. Season over.
19. (19) Lake Norman (Mooresville, N.C.), 25-2The Wildcats won their first two playoff games, defeating Mallard Creek 16-1 and South Caldwell 9-1.
Dominique Wilson pitched a three-hitter with six strikeouts against Mallard Creek while
Kayla Pine struck out eight in the South Caldwell victory.
20. (20) Tomball (Texas), 33-4Tomball easily dispatched Bryan 10-2 and 11-1 in the Texas 5A state playoffs.
Alyssa Bass and
Kandace Patek each had a home run in the 11-1 victory.
21. (22) San Benito (Hollister, Calif.), 27-1The Haybalers defeated Leigh 8-2 in the first round of the Central Coast Section Division I playoffs.
22. (25) Etiwanda (Calif.), 22-3Defeated Royal in the CIF Southern Section Division I playoff opener 6-0.
23. (26) Sarasota (Fla.), 27-3Season over.
24. (28) Piedra Vista (Farmington, N.M.), 26-5New Mexico 4A state champions. Season over.
25. (29) Keystone (La Grange, Ohio), 29-1Defeated Bay 10-0 and Wellington 10-7 last week.
The Next 25
26. (27) Hudsonville (Mich.), 22-3Defending state champs lost their third game of the season, falling to Muskegon Mona Shores 6-1. Defeated Grand Haven 12-0 and 5-0.
27. (30) Elk Grove (Ill.), 29-4Lost the Mid-Suburban championship to Conant, 5-1, but still won four times last week.
28. (NR) Dothan (Ala.), 59-7-1Won the Alabama 6A state championship with an 8-2 win over Hoover.
29. (NR) Newton County (Decatur, Miss.), 34-2Won the Mississippi 4A state championship.
30. (31) Hahnville (Boutte, La.), 31-3Louisiana 5A state champions. Season over.
31. (32) Santiago (Corona, Calif.), 23-5Defeated Valencia (Placentia) 15-4 in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs.
Lauren Sweet had two home runs and seven RBIs.
32. (35) Archmere Academy (Claymont, Del.), 17-0Won three times last week, beating Delmarva Christian 17-0, St. Thomas More 12-0 and Delaware Military Academy 15-1.
33. (36) Mann (Greenville, S.C.), 29-5South Carolina 4A state champions. Season over.
34. (37) Richards (Oak Lawn, Ill.), 28-0Defeated Lyons 3-1 and Oak Lawn 7-1 to clinch the South Suburban Red Division title.
35. (42) Dripping Springs (Texas), 31-2Defeated Moody (Corpus Christi), which was ranked No. 2 in the Class 4A state rankings, 9-1 and 4-2 to advance to the Region 4 finals.
36. (38) Los Alamitos (Calif.), 25-3-1Opened the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs with a 6-1 win over Foothill (Santa Ana).
37. (39) Simi Valley (Calif.), 23-2Topped Hart 4-0 in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs.
38. (40) Pacifica (Garden Grove, Calif.), 24-2Defeated King (Riverside) 4-0 in its playoff opener.
39. (33) Carmel (Ind.), 22-3Defeated Harrison 7-0 last week. Still ranked No. 1 in Indiana state rankings.
40. (41) Glencoe (Hillsboro, Ore.), 23-2Did not play last week.
41. (44) Red Mountain (Mesa, Ariz.), 31-8Arizona Class 5A Division I state champions. Season over.
42. (45) Unicoi County (Erwin, Tenn.), 47-4Defeated Chuckey-Doak 1-0 and Kingston 6-2 last week to advance to the state meet.
43. (NR) Olathe East (Kan.), 22-0Ranked No. 1 in the Kansas 6A state playoffs, which begin this week.
44. (46) Stockdale (Bakersfield, Calif.), 25-4-1Defeated Liberty (Bakersfield) 4-0 in its Central Section Division I playoff opener.
45. (47) Frontier (Bakersfield, Calif.), 33-3Defeated San Joaquin Memorial (Fresno) 4-1 in its Central Section Division II playoff opener.
46. (48) East Ridge (Clermont, Fla.), 28-3Season over.
47 (49) Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), 26-3The Monarchs won their playoff opener with Live Oak (Morgan Hill) with a 4-0 victory.
48. (NR) Burleson (Texas), 26-1Will move up to No. 2 in the Texas Class 4A state rankings after Moody's loss to Dripping Springs. Burleson has won 25 in a row and has a win over 5A Keller.
49. (NR) Bryant (Ark.), 25-5Bryant repeated as state champions with an 11-1 win over North Little Rock.
50. (NR) Jordan (Morris, Ala.), 33-7Won the Alabama 5A state championship with a 5-1 win over Moody. The title is the third in four years for Mortimer Jordan.
