Pearland tops MaxPreps Xcellent 25 softball rankings

When the Pearland football team won the Texas 5A state championship, it came as a bit of surprise since it was the Oilers' first-ever 5A title.

There won't be any similar surprises for the Pearland softball team.

The Oilers won the Texas 5A softball state championship last year and begin the season ranked No. 1 by the Texas Girls Coaches Association. As a result, Pearland is ranked No. 1 to begin the year in the first-ever MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Softball Rankings.

Pearland edges out California power Elk Grove and defending Florida 6A state champion Palm Beach Gardens for the top spot. The Oilers return one of the top pitchers in Texas in all-state pick Jessica Bowden and also have several other all-state players returning.



Elk Grove has one of the top players in California in pitcher Shelby Wisdom. She led the Thundering Herd to the Sac-Joaquin Section Division I championship last year and was named the area player of the year.

Meanwhile Palm Beach Gardens returns one of the top pitchers in Florida in all-state pick Kaylie Wallace.

MAXPREPS XCELLENT 25 NATIONAL SOFTBALL RANKINGS 

1. Pearland (Texas), 37-6-1
The Oilers won the Texas 5A state championship last year over Arlington Bowie and return all-state pitcher Jessica Bowden along with all-state second baseman Lauren Langner and honorable mention all-state pick Leandra Maly in the outfield. Pearland will have to replace standout shortstop Jaclyn Bechtle, who earned state MVP honors last season.

2. Elk Grove (Calif.), 25-4-1
The Thundering Herd got through a brutal Sac-Joaquin Section playoff schedule, knocking off Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove) and Johansen (Modesto) to win the title. Elk Grove returns Sacramento Bee All-Metro player of the year Shelby Wisdom at pitcher along with All-Metro pick Jordan Brenner in the outfield. Wisdom was 16-2 with a 0.54 ERA last year with 269 strikeouts in 143 innings pitched. Brenner led the team at the plate with a .449 average and 31 hits.

3. Palm Beach Gardens (Fla.), 27-6
The Gators captured the Florida 6A state championship last year with a 12-2 win over Sarasota in the finals. All-state pitcher Kaylie Wallace returns for her senior season. She was named the All-Area Player of the Year by the Palm Beach Post after going 11-2 in the circle with a 0.56 ERA and 120 strikeouts. She also won all five playoff games for the Gators. Coach Randy Jackson also returns sophomore outfielder Ta'Coia Williams and all-state third team utility player Shelby Turnier.



4. Soddy Daisy (Tenn.), 52-2
The Trojans won their seventh state title last season with an 8-5 win over Beech in the AAA state championship game. The top two pitchers for Soddy Daisy return in Kelsey Nunley, a junior, and Tori Denayer, a sophomore. The Trojans also return senior all-state shortstop Alex Everett, all-state pick Kali Henderson and sophomore Cassidy Hackney.

5. Sandburg (Orland Park, Ill.), 40-2
The Eagles defeated Fremd for the Illinois Class 4A championship and return the team's top hitter and one of the top pitchers from a squad that went 38-2. All-state catcher Lexi Bryant returns after batting .504 with 16 doubles and 15 home runs while all-state pitcher Brittany Gardner will return to the circle after going 17-2 with 200 strikeouts and a 0.71 ERA in 2010. Gardner will share time there with Lora Olson, who is headed to Indiana after going 18-0 with a 1.33 ERA and 116 strikeouts last season. Others to watch include pitcher/first baseman Jori Boren (.371), third baseman Jess Perkins (.380, 5 home runs) and junior catcher Karissa Kouchis (.321).

6. Gulliver Prep (Miami), 27-3-1
The Raiders lose Florida 3A state player of the year Sara Buccholz, but nearly everyone else returns from last year's 3A state championship team. Aly Quitana was a first team all-state catcher while junior Dominique Grossman was also a first-teamer in the outfield. Sophomore infielder Ashley Leon and junior infielder Christian Gabriel were second team all-state picks while senior outfielder Rosemary Salguiero and sophomore utility Stephanie Texeira made third team all-state.

7. Hudsonville (Mich.), 43-1
Led by two-time Gatorade State Player of the Year Sara Driesenga, Hudsonville will look to threepeat as the Division 1 state champions in Michigan. Driesenga, who committed to the University of Michigan following her sophomore season, picked up the win over Lakeland and also hit a home run in the title game. Driesenga posted a 29-1 record with a 0.15 ERA and 337 strikeouts in 183 innings pitched and was 21-2 as a sophomore with a 0.23 ERA and 224 strikeouts. She also batted .541 with 14 home runs last season.

8. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 24-3
The Monarchs overcame the tragic death of pitcher Bri Matthews last year to post a 24-3 record and a first-place finish in the Trinity League. Mater Dei returns one of the nation's top catchers in Amber Freeman, who batted .425 with eight home runs and 30 RBIs. Freeman was a member of the Junior National Team over the summer. The Monarchs also return All-Orange County third team pitcher Miranda Tamayo. Other All-Trinity League returning players include Nicolette Udria (sophomore), Calia Chirichigno (senior), Micaela Arizmendi (junior), and Brittany Call (sophomore).

Continue reading{PAGEBREAK}9. Santiago (Corona, Calif.), 27-2
With Michigan commit Lauren Sweet behind the plate and All-CIF junior Erin Rodriguez in the circle, Santiago figures to be the top team in Riverside County this year and possibly the entire Southern Section. Sweet batted .448 with 37 RBIs, 10 doubles and eight home runs while Rodriguez was 14-0 with a 0.70 ERA and 113 strikeouts.



10. Tomball (Texas), 30-10
Ranked second in several Texas 5A preseason rankings, Tomball returns four players with all-state honors - Alyssa Bass, first team outfield; Sloan Walker, second team utility; Michelle Quinn, third team outfield; and Renada Davis, honorable mention shortstop. Tomball reached the Texas 5A semifinals last season.

11. Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.), 20-12
After losing nine of their first 13 games last season, the Eagles righted the ship at midseason and went on to win the Southern Section Division I championship with a 12-9 win over Corona. Returning pitcher Amy Letourneau, who was recovering from surgery last season which contributed to the Eagles' slow start, is the returning co-pitcher of the year in the Trinity League and is joined by other returning all-league players Jessie Dauton (junior), Amanda Reiss (senior), Dannyelle Doucette (sophomore), and Catie Monnahan (senior). Letourneau was 14-4 with a 0.87 ERA and also batted .377 with five home runs.

12. Alexander Central (Taylorsville, N.C.), 27-2
Gatorade State Player of the Year Chelsea Wilkinson returns along with four other all-state players - sophomore first baseman Brooke Sharpe, junior center fielder Kaylea Payne, junior catcher Lauren Elder and senior third baseman Lauren Elder. Wilkinson was 27-2 last year with a 0.37 ERA and 349 strikeouts in 172 innings pitched. She helped lead Alexander Central to the third round of the Class 4A playoffs in 2010 and a state championship in 2009.

13. The Woodlands (Texas), 38-4
The Highlanders return one of the top pitchers in Texas in junior Paige McDuffee, who earned second team all-state honors last season. Last year as a sophomore, McDuffee batted .458 and went 27-3 in the circle with 253 strikeouts and a 0.15 ERA in 182.1 innings pitched. McDuffee's battery mate Kayla Prater, an honorable mention all-state pick, also returns after batting. 355 last season. Another top hitter, Faith Bohack, returns. She hit .331 with 10 doubles and four home runs as a sophomore.

14. Piedra Vista (Farmington, N.M.), 28-2
Behind Gatorade State Player of the Year Karysta Donisthorpe, Piedra Vista hopes to make it five straight New Mexico state championships. Donisthorpe has been the winning pitcher in four straight state titles starting in her eighth grade season. Donisthorpe is 58-0 the past two seasons with 346 strikeouts in 161.1 innings pitched her junior year. She also struck out 168 batters in 82.2 innings pitched as a sophomore.

15. Red Mountain (Mesa, Ariz.), 35-4
The Arizona 5A state champions should be solid on offense with all-state outfielder Courtney Sherwin returning along with all-state honorable mention picks Hailey Culley and Sheila Goodrum. Sherwin batted .505 with 13 doubles, 48 RBIs and nine home runs while Goodrum batted .471 and Culley .463. The Mountain Lions must replace pitcher Mel Willadsen, however, Siera Phillips was 9-0 in the circle last season.



16. Bellaire (Texas), 32-6
The Cardinals have dominated District 20-5A in the Houston area and this year shouldn't be any different as all-state pitcher Gabby Smith (22-3, 269 strikeouts) returns along with senior infielders Michaela Granchelli (.351) and Victoria Granchelli (.408). Smith, who also led the team in batting with a .533 average, was the district MVP.

Continue reading{PAGEBREAK}17. Valencia (Calif.), 29-4-1
All-Southern Section junior pitcher Carly Mortensen leads the way for the Vikings, who saw a 21-game win streak come to an end against Santa Margarita last year in the Southern Section Division I playoffs. Mortensen was 22-1 with a 0.89 ERA and 203 strikeouts in 164.2 innings pitched. The Vikings also return Bethany Kemp, who batted .371 with three home runs last season.

18. Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove, Calif.), 24-7
The Eagles have one of the top pitchers in the nation in Ally Carda, who was 18-6 with 331 strikeouts in 169 innings pitched with a 0.54 ERA. Carda also led the team in batting with a .512 batting average, 15 doubles and four home runs. All-Delta River League players Michaela Crow (.265), Lindsey Willmon (.361) and Amber Murray (.312) also return.

19. Deer Valley (Glendale, Ariz.), 30-6
The Skyhawks return only seven players from last year's team, but one of them is all-state pitcher Lauren Haeger, and that might be enough. Haeger was 14-2 in the circle with 202 strikeouts and a 0.79 ERA. At the plate, she was even better, batting .557 with 16 doubles, 58 RBIs and 15 home runs. Also back are sophomore Hailey Spilman (.317) and infielder Kristi Johnson (.302).

20. Bishop O'Connell (Arlington, Va.), 27-1
The Knights have won 16 straight Virginia Independent Schools state championships and have the weapons necessary to make it 17 in a row. All-state pitcher Jilly Falle returns for her senior season while all-state picks Sophia Giaquinto returns at catcher and Jillian Ferraro returns at shortstop.

21. Perry (Massillon, Ohio), 27-3
Perry dominated in the Division I championship game, defeating Grove City 10-0. Casi Rohr returns in the circle for Perry after going 24-2 last season with a 0.71 ERA in 167.2 innings pitched with 214 strikeouts.



22. Riverdale (Murfreesboro, Tenn.), 56-8-1
The Warriors finished behind Soddy Daisy and Beech in the Tennessee Division I playoffs, but they return all-state pitcher Rachel Albritton (junior) and all-state catcher Dene' Souviney, along with 16 other letter winners. Albritton was 39-5 on the season with 44 strikeouts and a 0.44 ERA in 291.2 innings pitched. Souviney batted .454 with eight home runs, 82 RBIs, 61 runs, 17 doubles and 38 steals.

23. Dunnellon (Fla.), 31-1
National Player of the Year Kasey Fagan is gone, but three other Fagans return from last year's 4A state championship team. Catcher Sami Fagan, the Class 4A Offensive Player of the Year, and junior infielder Haley Fagan, a second team all-state pick, return for coach Kevin Fagan.

24. Buchanan (Clovis, Calif.), 32-4
The Bears return three Fresno Bee All-Area players including MVP first baseman Kelsey Dodd, junior pitcher Amani Proctor, pitcher Natalie Rendon and shortstop Bailey O' Dell. Dodd batted .455 with 20 doubles and 35 RBIs while Proctor batted .457 and O'Dell batted .347. Rendon was 21-4 in the circle while Proctor was 9-0. The Bears were the Division 1 runners-up in the Central Section.

25. Poland Seminary (Poland, Ohio), 30-2
Although the Bulldogs finished second in the Ohio Division II state playoffs last season, they do return junior pitcher Erin Gabriel, who was named the Gatorade State Player of the Year and was a member of the Junior National Team. Gabriel was 21-1 with a 0.24 ERA and 318 strikeouts. She also batted .562 with 28 RBIs.