Greenwood, Hoover remain unbeaten as win streaks grow in state title wins; Northern, Lake City remain one, two.
Greenwood (Bowling Green, Ky.) and Hoover (North Canton, Ohio) joined No. 1 Northern (Owings, Md.) and No. 2 Lake City (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) in wrapping up their 2013 seasons unbeaten and with state championships.
Greenwood became the first Kentucky high school softball team to complete a season without a loss as it won all 44 games in 2013. That win total also broke the state single-season win total (formerly 41).
Only No. 1 Northern (76 straight) has won more consecutive games than Greenwood's 44.
Hoover captured its third straight title and finished the year 33-0.
Shannon Smith hit a three run homer and pitched a shutout as Milford (Mass.) recorded a 7-0 win over Bridgewater-Raynhan in the Division 1 South final. Milford's only loss this season was 1-0 in 10 innings to North Attleborough. With Smith throwing 21 shutouts, including the last eight games, opponents have scored just three runs off Milford this season. Milford took over the No. 13 spot.
No. 9 Immaculate Heart dropped out of the top 25 as it lost to St. John Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.). St. John ended IHA's 19-game win streak, 4-2, in Sunday's state title game. As a result, St. John moved into the Top 25 for the first time season.
MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Softball Rankings
St. John-Vianney moved into this week's rankings after winning the New Jersey Non-Public A championship.
Photo by Richard Ta
Northern won its sixth straight 3A state title.
*2. (3) Lake City (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho), 28-0The Timberwolves captured their second 5A state title in three years. The T'Wolves have won 77 of their last 79 games and two state titles (2011 and 2013).
*3. (3) Greenwood (Bowling Green, Ky.), 44-0Greenwood thoroughly enjoyed the state tournament in becoming the first Kentucky team to complete an unbeaten season. In the process, it set a state record for wins in a single season with 44. At state, Greenwood beat South Laurel (London) 7-1, Notre Dame Academy (Park Hills), 13-0, Lone Oak (Paducah) 9-0, Mercy (Louisville) 5-3 and Owensboro Catholic 8-0 in the finals. When all was said and done, Greenwood outscored its opponents 377-24 and recorded 25 shutouts.
*4. (4) Hoover (North Canton, Ohio), 34-0The Vikings swept through the state tournament by defeating Elyria in the final, 7-0, Mentor 15-3 in the semifinals and Grove City 4-1 in the first round. It was their third straight title and seventh in school history.
Tara Thacker, who pitched a two-hitter in the state title game, finished the season 22-0.
*5. (5) Curtis (River Ridge, La.), 32-1Curtis won the Louisiana 2A state title and 64 of its last 65 games.
*6. (6) Sunrise Mountain (Peoria, Ariz.), 36-1
Brooke Taylor, Sunrise Mountain
Photo by Mark Jones
The Mustangs won the 2013 Arizona D-2 title, its fourth state title in seven years.
*7. (7) Bishop O'Connell (Arlington, Va.), 30-1The Knights won the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Division I title.
*8. (8) Alexander Central (Taylorsville, N.C.), 33-1Central won the 4A state title.
*9. (10) Logan (Union City, Calif.), 26-1Won the CIF North Coast Section Division I title for the second year in a row. Logan finished with a 15-game winning streak and has won 50 of its last 52 games.
*10. (11) Olathe East (Kan.), 24-1The Hawks repeated as Kansas 6A state champions.
*11. (12) Chino (Calif.), 26-2 The Cowgirls finished the season with 22 straight wins and a CIF Southern Section D-II title.
12. (NR) Milford (Mass.), 24-1Shannon Smith hit a three-run homer and pitched a shutout as Milford recorded a 7-0 win over Bridgewater-Raynham in the Division 1 South final to advance to the state semifinal. Milford's only loss this season was 1-0 in 10 innings to North Attleborough. With Smith throwing 21 shutouts, including the last eight games, opponents have scored just three runs off Milford this season.
*13. (14) Connell (Wash.), 27-0Won third straight Washington 1A title.
*14. (15) Las Cruces (N.M.), 30-1The Bulldawgs won the Class 5A state title and finished the season with 26 straight wins.
*15. (16) Boiling Springs (Spartanburg, S.C.), 33-1The Bulldogs won the State 4A championship and finished the season with 30 straight wins.
*16. (17) Coral Reef (Miami), 26-2The Barracudas won the Florida 8A title.
*17. (18) North Medford (Medford, Ore.), 29-2Won second straight State 6A title and has won 60 of last 62 games.
*18. (19) Estrella Foothills (Goodyear, Ariz.), 33-2Estrella won the Arizona D-3 title.
*19. (20) Santiago (Corona, Calif.), 30-5Santiago defeated Norco 8-2 to win the CIF Southern Section D-I title.
Kacie Burnett, Vintage
Photo by Gregg Samelson
The Crushers had their winning streak stopped at 29, but bounced back with five straight playoff wins, including a sweep of Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove), 14-2 and 14-7, to win their first CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I softball championship. Sophomore
Baylee Robben and
Kacie Burnett led Vintage at the plate.
*21. (22) Centennial (Las Vegas), 36-6The Bulldogs won their final 13 games and 24 of their last 25 in defending their State D-1 title.
*22. (23) Sparkman (Harvest, Ala.), 52-8The Senators captured their second straight 6A state title and fourth overall. Sparkman also won titles in 2006, 2009 and 2012.
*23. (24) Kingwood (Texas), 35-4The Mustangs finished the season as Texas 5A runners-up.
*24. (NR) St. John-Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.), 29-2Won its third state title in four years by ending Immaculate Heart's 19-game win streak.
*25. (25) Hudson (Lufkin, Texas), 38-7The Hornets won their second straight state 3A title.
Dropped out: No. 9 Immaculate Heart Academy (Washington Township, N.J.), No. 13 Barrington (Ill.)
