MaxPreps Top 25 national high school softball rankings

Top-ranked Northern (Owings, Md.) showed it is on a mission by opening postseason play on Monday with a rout of Friendly (Fort Washington, Md.), 32-0. It was the 72nd-straight victory for the Patriots, who remain atop the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Softball Rankings.

The Patriots have allowed just one run — an unearned run — in winning 19 games this season. And nothing was different against Friendly as junior Jess Cummings pitched her fifth perfect game and ninth no-hitter of the season. She struck out 13 in the run-rule shortened five-inning game.

Teams ranked second through sixth didn't change positions and — with the exception of No. 5 John Curtis (River Ridge, La.), which has ended its state title-winning season 32-1 — continue to impress as they open postseason action this week.

Things can change quickly in the postseason, however. Just ask Texans Pearland, Barbers Hill (Mt. Belvieu) and Cy-Fair (Cypress), which all lost and dropped from the Top 25. Pearland had been ranked since February.

Sunrise Mountain (Peoria, Ariz.) won its 36th game of the season — and 30th in a row — in winning the Arizona D-II title with a 7-0 victory over Ironwood Ridge (Tucson) and moved in to the Top 10 at No. 8. Taylor Nowlin pitcher her fifth straight shutout in the playoffs, allowing just two hits and striking out 12.

New to the Top 25 this week are No. 17 Massac County (Metropolis, Ill.), unbeaten and winners of 28 games this season, and No. 24 Estrella Foothills (Goodyear, Ariz.), which won Arizona's D-III State title and finished the season with a 33-2 record.

La Grange (Texas) returned to the Top 25 after sweeping its Texas state quarterfinal series and is ranked No. 23.

MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Softball Rankings

1. (1 last week) Northern (Owings, Md.), 19-0
The Patriots began Regional play on Monday with a 32-0 victory over Friendly to run their win streak to 72 games. The Patriots have overwhelmed every opponent this season as freshman Kassidy Cross is batting a team high .568 and Kierstie Schaefer has a team high 22 RBIs. But the key has been junior pitcher Jess Cummings, who is 18-0 with 17 shutouts. She has allowed 12 hits in 107 innings, while striking out 251. She has pitched five perfect games, nine no-hitters and six one-hitters this season. The Patriots play Hungtinton on Wednesday.

2. (2) Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), 27-0
The Monarchs stretched their winning streak to 41 by beating St. Francis (Mountain View, Calif.), 10-2, and St. Ignatius (San Francisco), 6-1 to win the West Catholic Athletic League tournament final. Mitty also won the league's season title and will take aim at its eighth Central Coast Section championship in nine seasons. Jazmyn Jackson homered and four other players drove in two runs each against Mountain View. In the win over St. Ignatius, Harvard-bound senior Catherine Callaway had three base hits and Desiree Severance picked up her 23rd win of the season. The Monarchs play Tuesday in the first round of CIF Section playoffs.

3. (3) Lake City (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho), 24-0
The Timberwolves captured their third-straight region title by beating Post Falls, 24-4, and Coeuer d'Alene, 12-1, collecting 36 base hits in the two run-rule victories. In the two games, Lake City hit seven home runs and Lindsey Willmon hit three. Casey Stangel, who picked up both victories to improve to 24-0, also homered, as did Dakota Wilson, and Vanessa Shippy. The T'Wolves have won 73 of their last 75 games. Next up: the Idaho State Tournament May 17-18.

4. (4) Mission Viejo (Calif.), 25-1
The Red and Gold beat San Clemente on Monday, 8-3, and won a pair of games last week -over Tesoro (Rancho Santa Margarita) and Dana Hills (Dana Point) to run their win streak to 21 games. Opponents have scored only 36 runs this season. Pairings for CIF Section play are to be announced.

*5. (5) Curtis (River Ridge, La.), 32-1
Curtis won the Louisiana 2A state title and has won 64 of its last 65 games.

6. (6) El Diamante (Visalia, Calif.), 28-1-1
Stevi Johnson homered and drove in three runs and Cassie Carlisle plated two as the Miners edged 20-7 Golden West (Visalia ) 5-4 to run their win streak to 20 games. In a 13-1 win over Hanford West (Calif.), Katy McJunkin and Elizabeth Luna drove in three runs each. The Miners open CIF Division I play on Tuesday.

7. (9) North Johnston (Kenly, N.C.), 22-0
The Panthers got two home runs from freshman Olivia Stewart and Ashleigh Mason, Olivia Narron and Taylor Adams had three hits each in 11-0 win over Greene Central (Snow Hill, N.C.). Caroline Turner and Lauren Batten combined on a one-hitter and struck out nine. The Panthers, who have outscored their opponents 262-6, play Bertie (Windsor, N.C.) on Tuesday.

*8. (10) Sunrise Mountain (Peoria, Ariz.), 36-1
Taylor Nowlin pitched her fourth-straight shutout with a one-hitter over Greenway (Phoenix) in the semifinals of Arizona's Division II state championship, then two-hit Ironwood Ridge (Tucson) in a 7-0 championship game win as catcher Morgan Leonard doubled, tripled, single and drove in three runs. Nowlin has six shutouts in her last seven games. She also homered in the 2-0 win. The Mustangs have won four state titles in seven years.

9. (8) North Medford (Medford, Ore.), 23-1
North Medford has won 19 in a row after a pair of victories last week. The Black Tornado beat Crater, 6-0, as Maryssa Becker struck out 13 and pitched a three-hitter. Alexis Barkwell followed that with a three-hiiter on Saturday in a rout of Eagle Point. North Medford begins state playoffs on May 22.

10. (12) Hoover (North Canton, Ohio), 26-0
The Vikings beat Glen Oak (Canton, Ohio) 11-5 as Ally Farrah drove in four runs. They followed that with Saturday wins over Howland (Warren, Ohio) and Walsh Jesuit (Cuyaho Falls, Ohio). The Vikings host Perry on Thursday.

11. (13) Bishop O'Connell (Arlington, Va.), 27-1
The Knights defeated St. Mary's Ryken (Leonardtown, Md.) Saturday for another league title. Prior to the league title game, the Knights routed McNamara (Forestville, Md.), 14-1, and beat Seton 7-1. Tori Finucane homered, drove in five runs and struck out 12 against McNamara and fanned 13 against Seton as Hayley Metcalf drove in three runs.

12. (17) Immaculate Heart Academy (Washington Township, N.J.), 22-1
The Eagles have recorded nine-straight shutouts since losing 1-0. Most recently, junior Steph Thomas pitched a perfect game and recorded 14 strikeouts and Natalie Keller homered in 7-0 win over Hackensack (N.J.), then another blanking in a 4-0 over Holy Angels (Demarest, N.J.). Thomas added a one-hitter in 2-0 win over Rutherford, then a two-hitter in 3-0 blanking of Pearl River. Opponents have scored just 10 runs against the Eagles. They host Teaneck (N.J.) on Wednesday.

13. (14) Alexander Central (Taylorsville, N.C.), 26-1
The Cougars routed North Mecklenburg (Huntersville, N.C.) 13-0 for their 24th straight win and 97th out of their last 102 games. On Tuesday, they face McDowell (Marion, N.C.) in the second round of state playoffs.

14. (16) Logan (Union City, Calif.), 21-1
With five different players driving in runs and Raeann Garza picking up her 16th win, the Colts beat Newark Memorial (Calif.), 6-1, then routed Washington (Fremont, Calif.) 10-0 for their 10th straight win one a Garza three-hitter. They play Irvington (Fremont, Calif.) on Thursday.

15. (15) Woodinville (Wash.), 19-1
The Falcons beat Redmond (Wash.), 4-2, and Bothell (Wash.) 5-1 as Madi Schreyer scattered 13 hits and struck out 21 in the two wins. Alex Boyd hit a three-run home against Bothell. The Falcons move on to the district tournament later this week.

16. (20) Greenwood (Bowling Green, Ky.), 29-0
The Gators, who have a 281-11 scoring advantage over their opponents, beat Butler County (Morgantown, Ky.) on Tuesday, 13-0, and followed that with a win over a 6-1 win Barren County (Glasgow, Ky.). They host Christian County (Hopkinsville, Ky.) on Wednesday.

17. (NR) Massac County (Metropolis, Ill.), 28-0
In winning three games last week, Massac scored 37 runs and has outscored its foes 263-56 during a 28-game winning streak.

18. (19) Connell (Wash.), 20-0
Ashley Thompson struck out 17 in pitching a one-hitter in an 11-0 first game win over River View (Kennewick, Wash.) on Tuesday, then hit a pair of home runs in 32-1 second game rout. Savannah Egbert added two triples and a home run in the second game. Next up for Connell: District 5 Tournament on Thursday.

19. (20) Amador Valley (Pleasanton, Calif.), 20-2
After shutting down a powerful California (San Ramon, Calif.) lineup for 10 innings, junior Johanna Grauer hit a game-winning two-run homer. She also retired the last 24 batters she faced as the Dons recorded their seventh-straight shutout. They have outscored their opponents 109-7 with 16 shutouts coming from Grauer. The Dons host 18-3 San Ramon Valley (Danville, Calif.) on Tuesday.

20. (23) Las Cruces (N.M.), 26-1
The Bulldawgs opened 4A State Tournament play by ripping Atrisco Heritage (Albuquerque, N.M.), 14-2, as Briana Minjarez hit two home runs and drove in five teammates. Bailey Terry, Valerie Macias and Alexis Dotson combined for eight base hits in the win. The Bulldawgs will carry a 22-game winning streak into the second round of state on Friday.

21. (23) Boiling Springs (Spartanburg, S.C.), 31-1
The Bulldogs avenged their only loss of the season by routing Byrnes (Duncan, S.C.), 10-0, to win the Upper State championship last Friday and earn a berth in this week's best-of-three state finals series against Summerville. Taylor Cabe turned in another dominating effort with a four-hit shutout. In the Up-State semifinals, Katie Jacoby homered twice to lead Boiling Springs to a 10-0 win over Clover. The Bulldogs' only loss this season was 7-6 to Byrnes on March 13. Since the loss, the Bulldogs have won 28 straight, 16 by shutout.

22. (22) Vintage (Napa, Calif.), 27-0
Last week, the Crushers beat Rodriguez (Fairfield) 5-1, Armijo (Fairfield) 12-0 and Napa, 5-3. The Crushers have outscored foes 202-39 and pitcher Emily Oestreich is 26-0 with 256 strikeouts in 161 innings. The Crushers open CIF playoffs on Saturday.

23. (NR) La Grange (Texas), 33-2
Powered by Breanna Homer's home runs, the Leopards have won 28 straight and advance to the state semifinals on Friday versus King (Kingville).

*24. (NR) Estrella Foothills (Goodyear, Ariz.), 33-2
Behind Allison Montano's three hits and trio of RBIs, Estrella defeated 26-4 Winslow, 12-4, to win Arizona State D-III title.

25. (24) Coronado (Lubbock, Texas), 34-3
The Mustangs defeated Richland twice to advance to the Texas State 5A state semifinals.

Dropped out: No. 7 Barbers Hill (Mt. Belvieu, Texas), No. 10 Pearland (Texas), No. 16 Cy-Fair (Cypress)

*Season over