MaxPreps Top 25 national high school softball rankings

Three teams ranked among the Top 25 in MaxPreps Xcellent Softball Rankings continued their impressive win streaks of 50 or more and remain ranked among the top high schools teams in the U.S.

No. 2 ranked Northern (Owings, Md.) has started the 2013 campaign 5-0 to stretch its streak of wins to 58. Pitcher Jess Cummings has highlighted that streak with five shutouts, including three no-hitters.

With recent victories, No. 5 ranked Curtis (River Ridge, La.) and No. 16 Immaculate Heart Academy (Washington Township, N.J.) extended their winning streaks. Curtis defeated J.S. Clark, 15-0, on March 27 to reach the half-century mark and Immaculate Heart opened the 2013 season on April 1 with an 11-0 victory for its 51st win in a row.

Unbeaten Amador Valley (Pleasanton, Calif.) retained the No. 1 spot by winning three games last week, 7-1, 6-0 and 12-0. In the 12-0 win over Deer Valley (Antioch, Calif.), three pitchers combined to strike out a dozen in the five-inning contest.

Amador Valley will join other top teams in the Michelle Carew Memorial Softball Tournament hosted by Canyon High School (Anaheim, Calif.). Teams from California, Arizona and New Mexico are featured. No. 14 Cienega (Tucson, Ariz.) is also entered.

This year marks the 27th year that Canyon High has hosted the Invitational Varsity Tournament, and the 17th successive event in memory of former Canyon player Michelle Carew.

Seattle was the location last week for a battle of Top 25 teams and State Gatorade Player of Year winners as North Medford's Maryssa Becker out-dueled Woodinville's Madi Schreyer, 3-2. Becker, Oregon's top player in 2012, allowed three hits and struck out 14, while Schreyer allowed six hits and struck out 13. She was Washington's Gatorade winner in 2012.

Despite beating previous No. 8 Woodinville, North Medford (Ore.) dropped from No. 13 to No. 15 as the Black Tornado lost in its own tournament a week ago, 4-3, to Glencoe (Hillsboro, Ore.). Woodinville, 7-1, dropped to No. 19.

Marcus (Flower Mound, Texas) also lost and dropped out of the Top 10. With a record of 25-1, Marcus slipped to No. 13.

Moving into the Top 10 were a trio of California teams — No. 8 Mission Viejo and unbeatens No. 9 Sierra (Manteca) and No. 10 Archbishop Mitty (San Jose).

New to the Top 25 this week are El Diamante (Visalia, Calif.) at No. 17, Barbers Hill (Mt. Belvieu, Texas) at No. 18 and No. 25 Connell (Wash).

MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Softball Rankings

1. (1 last week) Amador Valley (Pleasanton, Calif.), 7-0
The Dons have allowed just one run in seven games. They compete in the Michelle Carew Classic starting on Wednesday.

2. (2) Northern (Owings, Md.), 5-0
The Patriots have outscored their foes 5-0 this season as Jess Cummings has allowed just three hits in 32 innings. She struck out 74 of the 109 batters she has faced. Kierstie Schaefer has driven in eight runs. Northern goes after its 51st straight win when its hosts Calvert (Prince Frederick, Md.) on Wednesday.

3. (3) Bishop O'Connell (Arlington, Va.), 6-0
Bishop O'Connell got another sterling effort from Tori Finucane — her fifth shutout in six games, a 2-hit, 12-strikeout performance over Urbana (Ijamsville, Md.). The Knights have outscored their opponents 69-1. Finicane's stats after six games 79 strikeouts in 35 innings and she is hitting .684 with 16 RBIs. Her battery mate, Jillian Ferraro, is hitting .450 and also has 16 RBIs. They play Thursday in Cumberland, Md.

4. (4) Logan (Union City, Calif.), 7-0
With an 8-0 win over American and 16-1 victory over Kennedy (Fremont), the Colts raised their team batting average to .440. Kim Goulart is hitting .630. The Colts also extended their winning streak to 27 games. Logan faces Moreau Catholic (Hayward) on April 9.

5. (6) Curtis (River Ridge, La.), 19-0
With a pair of wins last week, Curtis ran its win streak to 50 straight. Curtis hosts Brusly (La.) on Wednesday.

6. (8) Jack Britt (Fayetteville, N.C.), 11-0
Mary Williams pitched a one-hitter with 10 strikeouts, as Britt recorded its 10th straight shutout. The Buccaneers have outscored their foes, 126-2 as eight starters are hitting .361 or higher. Williams and fellow pitcher Stephanie Thomas have allowed just eight hits in 63 innings and have struck out 139 batters. The Bucs visit Lumberton (N.C.) on April 9.

7. (10) Coronado (Lubbock, Texas), 25-1
Eva Holland homered twice, including a grand slam, and Monique Garcia allowed just one run on one hit as Coronado crushed Odessa, 16-1, in a five-inning run-rule win last week. The Mustangs host Abilene (Texas) on Friday.

8. (11) Mission Viejo (Calif.), 17-1
With a 6-1 win over El Toro (Lake Forest) and an 8-4 win over Dana Hills (Dana Point), MVHS extended its win streak to a dozen. Next up: Trabuco Hills (Mission Viejo) on April 9.

9. (14) Sierra (Manteca, Calif.), 12-0
The Timberwolves beat Kimball (Tracy, Calif.) and Weston Ranch (Stockton, Calif.). The T-Wolves have outscored opponents 112-11 and Allie Walljasper is 11-0 with seven shutouts and is averaging two strikeouts per inning. Sierra visits crosstown rival East Union on Wednesday.

10. (15) Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), 11-0 
Seven different players collected at least two base hits each in 10-2 win over Notre Dame (Salinas). The Monarchs have won 24 in a row, with their last lost coming a year ago to No. 1 Amador Valley. Next up is Stampede Tournament on Thursday.

11. (17) Lake City (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho), 5-0  
The Timberwolves' Casey Stangel got her first shutout of the season in a three-hit, 6-0 win over Lakeland (Rathburn, Idaho). Amy Welsh went 3-for-3 to raise her batting average to .929 (13-14) and has 10-straight base hits. The T-Wolves visit Lewiston on April 9.

12. (18) Marina (Huntington Beach, Calif.), 12-1
With a 2-0 win over Rosary (Fullerton) and 14-0 rout of El Toro (Calif.), Tera Blanco has allowed only four runs this season and has seven straight shutouts. The Vikings host Las Alamitos on Tuesday.

13. (5) Marcus (Flower Mound, Texas), 20-1 
MHS beat Coppell, 11-0, then suffered its first loss of the season (to Flower Mound, 2-1). The Maurauders visit Hebron on Thursday.

14. (19) Cienega (Vail, Ariz.), 16-1 
After beating Tucson's Desert View, 5-3 in 11 innings, Cienega will carry a 10-game winning streak into the Michelle Carew Tournament on Wednesday in Huntington Beach.

15. (13) North Medford (Ore.), 10-1
The Black Tornado won 3-2 in 8 innings over No. 9 Woodinville behind a Maryssa Becker three-hitter. Junior Alexis Barkwell struck out 16 later that day in a 5-0 win over Gig Harbor (Wa.). The Black Tornado travel to Crater (Central Point, Ore.) on Saturday.

16. (16) Immaculate Heart Academy (Washington Township, N.J.), 1-0
With junior Steph Thomas throwing a no-hitter and Daniella Ibarra, Rachel Pollard and Natalie Keller driving in two runs each, the Eagles opened the 2013 season with a five-inning, 11-0 victory over Paramus Catholic (N.J.). They will host Academy of the Holy Angels (Demarest, N.J.) on Wednesday.

17. (NR) El Diamante (Visalia, Calif.), 17-1-1
Back at full strength with pitcher Sierra Hyland in the circle, El Diamante won seven games and the Clovis Easter Tournament title. Hyland threw a one-hitter in the semis and a two-hitter in the tournament final over Bullard (Fresno). She is batting .529 and sophomore Rylee Pierce is hitting .527 with a dozen home runs and 39 RBIs. The Miners visit Hanford on Wednesday.

18. (NR) Barbers Hill (Mont Belvieu, Texas), 23-1
The Eagles' only loss in 24 games was 1-0 (on March 2). Only five teams have scored against the Eagles and pitcher Randi Rupp has allowed one run earned. She is averaging two strikeouts per inning. The Eagles visit Humble on Tuesday. 

19. (9) Woodinville (Wash.), 7-1
After winning their first seven games, the Falcons lost 3-2 in 8 innings to No. 15 North Medford. They have scored 69 runs while allowing just 10 in a 7-1 start. The Falcons play Gig Harbor on Wednesday.

20. (24) North Marion (Citra, Fla.), 15-1 
North Marion won its ninth straight game in beating Dunnellon, 10-2. A week earlier, Holly McKinnon struck out 16 on a four-hitter, in a 3-1 win. McKinnon has 10 shutouts and 155 strikeouts in 95 innings. She has allowed just two extra base hits and only one earned run this season. The Colts host Pine Verda (Fla.) on Friday.

21. (7) Pearland (Texas), 26-2     
Samantha Show and Hailey Ribaud combined for a four-inning, 16-0, no-hitter over Pasadena last week. Show struck out all nine batters she faced in picking up her 20th win on the season. She has 218 strikeouts in 110 innings. The Oilers host Rayburn (Pasadena) on Thursday.

22. (22) Cy-Fair (Cypress, Texas), 24-2
With a lopsided 17-0 win over Cypress Springs (Cypress) and 6-1 win over Cypress Ranch, the Bobcats are outscoring their opponents, 228-28. They host Cypress Falls (Houston) on Thursday.

23. (23) Olathe East (Kan.), 0-0
Led by state Gatorade winner Allison Stewart (13-0, 0.20 ERA and 52 RBIs), Olathe hopes to open the season on Tuesday with a win versus rival North (Olathe, Kan.).

24. (21) Carolina Forest (Myrtle Beach, S.C.), 14-1 
Since losing 3-2, the Panthers have won three straight and scored 34 times. Alabama-signee Marisa Runyon has raised her average to .721. Nineteen of her 31 base hits have been for extra bases. Next up is North Myrtle Beach (Little River, S.C.) on April 10.

25. (NR) Connell (Wash.), 7-0
Senior Ashley Thompson has been almost unhittable this season and certainly was in a six-inning perfect game over Hanford (Wash.) on Saturday when she struck out all 18 batters she faced. She also fanned 13 in a 6-1 three-hit win over Kamiakin (Richland, Wash.) and struck out 14 in shutting out Walla Walla, Washington's No. 2 ranked team.

Dropped Out: No. 7 Frontier (Bakersfield, Calif.), No. 12 Santiago (Coronado, Calif.), No. 20 Lake Howell (Winter Park, Fla.)