MaxPreps Top 25 national high school softball rankings

With only one week remaining in the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 Softball Rankings, four unbeaten teams remain one through four — No. 1. Northern (Owings, Md.), No. 2 Lake City (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho), Greenwood (Bowling Green, Ky.) and Hoover (North Canton, Ohio).

The four have combined for 129 wins and no losses and each has captured a state title.

Valley View (Archbald, Pa.) joined the top four and No. 13 Connell (Wash.) as the Xcellent 25's only unbeaten teams. Valley View defeated Fort LeBouf (Waterford, Pa.) last weekend to capture the Pennsylvania AAA state title and complete the season 25-0.

View all high school softball state champions

As a result, the Cougars moved to No. 25 in this week's poll — the first time they have been nationally ranked this season.

Milford (Mass.) rode the arm of Shannon Smith to its second straight state title and remained at No. 12 after completing its season 25-1.

Next week's Xcellent 25 Rankings not only will reveal the 2013 mythical national champion, but will also feature MaxPreps' Top 50-plus teams.

MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Softball Rankings *Season over

*1. (1 last week) Northern (Owings, Md.), 23-0
Northern won its sixth straight 3A state title.

*2. (3) Lake City (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho), 28-0
The 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.), 44-0
Greenwood won a state title, set a Kentucky softball record with 44 wins and became Kentucky's first team to complete an unbeaten season.

*4. (4) Hoover (North Canton, Ohio), 34-0
The Vikings won their third straight state title and seventh in school history in finishing without a loss.

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

*6. (6) Sunrise Mountain (Peoria, Ariz.), 36-1
The Mustangs won the 2013 Arizona D-2 title, its fourth state title in seven years.

*7. (7) Bishop O'Connell (Arlington, Va.), 30-1
The Knights won the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Division I title.

*8. (8) Alexander Central (Taylorsville, N.C.), 33-1
Central won the 4A state title.

*9. (9) Logan (Union City, Calif.), 26-1
Won the CIF North Coast Section Division I title for the second year in a row.

*10. (10) Olathe East (Kan.), 24-1
The Hawks repeated as Kansas 6A champions.

*11. (11) Chino (Calif.), 26-2
The Cowgirls finished the season with 22 straight wins and a CIF Southern Section D-II title.

*12. (12) Milford (Mass.), 25-1
Milford freshman Jill Powers doubled to score Alexandra Piergustavo and lead Milford to its second consecutive Division 1 state championship, a 1-0 victory over Agawam. Milford senior pitcher Shannon Smith, who is the state's all-time strikeout leader and headed to the University of Kentucky next season, added to her impressive performances this postseason with 13 strikeouts. Smith allowed only three runs all season and none in six tournament games, while eclipsing the 1,200-strikeout mark for her career.

*13. (13) Connell (Wash.), 27-0
Won its third straight Washington 1A title.

*14. (14) Las Cruces (N.M.), 30-1
The Bulldawgs won the Class 5A state title and finished the season with 26 straight wins.

*15. (15) Boiling Springs (Spartanburg, S.C.), 33-1
The Bulldogs won the State 4A championship and finished the season with 30 straight wins.

*16. (16) Coral Reef (Miami), 26-2
The Barracudas won the Florida 8A title.

*17. (17) North Medford (Medford, Ore.), 29-2
Won second straight 6A title and has won 60 of last 62 games.

*18. (18) Estrella Foothills (Goodyear, Ariz.), 33-2
Estrella won the Arizona D-3 title.

*19. (19) Santiago (Corona, Calif.), 30-5
Santiago defeated Norco 8-2 to win the CIF Southern Section D-I title.

*20. (20) Vintage (Napa, Calif.), 34-1
The Crushers won their first CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I softball championship.

*21. (21) Centennial (Las Vegas), 36-6
The Bulldogs won their final 13 games and 24 of their last 25 in defending their State D-1 title.

*22. (22) Sparkman (Harvest, Ala.), 52-8
The Senators captured their second straight 6A state title and fourth overall. Sparkman also won titles in 2006, 2009 and 2012.

*23. (23) Kingwood (Texas), 35-4
The Mustangs finished the season as Texas 5A runners-up.

*24. (24) St. John-Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.), 29-2
Won its third state title in four years by ending Immaculate Heart's 19-game win streak.

*25. Valley View (Archbald, Pa.), 25-0
The Cougars defeated Fort LeBoeuf (Waterford, Pa.), 5-0 to win the PIAA Class AAA softball championship last Friday at Penn State's Beard Field. It's the Cougars' second state title, winning the Class AA championship in 2000. The Cougars scored four runs in the first inning and tacked on another in the sixth. Gina Chieffallo picked up the win, striking out 10.

Dropped out: No. 25 Hudson (Lufkin, Texas)