Defending Florida 7A state champion
Lakewood Ranch (Bradenton) entered Saturday's title game with two losses, both to their opponent Lake Brantley, 11-0 and 5-3 in consecutive games in March. This time, however, it was the Mustangs who were victorious when it mattered most and climb to No. 3 overall in this week's MaxPreps Top 25 high school softball rankings.
Head Coach T.J. Goelz and his squad were down 2-0 out of the gate before the bats got hot. They collected 10 hits, six that went for extra bases, including two triples by senior
Grace Hogie. Sophomore pitcher
Ella Dodge and the defense did the rest to seal the 8-2 victory.
Staying in Florida,
Melbourne won the 6A state title beating a very good Doral Academy team 1-0. The Bulldogs join this week's rankings at No. 24.
Jasmine Francik was dominant striking out 11 for the school's first state title.
In Tennessee, No. 12
Lexington beat Gibbs 2-1 to capture the 3A state title. With the game tied at 1 in the top of the seventh, junior
Marley Maness became a school hero as she hit a home run and the Tigers held on to win the school's first championship since 2013.
Allegany (Cumberland, Md.) snapped previous No. 3 Patterson Mill's 44-game winning streak to win the Maryland Class 1A state championship. The 3-2 victory moves the Campers to No. 19 this week. It was revenge as the two teams met last year in the title game.
Utah saw
Riverton win its second-straight state championship. The Silverwolves only allowed one run during 6A postseason play and 21 total all season.
Kaysen Korth finished her high school career with 467 strikeouts.
North Augusta (S.C.) won its first state championship after beating Catawba Ridge in two-straight games.
Katelyn Cochran finished off her amazing career with her 900th career strikeout in the circle.
Teams that do not enter results and statistical information to MaxPreps make forming the rankings and highlighting players much more difficult.
Riverton players celebrate their Utah 6A state title victory.
Photo by Terry Cullop
Record: 29-0 |
Last week: 1
Tori Candler hit two home runs and
Keagan Rothrock struck out 10 in an impressive 10-0 win over New Palestine. The Royals begin 4A Regional Championship play on Tuesday.
2. Lake Creek (Montgomery, Texas)
Record: 39-0 |
Last week: 2
The Lions are one of four 5A teams left after a two-game sweep over Santa Fe.
Ava Brown was impressive in the circle and at the plate in both games
3. Lakewood Ranch (Bradenton, Fla.)
Record: 30-2 |
Last week: 9
Addyson Bruneman had a triple, double and three RBI during the Mustangs' 8-2 state title win.
4. St. Amant (La.)
Record: 31-2 |
Last week: 4
Season complete, Class 5A state champions
5 . Deer Park (Texas)
Record: 40-4 |
Last week: 5
Lady Deer face Lake Ridge in Friday's 6A semifinals.
6. O'Connor (Helotes, Texas)
Record: 30-1 |
Last week: 6
The Panthers swept Welasco and now play Americas with a trip to a state championship on the line.
7. Benton (Ark.)
Record: 32-0 |
Last week: 7
Season complete, Class 5A state champions
8. Donovan Catholic (Toms River, N.J.)
Record: 27-0 |
Last week: 8
The Griffins are in Tuesday's South Jersey, Non-Public A finals against St. Thomas Aquinas.
9. Roosevelt (Eastvale, Calif.)
Record: 27-3 |
Last week: 10
Mustangs received a first-round bye in SoCal Division 1 playoffs and host a game on Thursday.
10. Beaver (Pa.)
Record: 18-0 |
Last week: 11
With the 4A WPIAL title on the line Thursday, the Bobcats play Elizabeth Forward.
11. Salpointe Catholic (Tucson, Ariz.)
Record: 27-2 |
Last week: 12
Season complete, 4A state champions
12. Lexington (Tenn.)
Record: 49-1 |
Last week: 13
Tigers lost one game during a 50-game season that was capped off with a TSSAA 3A title.
13. Bend (Ore.)
Record: 29-1 |
Last week: 15
Violet Loftus and
Addisen Fisher each had two home runs during the Lava Bears 13-3 playoff win over McMinnville.
14. Bullard (Texas)
Record: 40-3 |
Last Week: 16
After dropping game one against Melissa, the Panthers won two-straight to advance to the Texas 4A state semifinals.
15. Triway (Wooster, Ohio)
Record: 28-1 |
Last week: 17
Titans will play Heath in the Division II Final Four on Thursday with a chance at a trip to state on the line.
16. Thompson (Alabaster, Ala.)
Record: 44-8 |
Last week: NR
Season completem Alabama 7A state champions
17. Riverton (Utah)
Record: 28-1 |
Last week: 19
Sophomore
Lilly Heitz hit a home run and drove in five runs in game one of Riverton's 14-0 win over West. In game two,
Jolie Mayfield hit a three-run blast as they took home the crown after winning 11-1.
18. Rockridge (Taylor Ridge, Ill.)
Record: 33-0 |
Last week: 20
Kendra Lewis threw a complete-game, two-hitter as the Rockets beat Richmond-Burton 1-0 on Monday and now play in the Class 2A state semifinals.
19. Allegany (Cumberland, Md.)
Record: 18-0 |
Last week: NR
Right-handed pitcher
Abi Britton struck out the final two batters to give the Campers' their
third state title in school history.
20. Georgetown (Texas)
Record: 33-3 |
Last week: 21
Eagles play new No. 25 Aledo in the 5A state semifinals.
21. Xavier College Prep (Phoenix)
Record: 24-5 |
Last week: 22
Season complete, 6A state champions
22. North Augusta (S.C.)
Record: 33-2 |
Last week: 23
Audri Bates hit a two-run bomb in the Yellowjackets' AAAA state championship victory.
23. Eastern Alamance (Mebane, N.C.)
Record: 26-2 |
Last week: 24
Makiya Graves home run helped the Eagles take two of three from Cape Fear to advance to Friday's state title game against North Buncombe.
24. Melbourne (Fla.)
Record: 26-2-1 |
Last week: NR
Hailey Turner tripled and then
Sofia Valcourt hit a sacrifice fly to lift the Bulldogs to a 1-0 win over Doral Academy in the 6A state title game.
25. Aledo (Texas)
Record: 33-2 |
Last week: NR
Senior
Marissa Powell, sophomore
Brenlee Gonzales and other major weapons have helped the Bearcats win 24-straight and chance for a state title.
Next five26.
Watkins Memorial (Pataskala, Ohio)27.
Patterson Mill (Bel Air, Md.)28.
John Curtis Christian (River Ridge, La.)29.
Lakota West (West Chester, Ohio)30.
Saint Francis (Mountain View, Calif.)
