MaxPreps 2016 Kansas preseason high school softball Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard

1. Bishop Carroll (Wichita)
2015 record: 25-0
Head coach: Steve Harshberger

Bishop Carroll is the reigning MaxPreps national champion after the Eagles captured their fifth-straight Class 5A state championship last spring. Carroll, 50-0 the last two seasons, also finished No. 1 nationally by USA Today. Carroll graduated Oklahoma signee Brittany Finney, who was a MaxPreps All-American and Kansas Gatorade State Player of the Year. As well, senior catcher Lauren Buchanan, a Colorado State signee, graduated from a team that batted .561 with just 16 runs permitted all season. However, the team graduated just three seniors and returns six starters. Carroll returns senior Brianna Hogan, who batted .551 with 10 homers and 47 RBIs and was a standout defender in right field. Senior shortstop Jordan Schartz carried a .635 average with a team-high 49 runs scored. Junior infielders Callie Gowing, Emma Eck, Taylor Powers and Maddie Miller all batted at least .353 in 2015. Hogan has committed to Louisiana-Monroe, Miller to Texas-Arlington.

No. 2 pitcher Sammy Knoblauch was outstanding behind Finney in the circle with a 10-0 record and 1.38 earned-run average. She had a 39/11 strikeout to walk rate in 40.2 innings and has signed with NAIA Ottawa University. Knoblauch was a second team all-state selection. Carroll won its three state tournament games by a combined score of 24-2 and is ranked No. 28 in the MaxPreps Preseason Top 100 rankings.

See last season's Kansas computer rankings

2. Chase County (Cottonwood Falls)
2015 record: 26-0
Head coach: Brian Potter

Chase County extended its state-record winning streak to 92 straight games when the Bulldogs rolled over Ell-Saline, 10-0, in a run-rule six inning contest to win the Class 2-1A state championship. Chase County outscored its three state opponents, 29-0. Senior Brianna Potter graduated after she pitched a three-hit shutout in the championship. Chase County has won four straight 2-1A state crowns.

In addition to Potter, Chase County graduated five other key seniors: Cassidy Kelsheimer, a Wichita State signee and MaxPreps All-American, Tori Burkhart, Megan Jirak, Mikala Potts and Lindsay Albers, from a squad that never had a game closer than 5-1.

Junior Molly Soyez returns after she carried a .538 average with team highs for walks (17), triples (six) and RBIs (36). Junior Sammy Jo Peterson batted .404, while juniors Kassady Griffin and Daryn Crawford each batted .333.

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3. Goddard
2015 record: 19-3
Head coach: Rita Smith

Goddard returns one of the state's best players in Fresno State signee Miranda Rohleder, the team leader and starting shortstop. Entering the 5A state tournament, she carried a .534 average with six homers and 36 RBIs. Rohleder was a first team all-state Class 5A selection. Standouts Brianna Fuchs and Julisa Ortega have inked with Kansas junior colleges. Ortega went 12-3 with a 0.88 ERA and a pair of no-hitters. She carried a .421 average with 27 RBIs as well. Ortega and Fuchs collected second team all-state honors at pitcher and outfielder, respectively. Junior infielder Talli Shepherd returns as well.

Goddard has lost four times in the last two years and will look for its first state softball crown this spring. The Lions graduated two seniors from a squad that fell to Shawnee Heights in the first round of the state tournament, 8-4.

See the MaxPreps Kansas playoff brackets

4. South (Olathe)
2015 record: 23-2
Head coach: Mike Allen

Olathe South, No. 49 in the preseason Top 100 rankings, has four outstanding seniors: pitcher Lexie Storrer, catcher Kala Holder, shortstop Abby Weber and designated player Sammi Bates. Holder has committed to Pittsburgh. The Falcons are the defending Class 6A champions and defeated Olathe Northwest, 7-3, for the title.

Storrer is a returning first team all-Class 6A pitcher, while Weber was first team all-state infield. Holder and senior Bailey Boxberger were second team all-state at catcher and infield, respectively. Storrer went 16-1 with a 1.71 earned-run average with 113 strikeouts. Storrer carried a .446 batting average with 23 RBIs. She has signed with Division II Nova (Fla.) Southeastern. Boxberger homered in the state championship game.

South defeated Olathe East, 2-1, in extra innings in its state tournament opener. After a lengthy rain delay, South rolled over Olathe Northwest, 12-2, in five innings in the semifinals. Coach Mike Allen opens his 15th season with the Falcons and is 231-92 after earning hid first state title.

OS was second twice and third twice, including 2014, and has made the state tournament six of the past seven seasons, including the last two.

See last season's Kansas softball stat leaders

5. Washburn Rural (Topeka)
2015 record: 14-7
Head coach: Brenda Holaday

Washburn Rural returns junior pitcher Madison Roth, a second team all-state Class 6A selection, from a Junior Blues squad that returns virtually everyone. The top seven hitters were non-seniors in 2015. Roth paced the team with a .455 average and seven doubles. In the circle, she finished 12-6 with a 2.91 earned-run average and 12 complete games in 19 starts. She carried 95 strikeouts versus just 11 walks in 108.1 innings. The left-handed throwing Roth, who started as a freshman, has a career .484 average with a 23-7 record and 2.40 ERA.

Sophomore Taylor Ullery hit .407 with four homers and 21 RBIs, both team highs. Rural batted .357 as a team with nine homers and 51 extra base hits among 149 hits. Before 2015, Washburn Rural went 21-4, 19-4, 24-1 and 23-2 with a state championship in 2014.