MaxPreps Top 25 national high school softball rankings

Mission Viejo's win over previously top-ranked Pacifica (Garden Grove, Calif.) was so impressive, it jumped the Diablos all the way from No. 11 to the top spot of this week's MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Softball Rankings.

No. 2 Alexander Central (Taylorsville, N.C.) and Amador Valley (Pleasanton, Calif.) might not agree with those rankings, but Mission Viejo's dominance over Pacifica was too impressive to overlook.

Alexander Central and Amador Valley did everything a top-ranked team is supposed to do, as Central improved to 7-0 and Amador Valley finished its first week of softball unbeaten in five games.

But the Diablos got a 15-strikeout performance from southpaw Taylor McQuillin and an opposite-field home run from Alyssa Palomino to beat Pacifica in the finals of the 19th annual Dave Kops Tournament of Champions in Bullhead City.

McQuillin struck out 15 and allowed just three hits in earning the tournament's MVP honor. Pacifica, meanwhile, fell out of the Top 10, changing places with Mission Viejo at No. 11

New to the Top 25 this week are a pair of Texas teams – Atascocito (Humble) at No. 14 and La Grange at No. 23 – and one from Florida (Ponte Vedra). All three are unbeaten.

The key matchup this week occurs in Arizona, with No. 5 Basha (Chandler) hosting No. 25 Horizon (Scottsdale) on Tuesday.


1. (No. 11 last week) Mission Viejo (Calif.), 9-0
The Diablos beat previous No. 1 Pacifica in the finals of the Dave Kops Tournament of Champions, 5-0. They host Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita) on Thursday.

2. (2) Alexander Central (Taylorsville, N.C.), 7-0
Central has outscored its foes 55-3. In its most recent win, 11-0 over North Lincoln (Denver), sisters Vada Sherrill and Bailey Sherrill hit home runs. Central visits Mooresville (N.C.) on Tuesday.

3. (3) Amador Valley (Pleasanton, Calif.), 5-0
The Dons swept the Queen of the Mountain Invite and pitcher Johanna Grauer has yet to allow an earned run this season. She has 59 strikeouts in 35 innings. Next up is unbeaten San Ramon Valley (Danville, Calif.) on March 25.

4. (4) Greenwood (Bowling Green, Ky.), 0-0
Greenwood, riding a 44-game winning streak, opens the season on Tuesday visiting Apollo.

5. (8) Basha (Chandler, Ariz.), 6-0
The Bears, who are batting .428 and averaging more than 10 runs per game, host No. 25 Horizon (Scottsdale, Ariz.) on Tuesday.

6. (6) Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), 3-0
Jazmyn Jackson and Danielle Bowers have combined for 12 RBIs and 11 hits as Mitty has outscored its opponents 28-0. The Monarchs travel to St. Francis (Mountain View) on Tuesday.

7. (7) Hoover (North Canton, Ohio), 0-0
Hoover brings a 34-game winning streak into the season.

8. (14) Esperanza (Anaheim, Calif.), 8-0
The Aztecs picked up their second tournament title of the season by sweeping the Northwood Tournament. They visit Canyon (Anaheim) on March 25.

9. (11) St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 14-0
The Raiders got a pair of outstanding pitching performances from Meghan King in beating American Heritage 2-1 and Palm Beach Gardens 8-2 to win the South Florida Slamfest. King allowed two hits in each game and struck out a combined 22. Next up they host Naples (Fla.) on Thursday.

10. (10) Northern (Owings, Md.), 0-0
Northern won its sixth-straight 3A state title in 2013 and will enter the 2014 season with a 79-game winning streak. Northern's opener is March 21 at Huntingtown (Md.).

11. (1) Pacifica (Garden Grove, Calif.), 6-1
Pacifica had its perfect record end with a 5-0 loss to Mission Viejo in the finals of the Dave Kops Tournament of Champions. Florida signee Nicole DeWitt is batting .818.

12. (15) Barbers Hill (Mt. Belvieu, Texas), 15-0
Randi Rupp ran her record to 13-0 and has yet to allow an earned run. She has 131 strikeouts in 69 innings. Sara Rupp and Erin Houthoofd have driven in 15 runs each. Next up is an away game at New Caney on Tuesday.

13. (16) Curtis (River Ridge, La.), 6-0
Curtis scored twice in top of seventh to beat Belle Chasse on Saturday, 3-2. Curtis plays at Riverside (Reserve) on Tuesday.

14. (NR) Atascocita (Humble, Texas), 17-0
The Eagles have outscored their opponents 169-21 this season. They host Klein on Tuesday.

15. (23) P.K. Yonge (Gainesville, Fla.), 13-0
Led by Kalen McGill, who is 13-0 and has allowed just one earned run on the season, P.K. Yonge has won 13 straight. McGill also has 19 RBIs. Sophomore Kaitlyn Burke is batting .595. Yonge visits Suwannee (Live Oak) on Tuesday.

16. (5) Mountain Ridge (Glendale, Ariz.), 10-1
Mountain Ridge lost to Hamilton, 3-2, then rebounded with impressive wins over Red Mountain (Mesa) and North Canyon (Phoenix). Next up it hosts Paradise Valley (Phoenix) on Tuesday,

17. (17) Cy-Fair (Cypress, Texas), 19-1
The Bobcats lost to No. 15 Barbers Hill (Mt. Belvieu) then bounced back to win four straight. Cy-Fair visits Cypress Creek (Houston) on Tuesday.

18. (15) Hillcrest (Tuscaloosa, Ala.), 18-1-1
Led by Karley Sanders, the Patriots continue to roll. Up next is an away game at Andalusia.

19. (19) Bloom-Carroll (Carroll, Ohio), 0-0
B-C, which went 30-3 in 2013, opens the season April 1 at Centerville (Ohio).

20. (20) Cinco Ranch (Katy, Texas), 14-1
Kayla Ober is 13-1 with a 1.35 ERA as Cinco Ranch picked up a pair of one-run wins last week. Up next is Fort Bend Christian Academy (Sugar Land).

21. (NR) Ponte Vedra (Fla.), 18-0
In allowing only nine runs in 18 games, the Sharks have a dozen shutouts and have plated 126 runs. Senior Avery Geehr is 13-0 and has recorded 145 strikeouts in 74 innings. They play at Palatka (Fla.) on March 26.

22. (22) Olathe East (Kan.), 0-0
The Hawks, who were 24-1 a year ago, are favored to repeat as Kansas 6A state champions. They open the season April 3 by hosting North (Shawnee Mission, Kan.).

23. (NR) La Grange (Texas), 22-1
Behind the play of Alyssa Angel and Briana Angel, the Leopards have won 22 straight since opening the season with a 6-2 loss. The Angels have combined for 56 RBIs, 42 extra base hits and have scored 69 runs. They play Gonzales on Tuesday.

24. (24) Immaculate Heart Academy (Washington Township, N.J.), 0-0
The 2013 state runner-up opens its season April 1 at Paramus Catholic.

25. (25) Horizon (Scottsdale, Ariz.), 9-1
Since losing to Gilbert, Horizon has won five straight, outscoring its opponents 45-4. The T-Wolves host No. 5 Basha on Tuesday.

Dropped Out This Week: 12. Harmony (Fla.), 14. Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 21. St. John-Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.).