2017 CIF North Coast Section Preseason Softball Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard

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1. Amador Valley (Pleasanton)
Head coach: Teresa Borchard
2016 record: 21-5

The Dons have been regulars in the national rankings conversation over the last five years and return one of the top junior pitchers in the state in Danielle Williams (14-2, 0.53 ERA, 245 strikeouts in 144 innings last season), who was also the team's top hitter at .456. Borchard's teams have gone a 94-11 the last four seasons and the Dons lost only three players to graduation. They return shortstop Hannah Myers and catcher Courtney Dinelli.

See the MaxPreps North Coast Section softball Computer Rankings presented by the Army National Guard

2. Freedom (Oakley)
Head coach: Brook Russo
2016 record: 19-3

The Falcons caught fire late last year and shocked everyone to win the NCS Division I title, beating higher seeds Amador Valley and Foothill in the process. They return almost their entire team, including San Francisco Chronicle Metro Player of the Year Vanessa Strong, who went 17-3 with a 1.71 ERA as a sophomore. She also hit .423, second on the team to outfielder Marissa Gonzales (.433), who will be a senior this season. Freedom lost just one player to graduation in 2016.

See the MaxPreps North Coast Section softball stats leaderboard

3. Alhambra (Martinez)
Head coach: Paul Buccellato
2016 record: 24-2
The Bulldogs should continue the tradition Buccellato started one season after he took over in 2010. Alhambra is 140-15-1 over the last six seasons. The defending NCS D-2 champions return two of the top senior hitters in the state, second baseman Karlee Sparacino (.620, 49 hits, 57 RBIs, 51 runs, 7 home runs) and shortstop Briana Perez (.613, 46 hits, 40 RBIs, 56 runs), who is the younger sister of Kylee Perez, a first-team All-Pac-12 utility player at UCLA. Alhambra lost ace Sam Whitworth (18-2) to graduation, but look for junior Briana Edwards (6-0, 1.89) to fill that role in 2017. Look also for the Bulldogs to run after they stole a remarkable 146 bases in 152 attempts last season.

See the MaxPreps North Coast Section softball photos page

4. Heritage (Brentwood)
Head coach: Ron Rivers
2016 record: 19-4

Freedom's No. 1 rival in out of the Bay Valley Athletic League, the Patriots lost just three seniors to graduation from 2016. Among their many standouts who should return are three pitchers, including 11-game winner Katherine Hall (11-3, 0.71 ERA), who also led the team with 21 RBIs. Another All-BVAL player was outfielder Anyssia Ramirez, who hit a hefty .581 with 19 RBIs, 18 runs and eight stolen bases.

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5. Bishop O'Dowd (Oakland)
Head coach: Michael Cobb
2016 record: 22-4

The Dragons are known for their basketball, soccer and football success. They have now emerged as a softball power thanks to Cobb, who has guided the team to 157 wins over the last eight seasons, including a combined 47-8 the last two years. O'Dowd lost just two seniors off last year's NCS D-3 championship team and returns five players who hit better than .400 last season, including junior catcher and infielder Frankie Hammoude, who slugged a team-best eight home runs and drove in 28 runs. O'Dowd will need to replace ace pitcher Alexis Scalzo (17-4), but Elizabeth Avery looked good last season as a freshman with a 4-0 record and 1.99 ERA. She also hit .333 with 29 hits and 22 RBIs.