Video: Top 25 national softball rankings See how playoffs shook up this week's rankings.
An unprecedented nine teams fell from the MaxPreps Top 25 national high school softball rankings last week, including three Top 10 and three previously unbeaten.
Dating back 10 years, nine is a record number of teams falling from the Top 25 for one week in MaxPreps writer's poll. In all, 10 Top 25 teams lost last week. Klein Collins (Spring, Texas) dropped from No. 8 to No. 25 after losing the Texas 6A title game to No. 6 Katy.
The result? This week's Top 25 looks noticeably different than a week ago as nine new teams joined the rankings, including three in the Top 10.
St. John Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.), St. Joseph's (Turnbull, Conn.) and Keystone (La Grange, Ohio) not only lost for the first time this season but fell from the Top 25.
While the upsets were monumental last week, No. 4 Male (Louisville, Ky.) and No. 5 Oshkosh North (Oshkosh, Wisc.) continued their quests for unbeaten seasons — and put a little pressure on this week's top three.
There was no change at the top as Norco (Calif.), Foothill (Pleasanton, Calif.) and Winter Springs (Fla.) remain Nos. 1-3. The biggest mover of the week is Angleton (Texas), which jumped 11 to No. 9 after winning the Texas 5A title.
New to the top 25 this week are Garfield (Seattle), Huntington (MD), Rains (Emory, TX), Donovan Catholic (Toms River, NJ), Millington (MI), Jonathan Adler (Plain City, OH), Trenton (FL), Hoover (Clendenin, WV) and Williamsville East (East Amherst, NY).
Prospect of the Week: In winning four games at the state tournament,
Donovan Catholic pitcher
Lindsay Nelson (Drexel signee) allowed 15
hits and struck out 25 as the Griffins won the state Non-Public A
championship.
Game of the Week: It was an all-Houston final in
the state 6A championship as Katy defeated Klein Collins, 8-2. In the
postseason, Katy swept five series and outscored opponents, 108-18.
Title game MVP Alyssa LeBlanc allowed six hits, two earned runs and
three walks with seven strikeouts for the win.
Game to Watch:
Friday's quarter-final matchup of the Wisconsin D1 Championship
tournament where future Big 10 opponents Sydney Supple (Northwestern
signee) and Wisconsin pledge Maddie Gardner go head to head. Supple has
her Oshkosh North team unbeaten in 28 games, while Gardner
has led Sun Prairie to a 25-3 mark.
Streaks: Lakewood (Hebron,
Ohio) ended Keystone's winning streak at 62 games. But then
Lakewood lost to Jonathan Alder (Plain City) in the state 2A championship
game. Marist (Chicago) has won 33 straight entering the final week
of its season.
MaxPreps Top 25 softball rankings
Marist's Kali Case slides in safe to second.
Photo by Terrie Day
Southern Section Division 1 champions. Season complete.
2. (2) Foothill (Pleasanton, Calif.), 28-0North Coast Section Division 1 champions. Season complete.
3. (3) Winter Springs (Fla.), 31-0Class 8A state champions. Season complete.
4. (4) Male (Louisville, Ky.), 36-0The Bulldogs defeated Oldham 9-0 as
Megan Lenhart drove in five runs, and
Kelsie Houchens got the shutout. The win gives Male the 7th Region championship and the Bulldogs move to the 16-team, single-elimination state tournament to begin Thursday.
5. (5) Oshkosh North (Oshkosh, Wis.), 28-0The Spartans got 26 strikeouts from Northwestern signee
Sydney Supple in two playoff wins last week. She also singled and doubled three times. Up next: 25-3 Sun Prairie on Friday. Sun Prairie is led by Wisconsin pledge Maddie Gardner, averaging two strikeouts per inning.
6. (7) Katy (Texas), 37-2The Tigers finished the season with 31 straight wins and defeated Houston rival Klein Collins 8-2 in the state 6A. It was Katy's second 6A title in five years. Season complete.
7. (6) Coral Springs Charter (Coral Springs, Fla.), 29-1Class 5A state champions. Season complete.
8. (11) Marist (Chicago), 35-2The Redhawks won the regionals last Saturday and face Sandburg on Tuesday in the sectional semifinals. Northwestern signee
Angela Zedak is batting .545 and slugging 1.386. She has 55 hits, including 22 home runs and 11 doubles to go along with 81 RBI and 51 runs scored. In the circle, Zedak is 19-1 with a 1.089 ERA and is averaging better than a strikeout per inning.
9. (20) Angleton (Texas), 40-2After needing 11 innings Friday to beat defending champion Forne 6-4, the Wildcats won the state 5A title with an 8-1 win over Callahan on Saturday. Before handily beating Callahan, the Wildcats were involved in five one-run playoff games. Pitcher
Aaliyah Garcia was the tournament MVP. Season complete.
10. (14) Mater Dei Catholic (Chula Vista, Calif.), 31-4San Diego Section Division 1 champions. Season complete.
11. (15) Neshoba Central (Philadelphia, Miss.), 33-2Class 5A fstate champions. Season complete.
12. (16) Hartsville (S.C.), 29-0Class 4A state champions. Season complete.
13. (21) Shadow Ridge (Las Vegas), 31-2Class 4A state champions. Season complete.
14. (23) Shawnee Heights (Tecumseh, Kan.), 22-1Class 5A state champions. Season complete.
15. (NR) Huntingtown (Md.), 22-1Tori Fletcher (Pennsylvania signee) spun a shutout in leading the Hurricanes to a 2-0 win over Chesapeake for their second-straight state 3A title. They won their final 11 games. Season complete.
16. (NR) Trenton (Fla.), 27-0The smallest school ranked in the Top 25, the Tigers won the state 1A championship, but during the regular season defeated large school powers Oakleaf and Gainesville. Sophomore pitcher
Darian Ingram was 23-0 with a 0.40 ERA and 206 strikeouts in 139 innings. Season complete.
17. (NR) Rains (Emory, Texas), 34-1After a 1-0 loss to 6A Dripping Springs, the Wildcats won their final 23 games, including Saturday's 6-2 victory over Hallettsville in the 3A championship. Sophomore pitcher
Chanlee Oakes got the complete game victory to finish her season 32-1. Season complete.
18. (NR) Donovan Catholic (Toms River, N.J.), 28-1The Griffins, winners of 25 straight, exploded for nine runs in the bottom of the first inning and captured their first state title with an 11-1 five-inning victory over Mount St. Dominic. Up next: The Griffins advance to their first Tournament of Champions.
19. (NR) Williamsville East (East Amherst, N.Y.), 20-0East defeated Hamburg 1-0 to capture the Section VI Class A-1 title.
20. (NR) Jonathan Alder (Plain City, Ohio), 30-1Won the state 2A title and the final 24 games. The only loss was by one run and took place two months ago. Season complete.
21. (NR) Garfield (Seattle), 28-2San Diego-bound
Kaia Simpson led Garfield to the state 3A title. During the four-game tournament, Simpson tossed 26 innings and struck out 51 as Garfield became Seattle's first public school to win the state title. In the 10-4 title game win over Yelm. Season complete.
22. (NR) Millington (Millington, Mich.), 30-2-1Beat previously ranked Howell 8-1 behind Kent State signee
Gabbie Sherman's pitching and
Darrien Roberts offensive outburst that included two doubles and her 11th home run.
23. (NR) Hoover (Clendenin, W. Va.), 34-1The Huskies won their final 24 games, including their third-straight state championship. They allowed 22 runs on the season and avenged their lone loss of the season when they defeated state large school champion Hurricane, 1-0. Season complete.
24. (24) Lakewood Ranch (Bradenton, Fla.), 30-1Class 8A state runner-up. Season complete.
25. (8) Klein Collins (Spring, Texas), 38-3Class 6A state runner-up. Season complete.
Dropped out: Howell (Mich.),
Lincoln-Way Central (New Lenox, Ill.),
Keller (Texas),
St. Joseph (Trumbull, Conn.),
Keystone (La Grange, Ohio),
The Colony (Texas),
St. John-Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.),
Mt. Pleasant (Pa.),
Immaculate Heart Academy (Washington Township, N.J.).
On the Bubble: Hallettsville (Texas), 36-1;
Oakdale (Calif.), 29-1–1;
Notre Dame (Crowley, La.), 33-0;
Holy Cross (Louisville, Ky.), 33-3;
West (Salt Lake City), 26-2;
Woodland (Wash.), 26-1;
Champion (Warren, Ohio), 30-2; and
Rose Bud (Ark.), 35-1.
