High school softball rankings: Norco takes over No. 1 spot in first regular season MaxPreps Top 25

Pitchers Coral Williams and Peyton May helped top-ranked Cougars start 4-0 with four shutouts.

Thumbnail image of this articles writer: Thomas Frey
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Feb 24, 2026, 10:00am
Norco (Calif.) is the nation's new No. 1 high school softball team after pitchers Coral Williams and Peyton May were lights out last week.

Williams and May both picked up two wins during a 4-0 week. May, an Oklahoma State commit, threw an eight-inning no-hitter with 12 strikeouts in a win over Aliso Niguel (Aliso Viejo). Williams, a UCLA pledge, has 19 strikeouts in 13 innings this season without allowing an earned run.

Calvary Baptist Academy (Shreveport, La.) takes the No. 3 spot with senior Kynzee Anderson leading the way in the circle. The Georgia signee started the season by throwing a no-hitter to pick up her 100th career win. She followed that up by throwing six scoreless innings as the Cavaliers took down then-No. 13 Sam Houston (Lake Charles) 14-0.

Junior pitcher Macie Bryant has helped Barbers Hill (Mt. Belvieu, Texas) elevate to No. 5. In a 2-1 win over No. 6 Katy, the LSU commit allowed one earned run over six innings while striking out eight batters. On the season, Bryant has eight wins with a 0.45 ERA and 87 strikeouts.

Melissa (Texas) drops to No. 9 after beginning the season ranked No. 1. The defending national champions (7-2), fell to Clear Creek (League City) 6-4 and No. 6 Katy 12-3. The Cardinals take on No. 12 Midway (Waco) in a showdown between nationally-ranked programs Saturday.
UCLA commit Coral Williams has a 0.00 ERA in two starts as a junior for the nation’s No. 1 ranked team. The Cougars are coming off a Southern Section Division 1 championship in 2025. (PHOTO: Heston Quan)
UCLA commit Coral Williams has a 0.00 ERA in two starts as a junior for the nation’s No. 1 ranked team. The Cougars are coming off a Southern Section Division 1 championship in 2025. (PHOTO: Heston Quan)
MaxPreps Top 25 softball rankings

1. Norco (Calif.)
Record: 4-0 | Last week: 3
Scores: Def. Great Oak 12-0, def. Poly 10-0, def. Aliso Niguel 3-0, def. Orange Lutheran 2-1
Next: March 17 at Santiago

2. Orange Beach (Ala.)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 2
Next: Opens Friday at Northview

3. Calvary Baptist Academy (Shreveport, La.)
Record: 5-0 | Last week: 4
Scores: Def. Natchitoches Central 9-0, def. Caddo Magnet 23-1, def. No. 13 Sam Houston 14-0, def. St. Thomas More 10-4, def. John Curtis Christian 10-0
Next: Today at Benton

4. Thompson (Alabaster, Ala.)
Record: 5-0 | Last week: 5
Scores: Def. Oak Mountain 4-2, def. Chilton County 5-1, def. St. Clair County 9-7, def. Bibb County 7-0, def. Moody 10-1
Next: Today at Helena

5. Barbers Hill (Mt. Belvieu, Texas)
Record: 11-2 | Last week: 27
Scores: Def. Clear Creek 10-0, def. Bridgeland 6-2, lost to O'Connor 6-3, def. Brenham 9-1, def. Dripping Springs 6-1, def. Hays 5-2, def. Johnson 7-0
Next: Today vs. West Brook

6. Katy (Texas)
Record: 11-2 | Last week: 6
Scores: Def. Cinco Ranch 18-0, def. Brazoswood 6-0, def. Foster 5-0, def No. 1 Melissa 12-3, def. Marshall 15-0, def. Antonian Prep 13-2, def Deer Park 5-0
Next: Today vs. Seven Lakes

7. Lake Creek (Montgomery, Texas)
Record: 11-0 | Last week: 10
Scores: Def. Deer Park 7-5, def. Oak Ridge 13-0, def. Waller 6-2, def. Carthage 8-2, def. Langham Creek 13-9
Next: Today at Montgomery

8. Montverde Academy (Montverde, Fla.)
Record: 2-0 | Last week: 7
Scores: Def. No. 19 Calvary Christian 4-0, def. Horizon 18-1
Next: Thursday in MAIST Tournament

9. Melissa (Texas)
Record: 7-2 | Last week: 1
Scores: Def. Corpus Christi Veterans Memorial 11-1, lost to No. 6 Katy 12-3, def. Foster 8-5, def. Marshall 12-0
Next: Thursday in Southlake Tournament

10. Doral Academy (Doral, Fla.)
Record: 2-0 | Last week: 8
Scores: Def. St. Brendan 14-0, def. Park Vista 10-0
Next: Today vs. West Broward

11. Desert Mountain (Scottsdale, Ariz.)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 9
Next: Opens Wednesday vs. Shadow Ridge

12. Midway (Waco, Texas)
Record: 9-2-1 | Last week: 14
Scores: Def. Aledo 3-0, lost to Flower Mound 6-4, def. Richland 9-0, def. Wakeland 8-0, def. Lovejoy 5-1, tied Birdville 3-3
Next: Thursday vs. Weatherford

13. Del Oro (Loomis, Calif.)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 11
Next: Opens today vs. Woodcreek

14. Palo Verde (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 12
Next: Opens March 2 vs. Liberty

15. Kingwood (Texas)
Record: 10-1 | Last week: 20
Scores: Lost to Liberty 5-2, def. College Station 5-0, def. Conroe 2-1, def. Willis 4-3, def. Aldine 19-0
Next: Thursday vs. Keller

16. Kenton Ridge (Springfield, Ohio)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 15
Next: Opens March 11 vs. Greenville

17. Northwest Rankin (Brandon, Miss.)
Record: 5-1 | Last week: 16
Scores: Def. North Pike 4-1, def. West Lauderdale 4-2, def. Bryant 12-7, lost to Walker 4-3
Next: Thursday vs. West Lauderdale

18. Sam Houston (Lake Charles, La.)
Record: 3-1 | Last week: 13
Scores: Def. Iowa 19-12, lost to No. 4 Calvary Baptist Academy 14-0, def. Notre Dame 6-5, def. St. Thomas More 11-4
Next: Today vs. Southside

19. Gray Collegiate Academy (West Columbia, S.C.)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 17
Next: Opens March 3 at No. 23 Catawba Ridge

20. Bishop O'Connell (Arlington, Va.)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 18
Next: Opens season March 6 at Clarksburg

21. La Salle Academy (Providence, R.I.)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 21
Next: Opens season March 31 vs. Smithfield

22. Pace (Fla.)
Record: 2-0 | Last week: 22
Scores: Def. Navarre 10-3, def. West Florida 6-5
Next: Today at Northview

23. Catawba Ridge (Fort Mill, S.C.)
Record: 0-0 | Last week: 23
Next: Opens March 3 vs. No. 19 Gray Collegiate Academy

24. Hernando (Miss.)
Record: 5-0 | Last week: 42
Scores: Def. South Panola 3-1, def. Sebastopol 10-0, def. Clinton 14-0
Next: Today at Clinton

Record: 0-0 | Last week: 24
Next: Opens March 2 at Kofa

Dropped out: No. 19 Calvary Christian (Clearwater, Fla.), No. 25 Bear River (Garland, Utah)

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