High school softball rankings: Bay Area News Group Top 20
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Bay Area News Group Top 20
(Mercury News & East Bay Times)
(Records and statistics through Monday)
No. 1 ARCHBISHOP MITTY (17-2)
Previous ranking: 2
Update: The Monarchs defeated Valley Christian and Presentation in two West Catholic Athletic League routs last week. Then the Monarchs started its next week with a 3-2 victory over Hollister. A rematch with No. 2 St. Francis looms on Friday.
Up next: Wednesday vs. Sacred Heart Cathedral, 4:00 p.m.
No. 2 ST. FRANCIS (20-2)
Previous ranking: 2
Update: The Lancers defeated St. Ignatius and Sacred Heart Cathedral in the WCAL last week, and then smacked St. Ignatius 10-0 to start this week. After a game at Presentation, St. Francis will play against No. 1 Archbishop Mitty.
Up next: Wednesday at. Presentation, 4:00 p.m.
No. 3 GRANADA (18-3)
Previous ranking: 3
Update: The Matadors clinched the East Bay Athletic League title with a 5-0 victory over Foothill and a 3-0 win against a very good San Ramon Valley team. Alex Mello pitched a complete game and struck out four in the win over SRV. Granada started this week with a victory over ranked College Park.
Up next: Tuesday vs. Amador Valley, 4 p.m.
No. 4 SEQUOIA (15-3)
Previous ranking: 7
Update: Sequoia started the week with an upset against San Mateo, but followed that up with two shutout victories against Hillsdale and Burlingame. Pitcher Ainsley Waddell struck out 11 in the 2-0 victory vs. Hillsdale. The next game at Peninsula Athletic League rival Capuchino could decide who wins the league.
Up next: Tuesday at Capuchino, 7 p.m.
No. 5 CAPUCHINO (17-4)
Previous ranking: 8
Update: Capuchino defeated San Mateo and Aragon in PAL-Bay competition, and then knocked off non-league opponent San Marin 4-1 for good measure last week. Star pitcher Nohemi Livingston will have a chance to shut down Sequoia in a huge league matchup on Tuesday.
Up next: Tuesday at Aragon, 4 p.m.
No. 6 SAN RAMON VALLEY (16-5)
Previous ranking: 4
Update: The Wolves had a rough week in EBAL competition last week, sandwiching a victory over Monte Vista with road losses to Granada and California. The loss to Granada knocked SRV out of the EBAL regular season title race.
Up next: Tuesday vs. Carondelet, 4 p.m.
No. 7 PINOLE VALLEY (22-1)
Previous ranking: 5
Update: Pinole Valley run-ruled St. Patrick-St. Vincent, but its perfect season came to an end a few days later when Bishop O’Dowd defeated the Spartans 5-2. It was only the third time Pinole Valley had allowed at least five runs this season. Pinole Valley rebounded with a 6-0 victory over Las Lomas.
Up next: Friday at Maria Carfillo, 4:30 p.m.
No. 8 COLLEGE PARK (13-6)
Previous ranking: 6
Update: Benicia snapped College Park’s four-game winning streak with a 12-9 victory, and the competition didn’t get any easier for the Falcons after that, with a game against Granada up next. College Park lost that game 5-3.
Up next: Tuesday vs. Las Lomas, 4:30 p.m.
No. 9 CLAYTON VALLEY (13-4)
Previous ranking: 10
Update: Clayton Valley Charter defeated Castro Valley, Deer Valley, Alhambra and Berean Christian in very productive week for the Ugly Eagles. Senior Soo-Jin Berry hit a triple and had three RBIs vs. Castro Valley.
Up next: Tuesday vs.Acalanes, 4:00 p.m.
No. 10 WILLOW GLEN (15-5)
Previous ranking: 9
Update: Willow Glen for the second time this season, lost to a below-average Gilroy team last week. That marred a week that included a 10-4 victory over Los Gatos and a 4-2 win against Leland. Willow Glen started this week with a 7-5 victory over Notre Dame-Salinas.
Up next: Tuesday at Live Oak, 4 p.m
No. 11 BENICIA (11-7-1)
Previous ranking: 12
Update: Benicia defeated Concord and Diablo Athletic League powerhouse College Park, but dropped a game to non-league Rodriguez-Fairfield. Sophomore Emma French batted 3 for 4 with three RBIs in the victory over College Park.
Up next: Tuesday vs. Berean Christian, 4:30 p.m.
No. 12 WESTMONT (15-5)
Previous ranking: 13
Update: Westmont is riding a six-game winning streak after knocking off league opponents Gilroy and Leland last week and Christopher on Monday. The top team in the BVAL-Mt. Hamilton Division is led by one of the Bay Area’s top power-hitters in Brianna Chambers-Lee, who is among the CCS leaders with five HRs.
Up next: Tuesday at Pioneer, 4 p.m.
No. 13 VALLEY CHRISTIAN (12-7)
Previous ranking: 11
Update: The Warriors were routed by Archbishop Mitty but cruised past Sacred Heart Cathedral 9-1. That preceded a shocking loss to 8-11 Gilroy on Monday.
Up next: Wednesday vs. St. Ignatius, 4:00 p.m.
No. 14 MILPITAS (17-4)
Previous ranking: 15
Update: Milpitas was shocked by Mountain View but rebounded with a 3-2 victory over Los Gatos. With three league games to go, Milpitas is still on top of the PAL-De Anza division standings with an 8-2 record.
Up next: Tuesday at Homestead, 4 p.m.
No. 15 AMADOR VALLEY (12-10)
Previous ranking: 20
Update: Since starting the season 3-8, Amador Valley has been on a tear. Now winners of five consecutive games, Amador Valley defeated Livermore and Dublin last week, and could defeat another Top 3 team in Granada on Tuesday.
Up next: Tuesday at Granada, 4 p.m.
No. 16 CALIFORNIA (14-7)
Previous ranking: Not ranked
Update: The Grizzlies have won 10 of their last 11 games, and each of their previous six games. California can boast victories over Clayton Valley Charter, San Ramon Valley, Amador Valley and Alameda.
Up next: Tuesday vs. Foothill, 4 p.m.
No. 17 WILCOX (12-6)
Previous ranking: 17
Update: Wilcox rolled through Cupertino 15-3, but then lost 11-7 to Mountain View, dropping Wilcox to second in the PAL-De Anza division. Senior Athena Gonzales had two doubles, two runs scored and two RBIs against Cupertino.
Up next: Tuesday at Los Gatos, 4 p.m.
No. 18 JAMES LOGAN (13-4-1)
Previous ranking: Not ranked
Update: James Logan is one of the hotter teams in the region, winners of seven straight and in first place in the Mission Valley Athletic League. Junior Makayla Villapando lead the team with five home runs and has driven in 23 RBIs.
Up next: Thursday vs. Irvington, 4 p.m.
No. 19 ST IGNATIUS (9-5)
Previous ranking: 14
Update: St. Ignatius mercy-ruled Presentation before it was shut out by the St. Francis juggernaut two games in a row. The Wildcats will have another chance at upsetting one of the Bay Area’s better teams, Valley Christian, on Wednesday.
Up next: Wednesday at Valley Christian, 4 p.m.
No. 20 HERITAGE (12-5)
Previous ranking: 19
Update: Heritage followed up a couple of easy victories against Deer Valley with two more blowouts against Pittsburg. Heritage has won its last four games by a combined margin of 51-6.
Up next: Tuesday at Liberty, 4 p.m.
Teams eligible for the Bay Area News Group rankings come from leagues based predominantly in Alameda, Contra Costa, Santa Clara and San Mateo counties.