Here is the just-released Student Sports Fab 50 (aka national high school rankings) for softball.
I think it's great that these programs and players get recognition. Probably pretty hard to compile such a list given the relatively little inter-state competition that takes place, but I'm sure if you're on the list, you're not bad.
1. Red Mountain (Mesa, Ariz.) 33-5
In addition to Breanna Macha, the Mountain Lions will be led by senior catcher and four-year starter Jordan Beck. The Southern Mississippi-bound standout hit .474 last season with 10 homers and 41 RBI. The team’s No. 2 pitcher, Marian Ruf, also is back and also batted .421. Senior infielder Alex Hill (.397, 41 RBI) and junior Alex Wiley (.471, 26 RBI) are among the returnees as well.
2. Mission Viejo (Mission Viejo, Calif.) 26-2
Just about everyone is back from a Diablos’ squad that was ranked No. 1 in the state last season until an upset loss in the CIF Southern Section Division II playoffs. Junior Alyssa Palomino was the Orange County Player of the Year, ripped a county record 17 homers and is headed to Arizona. Pitcher Taylor McQuillen also is a junior, also is bound for Arizona and is one of the nation’s top college prospects.
3. Pacifica (Garden Grove, Calif.) 26-6
There are a couple of departures such as first team all-state first baseman Rebecca Lee and shortstop Ruby Rivera (Illinois), but the Mariners remain absolutely loaded with top college prospects. The pitching starts with Kaley Carlson (North Carolina), who will be a four-year starter with a career record of 55-6, and Kaley Winegarner (Stanford), who missed most of last season with a knee injury. Coach Mark Campbell also has senior infielder Nicole DeWitt (Florida), who hit .457 last season with 16 homers, and junior outfielder Faith Canfield (Michigan).
4. Northern (Owings Mills, Md.) 23-0
This is a tough team to rank because on one hand it’s a group with a 76-game winning streak, six straight state titles and a pitcher, Jessica Cummings, who is bound for Penn State. On the other hand, the Patriots don’t exactly face the same type of competition that there is in California, Arizona, Texas and Florida. We’ll continue to put them in the top five, but to be No. 1 in our rankings will require a stronger schedule. Cummings is back this season after not allowing an earned run as a junior.
5. Hoover (North Canton, Ohio) 31-0
Ohio’s No. 1 team and the best program in the Midwest for the last few years isn’t going anywhere in 2014. The Patriots return most of their top players from last season, including pitcher Tara Thacker, who went 21-0 and had 135 strikeouts in 124 innings. Hoover also has won three straight Division I state titles.
6. Alexander Central (Taylorsville, N.C.) 33-1
Coach Monte Sherrill’s phenomenal program won its eighth state title last season and only had one senior on the roster. The Cougars will feature state tourney MVP Bailey Rhoney, a junior and the winning pitcher in the final, along with pitcher-hitter Kiana Millsaps, who also is still just a junior.
7. Amador Valley (Pleasanton, Calif.) 22-3
The Dons are the logical preseason pick in Northern California since they return one of the nation’s top pitchers in UCLA-bound Johanna Grauer. It was tough ending to the season a year ago when Grauer couldn’t pitch in a key playoff game after stepping into a gopher hole and twisting her ankle. She’s not the only key returnee, either. Amador Valley has one of the state’s top catchers in Stanford-bound Victoria Molina. It’s also a deep senior class that includes infielder Ashley Lotosynzki (UC Davis), outfielder Nicole Yozzo (Lehigh) and outfielder Hanna Moreno (Colgate).
8. Lewisville (Lewisville, Texas) 31-13
The Lady Farmers are a solid choice to start out No. 1 in Texas because they are the defending Class 5A state champs and their dominating pitcher is back. Most of their losses occurred when that pitcher, Maribeth Gorsuch, was injured. The sophomore, who has committed to LSU, was the Dallas Morning News Player of the Year with a 22-4 record, 1.24 ERA and had a 0.53 ERA in the playoffs.
9. Columbia (Lake City, Fla.) 28-4
The Tigers will be tough to beat as they have two talented junior pitchers returning in Erin Anderson and Ashley Shoup. The pair combined on a no-hitter in the Class 6A state title win – the first ever for the softball program – over Pembroke Pines Charter, the defending state champ.
10. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) 27-1
Another squad that figures to battle for top rankings’ positioning in California is the Monarchs. They didn’t win a CIF Central Coast Section title last season due an upset loss to Gilroy, but will be led by California Ms. Softball candidate Jazmyn Jackson, a four-year starter who is headed to Cal. She was the San Jose Mercury-News Player of the Year as a junior. Pitcher Desiree Severance also is among the returnees.
11. Deer Park (Deer Park, Texas) 37-5
Two years ago, Deer Park was the Class 5A state champion and should be a prime contender to make it two titles in three years with a veteran roster returning. Houston Chronicle Player of the Year Caitlin Plocheck, who hits and pitches, leads the cast along with sophomore outfielder Payton McBride (committed to Texas A&M) and junior infielder Rhonda Jarvis (Baylor).
12. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) 22-5
Six starters return, including two of the top 25 seniors in the country in lefty pitcher Meghan King and catcher Gwen Svekis. King threw a one-hitter in the 1-0 state championship win over Tampa Freedom as the Raiders took the 7A crown. Aquinas has nine seniors with seven of those set to play at the next level.
13. Horizon (Scottsdale, Ariz.) 29-6
Arizona-bound junior pitcher Tamara Statman leads the way for the Huskies, who return seven of their top 10 players from last year’s team that reached the semifinals of the Division I state playoffs. Statman went 24-6 with a 1.72 ERA with 286 Ks and 10 shutouts. She also hit .481. Outfielder Kaila Jacobi also has some pop in her bat as she clubbed 10 home runs with 26 RBI.
14. Esperanza (Anaheim, Calif.) 24-4
Just two seniors were on the roster for the Aztecs last season, which makes them a possible major force to be reckoned with in Southern California. They’ll be led by all-state pitcher Hayley Copeland, who went 18-4 in the circle as a junior with 228 strikeouts. She’ll play next at South Carolina.
15. John Curtis Christian (River Ridge, La.) 31-0
Pitcher Katie Brignac, who has signed with Memphis and went 20-0 in the circle last season in leading the Patriots to their second straight Class 2A state title, is among a strong cast of returning starters. She’ll be joined at Memphis by current teammate Brooke Lee, who batted .430 and also was chosen to the Class 2A all-state team.
16. St. John Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.) 29-2
Another heavy favorite in a state we consider second-tier for softball but still capable of producing top 10 teams is the Lancers. They won their third NJSIAA Non-Public A state championship in the last four years and return the entire team minus one player. They also have Notre Dame-bound Katie Beriont back to pitch. The senior left-hander went 26-2 with a 0.62 ERA with 229 strikeouts and just 29 walks last season.
17. Harmony (Harmony, Fla.) 26-4
The Lady Longhorns pushed eventual 7A state champion St. Thomas Aquinas to nine innings before falling and finishing third at the 7A tourney. With senior pitcher Lele Occasion (Florida), a 1st Team All-State pick, leading the way and junior outfielder Lily Mann, who hit .506 last year, sparking the offense, Harmony could easily challenge for the state title this year.
18. Vintage (Napa, Calif.) 34-1
Coach Rick Robben’s team was the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I champion last season and will be led by several notable returnees, including his daughter, Baylee, a junior who led the team with five homers and 57 RBI. Pitcher Emily Oestreich also is back after going 33-0 with a 1.50 ERA. This year, the Crushers could finish much higher in the state and national rankings because they are playing in the Livermore Stampede, the top tourney in Northern California and one of the best in the nation.
19. The Woodlands (Conroe, Texas) 30-9
This is another of those rare teams in which two pitchers are headed to major colleges. Junior Abby Langkamp is one of the best in Texas and is going to Baylor. Senior Caitlin Bartsch has signed with Nebraska. Coach Richard Jorgensen (who had the 2011 FAB 50 national champions) also has several top position players returning, including junior Aubrey Leach, who led the team with a .509 batting average and has committed to Tennessee.
20. Mountain Ridge (Glendale, Ariz.) 31-4
It can get confusing in Arizona because both Mountain Ridge and Red Mountain are the Mountain Lions. We’re not confused, however, in choosing both of them for the FAB 50. Mountain Ridge doesn’t have quite as much back as Red Mountain so it’s lower than the No. 13 final ranking from last year. The lineup should remain as potent as ever, with Georgia-bound shortstop Alyssa Di Carlo leading the way. The junior hit .532 last year and had 66 RBI.
I think it's great that these programs and players get recognition. Probably pretty hard to compile such a list given the relatively little inter-state competition that takes place, but I'm sure if you're on the list, you're not bad.
1. Red Mountain (Mesa, Ariz.) 33-5
In addition to Breanna Macha, the Mountain Lions will be led by senior catcher and four-year starter Jordan Beck. The Southern Mississippi-bound standout hit .474 last season with 10 homers and 41 RBI. The team’s No. 2 pitcher, Marian Ruf, also is back and also batted .421. Senior infielder Alex Hill (.397, 41 RBI) and junior Alex Wiley (.471, 26 RBI) are among the returnees as well.
2. Mission Viejo (Mission Viejo, Calif.) 26-2
Just about everyone is back from a Diablos’ squad that was ranked No. 1 in the state last season until an upset loss in the CIF Southern Section Division II playoffs. Junior Alyssa Palomino was the Orange County Player of the Year, ripped a county record 17 homers and is headed to Arizona. Pitcher Taylor McQuillen also is a junior, also is bound for Arizona and is one of the nation’s top college prospects.
3. Pacifica (Garden Grove, Calif.) 26-6
There are a couple of departures such as first team all-state first baseman Rebecca Lee and shortstop Ruby Rivera (Illinois), but the Mariners remain absolutely loaded with top college prospects. The pitching starts with Kaley Carlson (North Carolina), who will be a four-year starter with a career record of 55-6, and Kaley Winegarner (Stanford), who missed most of last season with a knee injury. Coach Mark Campbell also has senior infielder Nicole DeWitt (Florida), who hit .457 last season with 16 homers, and junior outfielder Faith Canfield (Michigan).
4. Northern (Owings Mills, Md.) 23-0
This is a tough team to rank because on one hand it’s a group with a 76-game winning streak, six straight state titles and a pitcher, Jessica Cummings, who is bound for Penn State. On the other hand, the Patriots don’t exactly face the same type of competition that there is in California, Arizona, Texas and Florida. We’ll continue to put them in the top five, but to be No. 1 in our rankings will require a stronger schedule. Cummings is back this season after not allowing an earned run as a junior.
5. Hoover (North Canton, Ohio) 31-0
Ohio’s No. 1 team and the best program in the Midwest for the last few years isn’t going anywhere in 2014. The Patriots return most of their top players from last season, including pitcher Tara Thacker, who went 21-0 and had 135 strikeouts in 124 innings. Hoover also has won three straight Division I state titles.
6. Alexander Central (Taylorsville, N.C.) 33-1
Coach Monte Sherrill’s phenomenal program won its eighth state title last season and only had one senior on the roster. The Cougars will feature state tourney MVP Bailey Rhoney, a junior and the winning pitcher in the final, along with pitcher-hitter Kiana Millsaps, who also is still just a junior.
7. Amador Valley (Pleasanton, Calif.) 22-3
The Dons are the logical preseason pick in Northern California since they return one of the nation’s top pitchers in UCLA-bound Johanna Grauer. It was tough ending to the season a year ago when Grauer couldn’t pitch in a key playoff game after stepping into a gopher hole and twisting her ankle. She’s not the only key returnee, either. Amador Valley has one of the state’s top catchers in Stanford-bound Victoria Molina. It’s also a deep senior class that includes infielder Ashley Lotosynzki (UC Davis), outfielder Nicole Yozzo (Lehigh) and outfielder Hanna Moreno (Colgate).
8. Lewisville (Lewisville, Texas) 31-13
The Lady Farmers are a solid choice to start out No. 1 in Texas because they are the defending Class 5A state champs and their dominating pitcher is back. Most of their losses occurred when that pitcher, Maribeth Gorsuch, was injured. The sophomore, who has committed to LSU, was the Dallas Morning News Player of the Year with a 22-4 record, 1.24 ERA and had a 0.53 ERA in the playoffs.
9. Columbia (Lake City, Fla.) 28-4
The Tigers will be tough to beat as they have two talented junior pitchers returning in Erin Anderson and Ashley Shoup. The pair combined on a no-hitter in the Class 6A state title win – the first ever for the softball program – over Pembroke Pines Charter, the defending state champ.
10. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.) 27-1
Another squad that figures to battle for top rankings’ positioning in California is the Monarchs. They didn’t win a CIF Central Coast Section title last season due an upset loss to Gilroy, but will be led by California Ms. Softball candidate Jazmyn Jackson, a four-year starter who is headed to Cal. She was the San Jose Mercury-News Player of the Year as a junior. Pitcher Desiree Severance also is among the returnees.
11. Deer Park (Deer Park, Texas) 37-5
Two years ago, Deer Park was the Class 5A state champion and should be a prime contender to make it two titles in three years with a veteran roster returning. Houston Chronicle Player of the Year Caitlin Plocheck, who hits and pitches, leads the cast along with sophomore outfielder Payton McBride (committed to Texas A&M) and junior infielder Rhonda Jarvis (Baylor).
12. St. Thomas Aquinas (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.) 22-5
Six starters return, including two of the top 25 seniors in the country in lefty pitcher Meghan King and catcher Gwen Svekis. King threw a one-hitter in the 1-0 state championship win over Tampa Freedom as the Raiders took the 7A crown. Aquinas has nine seniors with seven of those set to play at the next level.
13. Horizon (Scottsdale, Ariz.) 29-6
Arizona-bound junior pitcher Tamara Statman leads the way for the Huskies, who return seven of their top 10 players from last year’s team that reached the semifinals of the Division I state playoffs. Statman went 24-6 with a 1.72 ERA with 286 Ks and 10 shutouts. She also hit .481. Outfielder Kaila Jacobi also has some pop in her bat as she clubbed 10 home runs with 26 RBI.
14. Esperanza (Anaheim, Calif.) 24-4
Just two seniors were on the roster for the Aztecs last season, which makes them a possible major force to be reckoned with in Southern California. They’ll be led by all-state pitcher Hayley Copeland, who went 18-4 in the circle as a junior with 228 strikeouts. She’ll play next at South Carolina.
15. John Curtis Christian (River Ridge, La.) 31-0
Pitcher Katie Brignac, who has signed with Memphis and went 20-0 in the circle last season in leading the Patriots to their second straight Class 2A state title, is among a strong cast of returning starters. She’ll be joined at Memphis by current teammate Brooke Lee, who batted .430 and also was chosen to the Class 2A all-state team.
16. St. John Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.) 29-2
Another heavy favorite in a state we consider second-tier for softball but still capable of producing top 10 teams is the Lancers. They won their third NJSIAA Non-Public A state championship in the last four years and return the entire team minus one player. They also have Notre Dame-bound Katie Beriont back to pitch. The senior left-hander went 26-2 with a 0.62 ERA with 229 strikeouts and just 29 walks last season.
17. Harmony (Harmony, Fla.) 26-4
The Lady Longhorns pushed eventual 7A state champion St. Thomas Aquinas to nine innings before falling and finishing third at the 7A tourney. With senior pitcher Lele Occasion (Florida), a 1st Team All-State pick, leading the way and junior outfielder Lily Mann, who hit .506 last year, sparking the offense, Harmony could easily challenge for the state title this year.
18. Vintage (Napa, Calif.) 34-1
Coach Rick Robben’s team was the CIF Sac-Joaquin Section Division I champion last season and will be led by several notable returnees, including his daughter, Baylee, a junior who led the team with five homers and 57 RBI. Pitcher Emily Oestreich also is back after going 33-0 with a 1.50 ERA. This year, the Crushers could finish much higher in the state and national rankings because they are playing in the Livermore Stampede, the top tourney in Northern California and one of the best in the nation.
19. The Woodlands (Conroe, Texas) 30-9
This is another of those rare teams in which two pitchers are headed to major colleges. Junior Abby Langkamp is one of the best in Texas and is going to Baylor. Senior Caitlin Bartsch has signed with Nebraska. Coach Richard Jorgensen (who had the 2011 FAB 50 national champions) also has several top position players returning, including junior Aubrey Leach, who led the team with a .509 batting average and has committed to Tennessee.
20. Mountain Ridge (Glendale, Ariz.) 31-4
It can get confusing in Arizona because both Mountain Ridge and Red Mountain are the Mountain Lions. We’re not confused, however, in choosing both of them for the FAB 50. Mountain Ridge doesn’t have quite as much back as Red Mountain so it’s lower than the No. 13 final ranking from last year. The lineup should remain as potent as ever, with Georgia-bound shortstop Alyssa Di Carlo leading the way. The junior hit .532 last year and had 66 RBI.