Since we also are primarily responsible for doing the Student Sports FAB 50 national rankings, this week’s first installment of those rankings also means we’ve done an updated State Top 20. Our preseason No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the state — Mission Viejo and Pacifica of Garden Grove — both lived up to those rankings by finishing first and second last weekend at the prestigious Dave Kops Tournament of Champions played in Bullhead City, Ariz. Those two could play again on Saturday at the Best of the West tournament. Highest-ranked newcomers are Cathedral Catholic of San Diego and North of Torrance.
There were a couple of teams that were penciled in for a State Top 20 ranking earlier in the week that lost on Tuesday and fell out, primarily Central of Fresno (was 8-0) and Sheldon of Sacramento (was 4-0). Returning State Junior of the Year Johanna Grauer of Amador Valley has had one of the hottest starts to the season. She gave up no earned runs in here first five starts, including three wins at the annual Queen of the Mountain tournament.
For the Student Sports FAB 50 national rankings, CLICK HERE.
To get your membership to the Cal-Hi Sports Gold Club so you can see all of our exclusive statewide softball content, CLICK HERE. Note: We’ll do much more expanded packages of the State Top 20 starting next week and eventually will add divisional state rankings.
Here are the first regular season State Top 20 rankings (after games of Tuesday, March 18; preseason ranking in parentheses):
1. (1) Mission Viejo 8-0
2. (2) Pacifica (Garden Grove) 7-1
3. (3) Amador Valley (Pleasanton) 5-0
4. (4) Archbishop Mitty (San Jose) 4-0
5. (5) Esperanza (Anaheim) 8-0
6. (8) Marina (Huntington Beach) 6-0
7. (9) Yorba Linda 7-0
8. (11) Santiago (Corona) 9-1
9. (NR) Cathedral Catholic (San Diego) 6-0
10. (13) Chino Hills 7-3
11. (NR) North (Torrance) 5-2
12. (12) Chino 9-2
13. (14) Mater Dei (Santa Ana) 7-2
14. (NR) Canyon (Anaheim) 5-1
15. (NR) Vista Murrieta (Murrieta) 5-1
16. (NR) Rocklin 7-1-1
17. (10) California (San Ramon) 2-1
18. (NR) Vacaville 7-0-1
19. (19) San Benito (Hollister) 0-0
20. (NR) El Modena (Orange) 3-1
Dropped Out From Preseason Rankings:
No. 6 Vintage (Napa), No. 7 Norco, No. 15 James Logan (Union City), No. 16 Rancho Bernardo (San Diego), No. 17 Central (Fresno), No. 18 M.L. King (Riverside), No. 20 Saugus.
Teams On The Bubble:
Alhambra (Martinez) 5-1
Clovis 8-0
East Union (Manteca) 7-0
Los Osos (Rancho Cucamonga) 8-2
M.L. King (Riverside) 9-2
Murrieta Valley (Murrieta) 7-4
Norco 4-3
Patrick Henry (San Diego) 5-1
Pleasant Grove (Elk Grove) 6-1-1
Poway 4-1
Rancho Bernardo (San Diego) 5-1
Poly (Riverside) 6-4
Saugus 3-2
Yucaipa 8-3
Corrections or comments? Email markjtennis@gmail.com.
