MaxPreps Top 25 high school softball rankings

Mater Dei Catholic (Chula Vista, Calif.) vaulted from unranked into the national spotlight, landing at No. 7 in this week's MaxPreps Top 25 high school softball rankings. The Crusaders are 10-0 and recorded a run-rule win over previously No. 2 Huntington Beach (Calif.) last week.

We'll find out just how good Mater Dei Catholic is on Saturday when it plays No. 1 Norco (Calif.) in a battle of unbeaten Top 10 teams. The Cougars have previously defeated four teams ranked in the top 10. Will Mater Dei Catholic be No. 5?

Lakewood Ranch (Bradenton, Fla.), moved up to No. 2, followed by Foothill (Pleasanton, Calif.), Cedar Ridge (Round Rock, Texas) and Winter Springs (Fla.).


1. (Last week 1 ) Norco (Calif.), 16-0
The Cougars have another big test coming up this week as Mater Dei (Chula Vista) comes to town.

2. (3) Lakewood Ranch (Bradenton, Fla.), 10-0
After opening the season with six-straight shutouts, the Mustangs have given up eight runs but have yet to be tested.

3. (4) Foothill (Pleasanton, Calif.), 7-0
The Falcons have outscored their seven opponents 49-3. Oklahoma pledge Nicole May has tossed five shutouts.

4. (5) Cedar Ridge (Round Rock, Texas), 20-0
The Raiders make it seem easy after outscoring two opponents last week, 23-1.

5. (6) Winter Springs (Fla.), 10-0
The Bears are hitting .395, have stolen 48 bases, committed only seven errors and the pitching staff has a 0.72 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 58 innings. It's little wonder they are unbeaten.

6. (8) Estero (Fla.), 12-0
Opponents are batting just .144 against Wildcat pitching.

7. (NR) Mater Dei Catholic (Chula Vista, Calif.), 10-0
The Crusaders are for real. Just ask previously ranked No. 2 Huntington Beach, which was run-ruled. Leading the way is senior Alyssa Garcia (UCLA signee), hitting .677 with 21 base hits. Senior pitcher Lexi Sosa (UCLA signee) is 8-0 with a 1.44 ERA.

8. (9) Forney (Texas), 15-1
The Jackrabbits won their Rivalry Game against North Forney, 12-0.

9. (10) Neshoba Central (Philadelphia, Miss.), 15-0
The Rockets won the South Jones Tournament as senior pitcher Aspen Wesley continued her stellar campaign. In 16 tournament innings, she pitched two no-hitters (giving her six for the season) and struck out 43 batters to run her record to 10-0. She has allowed eight hits and one earned run in 65 innings. She is averaging 2.5 strikeouts per inning.

10. (11) Oakleaf (Orange Park, Fla.), 11-1
Oakleaf won its own Tournament of Champions with an 8-0 win over Gainesville.

11. (12) Barbers Hill (Mt. Belvieu, Texas), 24-1
The Eagles have won 21 in a row with 16 shutouts, including three in a row.

12. (13) Apopka (Fla.), 10-0
The Blue Darters' Nyah Vogel is hitting .542 and is 5-0 with a 0.73 ERA.

13. (15) White Knoll (Lexington, S.C.), 9-0
Mackenzie McElroy is batting .562, Hannah Goodwin (Clemson signee) has a dozen RBI and senior Andrea Lyon has four shutouts and a 0.67 in the T-Wolves' unbeaten start.

14. (16) Santiago (Corona, Calif.), 8-2-1
Since losing 1-0 to No. 1 Norco, the Sharks have recorded three-straight shutouts with Savannah Hooks in the circle.

15. (17) Deer Park (Texas), 12-1
The Deer have won nine straight.

16. (18) Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.), 9-3-1
The Lancers have outscored four opponents 41-7 during a four-game winning streak. LSU signee Ciara Briggs has seven hits and scored six runs in the streak.

17. (19) Grand Terrace (Calif.), 9-2–1
Sophomore Nikki Barboza has hit five homers this season.

18. (22) Empire (Tucson, Ariz.), 17-0
After a week off for spring break, the Ravens return to action batting .379 as a team and averaging 10 runs per game in their last eight wins.

19. (NR) Cape Fear (Fayetteville, N.C.), 6-0
The Colts have scored 89 runs.

20. (24) Jackson (Mill Creek, Wash.), 6-0
Iyanla (Ice) Pennington continues her excellent start going 5-0 with a 0.81 ERA and 58 strikeouts in 26 innings. She's also hitting .667 with nine RBI.

21. (NR) Gardendale (Ala.), 21-2-1
The Rockets have won 14 straight and avenged an earlier season loss to previously ranked Spain Park (Hoover), 1-0. Auburn signee Carlee McCondichie is hitting .500 with 33 runs, 28 RBI and 20 extra base hits.

22. (7) Los Alamitos (Calif.), 9-3
The Griffins lost their showdown with Huntington Beach, 7-0. They get a rematch on Thursday, but first must face Marina (Huntington Beach) on Tuesday. Marina recently knocked Huntington Beach from the unbeaten ranks.

23. (21) Byrnes (Duncan, S.C.), 11-1
The Lady Rebels lost to 8-1 Hillcrest (Simpsonville), 3-2. Hillcrest's lone loss was to Byrnes, 4-1, three weeks ago.

24. (NR) Bradshaw Mountain (Prescott Valley, Ariz.), 20-0
The Bears are hitting .427 as a team with 20 home runs (eight players have hit two or more). Junior pitchers Jacie Hambrick and Caitlynn Neal are each 10-0 and have combined for a 0.20 ERA and more than 200 strikeouts.

25. (NR) Dripping Springs (Texas), 22-2
Logan Hulon has lost twice, but her ERA is 0.52 and she has struck out 116 in 64 innings. Teammates Camille Corona and Bailey Hudgeons have combined for 67 hits and Dripping Springs has won 12 straight.

Dropped out: Marist (Chicago), Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.), Fairhope (Ala.), Spain Park (Hoover, Ala.), and Huntington Beach (Calif.).