MaxPreps top 25 national high school softball rankings

Video: All-state shortstop with first softball MPTopPlay of the year
Payton Wildeman isn't a two-time All-State shortstop for nothing, giving us our first softball #MPTopPlay of the year.

It's been two weeks since the MaxPreps Xcellent Preseason Softball Rankings were published. And to say a shake up has taken place would be an understatement. This week's rankings mark the first time in the history of the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 Softball Rankings that nine teams have fallen from the Top 25 in a single week.

Californians Los Alamitos and Mission Viejo remain at the top, and Norco moved up a spot to No. 3.

This week's Xcellent 25 reveals five new Top 10 teams - unbeatens Pinnacle, Desert Ridge, Atascocita, Spain Park and Oaks Christian.

Also new to the Top 25 this week are Katy, Ouachita Parish, Westminster Christian and Coral Springs Charter.

The prestigious Dave Kops Tournament of Champions in Bullhead City, Ariz., will be played Thursday through Saturday. This year's field includes 10 teams in MaxPreps' Top 50 preseason national rankings and seven ranked in this week's Top 25 – Los Alamitos, Mission Viejo, Norco, Orange Lutheran, LaHabra, Hamilton and O'Connor.


1. (Last week 1) Los Alamitos (Calif.), 3-0
Los Alamitos has opened the season with a pair of shutouts and a 3-1 victory. Practices have been competitive with 14 senior signees and 19 signed or committed players overall.
Next up: Kops TOC in Bullhead City, Ariz.

2. (2) Mission Viejo (Calif.), 3-0
Mission Viejo opened the season with a win over JSerra (San Juan Capistrano Valley) and a pair of wins in the Best of the West Tournament, including beating previously ranked No. 12 LaHabra.
Next up: Kops TOC in Bullhead City, Ariz..

3. (4) Norco (Calif.), 4-0
With its 10-0 season-opening win, Norco handed coach Rick Robinson his 500th career coaching win. Robinson's 500th victory comes in his 23rd season as a head coach, with 395 coming at Norco. The Cougars won four games to win the Dana Housley Tournament.
Next up: Kops TOC in Bullhead City, Ariz. 4. (6) Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.), 3-0
Orange Lutheran opened the season with three-straight shutout wins and meets Bishop Amat (LaPuente) in the finals of the Upland Tournament on Monday.
Next up: Kops TOC in Bullhead City, Ariz.

5. (26) Pinnacle (Phoenix, Ariz.), 8-0
The Pioneers have reeled off eight-straight wins, including a 9-4, 11-inning victory over Hamilton (Chandler). Marissa Schuld and CC Cook combined to strikeout 18 in the 11-inning win.
Next up: Westview (Avondale, Ariz.) on Tuesday.

6. (7) American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.), 5-0
The Patriots have outscored their opponents 49-2. The beat previously unbeaten St. Thomas Aquinas (Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.), 3-1.
Next up: Cooper City (Fla.) on Thursday.

7. (NR) Atascocita (Humble, Texas), 9-0
Senior Tierrah Williams is hitting .607 with six homers and 20 RBIs and is 7-0 with a 1.58 ERA and 71 strikeouts in 40 innings.
Next up: 12-3 Kingwood on Tuesday.

8. (41) Desert Ridge (Mesa, Ariz.), 9-0
Sophomore Shaylee Ackerman is unbeaten with a 1.58 ERA and a 46 strikeouts in 35 innings and is batting .652 with 20 RBIs and five homers.
Next up: Red Mountain (Mesa) on Tuesday.

9. (NR) Spain Park (Hoover, Ala.), 13-0
The Jaguars opened the season with consecutive tournament titles, including a Jaguar Tournament title win (7-0) over No. 14 Sparkman.
Next up: Mountain Brook (Birmingham) on Tuesday.

10. (44) Oaks Christian (Westlake Village, Calif.), 3-0
Sophomores Maya Brady and Alexis Berg have combined for 11 hits, nine runs and eight RBIs.
Next up: Canyon (Canyon Country) on Tuesday.

11. (8) Grand Terrace (Calif.), 0-0
The Titans open the season Wednesday hosting Redondo Union (Redondo Beach, Calif.).

12. (NR) Katy (Texas), 14-1
The Tigers have scored 128 runs, while allowing 22. Six wins are shutouts and the lone loss was 2-1 to 13-3 Santa Fe (Tex.).
Next up: Crosstown rival Seven Lakes on Tuesday.

13. (9) Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.), 3-1
Bella Loomis, Ali Ashner and Taylor Gindlesperger are all hitting over .500.
Next Up: Boulder Creek (Anthem, Ariz.) on Tuesday, then to Kops TOC in Bullhead City, Ariz.

14. (23) Sparkman (Harvest, Ala.), 11-2
Sparkman lost to No. 9 Spain Park, 7-0, in the title game of the Jaguar Classic.
Next up: Unbeaten Scottsboro (Ala.) on Monday.

15. (NR) Ouachita Parish (Monroe, La.), 10-0
The offense is in high gear, scoring 11.6 runs per game.
Next up: North Desoto (Stonewall, La.) on Monday.

16. (12) La Habra (Calif.), 1-1
The Highlanders opened the season by going 1-1 in the best of the West Tournament, losing, 3-1, to No. 2 Mission Viejo (Calif.).
Next up: Piedra Vista (Farmington, N.M.).

17. (18) O'Connor (Phoenix, Ariz.), 8-1
O'Connor's only loss was to 12-3 Eastlake (Tex.), 4-3. Since losing, O'Connor has scored 63 times in five games.
Next up: Xavier College Prep (Phoenix, Ariz.) on Tuesday.

18. (NR) Westminster Christian (Huntsville, Ala.), 13-1
In winning last weekend's Decatur Tournament, the Wildcats avenged their lone loss this season (3-2) by defeating Priceville (Ala.) in the title game, 7-0. Senior pitcher Annie Willis is 12-0 with a 0.00 ERA and 148 strikeouts in 59 innings (an average of 2.5 strikeouts per inning). She has pitched five no-hitters and has allowed just eight hits this season. She is also hitting .576 with five homers and 17 RBIs.
Next up: Grissom (Huntsville) on Monday.

19. (14) Bishop O'Connell (Arlington, Va.), 0-0
Bishop O'Connell opens the season Tuesday at St. John's (Washingto,n D.C.).

20. (40) Coral Springs Charter (Fla.), 6-0
The Panthers have outscored their opponents 60-4 in six games.
Next up: Stoneman Douglas (Parkman) on Monday.

21. (21) Plano West (Plano, Texas), 6-1
The Wolves have won four straight after losing, 2-1, to 15-1 Hendrickson (Pflugerville, Tex.).
Next up: Allen (Tex.) on Friday.

22. (15) Oak Park-River Forest (Oak Park, Ill.), 0-0
The state 4A champions were 37-2 in 2016.

23. (16) Keystone (La Grange, Ohio), 0-0
The 2016 state 3A runners up open the season on Mar. 30.

24. (24) Scott County (Georgetown, Ky.), 0-0
The 2016 state champions (36-2) open the season on Mar. 12 at Butler.

25. (17) Lakewood (Hebron, Ohio), 0-0
The 2016 state 2A champions enter the season riding a 29-game win streak and owners of 46 wins in their last 47 games.

Dropped Out: Birdville (Texas), Keller (Tex), West Orange (Fla.), Pioneer (Calif.), Deer Park (Tex.), Alexandria (La.), Huntington Beach (Calif.), Oakleaf (Fla.), and St. Mary Catholic (Mich.).