MaxPreps 2017 Washington preseason high school softball Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard

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1. Woodinville
2016 record: 21-5
Head coach: Dani Weir

Every starter but one returns from the Falcons' 4A runner-up team that won 21 of 26 games (three losses were by one run). Top returners include Lauryn Rhinehart (Fairfield University signee), Olivia Riener (Bowling Green signee), Jordyn Boyd (Manhattanville signee). Skylar Hein (St. Louis pledge) and Paige Grover (Lafayette College pledge). All were All-League, as were teammates Taylor Rhinehart (Amherst signee) and Megan Taketa. Riener had a 2.74 ERA last season, and hit .378 with eight homers and 27 RBIs in just 74 at-bats. See the MaxPreps Washington softball computer rankings presented by the Army National Guard

2. Skyline (Sammamish)
2016 Record: 19-7
Head coach: Lindsay Sullivan

The Spartans lost just one senior starter from last year and return six all-King County League honorees in Molly Spaniac (Claremont Mudd signee), Lauren Lo (Western Washington signee), Cara Harnick, Shayna Swanson and Maddie Peters. San Jose State signee Caroline Bowman is back in the circle where she averaged 1.5 strikeouts per inning. Also back are Taylor Juenke and Camille Goo. Newcomers Emma Jacobs and Summer Jones are expected to make immediate impacts. Asked what concerns she had about her 2017 team, coach Sullivan said, "nothing."

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3. Puyallup
2016 Record: 28-3
Head coach: Tony Bationovich

Eleven players return from the 2016 team that won its first 28 games before closing out the season with a trio of losses. Kennedy Robillard (league pitcher of the year) heads the list along with returning all-league teammates catcher Maddy Besaw (Stony Brook signee), and infielders Sophia Bjerk (San Diego signee) and Natalie Joyner. And all-league honorable mention freshman Sidney Booth and Autumn Harris also return.

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4. Snohomish
2016 Record: 22-3, 4A state champions
Head coach: Louis Kennedy

Snohomish lost its top pitcher, but if junior Bailey Greenlee's brief performance was any indication, the Panthers could be poised for back-to-back state 4A titles. In just 25 innings, Greenlee struck out 44 batters and went 3-0.

Whoever is in the circle for Snohomish will receive plenty of run support. Only one starter graduated from a team that hit .385 in 2016. Key returnees are Sami Reynolds (.462), Bellevue signee Natalie Campbell (.379), Joy Winston (.370) and Ruby Sugayan (.388). And Greenlee batted .500 in 48 at bats.

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5. Meadowdale (Lynnwood)
2016 Team Record: 27-3, 3A state champions
Head coach: Dennis Hopkins

For the Mavericks, it all starts with one of the state's top pitcher-catcher duo in Lauren Dent and MaxPreps All-American Emma Helm (Washington signee). During their seven-game playoff run, Dent allowed five runs and pitched four shutouts. And Helm batted .605 with 14 home runs, 63 RBI, 13 doubles and 49 runs scored.

But there's a lot more than Dent and Helm returning with all-district choice Lauren Wallace and five others back from the gold trophy season.