So Cal Sidelines Prep Softball Rankings

By Ramon Scott
Updated: June 14, 2017

2017 EAST COUNTY PREP SOFTBALL

Final So Cal Sidelines Rankings (6/13/17)

Updated: 06/13/2017

SAN DIEGO TOP 20

1. (1) Cathedral Catholic of San Diego (Western) 27-5-1

After losing to Granite Hills of El Cajon, 3-2, in eight innings in the opening round of the playoffs, the Dons had to win four consecutive elimination games, including two over San Marcos of San Marcos on Thursday, to reach the finals where they pulled out a 3-0 victory in 10 innings over Ramona of Ramona to capture the CIF-SDS Open Division championship. UCLA-commit Megan Faraimo tossed a six-hitter with 17 strikeouts in the title game to help the Dons finish No. 1 in the final San Diego Top 20.

2. (2) San Marcos of San Marcos (Avocado-East) 24-6

Back-to-back losses to Cathedral Catholic in the semifinals prevented the Knights from getting a shot to defend their CIF-SDS Open Division title. San Marcos played the toughest nonleague of any team in San Diego this season by going to the Best of the West in Orange County and the Tournament of Champions in Bullhead City, Ariz. Notre Dame-committed pitcher Payton Tidd, Utah State-committed SS Lexi Orozco, Utah State-committed 2B Kenzie Bolin and Central Florida-committed OF Terra Testa return for the Knights next season.

3. (3) Ramona of Ramona (Valley) 29-5

Arizona-bound Hanah Bowen had a spectacular season for the Bulldogs, going 25-1 with a 0.94 ERA and she batted .489 with 33 RBI to lead Ramona to a fourth consecutive Valley League title and the CIF-SDS Open Division finals.

4. (4) Granite Hills of El Cajon (Grossmont Hills) 24-9-1

The Eagles won the Grossmont Hills League championship for their third consecutive league title and reached the CIF-SDS Open Division semifinals before falling to Ramona, 5-2, in eight innings. Cal State Fullerton-committed P Staci Chambers and Cal State Fullerton-committed 1B/OF Bailey Wallace return next season, so Granite Hills should be in the mix once again.

5. (5) Poway (Palomar) 22-8-1

The Titans won the Palomar League title and went 1-2 in the CIF-SDS Open Division playoffs. Auburn-commit Sydney Steele and Hawaii-commit Taylor Riley have big seasons for Poway and will be back next season.

6. (6) Mater Dei Catholic of Chula Vista (Metro Mesa) 23-8

UCLA-committed lefty Lexi Sosa helped the Crusaders win their third consecutive Metro Mesa League title before going 1-2 in the CIF-SDS Open Division playoffs.

7. (7) Santana of Santee (Grossmont Hills) 24-8-1

The Sultans beat Grossmont Hills League-rival Steele Canyon of Spring Valley, 7-4, in the CIF-SDS Division II finals to win their first title since 2013. Weber State-committed Madison Mendez went 24-7 with a 2.03 ERA and batted .350 with 14 doubles, eight homers and 25 RBI to lead Santana.

8. (8) Carlsbad (Avocado West) 21-10

The Lancers had to win three consecutive elimination games after being knocked into the loser’s bracket, including a 10-9 win in eight innings over West Hills of Santee and a wild 16-15 game against Eastlake of Chula Vista, to get to the CIF-SDS finals for the first time since 2015. Cal State Fullerton-bound Deshea Hill’s two-run triple in the top of the seventh helped sixth-seeded Carlsbad pull out a thrilling 5-3 win over top-seeded Patrick Henry of San Diego in the CIF-SDS Division I championship game.

9. (9) Patrick Henry of San Diego (Eastern) 23-10

Ohio State-bound Madison James went 19-7 with a 2.96 ERA and batted .400 with 10 homers and 42 RBI, but the Patriots lost in the CIF-SDS Division I finals fro the second straight season.

10. (10) Bonita Vista of Chula Vista (Metro Mesa) 23-9

The Barons went 0-2 in the CIF-SDS Open Division playoffs with losses to Ramona, 6-2, and Bonita Vista of Chula Vista, 5-1.

11. (1) Eastlake of Chula Vista (Metro Mesa) 17-12

The Titans reached the CIF-SDS Division I semifinals before losing to Patrick Henry, 4-1, but Arizona-committed catcher Sharlize Palacios and Oregon State-committed pitcher Sierra Tufts return next season, so they should be contenders once again.

12. (12) Rancho Buena Vista of Vista (Avocado-West) 21-10

The Longhorns finished second in the Avocado East League behind San Marcos, then went 0-2 in the CIF-SDS Open Division playoffs with losses to San Marcos, 1-0, and Cathedral Catholic of San Diego, 10-0. RBV will have to find a replacement for Minnesota-bound pitcher Hannah Bailey in the circle.

13. (13) Steele Canyon of Spring Valley (Grossmont Hills) 23-12-1

The Cougars reached the CIF-SDS finals for the first time since 2009 before losing to neighborhood-rival Santana of Santee, 7-4, in the Division II title game.

14. (24) West Hills of Santee (Grossmont Hills) 11-16

After a rough up-and-down regular season, the Wolf Pack reached the fourth round of CIF-SDS Division I playoffs before a wild 10-9 loss to eventual-champion Carlsbad finally knocked them out of the postseason.

15. (15) Rancho Bernardo of San Diego (Palomar) 18-11

An up-and-down season for the Broncos came to an end with a 1-2 run in the CIF-SDS Division I playoffs.

16. (16) Torrey Pines (Palomar) 24-8

The Falcons made an early exit from the postseason, going 0-2 in the CIF-SDS Division I playoffs.

17. (18) Del Norte (Palomar) 16-17-1

The Nighthawks lost to Santana of Santee, 5-4, in the CIF-SDS Division II semifinals.

18. (17) Grossmont of El Cajon (Grossmont Hills) 18-14

The Foothillers reached the fourth round of the CIF-SDS Division II playoffs before finally being eliminated by Del Norte of San Diego, 8-6.

19. (19) Christian of El Cajon (Eastern) 26-9-1

After winning the CIF-SDS Division IV title last season, the Patriots moved up and knocked off top-seeded High Tech of San Diego, 6-4, to win the Division III championship. Pitcher Ashley Carter and Washington-committed infielder Silent Rain Espinoza return for Christian, so expect the Patriots to be in the hunt for a threepeat.

20. (20) High Tech SD of San Diego (Frontier) 25-6

The Storm reached the CIF-SDS finals for the second time in the past three years and should remain contenders next season with the return of Rachel Warrens (.600, 8 HRs, 19 2B, 56 RBI) and a host of talented young players.

SO CAL SIDELINES RANKINGS

(Records through Saturday, June 3, games)

SO CAL TOP 20

1. (2) Los Alamitos (Sunset) 28-3

The Griffins, who reached the finals for the first time since 2004, avenged all three of their losses, including a 3-1 victory over Norco in the CIF-SS Division 1 finals to finish as the top team in the OC, So Cal, the state and the nation. Los Al loses 14 seniors to graduation, but they still have a ton of young talent that will be champing at the bit to help the Griffins repeat as champions.

2. (1) Norco (Big VIII) 33-1

The Cougars won the two biggest high school tournaments in the nation — the Tournament of Champions in Bullhead and the Michelle Carew Classic in Orange County — and the Big VIII League title before losing to Los Alamitos, 3-1 in the CIF-SS Division 1 championship game. Cal State Fullerton-bound Taylor Dockins became the CIF-SS’s all-time winningest pitcher and went 9-1 against nationally-ranked teams and still picked up the Gatorade State and National Player of the Year awards for her fantastic season.

3. (3) Orange Lutheran (Trinity) 28-4

The two-time defening Trinity League champions reached the CIF-SS Division 1 semifinals before getting edged by Los Alamitos, 1-0.

4. (6) Buena of Ventura (Channel) 27-0-1

UC Davis-bound Brooke Yanez tossed a no-hitter with 12 Ks to help the Bulldogs beat San Marcos of Santa Barbara, 5-0, in the CIF-SS Division 4 finals for their first championship since 1989 and to help them become the first team from Ventura County to go undefeated.

5. (4) Cathedral Catholic of San Diego (Western) 27-5-1

6. (5) Grand Terrace (Sunkist) 23-3

The Sunkist League-champion Titans, who won the CIF-SS Division 3 title last season, gave Norco all it could handle before falling, 11-7, in the CIF-SS Division 1 semifinals. Oklahoma-commit Alycia Flores returns for Grand Terrace next season.

7. (7) San Marcos of San Marcos (Avocado East) 24-6

8. (8) Ramona of Ramona (Valley) 29-5

9. (10) Camarillo (Coastal Canyon) 27-3

Freshman Eryka Gonzales tossed a two-hitter with 10 strikeouts to help the Scorpions knock off Riverside Poly, 4-0, in the CIF-SS Division 2 finals for their first title since 2011.

10. (13) Riverside Poly (Inland Valley) 27-6

The Bears won the Inland Valley League title, reached the CIF-SS Division 2 finals for the first time since 2004 and they have BYU-committed outfielder Megan Delgadillo returning next season.

11. (14) Santiago of Corona (Big VIII) 23-7

Brittney Gossett replaced John Perez as the Sharks’ new coach and led them to another successful season with a second-place finish behind Norco in the Big VIII League and a trip to the CIF-SS Division 1 quarterfinals before they lost to eventual-champion Los Alamitos, 4-1.

12. (11) Valencia of Magic Mountain (Foothill) 24-8

The Vikes pushed Orange Lutheran to the limit in a 1-0 loss in the CIF-SS Division 1 quarterfinals, but the future looks bright with Foothill League Pitcher of the Year Shea O’Leary and Foothill League Player of the Year Ally Shipman returning next year.

13. (12) La Habra (Freeway) 21-8

The nine-time defending Freeway League champions reached the CIF-SS Division 1 second round before losing to Santiago of Corona, 3-1. The Highlanders went 1-1 against Mission Viejo, but they beat the Diablos, 5-4, in the last meeting at the Michelle Carew Classic, so they got the slight edge.

14. (15) Mission Viejo (South Coast) 22-6

The 10-time defending South Coast League champions’ season came to a brutal end with a 16-2 loss to Grand Terrace in the CIF-SS Division 1 quarterfinals.

15. (17) Pacifica of Garden Grove (Empire) 22-8

Boosted by Empire League MVP Ali Seng and Arizona-bound Hannah “Peanut” Martinez, the Mariners picked up momentum after a rugged nonleague schedule and a ninth consecutive league title before running into Norco in the CIF-SS Division 1 quarterfinals.

16. (NR) St. Lucy’s of Glendora (Baseline) 19-7

After upsetting top-seeded Gahr of Cerritos, 10-4, in the second round, the Regents lost to eventual-champion Camarillo, 1-0, in the CIF-SS Division 2 semifinals.

17. (19) Mater Dei of Santa Ana (Trinity) 22-8

After winning the CIF-SS Division 1 title in 2016, the Monarchs didn’t have enough pitching to make another deep run as they fell to Grand Terrace, 8-6, in the second round of the Division 1 playoffs.

18. (9) Gahr of Cerritos (San Gabriel Valley) 26-1

After getting stunned by St. Lucy’s in the second round of the CIF-SS Division 2 playoffs, the Gladiators have a lot to look forward to next year with the return of Arizona-committed pitcher Vanessa Foreman and Washington-committed outfielder Madison Huskey.

19. (16) Oaks Christian of Westlake Village (Marmonte) 26-6-1

After losing to Orange Lutheran, 4-0, in the second round of the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs, the Lions have a lot of young talent, including UCLA-committed infielder Maya Brady, returning next season.

20. (20) Santa Margarita of Rancho Santa Margarita (Trinity) 24-6

The Eagles finished tied for second with Mater Dei of Santa Ana in the Trinity League and reached the CIF-SS Division 2 playoffs before falling to Riverside Poly, 3-1, in the quarterfinals. The good news is North Dakota State-committed pitcher Paige Vargas and Notre Dame-committed infielder Miranda Johnson return next season.

(NOTE: Report news and notes to So Cal Sidelines editor-in-chief/softball writer Carlos Arias via email (carlos.arias@socalsidelines.com), text (949-606-3602) or Tweet (@SoCalSidelines))

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