By Matt Turer — @MattTurer (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Each week this season, OzarksSportsZone.com released local softball power rankings brought to you by CoxHealth. Like our other power rankings, these rankings are based on dominance by Class, not head-to-head.
Recent success and strength of schedule are also factored into the rankings. These final rankings weigh heavily on postseason performance but also take regular-season play into account.
Overall record and Class are listed in parenthesis.
CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL OF THE FALL POSTSEASON HONORS
1. Monett (22-10, C3)
We talked early in the season about how Monett’s slow start would pay off later with a trio of early losses against very good Class 4 teams. And it did. With the program’s first state championship. The Cubs were brilliant throughout the postseason at the plate, on the mound and defensively. Monett outscored opponents 37-12 from district play on and allowed just three combined runs in the state quarterfinals (5-2 over Sullivan), semifinals (2-0 over Smithville) and finals (4-1 over Notre Dame-Cape Girardeau). They’re the first team in state history to win a fall softball title with 10+ losses.
2. Webb City (25-6-1, C4)
The season ended in heartbreak for the Cardinals with a 5-3 state quarterfinal loss in walk-off fashion in the 10th inning against state runner-up Blue Springs South. Webb led 3-0 after 4.5 in that game and BSS went on to lose the state championship 2-0 against Marquette. That loss came a game after knocking out Ozark 12-9 in sectionals. It was an excellent season for the Cardinals. They’ll be good again in 2018.
3. Logan-Rogersville (18-11, C3)
The Wildcats started the year at No. 6 in these rankings, and while they slipped a bit during the season, the talent that had them that high showed up in the postseason. Rogersville avenged two regular season losses and a 2016 district championship loss to West Plains by beating the Zizzers 6-1 in this year’s C3D11 championship, and then played as well against C3 champ Monett as anybody did in the postseason in a 7-3 sectionals loss (in a game they at one point led).
4. Dixon (23-1, C2)
The Bulldogs went on a memorable 23-0 run this fall to start the season that pushed them all the way to the Class 2 quarterfinals. Dixon fell there, 10-0, to state runner-up Blair Oaks. Dixon was the last team in the state to record a loss, allowed more than two runs in a game just three times and won the program’s first district title since 2011.
5. Ozark (21-10, C4)
Ozark put together a 10-game win streak that culminated in a 2-0 district title win over Kickapoo after a midseason lull that saw the Tigers drop seven of 10 games. The impressive turnaround secured the second consecutive district title and sixth in seven years for Ozark. The Tigers fell 12-9 in a tough back-and-forth battle with Webb City in the Class 4 sectionals.
6. Kickapoo (21-9, C4)
Kickapoo had its chances in the C4D11 tournament championship against Ozark but failed to push a runner home in the 2-0 loss. Ozark went on to lose a close 12-9 battle with Webb City, and the Cardinals then lost in extras to the eventual state runner-up. This was a team that exceeded its expectations this year and has some special talent returning.
7. West Plains (24-5, C3)
West Plains seemed primed for another deep tournament run after a state quarterfinals appearance in 2016 but couldn’t repeat that same success. After beating Rogersville twice during the season, the Zizzers couldn’t take down the Wildcats when it mattered in a 6-1 district championship loss. The Zizzers did put together a huge season with 24 wins and continued their recent success as one of the best programs in southwest Missouri.
8. Halfway (21-7, C1)
The Cardinals snuck into the final rankings of the regular season after winning 10 of 11 games at the time. They finished the season winning 15 of 18 on their way to the Class 1 state quarterfinals, where they lost 15-0 to Chaffee. To get there, Halfway took down Fair Play, 6-5, in eight innings to win the C1D3 title, and then beat Hermitage 5-4 in sectionals.
9. Hermitage (18-6, C1)
Hermitage players all but called another district championship after a win over Walnut Grove earlier in the season and then backed that up with a 5-3 win over Weaubleau for a second consecutive district title. The Hornets ran into a hot Halfway team in the C1 sectionals, falling short of a second consecutive C1 quarterfinals appearance.
10. Ava (15-8, C2)
The Bears were just 12-7 entering district play but rattled off wins of 16-2 against Houston and 2-1 against Mansfield for a district title and then 9-7 over Doniphan in sectionals. Ava’s run ended with a 6-1 loss to Kelly in the quarterfinals. The district championship was Ava’s first since 2007.
11. Willow Springs (18-8, C2)
Like Monett, Willow Springs played up in Class throughout the regular season. Unlike Monett, it didn’t pay off in the postseason. The Bears dropped their district title game 8-5 to Doniphan a year after not allowing a run in district play coming within a run of a state appearance. Even so, it was another strong season for Willow Springs.
12. Dora (17-11, C1)
Dora won in its first district title since 2014 and its fifth overall this decade with a pair of one-run wins, including a 9-8 final over defending district champ Crocker in the C1D2 championship game. The Falcons were eliminated 8-7 in sectionals by Chaffee. Dora continues to be one of the most consistently good programs in southwest Missouri.
13. Warsaw (20-8, C2)
Warsaw is back. The Wildcats won their first district title since winning the C2 state championship in 2010 and finished above .500 for the first time since 2011. After winning 13 games from 2012-2014, this program has 42 wins in the past three years.
14. Camdenton (21-10, C4)
Two straight district titles for the Lakers. But that’s coupled with two straight C4 sectionals losses to Blue Springs South. Camdenton lost 21-5 to BSS this time around after easing through district play with an 11-1 win over Willard and a 10-0 win over Lebanon. This is still a young team and one primed for a third straight district crown in 2018.
15. Reeds Spring (15-9, C3)
A four-game losing streak capped a stretch of eight losses in 11 games to end the season for the Wolves. The bats went dead late for this team, but there was a lot to like about this season and just as much to like looking ahead to next fall.
