By Matt Turer — @MattTurer (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
Three times this season, OzarksSportsZone.com will release local softball power rankings. 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.
Overall record and Class are listed in parenthesis.
THE POWER 5
1) Webb City (11-3, C4)
Outside of a 5-0 loss to Staley, the runs are there again for the Cardinals–Webb City has scored 10+ runs in eight of its wins. The Cardinals are 3-3 against out-of-area opponents, but all six of those games have been close. This team has all the talent it needs to get back to the Class 4 quarterfinals or beyond.
2) Republic (10-1, C4)
After winning 18 games in what was supposed to be a rebuilding year, the Tigers have started 2018 winning 10 of 11 games with notable wins over Class 3 state champion Monett, Reeds Spring and Neosho. Sophomore Kaitlin Ragsdale is building off an incredible freshman season, batting .600 (24-for-43) with 20 runs through 11 games. Julia Higgins already has five homers on a team where six different girls have hit dingers. Higgins also has 26 RBI with a .586 average. The catcher has shut down the opponent’s running game by throwing out 93% of attempted base stealers.
3) Logan-Rogersville (12-4, C3)
When are the Wildcats not a threat? The only confusing loss for Rogersville has been a 6-5 loss to East Newton that was avenged on the 17th with a 6-4 win. The most notable final is a 3-0 shutout of talented Reeds Spring, who the Wildcats could see in district play.
4) Reeds Spring (8-3, C3)
Reeds Spring’s statement win in the first part of the season has been a 5-0 win over defending Class 3 champion Monett. The Wolves have some of the best talent in the Ozarks and that talent goes beyond Izzy Erickson–it may have taken her just 4.0 innings in a 17-0 win, but Brooke Davis tossed a shortened perfect game against Mansfield on Monday.
5) Monett (8-3, C3)
Hard to not have the state champs up here. Monett dropped its opener 7-5 to undefeated Republic and was shutout by Reeds Spring, but the Cubs are still growing after losing some key pieces. The most recent win? A 5-2 final over Class 4 Ozark. Let’s see if this year’s Cubs follow a similar growth trajectory as 2017’s.
KNOCKING ON THE DOOR
6) Camdenton (9-6, C4)
The Lakers brought back one of the deepest teams in the region in Class 4 and are off to a nice start. All six of their losses are to out-of-area teams, but so are four of their wins. Even so, Camdenton would probably of liked a better split there. This does mean the Lakers sit at 4-0 against regional opponents and are an odds-on favorite for a district title.
7) Bolivar (7-1, C3)
One loss to Class 4 Nixa can be excused for one of the better teams in Class 3 in the region. The Liberators are very good. Bolivar has outscored opponents 89-9 in its seven wins and has a deep roster led by Florida State commit Katie Brooks. This could be the best area team in Class 3 but it’s hard to tell right now. We’ll find out more about the Liberators over the next 7-10 days as the schedule gets tougher.
8) Kickapoo (8-4, C4)
The Chiefs had a 2017 district championship within their grasp last fall before Ozark and Bridget Pridgen swooped in with a 2-0 shutout. This year, Kickapoo should be the favorite in this always deep and competitive group but did fall 4-3 to Nixa in the season opener. The Chiefs also dropped a close 3-1 final to Camdenton but have shown their potential in wins over Rogersville (C3), Ozark and Branson.
9) Willow Springs (6-0, C2)
The Bears have seemed on the verge of a deep Class 2 playoff run in each of the past two seasons and are looking that way again in 2018. Willow Springs has 10+ runs in five games and nine in the other and has allowed more than one run just once.
10) McDonald County (7-1, C3)
The Mustangs dropping down to Class 3 makes them an interesting candidate for a tournament run. But sharing their new district with defending state champion Monett and a potentially sneaky Seneca team makes things tougher than McDonald County fans would like. That said, a 3-1 win over Reeds Spring is promising.
THE FINAL 5
11) Crocker (6-2, C1)
Stoutland or Crocker could take Class 1 District 2, but the early nod goes Crocker’s way. The Lions have split the season series with Stoutland but have the run differential advantage. Every other win has been a comfortable one, and the only other loss is a one-run loss against 10-1 Iberia.
12) Hillcrest (6-2, C3)
Hillcrest has been building to this level for a few years now. The Hornets can put up runs, scoring 15 against Central, 17 against Waynesville and 23 against Parkview (all wins). We’ll know more about this group after this week with games set against Rogersville and Kickapoo, followed by the Branson Invitational.
13) Warsaw (14-1, C2)
After winning its first district title last season since 2010 (the year the Wildcats won state), Warsaw has continued that success. The Wildcats have outscored opponents 157-28 and 11 of their 14 wins have come by 9+ runs. The one loss is a 9-1 mid-tournament final to Class 1 Pilot Grove, which is a bit concerning come tournament time but should be mostly ignored for now.
14) Weaubleau (9-2, C1)
A season after winning 20 games ended short of a district title, the Tigers are hungry. Weaubleau has outscored district rivals Wheatland and Hermitage 25-3 but did fall to Halfway.
15) Norwood (8-3, C1)
The Pirates have regrouped from a minor rebuilding year in 2017 and look strong early. An 8-1 win over district rival Dora carries plenty of weight, and the only losses to date have come against Class 2 and 3 opponents.
FIRST ONE OUT
Seneca (4-5, C3)
The record is misleading. Class 3 Seneca has in-class wins over Carl Junction (twice), McDonald County (impressive) and Rogersville (also impressive). All five losses? To good Class 4 schools: Blue Springs, Park Hill South, Webb City and Carthage (twice). Keep an eye on the Indians.
