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The News-Gazette's softball Top 10: Westville still No. 1

matt daniels, the news-gazette, champaign-urbana, ill.
·5 min read

May 10—Win-or-go-home scenarios hit area softball teams starting next week with Class 1A and 2A playoff games taking place. So here are the final rankings before The News-Gazette's All-Area package comes out this summer, courtesy Sports Editor Matt Daniels:

1. Westville

➜ Previous ranking: No. 1

➜ Record: 25-4

Losses last Saturday to Casey-Westfield and Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg should give Abby Sabalaskey and the rest of the Tigers a good idea of what to expect in the postseason. Westville begins the Class 2A playoffs as a No. 1 seed on Tuesday with a 4:30 p.m. regional semifinal game against ninth-seeded Oakwood in Westville. Beat the Comets again and Westville would meet either fourth-seeded Marshall or sixth-seeded Paris in the regional title game at 4:30 p.m. on May 17.

2. St. Joseph-Ogden

➜ Previous ranking: No. 2

➜ Record: 27-6

Since losing to Pontiac on April 18, Madison Stevens and the Spartans have not lost. Included in that run of success are quality wins against Unity, LeRoy and Monticello, among others. SJ-O carries an 11-game win streak into Saturday's home date with Argenta-Oreana. The Spartans will stay at home for Class 2A regional action, playing either seventh-seeded Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond or eighth-seeded Cumberland at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday in a regional semifinal game.

3. Unity

➜ Previous ranking: No. 4

➜ Record: 21-7-1

Another 20-win season — their fifth straight hitting that particular milestone — happened for the Rockets when they beat Charleston on Monday. Two home games with Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg and Pinckneyville await Ruby Tarr and her teammates on Saturday before Unity travels to St. Joseph next week for the Class 2A playoffs. The Rockets will tangle with fifth-seeded Monticello at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday in a regional semifinal game.

4. Argenta-Oreana

➜ Previous ranking: No. 5

➜ Record: 17-3

A resounding 18-1 win against Arcola on Monday sealed an outright Lincoln Prairie Conference title for the Bombers. Two road games — Friday at Riverton and Saturday at St. Joseph-Ogden — await Abby Jackson and Co. before pursuit of a Class 1A regional title begins next week. A-O hosts a five-team regional, with the Bombers earning a No. 1 seed. They will play either eighth-seeded Blue Ridge or ninth-seeded St. Teresa at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday in a regional semifinal game.

5. LeRoy

➜ Previous ranking: No. 3

➜ Record: 27-7

The Panthers ended a two-game losing streak following shutout losses against Tremont and St. Joseph-Ogden with a home win against Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin on Thursday night. Haley Cox and her teammates are a No. 2 seed in the Class 1A postseason, turning their attention soon on a return trip to the state tournament. LeRoy begins its postseason journey at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday against seventh-seeded Okaw Valley in an Arcola Regional semifinal game.

6. Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin

➜ Previous ranking: No. 6

➜ Record: 21-10

Three losses in its last four regular-season games probably isn't how the Blue Devils want to head into the postseason following Thursday's defeat at LeRoy. But Draycee Nelson and her teammates have put together a stellar season so far, highlighted by a potent offense that can overwhelm teams at times. BHRA will get a chance to showcase said offense next at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday during a Class 2A regional semifinal game against sixth-seeded and host Watseka.

7. Watseka

➜ Previous ranking: No. 9

➜ Record: 18-5

The Warriors are riding a four-game win streak and will have a shot to reach 20 wins before starting postseason action when they play at South Newton (Ind.) on Friday before hosting Prairie Central on Monday. All of that is a tuneup for Sarah Parsons and Co. before Watseka gets a chance to host a Class 2A regional. The Warriors are a sixth seed and will host third-seeded Bismarck-Henning/Rossville-Alvin at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday in a regional semifinal game.

8. Milford/Cissna Park

➜ Previous ranking: No. 7

➜ Record: 18-5

The Bearcats stumbled at home on Monday against Watseka before getting back in the win column with a shutout of Georgetown-Ridge Farm on Tuesday. Madisyn Laffoon and the rest of the Milford/Cissna Park roster will carry a No. 1 seed into the Class 1A postseason. Either eighth-seeded Georgetown-Ridge Farm or ninth-seeded Schlarman is up next at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday in a regional semifinal game in Georgetown.

9. Monticello

➜ Previous ranking: No. 10

➜ Record: 18-12

The Sages celebrated senior night with an emphatic 13-2 win against Mahomet-Seymour and then shut out Mattoon 1-0 on Wednesday to run their win streak to four games. Lynssey Trybom and her teammates are scheduled to end the regular season Friday at Arthur Christian before beginning Class 2A postseason play next week in St. Joseph. Monticello is at No. 5 seed and will play third-seeded Unity at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday in a regional semifinal game at Randy Wolken Field.

10. Champaign Central

➜ Previous ranking: No. 9

➜ Record: 15-10-1

The only area team in this week's rankings who won't start postseason play next week, Ryan Barrett and the Maroons still have three regular-season games on the schedule before starting the Class 3A playoffs. Central is set to play at Lincoln on Friday before squaring off against Centennial twice next week. All of that is a buildup to the Mahomet-Seymour Regional when the third-seeded Maroons play the host and sixth-seeded Bulldogs at 5 p.m. on May 22 in a regional semifinal game.