Big Nine Still Dominates Class 3A Softball Rankings

The Big Nine Conference has 5 teams in the top 10 and all of the top 4 teams in the latest Minnesota Softball Coaches Association Class 3A state rankings.  Mankato West is #1, Faribault #2, Northfield #3 and Winona #4.  Chisago Lakes rounds out the top 5.  Mankato East is #10.

Faribault's section is stacked with West, East and New Ulm (#7 in 3A) joining them among the state's elite loaded into one section.  It's unfortunate.  Without a doubt there will be a couple teams besides the Section 2AAA champion that will be a state caliber team.

In Class A Randolph dropped from first to #5 which leaves me scratching my bald head again.  The Rockets two losses this season have been to state ranked Class 2A Zumbrota-Mazeppa and Class 4A double digit win Coon Rapids.  Coon Rapids has defeated state ranked Chatfield and Champlin Park.  Carlton is your new #1 in Class 1A moving from #3 to #1 while surpassing undefeated #2 Waterville-Elysian-Morristown.

The Carlton Bulldogs have a loss this season to Class 2A Esko.  The Eskomos have 13 wins.

In Class 2A Zumbrota-Mazeppa has wins over Cotter/Hope Lutheran and Rochester Lourdes and dropped from #4 to #6 while the Ramblers and Eagles are still #2 and #3 behind Maple Lake who has been #1 all season.  The Cougars three losses are to one of Wisconsin's best teams from Ellsworth.  State ranked 4A Centennial and state rated Class 3A St. Anthony Village.

In Class 4A  Forest Lake is now #1 and Park #2.  Those teams have flipped back and forth in the top spots throughout the season.  Lakeville North fell from #3 to #4.  Shakopee is #10, Rosemount and Farmington received votes.

The complete rankings are below:

Class 1A

1.  Carlton
2. Waterville-Elysian-Morristown
3. NCE/UH Titans
4. New York Mills
5. Randolph
6. New Ulm Cathedral
7. Sleepy Eye St. Mary's
8. Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg
9. Cherry
9. Red Lake Falls
Others receiving votes:  Badger/GB-MR, Kimball Area, Edgerton/SW Mn Christian, Frazee, Isle, Browerville, Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale Raiders

Class 2A

1. Maple Lake
2. Cotter/Hope Lutheran
3. Rochester Lourdes
4. Pipestone Area
5. Park Rapids Area
6. Zumbrota-Mazeppa
7. Norwood-Young America
8. Thief River Falls
9. Chatfield
10.Proctor
Others receiving votes:  Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton, LeSueur-Henderson, St. Cloud Cathedral, Concordia Academy-Roseville, Morris Area/Chokio-Alberta, St. Peter, Mounds Park Academy, Rockford, Virginia

Class 3A

1. Mankato West
2. Faribault
3. Northfield
4. Winona
5. Chisago Lakes
6. Cloquet
7. New Ulm
8. Benilde-St. Margaret's School
9. Rocori
10.Mankato East
Others receiving votes:  St. Anthony Village, Becker, Sartell-Saint Stephen, Mahtomedi, Hill-Murray, Hermantown, Academy of Holy Angels, Sauk Rapids-Rice

Class 4A

1. Forest Lake
2. Park
3. Maple Grove
4. Lakeville North
5. East Ridge
6. Centennial
7. Chanhassen
8. Elk River
9. Anoka
10.Shakopee
Others receiving votes:  Stillwater Area, Champlin Park, North, Rosemount, Brainerd, Farmington, Rogers.