The Faribault Falcons were rated #1 and Mankato West Scarlets #2 just before their meeting Thursday night at Alexander Park in Faribault.  Mankato West won 3-1 in 14 innings.  Both teams were unbeaten.  Mankato West had been ranked on top in Class 3A in each of the rankings this year.  All of those rankings were released on Friday.  So naturally I thought that is when they would be released this week.  The latest rankings were released the day of the showdown with Faribault #1 and Mankato West #2.

Closed circuit to the pollsters.  Be consistent with the day you release your rankings.  I can't think of any reason not to wait another day and keep the releases on Fridays.  I did say Faribault probably should have been number one to start the season because they have the state's strikeout queen back in the pitching circle, McKayla Armbruster and her battery mate Abby Van Ryn returned as well.  Plus the Falcons going into that game against the Scarlets had played a tougher schedule with 4 of the 8 teams they defeated being state ranked.  Mankato West had wins over two state ranked teams.

Faribault went 3-0 at a tournament in Lakeville today.  The Falcons defeated Tartan 12-0, New Prague 3-1 in 8 innings and Prior Lake 3-0.  Faribault junior Lindsay O'Neil recorded her first varsity action in the pitching circle with 7 strong innings of pitching and Armbruster struck out the side in the 8th to secure the win.  In the Prior Lake victory Armbruster struck out 16 Lakers and finished the day with 33.  Coaches Chris Silber and Jesse Armbruster were happy with the play of their team bouncing back from the tough loss to Mankato West.  Abby Van Ryn crushed a homer, Zoe Morrissey had a couple hits.  There were some nice defensive plays and the team did execute some small ball.  An aspect of the game they will continue to work on.

Northfield is still #3, Chisago Lakes stays at #4 and Winona was tied for #4.  Ties make no sense to me either when you are ranking teams.  Mankato East jumped back into the top 10, tied, there is that word again, with Cloquet and Waconia. They can't pick the team with the fewest errors or better ERA or team batting average or something to separate them?

Waterville-Elysian-Morristown is finally getting the recognition they deserve after sweeping Hayfield this week.  They leapfrogged from Others receiving votes to #5 in Class A. Randolph was defeated by Zumbrota-Mazeppa 7-0 and is still #1 in Class A.  The Cougars are #5 in Class 2A, which is where they were last week.  Hayfield is still in the others receiving votes category in Class A.

Maple Lake is tops in Class 2A with Cotter/Hope Lutheran jumping to #2.  Lourdes fell back to #3, Pipestone from #3 to #4.  LeSeuer-Henderson is #9.

In Class 4A Forest Lake and Park were tied for tops in the previous rankings.  The most recent has Forest Lake #1 and Park #2.  Lakeville North and Maple Grove are tied (there is that word again) for #3.  Farmington is #7 and Rosemount #10.

Here are the complete rankings from the Minnesota High School Softball Coaches Association.

Class A

  1. Randolph
  2. Sleepy Eye Saint Mary's
  3. Cherry
  4. New York Mills
  5. Waterville-Elysian-Morristown
  6. NCE/UH Titans
  7. Edgerton/SW Mn Christian and Carlton

9.  Badger/Greenbush-Middle River

10.  Isle

Others receiving votes:  Bertha-Hewitt/Verndale, New Ulm Cathedral, Kerkhoven-Murdock-Sunburg, Frazee, Red Lake Falls, Browerville, Sebeka, Hayfield, Kimball Area.

Class 2A

  1. Maple Lake
  2. Cotter/ Hope Lutheran
  3. Rochester Lourdes
  4. Pipestone Area
  5. Zumbrota-Mazeppa
  6. Park Rapids Area
  7. Norwood-Young America
  8. Charfield
  9. LeSueur-Henderson
  10. Thief River Falls

Others receiving votes:  Concordia Academy- Roseville, Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton, Pierz, Esko.

Class 3A

  1. Faribault
  2. Mankato West
  3. Northfield
  4. Chisago Lakes and Winona

6. Benilde-St.Margaret's, Mahtomedi, Rocori

9. Hill-Murray

10. Cloquet, Mankato East and Waconia

Others receiving votes:  Detroit Lakes, Rogers, North Branch, Academy of Holy Angels

Class 4A

  1. Forest Lake
  2. Park
  3. Lakeville North and Maple Grove

5. East Ridge

6. Centennial

7. Elk River and Farmington

9.Chanhassen

10. Rosemount

Others receiving votes:  Stillwater Area, Shakopee, North, Champlin Park, Blaine, New Prague, St. Michael-Albertville, Anoka, Brainerd, Mounds View.

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