Buford High of Georgia, with early season wins over defending Class 7A state champion North Gwinnett in addition to a win this week over defending Class 2A state champion Wesleyan of Norcross and a big win Thursday over Ducala High, has been selected for the No. 1 position in the first 2022 fall season national high school rankings by Extra Inning Softball.
SOFTBALL ROUNDUP: Buford wins showdown with Dacula https://t.co/Fehnb4RXkk pic.twitter.com/SShD5zFGPI
— Gwinnett Daily Post (@GDPsports) September 9, 2022
The Wolves have a tremendous softball tradition with state titles listed for 10 straight years from 2007 through 2016 and their odds of getting back to the top spot in the state have been strengthened due to the return of pitcher Olivia Duncan. The Clemson-bound lefty has been one of the nation’s top-ranked recruits based on her showings for the Lady Dukes club team.
Three other undefeated teams (as of Sept. 8) that also are from fall softball states have been slotted at No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 in the first rankings of the fall season – Blue Springs South of Missouri, Gretna of Nebraska and Columbine of Littleton, Colo. The only other state in the nation with a fall softball season is Oklahoma. Iowa currently still does not have a spring or fall season, but instead conducts a summer season for its schools.
All factors are considered for teams to be able to be nationally ranked and a school does not have to be a member of a national coaching association for its team to gain recognition. As many state and local rankings as possible are checked plus head-to-head results, strength of schedule and strength of projected state playoff division is all considered.
There also were two recent tournaments that included results between top teams from different states that couldn’t be ignored.
Blue Springs South of Missouri ventured to the Piedmont Fall Festival in Oklahoma where one of the teams that the Jaguars defeated was host Piedmont (last year’s Class 5A state champions). The Jags also handed current Oklahoma-ranked Washington its only loss so far in a 9-1 season. The girls can’t get too excited, though, because their unbeaten rivals from Blue Springs High are nationally ranked as well.
The other major travel was by North Gwinnett of Georgia, which headed to Fort Collins, Colo., to play in the FAN (Female Athletes Network) Tournament. The Bulldogs, who won the Class 7A state title last fall, wound up playing Legend of Parker, Colo., in the tourney finals. Legend won Colorado’s highest classification state title last season as well. North Gwinnett won, 3-0. One of the Bulldogs’ best players is Tennessee committed shortstop Bella Faw.
Look for these fall season rankings to be updated in two weeks and then they will be done weekly throughout the state championships in the five states involved.
— By Mark Tennis
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(Teams listed with most current win-loss records as of Thursday, Sept. 8)
1. Buford (Buford, Ga.) 12-0
2. Blue Springs South (Blue Springs, Mo.) 12-0
3. Gretna (Gretna, Neb.) 15-0
4. Columbine (Littleton, Colo.) 8-0
5. Creekview (Canton, Ga.) 9-1
*** Scroll down to see the rest of the Extra Elite Fall Rankings including the teams on the bubble!
