Tribune softball rankings as of March 18:
Note: Rankings will resume April 1
Division I
1. Basha
2. Red Mountain
3. Mountain View
4. Desert Ridge
5. Horizon
6. Perry
7. Xavier
8. Mountain Ridge
9. Gilbert
10. Chaparral
No changes to the top four spots as most didn’t play during Spring Break. Horizon moves up to No. 5 after beating Xavier, the Gators’ first loss of the season, and the Huskies face Basha on Thursday in the Desert Mountain tournament. Desert Ridge stays put for now, though the Jaguars have two matchups with Gilbert this week (home vs. Gilbert on Tuesday; at Gilbert on Friday). Xavier moves from No. 5 to No. 7 which seems like a lot after its first loss of the season, 2-0, against a good Horizon team. But Perry is worthy of moving up a spot (perhaps more if teams above had played) for winning Marcos/McClintock tournament last week. Speaking of Gilbert, the Tigers took third place in the Marcos/McClintock tournament and keep their spot, along with Chaparral after a 3-2 loss to Xavier was followed by consecutive wins.
Division II
1. Sunrise Mountain
2. Canyon del Oro
3. Greenway
4. Ironwood Ridge
5. Raymond S. Kellis
No changes to the top three spots but we’ll discover a little more about Sunrise Mountain after the upcoming Sandra Day O’Connor tournament this weekend, as well as CDO playing in the Desert Mountain tournament. Sahuaro slips out of the rankings for now after losing to Cienega, 6-1, though it will also be in the Desert Mountain tournament. Raymond Kellis wins the No. 5 spot for now but there were contenders. Seton Catholic is 6-0 in Power Rankings games, but the Setinels haven’t played a tough PP game yet and were pushed around pretty good in the Lion Country Classic to begin the season. Jerry Mullin’s group plays in the Desert Mountain tournament, after which a bit more will be learned. Verrado also was in the running but has played an easy schedule thus far, as was Williams Field, which was runner-up in the Marcos de Niza/McClintock tournament and could make a move as it plays more games in April. Poston Butte was also coming off a fourth place finish in the Marcos/McClintock tournament.
Division III
1. Winslow
2. Benson
3. Empire
4. Estrella Foothills
5. Morenci
No changes to the top as Winslow and Benson won out. Estrella Foothills made a leap to No. 3 two weeks ago, but slips one spot after falling to Div. II Desert Edge last week. Bourgade Catholic falls out of the rankings after being No. 5 on account of three consecutive losses (two by a wide margin), albeit against bigger schools Peoria and Sunnyslope. Morenci wins that fifth spot after going 3-0 last week and having a solid showing in the early-season Safford tournament, although two losses to bigger schools in the Cool Nights tournament. Snowflake was hammered by Payson and Round Valley was beaten by Snowflake last week, respectively, but were still contenders for the No. 5 spot.
Division IV
1. St. Johns
2. AZ Lutheran
3. Valley Christian
4. NW Christian
5. Tempe Prep
No changes here as everyone either won out, or, more likely, didn’t play because of Spring Break. NW Christian struggled at times during the Cool Nights tournament, but keeps its spot on account of playing tough competition against bigger schools.
