New Softball Rankings: West Johnston climbs into statewide top 5

HighSchoolOT has released fresh softball rankings for the week of April 3. Multiple teams in last week's statewide Top 25 suffered a loss: Swansboro, South Stokes, South Caldwell, West Forsyth, Union Academy, Northwest Guilford, Richmond, and Roanoke Rapids. As a result, many teams have soared up this week's rankings.

West Johnston joined the top 5 of the statewide rankings after the losses by Swansboro and South Stokes. Hickory Ridge, SouthWest Edgecombe, Richlands, and Chatham Central each joined the top 10 for the first time this season.

Our Area Code Power Rankings are led by SouthWest Edgecombe, Southwestern Randolph, West Stanly, Enka, East Columbus, and West Johnston, respectively.

To compare this week's rankings to last week's, click here.

The HSOT Statewide Top 25 poll ranks the 25 best teams in North Carolina regardless of eligible association or classification. Additionally, HighSchoolOT produces Area Code Power Rankings that list the best 15 teams in each of the state's six area codes. For the purposes of consistency, HighSchoolOT divides the area codes by county line. Whichever area code covers the majority of the land in a county is the one that the schools in that county will fall under.

Schools that play in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association, North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association, or North Carolina Christian School Association are eligible to be ranked.

HSOT Statewide Top 25

1. Southwestern Randolph 11-0
2. McMichael 13-0
3. West Stanly 10-1
4. West Wilkes 10-0
5. West Johnston 11-0
6. Hickory Ridge 11-1
7. East Columbus 11-0
8. SouthWest Edgecombe 10-0
9. Richlands 11-2
10. Chatham Central 11-0
11. South Stanly 11-1
12. South View 12-1
13. Enka 8-0
14. Swansboro 10-1
15. South Johnston 12-1
16. Alexander Central 9-3
17. Mooresville 9-3
18. East Rowan 10-2
19. South Caldwell 7-2
20. Union Academy 11-2
21. Maiden 11-1
22. Scotland 10-3
23. Oak Grove 10-3
24. East Forsyth 9-2
25. Southern Nash 10-1

Area Code Power Rankings

Teams in italics are also ranked in the statewide poll.

252 area code

1. SouthWest Edgecombe 10-0
2. Southern Nash 10-1
3. Northside-Beaufort County 10-1
4. Bear Grass Charter 9-1
5. Camden County 9-1
6. Washington 8-4
7. Nash Central 9-4
8. Roanoke Rapids 8-2
9. Pamlico County 11-2
10. South Lenoir 6-3
11. D.H. Conley 6-2
12. Holmes 7-4
13. Perquimans 8-3
14. New Bern 9-3
15. Halifax Academy 8-2

Softball: Late runs lift D.H. Conley to road victory at South Central

336 area code

1. Southwestern Randolph 11-0
2. McMichael 13-0
3. West Wilkes 10-0
4. Oak Grove 10-3
5. East Forsyth 9-2
6. West Forsyth 13-1
7. South Stokes 9-1
8. Western Alamance 8-2
9. High Point Christian 10-1
10. Southern Alamance 8-3
11. East Wilkes 8-2
12. North Davidson 7-2
13. Eastern Randolph 10-2
14. Morehead 8-2
15. Rockingham County 8-2

704 area code

1. West Stanly 10-1
2. Hickory Ridge 11-1
3. South Stanly 11-1
4. Mooresville 9-3
5. East Rowan 10-2
6. Union Academy 11-2
7. Marvin Ridge 11-2
8. East Lincoln 8-1
9. Jesse Carson 8-4
10. South Mecklenburg 11-2
11. Hough 8-2
12. Crest 8-3
13. Central Cabarrus 9-3
14. Myers Park 9-2
15. Burns 9-3

828 area code

1. Enka 8-0
2. Alexander Central 9-3
3. South Caldwell 7-2
4. Maiden 11-1
5. Bandys 11-2
6. Draughn 11-1
7. Robbinsville 8-2
8. R-S Central 10-2
9. McDowell County 8-4
10. Tuscola 7-2
11. Franklin 10-3
12. West Henderson 7-2
13. East Rutherford 8-4
14. Fred T. Foard 7-3
15. A.C. Reynolds 6-3

910 area code

1. East Columbus 11-0
2. Richlands 11-2
3. South View 12-1
4. Swansboro 10-1
5. Scotland 10-3
6. Lumberton 11-2
7. Midway 9-2
8. Harnett Central 11-2
9. Cape Fear 7-2
10. North Duplin 8-1
11. Western Harnett 9-5
12. East Duplin 8-3
13. Richmond 9-2
14. South Brunswick 8-3
15. Laney 7-3

919 area code

1. West Johnston 11-0
2. Chatham Central 11-0
3. South Johnston 12-1
4. Garner 11-1
5. Fuquay-Varina 9-2
6. Princeton 10-2
7. Bunn 7-2
8. Wake Forest 6-2
9. Wakefield 9-2
10. Heritage 10-2
11. Orange 6-2
12. Apex 7-3
13. Panther Creek 10-2
14. Cleveland 7-4
15. Holly Springs 7-5