Nebraska High School Softball Top 10 State Rankings

The Nebraska high school regular season is winding down, and the top teams are making their final pushes before district play. Millard North and Lincoln Southwest continue to set the pace at the top, while Millard West and Papillion-Lavista are riding hot streaks of their own.

1. Millard North (27-4)

Previous Rank: 1

Millard North continues to stack runs and wins down the stretch.

The Mustangs put together a 5-0 record this week, including a 5-4 win over Bellevue East. In the five games, Millard North outscored its opponents 77-12. The Mustangs end the regular season at No. 2 Lincoln Southwest on Thursday night.

2. Lincoln Southwest (25-2)

Previous rank: 2

Lincoln Southwest took care of business this week as well, with three wins at the Lincoln Southeast Tournament and then additional wins over Elkhorn South and Fremont.

The Silver Hawks continue to get strong pitching from Maisey McCarty. The sophomore pitcher has a 1.04 ERA to lead Class A.

3. Millard West (21-7)

Previous Rank: 3

Millard West has put together an impressive run over the last two weeks, winning 10 of its last 11 games, including nine in a row. The Wildcats got a big 15-0 win over Lincoln East on Monday night before knocking off crosstown rival Millard South on Tuesday.

4. Papillon-Lavista (23-8)

Previous Rank: 5

Papillion-La Vista kept pace with the other top teams by going undefeated this week, going 4-0. The Monarchs hit 10 home runs this week while outscoring opponents 47-9. Senior Maizey Carpenter hit two home runs on Tuesday night, giving her 12 for the season.

5. Gretna (22-6)

Previous Rank: 4

Gretna pulled out a win over conference rival Blair on Tuesday night. The Dragons trailed 4-2 before answering with six runs in the final two innings.

Maddie Kurrus hit two home runs in the game against Blair. The junior is hitting .473 on the year to lead the Dragons' offense.

6. Bellevue East (20-9)

Previous Rank: 6

Bellevue East had No. 1 Millard North on the ropes Monday night before getting walked off. The Chieftains led 4-3 in the bottom of the seventh. Alisha McMurtry allowed only six hits and three earned runs while striking out nine.

The Chieftains will be a tough out in districts and could make some noise at state.

7. Omaha Westview (17-8)

Previous Rank: 7

Westview got off to a tough start this week, dropping games to Millard South and Millard West. The Wolverines answered with two wins over Burke and Buena Vista.

Freshman Elke Martin continues to lead the Wolverines' offense as they hope to jump up one spot in the points to host a district.

8. Omaha Westside (17-6)

Previous Rank: 8

Westside ran into a buzz saw against No. 1 Millard North on Tuesday night. Sometimes it’s just not your night, and you move on.

The Warriors are in a good position to host a district and finish the regular season against Millard South on Thursday.

9. Northwest (20-2)

Previous Rank: 10

Northwest, our only Class B team in the rankings, continues to take care of business.

The Vikings have won 18 in a row. Becca Dinkelman and her younger sister, Abby Dinkelman, lead the Northwest offense, while sophomore Graclyn Simmons leads the way in the circle.

10. Elkhorn South (18-10)

Previous Rank: 9

A tough week for the Storm as they lost two out of three games, losing to No. 2 Lincoln Southwest and Papillion-La Vista South while getting a win over Lincoln East. Elkhorn South is currently on the outside looking in at hosting a district.

The Storm wraps up its season with a triangular against cross-town schools Elkhorn and Elkhorn North.

Next Teams Up:

Beatrice (25-4)

Beatrice looks like they could push Northwest for the title in Class B.

The Orangewomen are on their own 18-game winning streak. They have two of the top home run hitters in the state in Sadie Hereth (12) and Tatum Tempelmeyer (10).

Kearney (20-10)

Kearney had won 4 in a row this week until losing to Hastings on Tuesday. Senior Lauren Schmets leads the state in RBIs with 49. She’s also hitting .580 with a .619 on-base percentage.