Several teams throughout the Rio Grande Valley skyrocketed into the Texas Girls Coaches Association top 25 state-wide softball poll and another local powerhouse continued to rise toward the top as the organization released its latest set of rankings Tuesday afternoon from its offices in Austin.
In Class 6A, Edinburg Vela continued its climb toward the top of the poll while District 31-6A rival Weslaco High cracked the top 25 for the first time this week, becoming the fourth 6A team from the RGV to earn a spot in the rankings. The PSJA High Bears and the Harlingen High Cardinals previously appeared in the poll rising as high as No. 12 and No. 20, respectively.
The SaberCats, who have remained ranked in the top 10 since the preseason, moved up to one spot from No. 8 to No. 7 in this week’s poll after rising as high as No. 3 in Class 6A several weeks ago. Vela improved to 18-3 on the season with a big 17-7 win over Edinburg North on Tuesday and a commanding 17-0 victory over Edinburg Economedes on Friday.
Edinburg Vela has won eight of its last nine contests with its only loss coming to Bryan, the 12th-ranked team in the 6A poll, in the championship game of the Brownsville ISD Tournament.
The Panthers, meanwhile, made their poll debut this week at No. 24. Weslaco High recently tore through the competition to complete a perfect run through the Seguin Tournament and improved to 15-4-2 last week with a three-inning 17-0 win over Economedes on Tuesday.
Weslaco and Vela are currently tied for first place in 31-6A with two meetings between the two schools remaining.
In the Class 5A poll, Sharyland Pioneer cracked the rankings for the first time this season after landing at No. 19 in the state. The Diamondbacks went 6-0 on the last weekend of February to win the Marble Falls Tournament and recently improved to 14-4 after topping La Joya Palmview 17-1 on Tuesday and crosstown rival Sharyland High 7-3 on Friday.
Finally in Class 3A, Lyford made its season debut in the state-wide top 25 by becoming the No. 5 team in the poll. The Bulldogs have been clobbering local competition throughout the first month of the season, regardless of the classification level.
Lyford started the season on a 16-0 tear and won both the Los Fresnos-Port Isabel Tournament and the San Benito Tournament until it lost its first game of the season 11-5 on Tuesday at Harlingen South. The Bulldogs have proven they can punch above their weight class with wins already over Edinburg High, Edinburg North, Los Fresnos, Pioneer and Weslaco East.