State Softball

Five of the eight teams in the Class 5A state softball tournament starting this weekend have not lost more than two games this season. 

Andale-Garden Plain, led by pitcher Karley Schmelzer, who won all three games at state last season for the 4A defending champs, is 20-2, seeded third. They start off against Salina South.

Andover Central, seeded fourth and also 20-2, and also led by a dominant pitcher, Nikki Armagost, starts off against St. Thomas Aquinas, also 20-2. Bishop Carroll, an eight-time state champion and the state runner-up last season, is the second seed at 20-2, starting against Mill Valley. Here is the 5A bracket. 

The area is just as well-represented in the 6A state tournament. Northwest, Heights and Derby will compete at 6A this weekend. Northwest, coming off two consecutive one-run losses in the opening rounds of state in 2007 and 2008, returns with their entire 2008 lineup intact. Heights also returns to state after making is last season. Derby, which missed out last season, was the state runner-up in 2007. Here is the 6A bracket.



Rose Hill, state champs in 1993 under coach Kathy Santo, has got a shot, entering at 21-2. Pitcher Keelyn Bonar threw 26 scoreless innings at regionals last week. Here is the 4A bracket.

Halstead, at the end of its best season is school history at 22-1, starts off against Frontenac. Here is the 3A bracket.

In the upset of the playoffs thus far, Oxford beat Udall, a perennial state tournament team, 4-1, in the regional final to earn a state berth in Class 2-1A. Here is the 2-1A bracket.