Prep softball rankings: Sheldon’s back on top; Folsom throws the field a wicked curve

Heading into the final week of the season, there is a change at the top of the leaderboard. Sheldon has reclaimed the No. 1 ranking for the first time since the first week of the season. Sheldon earned the top spot by knocking off No. 3 St. Francis and No. 4 Elk Grove, while previous No. 1 Del Oro lost to No. 5 Folsom. Sheldon has played one of the toughest schedules in the area, not that any of our top teams are ducking anyone.

Rankings are for fun. League championships are for bragging rights. The playoffs are the ultimate test. And this year, the best of the bunch can also compete for the first time for a Northern California title.

Sierra Foothill League

Del Oro’s loss to Folsom shook up more than just the league standings. It had an impact on the postseason brackets. If Folsom beats Oak Ridge this week, the Bulldogs will be the top seed from the SFL because they won two of the three head-to-head matchups with Del Oro. They will likely be the No. 2 seed in Division I behind Sheldon.

Del Oro, as the second seed from the SFL, would be moved to Division II due to it’s smaller enrollment. The Eagles will probably be the top seed in their division, and there are some Division I teams who will not be sorry to see Del Oro move down. This week, the Eagles still have to get by No. 15 Granite Bay to stay co-champs of the SFL.

Del Oro held the No. 1 ranking for the past four weeks and led the SFL all year. Both things changed Friday when Folsom pitcher Emma Falen led her team to a 2-0 win in Loomis. Falen, whose deft screwball look like a rise ball coming out of her hand, had the Eagle hitters off-balance. She gave up just one hit and struck out 12, nine with runners in scoring position. Her ERA dropped to 0.45. Shortstop Haven Slama blasted a solo home run as the Bulldogs pulled even with Del Oro at 11-3 atop the SFL standings.

It was the rubber match of an exciting series. Del Oro pitcher Caroline Grimes got the best of Falen with a walk-off home run in a 2-1 Eagles win March 25. Falen struck out a dozen in Folsom’s 5-3 win three weeks ago. Friday’s high-stakes game was played in front of an enthusiastic, standing-room-only crowd. Folsom’s freshman right fielder Shay Sacay helped secure the win with a couple of nice catches.

Grimes and Falen are not done competing against each other. Both are playing for NCAA Big West Conference universities next year; Grimes at UC Davis and Falen at UC Riverside.

The SFL has five teams in the playoffs. Whitney, Rocklin and Granite Bay join Folsom and Del Oro.

Sheldon Back on Top

Sheldon is now 10-0 in the Delta League, having dispatched Elk Grove 8-1 and St. Francis 9-0 last week. The Huskies have clinched at least a tie for the league crown. Dakota Kennedy hit her eighth home run this season in the win at Elk Grove. Sakora Harvell was 4-for-4 and D’Auna Johnson hit her fifth home run in the rout of St. Francis, which is two games back with two to play. Elk Grove and Pleasant Grove are four games behind Sheldon.

Sheldon, Folsom and Gregori will be the favorites in Division I.

Roseville wrapped up the Capital Valley Conference championship with a six-inning, 10-0 win over Yuba City, avenging an April Fools Day loss to the Honkers. Malaya Johnson was not fooling around this time, tossing a one-hitter and fanning 11 batters. Junior Jennavieve Goldsworth drove in three runs.

Roseville is projected as the third seed in Division II, behind Del Oro and St. Francis. River Valley will be Division II and and Inderkum will be in Division I.

How about this non-league barn-burner: Antelope scored a run in the top of the 10th to take a one-run lead over River City, only to give up two runs in the bottom of the 10th to lose 11-10. There were 34 hits in the game last week.

Another No-No

Ponderosa has wrapped up at least a share of the Foothill Valley League title, and in fine fashion. Junior Ana Niles styled a no-hitter and walked only one batter in the Bruin’s 4-0 win at Lincoln on Thursday. Niles has compiled a 13-1 won-loss record in the circle, while at the plate has hit three home runs.

Ponderosa leads Oakmont by two games, Lincoln is three back with two to play. All three teams will make the Division III playoffs with Pondo hosting a first-round game.

Vista del Lago is tuning up for a run in the Division III playoffs by playing two of the top teams in the area. The Eagles lost to No. 3 St. Francis 4-1 last week and will host No. 1 Sheldon on Friday. They have a 19-3 record, 11-0 in the Capital Athletic League, three games up on Capital Christian. VDL will likely host a first-round game next Tuesday in the Division III playoffs, where Vanden and Oakdale loom as the teams to beat. Capital Christian will be in Division IV and will likely be at Casa Roble in the first round.

Dixon needs a win over either Pioneer or Casa Roble to wrap up a Golden Empire League title. All three teams will make the Division IV playoffs, with Dixon earning a first-round bye. Marysville, Colfax and Center will represent the Pioneer Valley League, with Marysville earning a first-round bye. Colfax will be in Division V.

River City is on a roll and has wrapped up the Metro League title, two games ahead of McClatchy. Both teams will be in the Division I playoffs.

Congratulations to other Sacramento-area teams with playoff berths: Franklin, Pleasant Grove, Johnson, Laguna Creek, Cordova, Vacaville, Rosemont, Del Campo, Liberty Ranch and Woodland Christian.

And here’s a shoutout to Steve Montoya of MaxPreps for his section-wide view of the playoff picture, complete with projected matchups.

Want a preview of two teams who will be moving to the Sac-Joaquin Section next year as favorites to win the Pioneer Valley League? No. 11 Sutter hosts No. 17 Wheatland on Tuesday, and the teams switch sites Thursday. Each team has only one loss this year and have posted a combined win-loss record of 48-2. They are tied with 10-0 records in the Butte View League. Along with East Nicolaus, these are the teams to beat in the North Section playoffs.

And while we’re giving the little schools some love, lets include Woodland Christian with an 18-3 record in the Central Valley Catholic League. A school of just over 200 students will play in Division VI. Loaded with freshman talent, Tegan Hayes is hitting .542 with 42 runs batted in and four home runs. Our “all-frosh” class list will be coming out in the weeks ahead.

Coaches, please send in your all league teams which we use for the All Metro selections. PeteBeeSports@gmail.com. And with that, here’s this week’s Sacramento Bee Softball Top 20.

The Bee’s Softball Top 20

1. Sheldon (20-5)

2. Del Oro (21-4)

3. St. Francis (20-3)

4. Elk Grove (18-5-1)

5. Folsom (17-5-1)

6. Vanden (17-0)

7. Roseville (17-7)

8. Rocklin (16-10)

9. Vista del Lago (19-3-1)

10. Pleasant Grove (14-10)

11. Sutter (23-1)

12. East Nicolaus (24-2)

13. Ponderosa (18-3-1)

14. Oakmont (16-4)

15. Granite Bay (14-8)

16. Whitney (9-13)

17. Wheatland (25-1)

18. Dixon (16-1-1)

19. Marysville (17-3)

20. Inderkum (16-9)

Bubble teams: Casa Roble (13-8), Liberty Ranch (13-1), Lincoln (10-12), Pioneer (12-9-1), River Valley (14-8-1), River City (13-7-1), Rosemont (13-9), Woodcreek (13-11), Woodland Christian (18-3).

This story was originally published May 9, 2022 at 1:02 PM.