Trib HSSN State Softball Rankings for April 6, 2023

By: Don Rebel
Thursday, April 6, 2023 | 11:24 PM

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Two weeks into the 2023 season, let’s look back at the end of the 2022 softball season.

Two of the six PIAA champions from last spring finished with perfect records.

District 2 champion Pittston Area completed a 25-0 season with a victory over Armstrong in the Class 5A championship game. It was the Patriots’ first state softball title.

WPIAL Class 2A champion Neshannock also tasted perfection with a 26-0 final record after defeating Conwell-Egan in the finals. It was the Lancers’ second PIAA softball championship on the 10-year anniversary of their first state crown in 2012.

The only team that did not win its district championship but went on to claim state gold was Spring-Ford. The Fords finished as the No. 4 team out of District 1 but captured the school’s first state title with a win over Seneca Valley in the 6A finals.

After dethroning 2021 champion Beaver in the state semifinals, District 9 champion Clearfield edged Tunkhannock to win the 4A championship. The state softball title was the first for the Bison.

WPIAL 3A champion Avonworth made history when it defeated Lewisburg to win state gold. Not only was it the first PIAA softball championship for the Antelopes, it was also the first state title in any team sport in school history.

District 4 champion Montgomery used pitching and defense to win the Class A softball championship, allowing only two runs in four PIAA postseason wins, including a 5-1 title game victory over DuBois Central Catholic. It was the first state softball championship for the Red Raiders.

The final gold medal count: The WPIAL (District 7) won two while Districts 1, 2, 4 and 9 won one each.

Here is the first edition of the HSSN state softball rankings. Teams are listed with overall record, district and last year’s final ranking.

Class 6A

1. Spring-Ford (4-0) (1) (1)

2. Seneca Valley (4-0) (7) (2)

3. North Penn (6-0) (1) (3)

4. Pennsbury (5-0) (1) (4)

5. Penn Manor (5-1) (3) (5)

Out: None

Class 5A

1. Pittston Area (1-0) (2) (1)

2. Armstrong (5-1) (7) (2)

3. Greencastle-Antrim (5-0) (3) (NR)

4. Whitehall (5-0) (11) (NR)

5. Mechanicsburg (6-0) (6) (NR)

Out: Penn-Trafford (7), Oxford (1), Central Mountain (6)

Class 4A

1. Tunkhannock (2-0) (2) (2)

2. Clearfield (1-1) (9) (1)

3. East Pennsboro (4-0) (3) (NR)

4. Villa Joseph Marie (4-1) (1) (4)

5. Northwestern Lehigh (9-0) (11) (NR)

Out: Beaver (7), Bethlehem Catholic (11)

Class 3A

1. Avonworth (8-0) (7) (1)

2. Conwell-Egan (2-0) (12) (2)

3. Martinsburg Central (5-0) (6) (NR)

4. Littlestown (6-0) (3) (NR)

5. Mid-Valley Secondary Center (6-0) (2) (NR)

Out: Lewisburg (4), Palmerton (11), Karns City (6)

Class 2A

1. Neshannock (3-0) (7) (1)

2. Conwell-Egan (2-0) (12) (2)

3. Bald Eagle (2-0) (6) (3)

4. Claysburg-Kimmel (6-0) (9) (4)

5. Everett (4-0) (5) (5)

Out: None

Class A

1. DuBois Central Catholic (6-0) (9) (2)

2. Claysburg-Kimmel (6-0) (9) (4)

3. Union (4-1) (7) (5)

4. Carmichaels (7-0) (7) (NR)

5. Tri-Valley (4-0) (11) (NR)

Out: Montgomery (4), Saegertown (10)