Last week’s softball schedule was light, as most Palm Beach County teams were off for spring break.
Oxbridge Academy maintained the No. 4 spot in this week’s Palm Beach Post softball Top 10. A full schedule of games will be played this week following the spring break holiday. (Bruce Bennett/Palm Beach Post)
A full schedule resumes this week, with a handful of key games to keep an eye on. We preview several of those games below.
Our top 10 rankings had just a few changes this week, with Jupiter moving up a spot to No. 2 and West Boca Raton dropping a spot to No. 3. The Warriors and Bulls will play Thursday; check out our preview below.
Wellington remained No. 1, while No. 4 Oxbridge Academy and No. 5 Spanish River round out the top 5.
The final five are Park Vista, Palm Beach Gardens, King’s Academy, American Heritage and newcomer Olympic Heights.
Post Top 10 after Week 6
1. Wellington (13-1)
2. Jupiter (13-2)
3. West Boca Raton (14-2)
4. Oxbridge Academy (12-4)
5. Spanish River (8-3)
6. Park Vista (9-2)
7. Palm Beach Gardens (9-5)
8. King’s Academy (9-2)
9. American Heritage (6-4)
10. Olympic Heights (7-6)
Also considered: Dwyer 8-6, Seminole Ridge 7-7
Games to watch this week:
No. 3 West Boca Raton (14-2) at Dwyer (8-6), 6:30 p.m. Wednesday: The Bulls got off to a hot start, winning their first 11 games before falling to No. 5 Spanish River in extra innings March 16. The Bulls then won 3-of-4 games at the Speedball Tournament in Pembroke Pines last weekend, and now return to face the Panthers in a key district game. Dwyer already has picked up a couple of big district wins this season, including a 6-5 decision over defending district champion Olympic Heights March 6, and will be looking to continue that momentum.
Seminole Ridge (7-7) at No. 1 Wellington (13-1), 6:30 p.m. Wednesday: The Wolverines have rolled through district competition this season, and face another district opponent Wednesday in the Hawks. Wellington’s deep pitching staff is one of the area’s best – the Wolverines have shut out eight opponents this year – but the Wolverines also have a lineup full of strong hitters. Seminole Ridge has rebounded from a poor 2016 season, and hopes to battle for a playoff spot this year.
No. 7 Palm Beach Gardens (9-5) at Coral Springs Charter (15-2), 7 p.m. Thursday: The Gators haven’t shied away from playing a difficult regular-season schedule, and they face another powerhouse opponent Thursday in the three-time defending state champion Panthers, who are the state’s top-ranked team in Class 5A. Coral Springs Charter is coming off a 3-1 performance at the Speedball Tournament, while the Gators shut out Cooper City – the state’s No. 6-ranked team in Class 8A – last Wednesday. Palm Beach Gardens is young, but talented. The Gators’ freshmen and sophomores will gain valuable experience playing in games like these.
Other games to watch:
No. 6 Park Vista (9-2) at Seminole Ridge (7-7), 6:30 p.m. Tuesday
No. 3 West Boca Raton (14-2) at No. 2 Jupiter (13-2), 6:30 p.m. Thursday
No. 10 Olympic Heights (7-6) at No. 5 Spanish River (8-3), 6:30 p.m. Thursday