Softball district rankings: How many local teams are in?
The third set of PIAA District 3 softball power rankings were released on Friday and there was some good news and some bad news for Hanover-Adams area teams.
A few local teams are in a comfortable position while a few others are in a desperate hunt for one of the final playoff spots.
Power ratings are determined by a formula that factors each team’s winning percentage and their opponent’s winning percentage.
The deadline for games to count toward district ratings is May 13.
Class AAAA – top 16 teams qualify for postseason
On the bubble: South Western (10-6, 17th out of 38 overall, .669 rating)
The Mustangs have been on the bubble for weeks and they remain in that position- .004 percentage points out of the final spot. After a ninth-inning, walk-off win over rival Spring Grove on April 29, seniors and the coaching staff seemed to think they would need to win out (at Red Lion, at New Oxford, at Gettysburg) to earn a spot. They might be right. And they took care of Red Lion. With wins in their last two games, South Western has a solid chance of sneaking in.
There's always next year: New Oxford (5-13, 29th out of 38 overall, .47 rating)
Class AAA – top 16 teams qualify for postseason
In: Littlestown (14-3, 10th out of 33 overall, .676 rating)
Barring a dramatic collapse in the last week, the Bolts should have a playoff berth. They have won 11 of their past 12, including two wins over rival Delone Catholic and one over powerhouse Kennard-Dale. Very impressive. Depending on how things shake out, the Bolts could see the Rams for a third time in the first round of districts.
On the bubble: Spring Grove (8-10, 16th out of 33 overall, .594 rating), Gettysburg (9-8, 20th out of 33 overall, .543 rating)
Disclaimer here: These rankings came out hours before Spring Grove pulled off a huge upset over Central York (17-1, 4th in Class AAAA).
That could bump the Rockets up to 14th, depending on how the rest of their week goes. They get Red Lion, who they mercy-ruled earlier this season, in the season finale on May 4. The win over Central was impressive for several reasons, but most importantly, it saved their postseason hopes and it was a great way to bounce back from a heartbreaking loss to South Western.
Gettysburg is almost in a second-tier of the bubble. Their win over Dover last week finally gave the Warriors a win against a team with a winning record, and Friday's win against Susquehannock (after the rankings came out) was a huge boost too. The Warriors get South Western on May 5 in a must-win for both squads before finishing up with Red Lion the next day. Will it be enough to sneak into the postseason?
Class AA – top 10 teams qualify for postseason
In: Delone Catholic (12-4, 4th out of 18 overall, .617 rating)
The Squirettes are in. They won the division (again). It's just a matter of who they play in the first round. Overall, great season for Delone.
On the bubble: Fairfield (7-9, 10th out of 18 overall, .438 rating), Biglerville (6-11, 12th out of 18 overall, .413 rating)
A week ago, we looked at this classification and it seemed every team was still in contention. It has thinned out since then and Fairfield remains in the final spot, while Biglerville sits two spots behind them. There's a significant drop-off in percentage points after that, so we've moved Bermudian Springs and Hanover off the bubble.
The Green Knights have won two of three, including a 12-11 victory over Biglerville. Fairfield gets York County Tech and Littlestown to conclude the regular season. They lost to both teams earlier this season.
The Canners have hung around and still have an outside shot of sneaking in if a few teams in front of them struggle down the stretch. They'll have to handle their own business and they have three games remaining - at York Catholic, vs. Delone Catholic, at Upper Dauphin.
There's always next year: Bermudian Springs (4-15, 13th out of 18 overall, .361 rating), Hanover (4-14, 14th out of 18, .360 rating)