State title shots again could be on the horizon, but first, several programs that have built impressive credentials in recent seasons will battle for supremacy in District 2 and its two leagues.
Defending state champion Pittston Area leads the first Riverfront Sports Super Six Softball Power Rankings of District 2 teams of this season while two other schools that have combined for three state final appearances in the past two seasons also figure prominently.
Pittston Area is the No. 1 Big School in the rankings, which were released overnight Wednesday into Thursday.
Mid Valley, a 2021 state finalist, is the No. 1 Small School.
Tunkhannock, coming off two straight state runner-up finishes in Class 4A, is second behind Pittston Area among the Big Schools.
Pittston Area and Tunkhannock are followed, in order, in the Big School rankings by Valley View, Wallenpaupack, West Scranton and Abington Heights.
Mid Valley is followed on the Small School list by Lake-Lehman, Elk Lake, Old Forge, Riverside and Holy Redeemer.
Pittston Area won Wyoming Valley Conference Division 1 in a 25-0 season that also included Class 5A titles in the District 2-4 Subregional and on the state level. The Lady Patriots have won their only game so far this season, 10-0, over Wyoming Valley West.
Tunkhannock outscored its first two opponents, 27-4, including handing Wallenpaupack its only loss.
Valley View is 4-0 by a combined margin of 39-1, including wins over North Pocono and Abington Heights, two teams that were in the Super Six to end last season.
Wallenpaupack is 3-1, including a win over 2022 Lackawanna League Division 1 champion West Scranton.
West Scranton defeated Abington Heights in a playoff for the division title last season.
Mid Valley won Lackawanna Division 3 and District 2 Class 3A last season. It has outscored opponents, 58-1, in a 5-0 start.
The Lackawanna has since realigned from four divisions to three, moving the Spartanettes to Division 2.
Elk Lake won Lackawanna Division 4 and District 2 Class 2A titles last season. The Lady Warriors suffered their only loss so far this season in a one-run game out of state.
Old Forge won the District 2 Class A championship and went to the state quarterfinals last season.
Riverside has outscored opponents, 40-5, in a three-game winning streak since an opening, 3-2 loss to Scranton Prep.
Holy Redeemer is the defending WVC Division 2 champion. Its losses are to No. 3 Big School Valley View and No. 2 Small School Lake-Lehman.
The full softball rankings, with the final rankings and records from last season, followed by this season’s record:
RIVERFRONT SPORTS SUPER SIX SOFTBALL POWER RANKINGS
Big Schools
Rank | Team | Last Rank | 2022 Record | 2023 Record |
1 | Pittston Area | 1 | 25-0 | 1-0 |
2 | Tunkhannock | 4 | 20-7 | 2-0 |
3 | Valley View | NR | 14-7 | 4-0 |
4 | Wallenpaupack | NR | 13-8 | 3-1 |
5 | West Scranton | 2 | 20-2 | 4-1 |
6 | Abington Heights | 3 | 17-4 | 1-2 |
Small Schools
Rank | Team | Last Rank | 2022 Record | 2023 Record |
1 | Mid Valley | 1 | 19-3 | 4-0 |
2 | Lake-Lehman | 4 | 13-7 | 4-1 |
3 | Elk Lake | 2 | 19-3 | 3-1 |
4 | Old Forge | 6 | 13-9 | 4-2 |
5 | Riverside | NR | 10-11 | 3-1 |
6 | Holy Redeemer | 5 | 11-5 | 3-2 |