SOFTBALL RANKINGS: Preseason polls released for all five classes

Are you ready for some softball? The preseason rankings have been released for the 2011 season are listed below.

Defending champs Collins Hill (5A), Buford (2A) and Gordon Lee (A) are picked to win it all again this season. Meanwhile, Allatoona (3A) and Greenbrier (4A) are the top-ranked teams in their respective classifications.

Metro powerhouse Marist comes in No. 3 in Class 4A, while eight of the top 10 in Class 5A are from either Cobb or Gwinnett. Up-and-coming Archer is ranked No. 5 in Class 5A. Newnan and Lowndes are the lone schools in the 5A top 10 not from Cobb or Gwinnett.

But in a flip of the script, the top six in Class A are all from outside the metro Atlanta area. No. 7 Strong Rock Christian is the highest-ranked non-metro team in the top 10.

Rankings courtesy gaports.com

Class A

1 Gordon Lee

2 First Presbyterian Day

3 Prince Avenue Christian

4 Bryan County

5 George Walton Academy

6 Savannah Christian

7 Strong Rock Christian

8 Hebron Christian Academy

9 Excel Christian

10 Mount Pisgah Christian

10 Wesleyan

Class AA Softball

1 Buford

2 Greater Atlanta Christian

3 North Oconee

4 Union County

5 Blessed Trinity

6 Berrien

7 Vidalia

8 Jeff Davis

9 Decatur

10 Lakeview-Ft Oglethorpe

Class AAA

1 Allatoona

2 Oconee County

3 White County

4 Walnut Grove

5 Ringgold

6 Heritage, Catoosa

7 St Pius X

8 Harlem

9 Columbus

10 West Laurens

Class AAAA

1 Greenbrier

2 Union Grove

3 Marist

4 Jones County

5 Northwest Whitfield

6 Creekview

7 Ola

8 Madison County

9 Northside, Warner Robins

10 South Effingham

Class AAAAA

1 Collins Hill

2 Brookwood

3 Lassiter

4 Harrison

5 Archer

6 Parkview

7 Mill Creek

8 Newnan

9 North Gwinnett

10 Lowndes