2011 Rankings: 14U

[Big Papa]

And now the real question...Are any of the teams that qualified actually planning on going or are they holding out for a berth to Premier? I think many would like to have the free pass that LM and Sorcerer have to Premier.

[watchtonsofsoftball]

Going into this tourney I though it would be a Breeze 96/ Roseville Heat final. Great job to Silverstreak. She has worked hard to put a good team in a short amount of time on the field. As far as berths are concerned LM and Sorcerers getting a free pass, I think Premier went with Orgs that they see down south quite a bit. LM and Sorcerers 18G teams also have a big part in that as well and Im sure Premier went with their reputation. I think its good for Nor Cal representation. I dont see why several more area teams cant qualify for Premier.

[bruisedshin]

I think Breeze '96 was probably a little overconfident. They won Metros as a young 14s last year, and I understand that they've played very well even with the personnel changes in the fall. They were coming off a big weekend where they won the tourney in Vegas. I saw them play a young Lady Demons team Saturday morning, and they seemed almost sleepy. The Davis team was severely outgunned, but they were playing their hearts out and kept making plays. Even when the Breeze was down going (I think it was 2-0) into the bottom of the 6th, they didn't seem concerned. They came back and won it, but went down 5-0 to Silverstreak early in the next game and couldn't climb out of that hole. Once they were in the losers bracket, they woke up, but they had to fight through tough games against a very good Breeze 97 team and a surprising Mizuno team before losing to the Heat.

Heat got their wake up call from the 97 Breeze. Heat rolled through the first two games 13-0 and 7-0. They've been playing 16s, and I don't think they knew how good the 97 Breeze were. That was a higher scoring game (I could look it up, but I'm guessing it was 7-6 or 8-7) and the Heat had to come back to win it.

The game between the Heat and Silverstreak could have gone either way. The Heat was very aggressive on the basepaths, with Silverstreak catcher blocking the plate for the out at home in the 1st and 2nd innings on close plays. Heat also had a runner at 2nd in the bottom of 7 with a chance to tie.

I was impressed by the Mizuno team, who I didn't think looked very good when I saw them a few weeks ago, but this tourney was really between Silverstreak, the two Breeze teams and the Heat. Any of those four could have won it.

[softballperson00]

Lets get a 14u ranking already. it has been long enough. Put what you think the top 10-15 teams are in Nor Cal.

[softballperson00]

rank top 10-15 teams in Nor Cal.

[kepit2yrself]

My picks
Tied at #1
1, AASA
1, Sorcerer

[2nd2none]

I dunno kept,

I agree Sorce #1. Just seems to steamroll past everyone since high school got out but started their ascent to top before that starting at Fresno Force tourney. They tinker with lineup on Saturdays which explains some of the fluke losses & then takes care of business on Championship Day. Just annihilated everyone since Memorial tourney with an exception of a minor blip against Storm ( heard they used low flight balls in the NorCal metros. Balls that were no doubters just died which would of been homeruns in any major league parks)

AASA is a solid team. They were already a good team & finally got some pitching help when they got the girl from grapes-NW 12 team which by the way should've stayed down at 12s so she could've of mature more & have fun. AASA has gotten some breaks in bracket play & metros, playing tired teams & younger teams but still taking care of business for most part.

I would say Silverstreak,both SJ Sting teams, Salinas Storm, both Breeze team, Roseville Heat right there with AASA.

Right behind would be OBS, RR Gold, Kryptonite

There's some other good teams in the mix but haven't really seen too much of other teams to judge. I'm sure others will chime in.

But Sorce clearly #1 & pulling away from the pack.

[luv2playasa]

Thanks 2nd2 for the opinion regarding the 14U ranks
I did want to claify that the balls used at Nor Cal States were not anti-sorcerer balls and you did get beat in a great game by a better team that day. I was lucky enough to see that game and some other great softball at the Tournament.
The Storm Team beat Sorcerer twice that game after the field blue gave a point to Sorcerer on a clear out at home plate after the home plate blue called an out. Very interesting how a catcher can miss the tag by taking the runner to the ground rolling over each other three times and catcher from underneath the pile sticks her hand in the air with ball clearly in control?
That tied the game as time was running out.

The Storm came back in the last inning with the bottom of the line up scoring with a walk off single, runner at 1st and 2nd.
I was actually at the game and Storm deserves the #1 spot coming out of Nor Cal States.

I did see they had a blip I think you called it on a loss to Victory USA 97 today in a 0-0 game until the last inning. Lost 3-0
Let us get an unbiased top 10 from someone without a dog in the fight.
I will give my 2 cents,

Storm #1
Sorcerer#2
AASA and Breeze tied at #3-#4
Roseville Heat, KG Hitters, Sting, tied at #5-#7
Monarchs, RR Gold, Lady Magic, Silverstreak, tied at #8-#11

curious which teams are going to Midland Nationals or Premier Nationals with Westerns in our back yard(Roseville)?????

[2nd2none]

Luv2,
I can respect your opinion & agree pretty much with your other assessment. For the record I never said my opinion/rankings were absolute although pretty much right on, I think

Just to set the record straight, I don't have any DDs that play for Sorcerers nor have they ever played for this fine program. Also, I recall Sorcerers steamrolling pass Storm in the Memorial tourney in Sac on championship day, as a matter of fact run ruling them. I believe Storm even tried to protest their beatdown after the game questioning the girls' age. With that said, I still give Storm credit for ekeing out a 5-4 win in the metros it's too bad they didn't play again because of how brackets were set up.

Make no mistake about it! They were using "Low Flight" balls for that metro. Clearly marked on the balls and witnessed by many. A lot of those balls hit by Sorcerers were no doubters that just unexplicably died out & fell straight down. Just in case anyone missed it, only one HR was hit in this same metros that included 18 teams.

Too many people want to hate on a dominant team and that it is clearly what this team is now. I don't know maybe your DDs team is one of the team they run ruled by a football score. No shame in losing to or being ranked behind clearly best team in 14s. JMHO...Just saying

[luv2playasa]

Yes, I do remeber the Sorcerer team that showed up Sunday for the Memorial day tourney and confirmed by many girls and coaches there were at least three or four noticably bigger and better players that have not been seen on the 14U team since Memorial weekend.
Not sure what happpend but< they are a great team and could easily be tied with Storm for #1 spot if the NorCal metro turned out another way.
The free ride to Premier does not sit well with many 14U teams that have good or even better records. While already committed to Premier the Sorcerer did adversly effect the teams they knocked out of metros (besides their last opponent).
Most teams with a free birth did not compete in their Metros out of courtesy to the teams that are trying to go to ASA nationals, or even regionals.

Now it is about preping for Nationals and all rosters are certified.
I wish Sorcerer and Storm along with our other Nor Cal teams good luck.
I am sure Nor Cal will be represented well by all those teams listed, have fun girls and play hard!