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Associate mug of Kenny Connolly, Anaheim reporter.

Date shot: 12/31/2012 . Photo by KATE LUCAS /  ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

It is hard to aptly describe exactly how deep the CIF-Southern Section crop of Division 1 softball talent is this season.

The overwhelming consensus amongst coaches would lead you to believe it is the greatest collection of teams ever assembled and housed in a single division at one time.

“Never seen it like this before, not that I can remember,” said Orange Lutheran coach Steve Miklos, who is entering his 20th season as the Lancers skipper. “It’s a toss up. Whoever gets hot at the right time and stays healthy is going to have a shot.”

Under the CIF’s new competitive equity system, 12 area schools have been placed into the latest Division 1 field comprised of 32 high-caliber clubs. While Los Alamitos, Orange Lutheran, Mater Dei, Pacifica, Huntington Beach, Cypress, Yorba Linda and Canyon all remained in the top division, area powers Mission Viejo, La Habra, Capistrano Valley and Foothill all make the jump up to join them this spring.

That’s just the local crop of talent that’s new to the dance.

When you factor in Division 2 staples Yucaipa, Valley View, Oaks Christian and South Hills along with defending Division 3 champ Grand Terrace and the always formidable Inland Empire troupes already in Division 1, the newly constructed bracket will arguably become the CIF’s toughest playoff path to navigate through, regardless of the sport.

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SOFTBALL PREVIEW 2017

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In MaxPreps’ preseason national top-50 rankings, six of the top-10 teams in the country reside in the Southern Section: Los Alamitos, Mission Viejo, Norco, Orange Lutheran, Grand Terrace and Huntington Beach. La Habra came in at No. 12 and Oaks Christian, another Division 2 call-up, was ranked at No. 44.

In a sport where pitching is king, there’s no shortage of future Division 1 starters trotting out to the circle. Orange Lutheran’s Maddy Dwyer, Mission Viejo’s Kyra Snyder and Los Alamitos’ Ryan Denhart are first-team All-County performers back again this year. Norco senior Taylor Dockins led her team to a Division 1 championship in 2015. La Habra’s two-headed attack of Hannah Johnson and Janelle Rodriguez surrendered just 40 runs in 31 games last season. And South Hills’ Natalie Lugo – a Florida commit – could be the best of the bunch.

“It really comes down to who can stay healthy,” Miklos added. “If someone loses a pitcher, who knows what could happen.”

NOTES

• Kennedy along with Santa Margarita and Rosary appear to be three of the biggest winners in the new playoff realignment, as all three schools dropped from Division 1 to Division 2. The Fighting Irish graduated just one player from last year’s team which knocked off Santiago of Corona in the first round of the playoffs. Santa Margarita’s Paige Vargas, who blossomed into one of the county’s top pitchers a season ago, could be the top ace in her new division. Rosary welcomes back a lineup chalked full of talented juniors and seniors.

• The first major preseason showcase pitting local heavyweights off against one another will begin this Saturday when Pacifica and Kennedy High host the Best of the West Tournament, regarded as one of the West Coast’s three premier events alongside the Dave Kops Tournament of Champions and the Michelle Carew Classic.

Los Alamitos, Mission Viejo, Huntington Beach, La Habra, Pacifica and Mater Dei – all county top-10 teams – help make up the 16-team field. Kennedy is the lone county school not ranked that will be competing.

First- and second- round games will be played at Pacifica and Kennedy on Saturday. The semifinals and championship games will be held on March 18.

Contact the writer: kconnolly@scng.com