HARD TO GET A HANDLE ON: The season has been full of highs and lows for Pacifica and Kayla Anderson, but the Mariners haven't been alone in their inconsistent play. CHRISTINA HOUSE, FOR THE ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER Related links Archive: All OCVarsity Voice columns

OCVarsity Voice: Out-of-control softball season keeps crashing into poll

Trying to identify the top county teams grows frustrating with each day's batch of upsets.

I'm through trying to put together the top 10 for softball each week.

OK, I'm not officially through because, well, my boss Todd Harmonson forces me to put a new poll out each week.

Nearly everyone will tell you to your face that "polls aren't important" and "nobody cares about polls." But look in the area where ocvarsity.com lists the most viewed stories, and most of the time the latest polls in nearly every sport get the most page views.

I mean, this is getting ridiculous. We've established that anybody is capable of beating anybody on any given day this season. I know that's a lame cliche, but it's definitely true this season.

The night before El Modena was to officially ascend to No. 1 in the county rankings, Foothill pulled off a 3-2 upset over the Vanguards in the Woodbridge/Victory Softball Classic. So Tuesday's newspaper had El Modena at No. 1 in the new poll. The next page had a story about El Modena's loss.

Foothill followed up its triumph over El Modena with losses to previously unranked Trabuco Hills and Fullerton.

Trabuco Hills was 3-9-1 entering league play on April 1, and now has reeled off seven consecutive victories, including two over Foothill, and claimed the Woodbridge tournament title.

Pacifica, a softball powerhouse for more than a decade, has been on the biggest roller-coaster ride this season with a 13-9 record. The Mariners have quality victories over Mission Viejo, Foothill, Hart of Newhall and Ayala of Chino Hills, but they also have losses Long Beach Wilson, Vista Murrieta, Canyon, El Toro and Valencia.

Pacifica lost to Valencia of Valencia on March 8, but last week the Mariners lost to Valencia of Placentia, which had lost to Loara in its previous game.

Marina was No. 7 in last week's poll before going 2-3 with losses to 6-12 Edison, Los Alamitos and Bishop Montgomery of Torrance.

Rosary, which has losses to Marina, Bishop Amat of La Puente, 7-12 San Clemente, Foothill, Beckman, Esperanza, Santa Margarita, Torrance and Fullerton, came out of nowhere to knock off Mission Viejo and El Modena on Saturday at the Woodbridge tournament.

I can keep going, but I think I've made my point. I didn't even go through the results at the Michelle Carew Classic the previous week.

And it's not just in the county. The parity has spread throughout the entire CIF Southern Section, making it nearly impossible to rank teams.

All of this data means no team should go into any game overlooking any opponent. The moment any player or coach gets cocky or overconfident, take a look at this story.

It also means the playoffs should be incredibly competitive, exciting and impossible to predict.
For a good laugh, check out the latest county top 10 on the softball page. It should be vaild for a few more hours, at least until Tuesday's results start rolling in.

Contact the writer: carias@ocregister.com