No. 1 Petaluma (5-1)…Only loss to Pinole Valley who is 7-3.  Offense is explosive, scoring at least nine runs in every win. In the loss to Pinole Valley they scored six.  They have given up over five runs a game and that includes two shut outs. They have won three straight SCL league championships outright, the last two going undefeated.
No. 2 Rancho Cotate (7-1)…New coaching staff, familiar results.  After a nervous kind of start, they have won seven straight.  The nervous start was an 8-0 loss to Redwood, who is 10-0.  Since then they won seven straight, including two league wins.

No. 3 Casa Grande (7-2)…Only losses are to Petaluma and Redwood.  That might be a little deceiving. Have only one win over teams that are over .500.  That one win is an impressive one over Marin Catholic, who is 9-2 and who has some good wins.
No. 4 Cloverdale (6-1)…Hosted one of the toughest tournaments in the North Bay and finished third.  The lone loss was to Marin Catholic.  Already has an important win in the NCL I race when they beat Clear Lake 2-0.
No. 5 Ukiah (6-4)…They won their own tournament over the weekend.  Has NBL loss to Rancho Cotate.  Another loss is to Petaluma and they also have a loss to Redwood.  They are averaging over eight runs a game, giving up over five.  Been in two games where both teams scored in double figures.
No. 6 Analy (3-4)…Has had a challenging schedule.  The four losses are to teams with a combined record of 30-9, which includes a 4-3 loss to Redwood, the only one run game Redwood has played in its undefeated start to the season.  Jumps right into league play with a home game against Petaluma on Tuesday.
No. 7 Cardinal Newman (4-2)…The schedule hasn’t been overwhelming.  Maybe the most impressive game was a 7-5 loss to Rancho Cotate, a game they led 5-1 early and still had the lead in the sixth.  That loss snapped a four game winning streak.  Only other loss was to Novato 7-6.  They led that game 5-0 after two.  Still led going to the seventh before giving up two runs that decided the game.
No. 8 Santa Rosa (2-2)…Doesn’t have much to go on.  Mainly the track record of the last few seasons gets them here. Starts NBL play this week.
No. 9 Lower Lake (9-2)…Only losses are to Santa Rosa and Montgomery.  Program has been steadily improving over the last few seasons.  Trying to take that next step after a couple of near misses last year. .
No. 10 Upper Lake (7-2)…They already have won more games than any season during the Max Preps Era.  Riding a six game winning streak, in which they scored double figures in the last five games.
UPCOMING WEEK
The Sonoma County League race begins this week and it opens with Petaluma traveling to Analy.  That game has been the determining factor of many SCL softball races.  That is before a weekend where both teams play in the Napa Tournament.
Like the baseball side of things, the North Bay League is tiptoeing into league play with a game here and there, before the schedule kicks in next week.  There are a few games this week with Windsor having a chance to crack the top ten with a game at Santa Rosa on Tuesday and hosting Cardinal Newman on Thursday.
My email address is jacpasquini@comcast.net