Lake View, Latta, and Dillon all ranked in the top 10 softball teams for their classes in the South Carolina Softball Coaches Association Preseason Poll.

Lake View ranked the highest of the three local teams, placing fourth in the Class A poll. The Lady Wild Gators finished the 2011 season with a 29-5 overall record, picking up a region title, District VIII title, and the lower state title before falling to Abbeville 2-1 in the Class A State Championship series.

Abbeville topped the list for Class A as the reigning champs, finishing 2011 with a 26-3 record. Chesterfield’s Lady Rams were ranked second. The Rams made it all the way to the upper state championship before being eliminated by Abbeville in 2011. Landrum was ranked third after finishing at the top of Region 2A and falling to Chesterfield in the upper state playoffs.

Latta’s Lady Vikings were ranked fifth in Class A. The Vikings finished second in the region, falling only to Lake View, and ended the season 2011 with a 21-9-1 overall record. Latta won the District V bracket and went all the way to the lower state championship, where they fell to Lake View 2-0.

East Clarendon ranked sixth in the poll after the Wolverines were eliminated by Latta in the lower state playoffs in 2011. McBee and Ninety Six tied for seventh, Lewisville and Blacksburg tied for tenth, and Hannah-Pamplico was ranked ninth.

In Class 2A, Dillon’s Lady Wildcats were ranked 10th in the poll. The Wildcats finished at the top of Region 8-2A last season, but fell to Silver Bluff in the District VIII finals.

Central topped the list as the reigning state champs, followed by runner-up Barnwell and Crescent in third. Buford and Gilbert were ranked fourth and fifth, and Andrew Jackson ranked sixth. Buford, Gilbert, and Andrew Jackson all won their Districts last season, but Crescent fell to Andrew Jackson in the District I finals.

Swansea, Palmetto, and Silver Bluff round out the list ahead of Dillon. Swansea and Silver Bluff both advanced to the lower state semi-finals in 2011. Palmetto made it to the District IV semi-finals but was eliminated by Central.

In Class 3A, D.W. Daniel led the polls, followed by Nation Ford, St. James, Hartsville, Union County, Brookland-Cayce, Marlboro County, Darlington, Georgetown, and Chapin. Class 4A was led by J.L. Mann and Mauldin, followed by Boiling Springs, Hillcrest, North Augusta, South Florence, Summerville, Blythewood, Carolina Forest, and Ashley Ridge.

The spring season begins for our local teams on Tuesday, March 6, when Dillon travels to face West Florence and Latta travels to Johnsonville. Lake View opens the season on Wednesday, March 7, when they are scheduled to host Green Sea-Floyds.