Latta’s Lady Vikings rose in the Class A softball coaches poll from fifth place to third on the strength of their opening week of softball action.

At the time of the voting, Latta had a 3-0 record include pre-season wins over Lake View and North Myrtle Beach and their 17-12 region win over Johnsonville in their season opener.

The Vikings are now the highest ranking team in the lower state.

Abbeville and Chesterfield retained first and second place, respectively. Both teams have undefeated records so far.

Landrum dropped to fourth place with a 3-3 record that includes two preseason wins and a region win over Greenville Tech. East Clarendon tied for fourth, rising from sixth, after winning their region opener against 4A Sumter.

Ninety-Six took sixth place and McBee finished in seventh, roughly the same place they started in the preseason poll. Blacksburg rose from tenth to eighth, and Johnsonville and Green Sea-Floyds both made their first appearance in the top ten this season.

Despite the loss to Latta, Johnsonville has already picked up wins over Hannah-Pamplico and Carvers Bay in the regular season. Green Sea-Floyds is undefeated in the regular season, getting wins over Lake View and Loris.

In the Class 2A polls, Dillon rose from tenth place to ninth on the strength of a 2-0 season opening. Central and Barnwell traded places, with Barnwell topping the list and Central slipping to second. Palmetto rose from eighth to third, Gilbert and Crescent tied for fourth, and Buford dropped to sixth place. Swansea stayed put in seventh, and Andrew Jackson dropped to eighth. Broome made its first appearance in the polls in tenth.