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757Teamz

757Teamz softball top 15: Kellam returns to No. 1 in final rankings as red-hot Western Branch, Hickory move up

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Kempsville's Makayla Boone awaits a throw as Kellam's Abby Adamek runs to first base during an April 27 game. Adamek and the Knights (19-1) finished No. 1 in the final 757Teamz rankings and are ready for the Class 6 Region A tournament. KENDALL WARNER/STAFF

Kempsville's Makayla Boone awaits a throw as Kellam's Abby Adamek runs to first base during an April 27 game. Adamek and the Knights (19-1) finished No. 1 in the final 757Teamz rankings and are ready for the Class 6 Region A tournament. KENDALL WARNER/STAFF (Kendall Warner/The Virginian-Pilot)

Kellam rode consistency and excellence to the top of the final 757Teamz softball Top 15. The Knights closed the regular season with a win over Tallwood by a 7-1 score that almost exactly matches their runs-scored and runs-allowed averages per game.

Their selection as No. 1 was not easy, as No. 2 Western Branch handed them their only defeat, 3-1 on May 5. But the Knights (19-1) built an otherwise sterling résumé, with wins over Granby — No. 1 the past two weeks — and former No. 1 Grassfield, as well as two victories each over top-15 teams First Colonial and Kempsville.

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Granby’s 6-2 loss to No. 6 Great Bridge paved the way for Kellam’s move to the top spot as the Comets dropped to No. 4. Two of Hampton Roads’ hottest teams, Western Branch and Hickory, finished No. 2 and 3, respectively.

Western Branch’s eight-game winning streak to end the regular season includes a 10-2 win last week over No. 7 Nansemond River. Hickory has won seven consecutive games, a 7-0 win over No. 5 Grassfield last week among them.

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The No. 8 and 9 spots go to Nansemond-Suffolk and Greenbrier Christian, which ended their seasons Friday by winning VISAA state titles. Poquoson fell three spots to No. 10 with a regular-season-ending loss to York, but the Islanders are the top seeds in the Class 2 Region A Tournament this week — well-positioned to reach a state tournament for the first time in 11 years.

NOTE: These rankings are based on results reported to The Virginian-Pilot and Daily Press before Monday’s games.

School, record, previous ranking

1. Kellam, 19-1, 2

2. Western Branch, 17-3, 5

3. Hickory, 16-4, 6

4. Granby, 17-3, 1

5. Grassfield, 16-4, 3

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6. Great Bridge, 14-4, 8

7. Nansemond River, 17-3, 4

8. Nansemond-Suffolk, 19-7, 9

9. Greenbrier Christian, 20-8, 10

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10. Poquoson, 16-2, 7

11. First Colonial, 16-4, 11

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12. Grafton, 15-4, 12

13. Menchville, 17-2, 13

14. Kecoughtan, 17-2, 14

15. Kempsville, 12-7, 15

The next five: York, Deep Creek, Ocean Lakes, Gloucester, Smithfield.

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