WDR Softball Power Rankings - Three-team battle for WCAL title is on

Smithville catcher Kiersten Ross takes a throw and tags out Hillsdale base runner Jillian Cowgerfor the out. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

Smithville starting pitcher Addy Maxymiv winds up on the mound. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

Smithville second baseman Morgan Shutt checks the runner on third before throwing to first base for the out.The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

Smithville first baseman Lauren Kindy takes the throw to put HIllsdale batter Ally Morgan out. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

Hillsdale infield meets on the mound to start the inning against Smithville. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

Hillsdale pitcher Macy Mager winds up to start the inning against Smithville. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

Smithville shortstop Reagan Gherian dives on a grouind ball against HLillsdale. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

Smithville shortstop Reagan Gherian scoops a grouind ball and flips it to third for the force out against Hillsdale. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

Smithville third baseman Ali Horst takes a throw from the shortstop to put Hillsdale base runner Macy Ritchey for the force out against Hillsdale. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

Hillsdale batter Emily Smith rounds third and heads home on a 3 run homerun against Smithville. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

Hillsdale batter Kiki McFadden rounds third and heads home on a homerun against Smithville. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

Hillsdale batter Kiki McFadden is met at home plate on a homerun against Smithville. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

Smithville shortstop Reagan Gherian backs up third baseman Ali Horst as she scoops up a ground ball for a throw to first to put Hillsdale base runner out. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

Smithville first baseman Lauren Kindy takes the throw to put HIllsdale batter Kennedy Fickes out. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

Smithville shortstop Reagan Gherian scoops up a ground ball for a throw to first to put Hillsdale base runner out. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

Smithville shortstop Reagan Gherian takes a throw from the the third baseman for one out and fires to first for the double play. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

Hillsdale second baseman Kiki McFadden barehands this ground ball for a throw to first to put out a Smithville batter. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

Smithville relief pitcher Skylar Stark winds up on the mound. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

Smithville relief pitcher Skylar Stark scoops up a ground ball for a throw to first for the out. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

Hillsdale third baseman Emily Smith throws to first for the out. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

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Gallery: Hillsdale at Smithville Softball

Smithville catcher Kiersten Ross takes a throw and tags out Hillsdale base runner Jillian Cowgerfor the out. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

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Gallery: Hillsdale at Smithville Softball

Smithville catcher Kiersten Ross takes a throw and tags out Hillsdale base runner Jillian Cowgerfor the out. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

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Gallery: Hillsdale at Smithville Softball

Smithville starting pitcher Addy Maxymiv winds up on the mound. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

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Gallery: Hillsdale at Smithville Softball

Smithville second baseman Morgan Shutt checks the runner on third before throwing to first base for the out.The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

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Gallery: Hillsdale at Smithville Softball

Smithville first baseman Lauren Kindy takes the throw to put HIllsdale batter Ally Morgan out. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

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Gallery: Hillsdale at Smithville Softball

Hillsdale infield meets on the mound to start the inning against Smithville. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

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Gallery: Hillsdale at Smithville Softball

Hillsdale pitcher Macy Mager winds up to start the inning against Smithville. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

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Gallery: Hillsdale at Smithville Softball

Smithville shortstop Reagan Gherian dives on a grouind ball against HLillsdale. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

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Gallery: Hillsdale at Smithville Softball

Smithville shortstop Reagan Gherian scoops a grouind ball and flips it to third for the force out against Hillsdale. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

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Gallery: Hillsdale at Smithville Softball

Smithville third baseman Ali Horst takes a throw from the shortstop to put Hillsdale base runner Macy Ritchey for the force out against Hillsdale. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

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Gallery: Hillsdale at Smithville Softball

Hillsdale batter Emily Smith rounds third and heads home on a 3 run homerun against Smithville. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

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Gallery: Hillsdale at Smithville Softball

Hillsdale batter Kiki McFadden rounds third and heads home on a homerun against Smithville. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

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Gallery: Hillsdale at Smithville Softball

Hillsdale batter Kiki McFadden is met at home plate on a homerun against Smithville. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

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Gallery: Hillsdale at Smithville Softball

Smithville shortstop Reagan Gherian backs up third baseman Ali Horst as she scoops up a ground ball for a throw to first to put Hillsdale base runner out. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

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Gallery: Hillsdale at Smithville Softball

Smithville first baseman Lauren Kindy takes the throw to put HIllsdale batter Kennedy Fickes out. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

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Gallery: Hillsdale at Smithville Softball

Smithville shortstop Reagan Gherian scoops up a ground ball for a throw to first to put Hillsdale base runner out. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

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Gallery: Hillsdale at Smithville Softball

Smithville shortstop Reagan Gherian takes a throw from the the third baseman for one out and fires to first for the double play. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

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Gallery: Hillsdale at Smithville Softball

Hillsdale second baseman Kiki McFadden barehands this ground ball for a throw to first to put out a Smithville batter. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

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Gallery: Hillsdale at Smithville Softball

Smithville relief pitcher Skylar Stark winds up on the mound. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

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Gallery: Hillsdale at Smithville Softball

Smithville relief pitcher Skylar Stark scoops up a ground ball for a throw to first for the out. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

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WDR Softball Power Rankings - Three-team battle for WCAL title is on

Hillsdale third baseman Emily Smith throws to first for the out. The game was a make-up game played at Smithville. Hillsdale won 10-0 in 5 innings.

In the Wooster Daily Record's final softball power rankings before postseason play starts, three teams are set to battle for the WCAL title in the last week of the regular season.

(Note: Win-loss records and results are through Sunday.)

More: Wooster Daily Record's Softball Power Rankings - Tuslaw in robust form

Wooster Daily Record Softball Power Rankings

10. Wooster (7-11)

9. Smithville (8-13)

8. Northwestern (9-13)

7. West Holmes (10-16)

Dover (20-0), the defending Division III state champions, have the Ohio Cardinal Conference wrapped up with Wooster (currently sixth in the standings) and West Holmes (currently fourth) in the OCC. In a top-heavy Wayne County Athletic League, Smithville (fifth in standings) and Northwestern (fourth in standings) sit in the middle as we reach the final week of the regular season.

6. Loudonville (11-8)

In first place for much of the first half in the regular season in the Knox Morrow Athletic Conference, Loudonville now sits third behind first-place Danville and second-place Centerburg, who the Redbirds will play a two-game set against this week. With a 13-1 league record, Danville looks likely to win the league title.

5. Triway (16-8)

After beginning the season at 13-1, Triway's level toned down as the Titans are just 4-7 in their last 11 games. In a Principals Athletic Conference, where Triway and Tuslaw were duking it out for the top spot for most of this season, Akron Manchester came into the picture and has pushed the Titans into a third-place finish.

4. Tuslaw (17-5)

At 10-1 in the PAC, Tuslaw stands as the outright PAC champions with one more league game left against Northwest — second-place Akron Manchester (10-2) have no more league games left. Also add that Tuslaw completed a season sweep over Manchester in mid-April to that. Ranked No. 19 in Division V, according to MaxPreps, Tuslaw could very well meet Manchester for a third time in a district final as both teams are in the same section of the district tournament.

3. Dalton (16-5)

Winners of 14 of their last 15 games, last season's Division VI state semifinalists and current-ranked No. 12 in Division VI, Dalton finds itself in a fierce three-way battle with Hillsdale and Norwayne to claim the WCAL title by this week's end. Dalton (10-2, third in standings) and Hillsdale are set for an all-important home-and-away two-game clash this week.

2. Hillsdale (16-4)

Hillsdale third baseman Emily Smith.

Hillsdale, the No. 9 ranked team in Division VI, have been blistering offensively all season as the Falcons have scored 10+ runs in 14 games this year, including scoring 20 against Rittman last Wednesday. Hillsdale (10-1, second in standings) will meet Dalton on Tuesday, May 12, on the road, then at home on Thursday. Both teams are still firmly in the hunt to win a league title, and for Hillsdale, they will try to defeat a Dalton squad that beat them in all three meetings last season, including in the Division VI regional semifinals.

1. Norwayne (16-2)

Norwayne ends the season in the top spot in these power rankings as the Bobcats have really been the most impressive team in the Wayne/Holmes County area throughout. First place in the WCAL (11-0) and ranked No. 12 in Division V, the Bobcats are looking for their second-straight WCAL title. Norwayne have four games left on their schedule, with three of them against league opponents Rittman (twice) and a key one versus Hillsdale on Friday (a makeup game from earlier in the season).

jamessimpson@gannett.com

Twitter/X: @JamesSimpsonII

This article originally appeared on The Daily Record: WDR Softball Power Rankings - Three teams going after WCAL title