We continue our look at some of the elite teams in the country prior to our launch next Monday of the FAB 50 High School ratings with a trip to Kansas and a closer look at a powerhouse that is shooting for its fifth straight state title!

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Team: BISHOP CARROLL CATHOLIC
City: Wichita
ST: Kan.
Colors: green and gold
Nickname: Eagles
Head Coach: Steve Harshburger
Team record (2014): 25-0

Team Accomplishments: 4th consecutive state championship, 16^th in the final 2014 Full Count Softball FAB 50 and 8th in the MaxPreps Excellent Top 25.
Eye-Opening Stats: Bishop Carroll run-ruled opponents 22 out of 25 games and outscored their opponents 408 to 15.
Key player losses: Jessi Haffner (Oklahoma State), Hunter Hogan (Wichita State) and Morgan Balderas (Highland CC).
Big 2015 games: Maize High School, a yearly 6A state qualifier, and Maize South High which Bishop Carroll defeated in the state tournament last year.
Record-setting Year: Bishop Carroll re-wrote the record book last season, breaking the state record for runs scored in a season, runs batted in, hits, home runs, doubles and team batting average for a season at .560. The Eagles have won 12 state championships and played in 18 title games.  Overall, the program has 30 tournament appearances with 54 state playoff wins. All the above are also state records.

Key returning players:

— P Brittany Finney (2015, Oklahoma)
Brittany was a Full Count Softball and MaxPreps All American as she batted .579 and led the team in home runs and was second in RBI. She will head up the pitching duties after a 2014 campaign where she went 12-0 in the circle and a 0.32 ERA. The tall pitcher held opposing teams to a miniscule .091 batting average and in 44 innings of work she only gave up 13 hits while striking out 83 and walking just one batter. She plays club ball for the Explosion-Denio.

— C Lauren Buchanan (2015, Colorado State)
Lauren caught every game last year and returns to complete the battery. She led all starters last year hitting .662 while batting in the 4 hole and she struck out only once all year. Behind the dish Lauren maintained a 1.000 fielding percentage while picking off nine opposing players at first base. While calling games for Finney last spring she didn’t allow a steal all year. Lauren plays club ball for the Mac N Seitz Gold team.

— OF Leisle Hoffman (2015, Bethel)
Leisle has signed to play for the Bethel Threshers and will be returning to anchor left field for Bishop Carroll. She had 24 hits last season and will be called upon to fill an outfield spot vacated by graduation.

— IF/OF Brianna Hogan (2016, Louisiana-Monroe)
Brianna was a major contributor last year in the DP role and hit six home runs and had 24 RBI. She will be called upon to fill one of the open spots vacated by a graduating senior. Brianna is a great utility player and can play both the infield and outfield. She also plays club ball for the Mac N Seitz Gold team.

— C/3B/1B Emma Eck (2017, uncommitted)
Emma is a sophomore transfer who will be playing her first season at Bishop Carroll. She is equally at home behind the plate and on the corners and she was called upon to play both last year for perennial state powerhouse Maize High School. Emma is an experienced competitor having played for the OC Batbusters-Smith last year and the Wichita Mustangs Gold the year before. She will also play a crucial role in filling a spot vacated by a graduation.

— 3B Maddie Miller (2017, uncommitted)
Maddie is another standout sophomore whose club ball experience makes her invaluable to the team. Maddie batted .537 and had seven home runs as a freshman while holding down third base. She plays at a national level with the Texas Glory-Naudin team and should bring that experience to the Eagles.

— OF Meghan Gutierrez (2017, uncommitted)
Meghan was another standout player as a freshman and she too has national level experience playing with the Wichita Mustangs 16U team. Last year she batted .569 and had 33 runs while anchoring right field. She has a great field presence and will most likely move to center field this year to provide that leadership in the outfield.

— SS Jordan Schartz (2015, uncommitted)
Jordan will return to her role as the starting SS after she batted .537 and had a .962 fielding percentage. She will again be called upon to provide leadership on the dirt. Jordan plays club for the Impact 18s.

— UT Abby Sauber (2015, uncommitted)
Abby rounds out the returning varsity players who could start this year. She played 22 games last season and batted .561 with two home runs. Abby is a great utility player and is equally at home in the dirt and on the grass.