We finish our look at the top 50 club teams in the country by unveiling teams ranked 10-1. On Saturday, we will list the Next In teams--those who are best poised to jump into the updated FAB 50 with strong fall, winter, and spring play.

Overall, it's a strong crop of teams and practically anyone in the FAB 50 has a chance to make some noise and go all the way to a national championship. Looking back at a team's success over the past year, we also weighed other factors such as returning key players and the addition of talented newcomers.

In the upcoming months, we'll also be looking at the FAB 16U, 14U, and 12U programs! As always, if we've missed anything or you would like to provide input on your favorite teams and players, send your info/insights to: Brentt.Eads@FloSports.tv.

See Complete FAB 50 18U Club Rankings

Rank	Team	Bio
10	Texas Blaze Gold - Slimp	John Carpenter's team had a huge year, winning the TC/USA Nationals in New York City, where one of the wins was against PGF national champions Firecrackers-Rico, and finishing second at the Boulder IDT. In the last six "majors" (top tournaments), the Blaze have had five top-10 finishes, four in the top five, two runner-up finishes, and one national title. Also, over the last two seasons the Blaze Gold is 22-2 in Boulder. The only concern is they lose 15 players off the powerhouse team from a year ago. However, Carpenter's team does gain 15 new standouts--seven from the 16U TC/SW title-winning team--including a quartet of outstanding pitchers: 2019 Rylee Trilicek (Florida), 2019 Aliyah Prichett (Baylor), 2017 Tarin Travieso (Kansas), and 2017 Hannah Mayo (Texas A&M). Those close to the program think this pitching staff could be better than the year before. The defense is anchored by outstanding 2017 C Taylor Ellsworth (Texas) and 2018 MIF/OF Madison Jatzlau (Texas A&M).
9	Texas Bombers	After losing two outstanding pitchers a year ago--Sam Show (Texas A&M) to graduation and Brooke Vestal (Oklahoma), who joined the Firecrackers-Rico team--most thought Scott Smith's team would take a step back, but 2016 ended up being the best year in the team's history. Last year's 18U team was primarily a 16U team playing up and still went 51-6, including 9-0 at Colorado Sparkler/Fireworks. The team did win ASA Gold 16U since it was age eligible and also took third at USA Elite Select 18U and 13th at the JO Cup. Only two starters leave and what's scary is there are only two seniors on this year's team. So far, the Bombers are 14-0 this fall. Don't be surprised with everything jelling that the team ends up in the top five by the end of club play. Key returners are all headed to Power 5 schools and most are Hot 100 honorees: 2018 OF/P Makinzy Herzog (Florida State), 2017 P Shelbi Sunseri (LSU), 2019 IF Taylor Pleasants (LSU), 2018 IF Georgia Clark (LSU), 2018 C Haley Nillen (Auburn), 2018 IF Kiley Naomi (Oklahoma State), 2018 P Maddie Lindsey (Baylor), 2018 OF Tate Whitley (Ole Miss), 2018 IF Kayla Garcia (Texas A&M), 2019 C Cait Calland (Texas), and 2018 OF Katelin Cooper (Ole Miss). A new player to watch for is 2019 P Taylor Edwards (LSU).
8	Corona Angels - Tyson	Marty Tyson's teams always have talent and place high in tournaments. This summer Corona Angels-Tyson finished third at Boulder IDT and 17th at PGF. The 2016-17 version, however, has the horses to go all the way with a great mixture of seniors and juniors, several of whom--like 2018 P Megan Faraimo (UCLA)--know what it takes to win a title. Faraimo shined on the PGF National Championship 14U squad that went the distance in 2015. Fariamo is a franchise pitcher and, paired with 2017 P Mariah Mazon (Oregon State), gives Tyson the bulk of the innings. The offense has great athletes and speed at the top with players like UCLA commits Anna Vines (IF, 2018) and Kinsley Washington (IF/OF, 2017). Expected to drive in the runs will be dangerous power-hitters Camryn Ybarra, a 2017 3B going to Oregon State, and 2017 1B Noelle Hee headed to Washington.
7	Birmingham Thunderbolts Premier	Rocky Thompson's Premier 18U team has been knocking on the door for a couple years now, finishing third at PGF the past two years and being a force in just about every tournament the Bolts enter. Integrating several top players from Jay Roberson's 16U Bolts team that also finished third the last two years, the Alabama powerhouse got stronger this year with pickups like 2018 Grace Fagan (Mississippi State) and SS Kinsey Goelz (Mississippi State) to go with a strong returning core of SEC- and ACC-bound players. Two exceptions are a pair of standout Arizona natives: 2017 C/SS Shaye Bowden (Oregon) and 2017 IF DeNae Chatman (Arizona State). Key returners to watch from closer to home include seniors P Chardonnay Harris (Auburn), 3B Jenna Ergle (Boston College), OF Kendall Beth Sides (Alabama), SS Mary Katherine Tedder (Texas), and C/1B Abby Tissier (Auburn).
6	So Cal Athletics - Richardson	Don't turn your backs on the A's as Bruce Richardson continues to field technically sound and efficient teams that usually make it to the last day of any given tournament. The Athletics won the prestigious Boulder IDT and finished fifth at PGF Nationals. For most teams this would be a huge accomplishment, but for a program that won the first four PGF 18U Premier Championships nothing less than making it to the championship is a letdown. Great players such as P Autumn Storms (Arkansas), C Montana Dixon (Stanford), Mackenzie Boesel (South Carolina), and OF Jenna Holcomb (Tennessee) are now in college, but the A's still have standout pitching led by Maddy Dwyer (2017, Stanford) and added speed at the top of the order with 2018 2B and leadoff hitter Toni Camarillo (Bryant) and 2018 OF Kelli Godin (UCLA), who went to state in the 100 meters. Other difference makers who will drive in and score runs include one of the best 2019 players in the nation, OF Ciara Briggs (LSU), 2018 OF Hannah McEwen (Arkansas), 2017 OF Taryn Young (Arizona), and 2017 3B Hannah "Peanut" Martinez (Arizona).
5	Cal Cruisers - Sievers	Mel Sievers has been a fixture in the So Cal club softball scene for decades and it all came together this summer as his team finished second at PGF Nationals and took 17th at Boulder IDT. The Cruisers had dominating pitching from Chloe Romero, a 2017 commit to Texas whose rise ball was all but untouchable, and timely hitting from the starting lineup, which returns intact except for the graduation of C Jenna Cone (George Washington). Leading the offensive charge will be Sievers' granddaughter, Jasmine Sievers, a 2018 sleek-fielding shortstop committed to Oregon, 2017 OF Brooke Cantillo (Mississippi State), and corner infielders Hunter Ava (1B, 2019, uncommitted) and Martha Epenesa (3B, 2017, uncommitted), who are a pair of underrated but talented players from Utah. New pickups included 2017 P Autumn Moffat (BYU), 2018 C/OF Makaela Mak (Hawaii), 2018 C/1B Chrisma Romero (Boston University), and 2017 P Delaney Hull (Utah State). Many in the club world wonder if the Cruisers just got hot at the right time at PGF, but there's too much talent and experience on this team to think it can't have similar success in 2017 as it did in 2016.
4	Beverly Bandits - Conroy	The Bandits 18U team was coached by Jenn Tyrrell this past year and organization head Bill Conroy coached the 16U team, which won the PGF 16U National Championship. This year, Conroy and Tyrrell are switching places as Conroy has taken the reins of the 18U team and Tyrrell is now leading the talented 16U squad. Last year, the Bandits Premier 18U team finished fifth at the Boulder IDT and took seventh at PGF. The 18U team is solid and balanced across the board in every area with experienced seniors and juniors. This fall, the team has looked dominating in the tournaments it has played including its own King of the Hill event. Pitcher Alexis Holloway (Notre Dame) is one of the top pitchers in the nation, and she's throwing to one of the elite catchers in Hannah Carson, a 2018 grad headed to Michigan. Offensively, OF Lauren Burke (Oregon) is one of the top hitters in the country and moves up from the title-winning 16U team. Seniors Kenna Wilkey (Northwestern) can pitch and play first while Mackenzie Dunlap (Northwestern) is a great defender at short or third base. Another player to watch who can take over a game is 2018 C/OF Shelby Grimm. All in all, Conroy has a deep team with players who have, for the most part, come up through his system and have great chemistry together.
3	All American Sports Academy	The bad news for Bryan Merrida's AASA team heading into the 2016-17 season was it had to replace two outstanding pitchers in UCLA signee Madi Nickles, the National Gatorade Player of the Year, who was the only high school player to make the Junior National team, and Nerissa Eason, a tall hurler now at Oregon State, who was one of the best in the nation at her position. With those two leading the way, AASA took fifth-place finishes at PGF and Boulder IDT, so you'd think the team would take a step back, right? Not quite. AASA won the PGF Ultimate Challenge and has the depth to be a national championship-caliber team. What was a very good team became a great one when several key players transferred in from Sorcerer Gold after coach Pete Aguayo retired. These include two standout pitchers in Holly Azevedo (2017, UCLA) and Julia Jensen (2017, UCLA), along with top position players like 2020 OF Grace Guzman (Michigan) and 2018 3B Rachel Cid (Oregon). The team also has five Oregon State-bound players including four in the 2018 class: C/3B Bailey McLaughlin, If/OF Izabella Owen, IF/OF Maia Rader, and 1B Frankie Hammoude.
2	OC Batbusters - Stith	After winning the 2014 and 2015 PGF 18U National Championships, Mike Stith's team lost 12 key players, including impact college players like OF Amanda Lorenz (Florida) and IF Sydney Romero (Oklahoma), so it wasn't too big of a surprise that the team failed to capture a third straight PGF title, finishing 33rd. However, the Batbusters did win the inaugural USSSA Select Championship and finished fifth at Boulder IDT. This team looked strong at the PGF Ultimate Elite, and Stith is excited about the young players who are competing hard and playing with a lot of energy. Senior SS Taylon Snow, who will sign with Auburn, is the FloSoftball Hot 100 No. 1 player in the 2017 class and joined by the No. 3 player, 2B/SS Bri Perez (UCLA), who looked fantastic in the Ultimate Challenge. Another future Bruin is 2018 C/1B Colleen Sullivan who may share time behind the plate with 2019 C Sharlize Palcios (Arizona), one of the several super sophomores who add fire to the Batbusters team along with P Farrah Steffany (Arizona), P Olivia Rains (Oklahoma), SS/OF Maya Brady (UCLA), and IF/OF Jadelyn Allchin (Washington). Senior Natalie Lugo (Florida) and junior Vanessa Foreman (Arizona) add depth in the circle with the power in the offense coming from 2018 C/DP Terra McGowan (Arizona State) and 2017 IF Jocelyn Alo (Oklahoma), one of the top mashers in the nation.
1	Firecrackers - Rico	Tony Rico has a knack for getting his teams to peak at the right time and this year was a perfect example of that. Earlier in the summer, at the So Cal A's Invitational, the team admittedly didn't look in sync. But within two months, the Firecrackers had finished fifth in Colorado at the Sparkler/Fireworks Super 48 and then won it all at PGF Nationals. The team lost two outstanding grads in SS Nicole Bates (Washington), who was the MVP of the Louisville Slugger Hit Club, and her fellow Husky signee OF Kaija Gibson, but the core of the squad returns, including ace pitcher Brooke Vestal (Oklahoma), the FloSoftball No. 1-ranked player in the 2018 Hot 100. Vestal was the workhorse for the Firecrackers during PGF Nationals and elevated her game, especially the mental side, this summer and is a main reason the team is expected to contend for national titles in 2017. Backing her in the circle will be two Pac-12 bound hurlers: 2018 grad Alex Perez (Cal) and 2019 Lexi Campbell (Stanford). The positional lineup is loaded with depth, including returning seniors OF Jenna Kean (Arizona), who is one of the top lead-off slappers in the club scene, C Mary Iakopo (Oregon), also one of the top defensive catchers in the nation, 1B Lou Allan (Michigan), a dangerous power-hitter, and 3B Eliyah Flores (Oklahoma), also a threat with the bat. And the team has added several Hot 100 young players, too, including one of the top infielders at any age, 2018 shortstop Grace Lyons (Oklahoma), who is a top-five player in her class, and 2019 IF Brooke Marquez (Notre Dame), who is one of three excellent future Irish signees, along with 2017 OF Riley Wester, Ali Wester's younger sister, and 2018 OF Emma Clark. At FloSoftball, we typically go with the defending champion as the top-ranked team as long as the returning talent is there. On the Firecrackers, at least on paper, the team is as good--if not better--than the national champions of 2016. Then again, you still have to play the games and there are at least 20 teams that have the players, passion, drive, and ability to try and knock off the No. 1 seed. It will be a fun run in 2017!