Pine Grove's Callee Leffler pictured at Schuylkill League Softball Media Day (Staff Photo).

Like other sports, the departure of Jim Thorpe and Lehighton to the Colonial League prompted the Schuylkill League to react with substantial realignment in softball.

Out is the three-division format fans have become accustomed to. In is a two-division lineup with eight teams in each division. Each team will play the other teams in its division twice (home and away) for a 14-game league schedule.

Opening Day for softball is Friday, with the first Schuylkill League playing date set for March 25. The final league playing date is May 7, with the Schuylkill League playoffs to follow.

The top three teams in each division will qualify to form a six-team bracket. The division champions receive a bye in the quarterfinals, while Division I No. 2 plays Division II No. 3 and Division I No. 3 takes on Division II No. 2. Those games will be May 10 at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

The semifinals are set for May 12 at 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. The championship game will be played May 14 at 6:30 p.m.

All Schuylkill League playoffs games will be played at Blue Mountain’s Patton Field.

Blue Mountain, Lourdes, North Schuylkill, Pine Grove, Pottsville and Tamaqua remain in Division I. Mahanoy Area and Panther Valley — both up from Division III — join them.

Division II holdovers are Minersville, Nativity, Schuylkill Haven, Tri-Valley and Williams Valley. Marian, Shenandoah Valley and Weatherly — up from Division III — compete the eight-team division,

At Sunday’s Schuylkill League Softball Media Day, coaches were asked to rank the eight teams in their respective divisions.

As expected, the usual suspects emerged as favorites.

In Division I, Pine Grove earned five first-place votes and 47 points in voting done by six of the division’s eight coaches. The Cardinals return the league’s best player in Callee Leffler and two experienced sophomore pitchers among 10 returning players.

North Schuylkill, with seven returning starters, picked up the other first-place vote and ranked second with 42 points.

Defending Schuylkill League, District 11 and PIAA Class 4A champion Blue Mountain ranked third with 37 points. The Eagles, back-to-back state champs, graduated the best senior class in school history and are still mourning the loss of former head coach Mike Rollman, who passed away Feb. 9.

Pottsville (29) came in fourth, followed by Tamaqua (20), Lourdes (16), Mahanoy Area (14) and Panther Valley (11).

In Division II, Tri-Valley and Williams Valley have separated themselves from the field. Both the Bulldogs (Class A) and Vikings (Class AA) won District 11 titles last season, and both teams advanced to the state quarterfinals.

Williams Valley noted nine returning starters and 12 letterwinners on its preseason roster. Tri-Valley reported eight returning starters and 11 letterwinners.

In Division II, Tri-Valley received three first-place votes and 38 points in voting done by five of the division’s eight coaches. Williams Valley followed closely in second place with two first-place votes and 36 points.

The coaches ranked Schuylkill Haven third with 30 points, with Minersville fourth with 25. Marian (19) came in fifth, followed by Weatherly (12), Nativity (11) and Shenandoah Valley (8).

T102 Sports Now Schuylkill League Softball

Preseason Coaches’ Poll

(First-place votes in parentheses)

DIVISION I

1. Pine Grove (5) …………..…. 47

2. North Schuylkill (1) ……… 42

3. Blue Mountain ……………..37

4. Pottsville ….………………….29

5. Tamaqua ……………….……. 20

6. Lourdes .……………………… 16

7. Mahanoy Area ……..……….. 14

8. Panther Valley ……………….. 8

DIVISION II

1. Tri-Valley (3) …………………. 38

2. Williams Valley (2) ………… 36

3. Schuylkill Haven ……..…….. 30

4. Minersville ……………………. 25

5. Marian .………………………… 19

6. Weatherly ……………….…….. 12

7. Nativity ……….….…………….. 11

8. Shenandoah Valley………….. 9