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Questions (and pointed comments) have come my way recently regarding the combination of four classifications of softball into one set of rankings for the entire state.

It’s certainly not easy to do, and there’s a reason why the Minnesota State High School League has split the sport into four classifications. The Top 25 can be subjective and can change with no more input than time of day.

Here’s the issue. Where do teams from small schools deserve to be ranked when compared with larger schools? Softball is a little different than most team sports. The success of one player — the pitcher — carries weight on a softball team, which is why I’m not averse to ranking the small school teams among the bigs.

The Minnesota Top 25

Records through Monday.

1. Forest Lake (16-1). Last week: No. 1

For the complete list of teams in this week's high school softball Minnesota Top 25, click here to read this story on startribune.com.