Class 1A champions in 2024, the Royal fastpitch team is aiming to rebound from falling a game short of the trophy round at last year’s state tournament.

The Knights moved up two spots to No. 3 in the VarsityWA 1A poll.

Royal, 8-1 with its only loss to defending 1A state champion and top-ranked Montesano on Friday, faces a key doubleheader Tuesday with a trip to seventh-ranked College Place, which is 8-0 overall and half a game back of the Knights in the SCAC rankings.

Reigning SCAC Player of the Year Jill Allred has a 1.23 earned-run average while striking out 87 batters in 44 innings on the mound, while batting .590 with 10 RBI and five stolen bases from her leadoff spot.

Knights cleanup hitter Avarie Hill is batting .693 with a home run and 19 RBI, while Hali Christensen has two HRs and 15 RBI.

The conference rivals are the only schools from the Stat Hound footprint in their respective top 10s.

There are a few more teams in the Evans Rankings. Pulled together by Matt Evans of the Tri-Cities and combines – at different weights – the team’s winning percentage, the opponent’s winning percentage and the opponent’s opponents’ winning percentage.

West Valley, which is off to a 9-2 start, is No. 10 in the 4A rankings.

Ellensburg is 4-0 in the CWAC and 6-1 overall and is seventh in the 2A rankings, while College Place is second in 1A behind Montesano, and Royal is No. 6.

The WIAA is expected to release its first RPI for baseball, fastpitch and boys soccer this week.

• Complete VarsityWA fastpitch rankings,