The Wayland girls’ varsity softball team is ranked among the honorable mention squads in Division 2 in the Associated Press pre-season rankings.

The Wildcats last year lost only two games (37-2), but the last one was in the regional finals to eventual state champion Stevensville Lakeshore in extra innings. Lakeshore is ranked No. 1 in the pre-season poll.

It marked the second straight year Wayland has lost in the post-season tournament to the eventual champion. The year before they fell to Owosso.

No other O-K Gold Conference teams were mentioned in the poll, but O-K Silver perennial powerhouse Calvin Christian was rated third in the Division 3 poll and Delton was honorable mention in Division 4.

The softball season most likely will begin after spring break is concluded April 10.