Marc Bentovoja doesn’t particularly care for early season rankings, especially when it’s his team that’s thought of so highly.

But that’s what winning three straight section titles will do for a program. The Lady Trojans are ranked fifth in the state by MaxPreps and ESPN CalHiSports ranks the Lady Trojans sixth in the state.

“The reason I don’t like them is because they’re based on what you did last year,” Bentovoja said. “I hate to read that hype because then you start believing it. It should be an interesting year because we’ve got a big target on our backs. We should know a whole lot more this week with Sheldon and Ponderosa and certainly by the end of the month at the Nike/Faster to First Tournament. We’ll find out really quick whether we’re contenders or pretenders.”

Oak Ridge certainly has talent with junior pitcher Kasey Stanchek back in the fold. Pitching is arguably the most important position on the softball field and the Lady Trojans have a great one and Bentovoja knows it.

“She’s been pretty dominant early in the season,” Bentovoja said. “I think she’s thrown 29 innings and has struck out 60 and only given up one earned run. I know it’s a team game, but we’ll go as far as Kasey takes us.”

Besides Stanchek, the team has three players who have accepted scholarships to play at the next level. Outfielders Gabby Goyette is headed to the University of the Pacific and Jourdan Hitchings is going to Utah State, while Jodie Richards will play at Simpson College.

“Jourdan and Gabby, hands down, are the most improved players on the team,” Bentovoja said. “They’re aggressive on the base paths and they can play short ball or hit the ball hard. Beyond that, they’ve both got the speed and ability to play center field and that’s a good problem for a coach to have.”

Hitchings has been leading off and playing right field this season and has six hits, scored six runs, knocked in three runs and stolen 10 bases so far. Goyette, batting second and playing center field, has 10 hits, six runs, four RBI and six stolen bases. Hitchings is hitting .429, while Goyette’s batting average is .625.

Richards, a third baseman, has yet to put on a uniform as she’s a member of Oak Ridge High’s varsity girls’ basketball team playing for the Division I Northern California championship on Saturday. Once she joins the team, Bentovoja said she can play third base and outfield and can also pitch if need be.

Joining Goyette and Hitchings in the outfield is sophomore Stephanie Brenneman. Seniors Molly Ryan and Callie Wissman play first base and shortstop, respectively. Junior Jenessa Jeppesen has settled in at third base, while speedy freshman Lauren Bertoy is at second base. Jackie Schmaeling, another freshman, is the catcher.

Oak Ridge started the season with five straight wins with games against Sheldon and Ponderosa on Monday and Tuesday of this week. The team’s next game is at Union Mine on Thursday.

“We want to take care of business in league and we’d love to win four (section titles) in a row since it’s never been done (in Division II),” Bentovoja said. “I feel good about our chances, but I have no idea how the season will play out. We’ll definitely get the opportunity to see if we deserve the hype or not.”

Bentovoja said Ponderosa would be a tough foe against in the Sierra Valley Conference, while Cordova has a lot of young talent.