The top three seeds at the 1A Eastland Regional could very well be different rungs on a ladder even if they aren't currently ordered from top to bottom in terms of overall softball success.

The Milledgeville Missiles - the No. 3 seed are the defending state champions. Over the last decade, the program which once was a co-op with Polo has been one of the best in the Sauk Valley. The state championship was the culmination of that ascension.

Despite that and another NUIC East title, the Missiles are the No. 3 seed, forcing them to prove that they are still the power from the last few years.

The Amboy Cilppers the No. 1 seed were once an afterthought in the spring. That hasn't been the case the last few years. Amboy has won three straight regional titles.

However the last 2 years, the Missiles have ousted the Clippers in the sectional round. It's about time in the Clippers' minds that they move up a rung.

The second seed appears to be the upstart - the Newman Comets. Only three of the 12 players on the roster are seniors, and for the first time in program history, the Comets fielded a sophomore team.

At 13-11 and with a regular-season win over the Missiles, Newman hopes this regional can be a springboard to better things in years to come.

"We talked about that after Saturday's game (a 4-3 loss to Bureau Valley)," Newman coach J.D. Waldschmidt said. "We have two teams for the first time. We lose only three players. Win or lose, we want this regional to inspire the program for the future."

The Comets beat Milledgeville 11-5 in extra innings on a windy day on April 16. If the Missiles beat AFC today, they will play Newman Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. in Lanark.

The game was originally scheduled for Wednesday, but it was moved to Tuesday because of Newman's graduation.

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Softball: Newman hoping regional start of new era