The season is just beginning in California, but already the Golden State holds down nearly one third of the spots in the first regular season release of the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 National Baseball Rankings.
A total of eight teams from California populate the Xcellent 25 rankings. With preseason Xcellent 25 members Sumrall (Miss.), Carroll (Texas), La Cueva (N.M.), Columbus (Ga.) and Rockwall-Heath (Texas) all dropping out after a loss, California teams from Edison (Huntington Beach), Clovis West, Lakewood, and Elk Grove all moved into the top 12.
Texas has also benefited from the early losses with Westlake and Weatherford both using 12-0 starts to jump into the rankings. The addition of those two squads gives the Lone Star State three teams among the top 13.
Bishop Gorman, the preseason No. 1, has yet to play a game and will reportedly open its season on March 18 vs. Spring Valley.
MAXPREPS XCELLENT 25 NATIONAL BASEBALL RANKINGS
1. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), 0-0
The five-time defending Nevada state champions open their season on March 18 against Spring Valley.
2. Flanagan (Pembroke Pines, Fla.), 6-0
The Falcons are off to a big start, winning six straight games in convincing fashion. Among the wins include a 10-run victory over St. Thomas Aquinas (14-4), a 17-1 blasting of Monsignor Pace and blowout wins over Cooper City (16-3), Western (17-2) and Everglades (19-3).
Ricky Santiago had a pair of doubles in the win over Everglades while
Jose Mesa won his second game of the season. Santiago had a three-run homer against St. Thomas Aquinas while
Matthew Beauchemin did the same against Monsignor Pace. Beauchemin also homered in a 4-0 win over Calvary Christian Academy to win the Nike/OTS Challenge on Feb. 19.
3. Fort Bend Clements (Sugar Land, Texas), 10-0
The Rangers have won 10 in a row to start the season, capturing first place at the Pearland Tournament and the Ewell Jackson Tournament. The five wins at Pearland were not close as Fort Bend Clements won the first three over Pearland (14-1), Dawson (12-2) and Lufkin (11-0) by 10 runs or more and then blasted Friendswood (10-3) and A&M Consolidated (9-3) in the next two games. The Rangers then won the Ewell Jackson Tournament, defeating St. Thomas 2-0, Waltrip 7-4, Dulles 5-3 and Episcopal 12-2.

J.D. Davis, Elk Grove
Photo by Brian Higashino
4. Farragut (Knoxville, Tenn.), 0-0
Admirals open play at Heritage on March 14.
5. Owasso (Okla.), 2-0
Defeated Grove 20-2 in opener.
Dylan Bundy was 2-for-2 with six RBIs in the win. The Rams then blasted Berryhill 24-0 on Saturday. Owasso heads to Florida this week for games against Winterhaven and Lake Wales before participating next week in the Blue Devil Classic.
6. Edison (Huntington Beach, Calif.), 2-0
Opens season at Loara tournament this weekend and defeated Pacifica 3-1 in the first round and San Clemente 5-4 in the second.
Henry Owens pitched no-hit ball into the sixth inning against Pacifica before finishing with a four-hitter.
Christian Lopes was 3-for-3 with a triple and a home run.
7. Westlake (Austin, Texas), 12-0
The Chaparrals blasted six home runs in a 14-7 win over Lewisville on Saturday.
Collin Shaw had three of the home runs for Westlake, which also defeated Vista Ridge 14-3 to win the Langerhans Tournament.
8. Amador Valley (Pleasanton, Calif.), 1-0
Nick Piscotty went four innings and struck out eight batters to get the win for the Dons in a 3-0 victory over Irvington in Amador Valley's season opener.
9. Clovis West (Fresno, Calif.), 5-0
The Golden Eagles edged last year's Central Coast Section Division I runner-up Bellarmine Prep 4-1 and then topped Bullard 8-4 early last week. At the Coca Cola Classic over the weekend, Clovis West downed Golden West 10-1, Redwood 9-0 and Beyer 10-3.
10. Lakewood (Calif.), 2-0
The Lancers won their first two games of the Loara Tournament, topping El Modena 8-2 and Los Alamitos 6-4. Lakewood faced Servite in the third round.
11. Elk Grove (Calif.), 1-0
J.D. Davis picked up the pitching win and also belted a home run to lead Elk Grove to a 4-1 win over Valley Christian (San Jose, Calif.) in its season opener Saturday.
12. Pelham (Ala.), 9-0
The Panthers are 6-0 with barely a close game in the bunch. A 3-2 victory over Brookwood (Ala.) is the only game Pelham has won by less than six runs.
Trevor Fitts struck out 12 and threw a one-hitter in Pelham's 11-1 season opener against Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa. Fitts is 3-0 on the season. Over the weekend, Pelham dropped Clay-Chalkville 9-4, Shades Valley 16-0 and Hoover 2-1.
13. Weatherford (Texas), 12-0
The Kangaroos hop into the rankings this week after a 6-3 win over previously unbeaten Rockwall-Heath at the Burleson Tournament. Weatherford is tied with Westlake for the most reported wins in Texas Class 5A.
14. Sarasota (Fla.), 5-0
The Sailors are regularly one of the top teams in Florida and they are off to a 5-0 start on the season with impressive wins over Palm Harbor University (12-2), St. Petersburg (13-3) and Northport (10-1).
15. Broken Arrow (Okla.), 4-0
The Tigers are off to a 4-0 start with wins over Bixby (6-0), Stillwater (11-1), Edmond Memorial (6-4) and Edmond North (13-7).
16. Walsh Jesuit (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio), 0-0
The Warriors open their season on March 28.
17. Poquoson (Va.), 0-0
The two-time defending Virginia Division II state champions open their season March 8 at Landstown.
18. Rancho Bernardo (San Diego), 0-0
The Broncos begin their season at St. Augustine on March 8.
19. Germantown Academy (Fort Washington, Pa.), 0-0
Opens season March 21 at Covenant
20. Indianapolis Cathedral (Indianapolis), 0-0
Opens season at Roncalli on March 30.
21. Rancho (Las Vegas), 0-0
Opens season at home vs. Sierra Vista on March 10.
22. El Capitan (Lakeside, Calif.), 0-0
Opens season vs. Mission Bay on March 8.
23. Spanish Fork (Spanish Fork, Utah), 0-0
The Dons open their season March 9 at Cottonwood.
24. Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), 3-1-1
The Monarchs tied Salinas to open the season, but then topped Palo Alto 7-3 and previously unbeaten Wilcox 4-0.
Tyler Davis got the win against Wilcox, striking out six and walking one while giving up just one hit in seven innings pitched.
Preston Caldera drove in a pair of runs for the Monarchs. Lost to Wilcox on Saturday, falling 3-0 in the finals of the Mike Hazlett Tournament.
25. Sumrall (Miss.), 3-1
The Bobcats have lost as many games this season as they did in the past three years combined. Forrest County Agricultural caught Sumrall in the season opener with a 5-2 victory, but the Bobcats bounced back to beat defending 6A state champion Petal 7-6 and then routed Raleigh 14-4. Sumrall followed that win with a 3-1 victory over Oak Grove, the only team to defeat the Bobcats last season.