MaxPreps Southern California Top 25 high school baseball rankings

Just like we predicted, the slew of Spring Break tournaments gave us an exciting plethora of big-time matchups featuring ranked teams. From Fresno to San Diego, the best in the region did battle in some great games.

Six new teams enter because of their big performances over the past week, and others moved around due to those aforementioned big matchups. Expect things to simmer down with league play getting back into swing. But then the playoffs will arrive, and that will provide us with the most movement.

Thursday day matchups are not factored in, and some Wednesday night had unreported results.


1. (1) Clovis, 25-4
Classification: Central Section I

Five wins, including avenging a league loss to Clovis North, is a recipe for staying at No. 1. Add in that Clovis has outscored Clovis North (2-1), Hoover (2-0), Del Campo (12-2), Madera (1-0) and Porterville (5-0) by a combined 22-3 score and the recipe is more delicious. They have an unreported win over Crater (Central Point, Ore.) 8-2 Wednesday that capped a Fresno Easter Baseball Classic title, making that six wins.

2. (2) Buchanan (Clovis), 17-2
Classification: Central Section I

The Bears have a 4-1 win over Oak Ridge (El Dorado Hills) in the Boras Classic and an unreported result this past week.

3. (6) Loyola (Los Angeles), 14-1-1
Classification: Southern Section I

The Cubs won 7-6 over Crespi and then tied with Harvard-Westlake in the first of two league contests this week. Ties are not the best things in the world, but when it's to a good team and it's on a week where others have been losing, it's a rankings boost.

4. (8) JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano), 12-3
Classification: Southern Section I

The Lions reported a 6-1 win over Orange Lutheran in Trinity League play, and the results aren't in from a doubleheader with Cypress, so as of now it's a 1-0 week.

5. (9) Huntington Beach, 15-2
Classification: Southern Section I

How about the Oilers getting four wins? It's been great pitching leading the way with wins over IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), Elsinore (Wildomar) and Newport Harbor twice.

6. (14) Clovis West (Fresno), 17-4-1
Classification: Central Section I

The Golden Eagles had a great week with a 6-3 local win over Central (Fresno) and then winning 11-7 over Foothill (Palo Cedro) and 5-3 over Davis in the Boras Classic.

7. (3) Temecula Valley (Temecula), 13-3
Classification: Southern Section II

The Golden Bears did pick up a 1-0 victory over Murrieta Valley but then lost to Vista Murrieta by a 2-0 score, making them 2-1 against VM but also 1-2 in their last three games. The losses are good ones, though.

8. (19) Vista Murrieta (Murrieta), 13-4
Classification: Southern Section II

The Broncos continue to impress and they made a big leap thanks to a 14-5 blowout over Chaparral (Temecula) followed by beating previous No. 3 Temecula Valley by a 2-0 score.

9. (4) Cathedral Catholic (San Diego), 14-2
Classification: San Diego Section Open

The Dons finally got into a tough part of the schedule, and went 1-1 this past week. Their win was 4-1 over Green Valley (Henderson, Nev.), a very good victory over a school with tradition. Their loss was 6-5 to Granite Hills, and it was a heartbreaker, as they coughed up a lead in the bottom of the seventh to lose. Their 5-0 lead and Brady Aiken on the mound just wasn't enough.

10. (11) Hart (Newhall), 14-2-1
Classification: Southern Section I

The Indians went 3-1 over the past week with a trip to Las Vegas included. They spanked Page of Arizona, 9-0, then lost a tight one to Riverton (Utah), 10-9. The big one was a 9-4 victory over perennial power Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), and they came home to beat Canyon 3-1.

11. (7) Harvard-Westlake (Studio City), 12-4-1
Classification: Southern Section I

The Wolverines can take satisfaction in tying Loyola, 3-3, in a Mission League contest. But they surely lament their 2-1 loss to Bonita (La Verne).

12. (12) Rancho Bernardo (San Diego), 14-3
Classification: San Diego Section Open

The Broncos took down Torrey Pines by a 7-4 score then won their first two games in the San Diego Lions Tournament, besting Sahuaro of Arizona 3-0 and St. Augustine (San Diego) 6-5. They lost in the third game of the tourney to Montgomery (San Diego), 5-1.

13. (15) Frontier (Bakersfield), 19-5
Classification: Central Section I

The Titans had a successful week in the Fresno Easter Classic. Before the tourney they beat Liberty 7-3, then took down Hanford West 6-5, Bullard 3-2 and Franklin (Elk Grove) 11-8. There was one loss in there, a 14-8 setback to Salinas of the Central Coast Section.

14. (NR) Otay Ranch (Chula Vista), 15-3
Classification: San Diego Section I

The Mustangs enter the rankings behind big wins over ranked teams. After they beat Horizon Christian Academy 9-7. they took down Valhalla (5-4), Carlsbad (14-2) and Clovis North (3-0). That's an impressive run. They start high because of the head-to-head results over Carlsbad and Clovis North.

15. (17) Carlsbad, 12-5
Classification: San Diego Section Open

They went just 3-2, but when you factor in the opponents, it wasn't a bad week for the Lancers. They beat previously ranked Vista twice, 5-0 and 5-1, then knocked off Clovis North 8-2. Things got a little uglier with loss to Otay Ranch (14-2) and a Valhalla team that is now ranked (1-0).

16. (5) Clovis North (Fresno), 15-6
Classification: Central Section I

We admittedly moved the Broncos higher than other polls last week because we thought they were underrated. Then they went out and lost three in a row. But the grain of salt here is that the losses were to Clovis (2-1), Carlsbad (8-2) and Valhalla (10-1). The first two are ranked powers and Valhalla has a win over Carlsbad as well.

17. (18) Great Oak (Temecula), 14-4
Classification: Southern Section II

The Wolfpack earned a 10-5 win over Murrieta Mesa but then lost 6-3 to Murrieta Valley. Such is life in the Southwestern League.

18. (20) Dana Hills (Dana Point), 15-4
Classification: Southern Section II

They took it easy at Dana Hills, only playing once and winning 3-2 over a good Aliso Niguel squad.

19. (25) Woodrow Wilson (Long Beach), 17-4
Classification: Southern Section I

The Bruins beat Long Beach Poly 6-2 and followed that up with a 4-2 triumph over Millikan. They're definitely in the drivers' seat for the Moore League title thanks to the Millikan victory.

20. (NR) Glendora, 12-4
Classification: Southern Section II

The Tartans are in the rankings thanks to knocking off previously ranked Upland for the second time this season (5-4).  They also won 2-0 over Alta Loma earlier in the week. Earlier this season they won 5-1 over Granite Hills. Which leads us to the next team....

21. (NR) Granite Hills (El Cajon), 10-4
Classification: San Diego Section Open

The Eagles staged a spectacular comeback in beating Cathedral Catholic, winning 6-4 over Cathedral Catholic after trailing 5-0 early on. That's worth an entrance to the rankings. They also own a win over previously ranked Vista.

22. (NR) Banning (Wilmington), 12-4
Classification: Los Angeles City Section I

The Pilots have the respect of the LA Times and a win over Chatsworth Charter. Two losses at the Blazer Spring Bash this past week in Las Vegas hurt their ranking a little, but coach John Gonzalez has a quality squad down near the Port of Los Angeles.

23. (10) Chatsworth Charter (Chatsworth), 15-4-1
Classification: Los Angeles City Section I

The Chancellors beat Brimingham 10-0, then came out and lost 5-4. A trip to the Blazer Spring Bash netted them wins over Desert Oasis and Durango of Las Vegas, but they lost 8-5 to Arbor View of Las Vegas. Their loss to Banning also hurt their spot here.

24. (NR) Valhalla (El Cajon), 11-5
Classification: San Diego Section I

The Norsemen enter thanks to wins over Clovis North (10-1) and Carlsbad (1-0) in the past week. Their loss was  5-4 to Otay Ranch, not bad, either.

25. (NR) Chino Hills, 14-3
Classification: Southern Section II

The Huskies beat then-No. 16 South Hills by a 6-1 score to get their name in the running. The 14-3 record is solid as well.