MaxPreps Southern California Top 25 high school baseball rankings

You can't deny a team on a 16-game winning streak, and you can't deny a team that beats the previous No. 2 twice in a row to take the league lead.

That's why Clovis West and Chino Hills had to bow out to make room for Norco (winning streak) and Fountain Valley (beating Huntington Beach twice). Norco is in the Cal-Hi Sports top 20 and extremely high in the MaxPreps Computer Rankings, while Fountain Valley has moved all the way to No. 2 in the LA Times rankings.

League play is just heating up in the San Diego Section, while the Central Section is getting extremely close to the playoffs.

Click here to visit the California computer rankings and click here to see the California stats leaderboard.

Wednesday matchups are not factored into this week's rankings.


1. (1) Clovis, 28-4
Classification: Central Section I
Ranks: 7 State, 24 National, 7 Xcellent 50

The Cougars are still king, and they had a week showing that they know how to win the close ones. They took two from Central (Fresno) by 3-2 and 5-3 scores, then earned a huge triumph Tuesday when they earned a walk-off 1-0 win over Buchanan in a titanic TRAC matchup. Those two meet again Friday, and then Clovis faces Clovis West.

2. (3) Rancho Bernardo (San Diego), 17-3
Classification: San Diego Section Open
Ranks: 6 State, 23 National, 14 Xcellent 50

A 9-4 win over Canyon Crest Academy is all Rancho Bernardo registered in the past week, and that kept their Palomar League record unblemished. Their schedule appears to have changed as well. They are set to play Mt. Carmel three times in the coming week.

3. (4) Harvard-Westlake (Studio City), 17-4-1
Classification: Southern Section I
Ranks: 10 State, 46 National, 37 Xcellent 50

The Wolverines are now the top team in the LA Times rankings and move up in the SoCal rankings here as well. They whacked Bishop Amat 13-1 and then edged Alemany 2-1 in a Mission League contest featuring ranked squads. Alemany, Agoura and Chaminade are on the schedule for what will be a challenging week.

4. (6) Buchanan (Clovis), 20-5
Classification: Central Section I
Ranks: 18 State, 86 National, 44 Xcellent 50

Losing 1-0 to Clovis was made even tougher because the Bears defense faltered in the walk-off loss. We can't fault them too much for losing to the top team in the region. In their favor they beat the tar out of Clovis West twice and that knocked West from the rankings: 11-1 and 10-2. It doesn't get any easier, as they have one with Clovis and one with Clovis North in the coming week.

5. (7) Cathedral Catholic (San Diego), 18-3
Classification: San Diego Section Open
Ranks: 11 State, 47 National

The Dons beat St. Augustine 3-2 and Mira Mesa 4-0 this past week, and their lead in the Eastern League is starting to look insurmountable. Cathedral Catholic is ranked second by U-T San Diego, behind Rancho Bernardo. A home game with Patrick Henry is all that's scheduled for the week.

6. (10) Temecula Valley (Temecula), 16-4
Classification: Southern Section II
Ranks: 2 State, 8 National

Yet another week of Southwestern League play leaves everybody wondering which team is the best. Temecula Valley has played well outside the league and is 4-0 against Vista Murrieta. In the last week, the Golden Bears won 11-0 over Chaparral then had to gut out a 5-4 triumph over Murrieta Mesa. A road game at Murrieta Mesa comes before a special trip to Stockton's University of the Pacific, where Temecula Valley will face Elk Grove for the title. When they come back, it's a chance to beat Great Oak for the first time this season.

7. (12) Woodrow Wilson (Long Beach), 21-4
Classification: Southern Section I
Ranks: 28 State, 130 National

The Bruins have won eight in a row and 16 of 17, and pretty much all of that has come in low-scoring games. They beat Trabuco Hills 4-2, Glenn 4-0 and Lakewood 2-0. A league game with Cabrillo (Long Beach) is on the schedule, as is the final of the Redondo Tournament against Cypress.

8. (11) JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano), 15-5
Classification: Southern Section I
Ranks: 12 State, 53 National

The Lions beat St. John Bosco 5-4 and 8-4 in Trinity League play and had a game with Servite where a result hasn't been entered yet. This week has Servite and Santa Margarita on the schedule as the Lions continue to lead a league that overall has been pedestrian.

9. (NR) Fountain Valley, 15-6
Classification: Southern Section I
Ranks: 24 State, 121 National

We welcome the Barons, who have skyrocketed up the LA Times rankings all the way to second. While their two-game sweep of Huntington Beach was indeed impressive (9-7 and 6-0), the entire resume doesn't seem to equal up to such a lofty ranking. Fountain Valley is scheduled to play two with Newport Harbor but the schedule shows two games on the same date and time, but in different places. Their 9-1 record leads the Sunset League.

10. (2) Huntington Beach, 15-4
Classification: Southern Section I
Ranks: 9 State, 40 National

A schedule update cost them two wins, and they lost 9-7 and 6-0 to Fountain Valley. And they fell out of the Xcellent 50, plus lost first place in the Sunset League. Yeah, it was a bit of a tough week for the Oilers. They will look to rebound with a home game against intracity rival Marina.

11. (8) Hart (Newhall), 16-3-1
Classification: Southern Section I
Ranks: 27 State, 126 National

The Indians had to settle for a split when facing Valencia, losing 10-6 before bouncing back with a 3-2 victory. They have a home-and-home with West Ranch this coming week and they had better be careful, as West Ranch was ranked at one point. Four teams all have legitimate shots at the Foothill League title.

12. (13) Otay Ranch (Chula Vista), 16-5
Classification: San Diego Section I
Ranks: 75 State, 441 National

An 18-1 beatdown of Olympian was all that happened in the last week, the third-straight contest that saw the Mustangs score in double digits. And we may see more of it, as they face OIympian two more times this week.

13. (NR) Norco, 18-2
Classification: Southern Section I
Ranks: 5 State, 20 National

The Cougars can not be denied. They entered the Cal-Hi Sports state rankings and continue to climb in the MaxPreps Computer Rankings and the LA Times rankings. Norco has a current 16-game winning streak and will look to maintain it with two games against Corona.

14. (14) Great Oak (Temecula), 16-6
Classification: Southern Section II
Ranks: 1 State, 2 National

This is not the best baseball team in California. The computer may say so but when you lose to the penultimate team in the league standings you can't be the best in the Golden State. Great Oak did win 4-3 over Vista Murrieta to start the week but lost 6-5 to Chaparral. Still this squad holds a 3-0 record over Vista Murrieta and 2-0 vs. Temecula Valley. There should be one more with Chaparral and one with Temecula Valley this week.

15. (9) Vista Murrieta (Murrieta), 14-5
Classification: Southern Section II
Ranks: 4 State, 13 National

The Broncos lost 4-3 to Great Oak then rebounded with a tight 1-0 win over Murrieta Valley, another great team in the Southwestern League. One more with Murrieta Valley and then one with Murrieta Mesa await.

16. (17) Dana Hills (Dana Point), 19-5
Classification: Southern Section II
Ranks: 15 State, 75 National

The Dolphins got by Laguna Hills by 8-3 and 1-0 scores, then earned a nonleague victory over Covina in a 12-2 triumph. They have two games against San Juan Hills and one with Trabuco Hills as well this week. Their lead in the Sea View League looks insurmountable.

17. (18) Clovis North (Fresno), 18-7
Classification: Central Section I
Ranks: 25 State, 122 National

The Broncos did what they were supposed to do: They beat up on the last-place team in their league. They won 11-7 and 10-2 over Clovis East. They have two with Central, the other weaker team in the league, before a huge matchup with Buchanan on Tuesday of next week.

18. (21) Chatsworth Charter, 20-4-1
Classification: Los Angeles City Section I
Ranks: 23 State, 113 National

The Chancellors have won five in a row after taking down Cleveland (12-0 and 4-0) and Poly of Sun Valley (12-0), all in shutouts. They have two games against Granada Hills scheduled and one against Santa Barbara. We're waiting for a big league matchup with El Camino Real coming up later this season.

19. (22) Glendora, 16-5
Classification: Southern Section II
Ranks: 31 State, 139 National

The Tartans won 6-3 over Rancho Cucamonga and 8-1 over Etiwanda to open a 3.5-game lead in the Baseline League. They will face Etiwanda once and Los Osos once in the next week, though wildfire issues in the area could hamper things.

20. (5) Loyola (Los Angeles), 15-2-1
Classification: Southern Section I
Ranks: 33 State, 157 National

The Cubs lost to Bishop Amat by a 7-4 score at USC to start the week and then went down 4-2 in a loss to Santa Monica. They did rebound with wins over El Segundo (3-2) and Notre Dame (7-4) but the damage was done. This team's lack of a signature win over a ranked team will hold it back in the rankings.

21. (23) Granite Hills (El Cajon), 14-6
Classification: San Diego Section Open
Ranks: 19 State, 96 National

The Eagles won three tight games in the past week, continuing a solid season. They won twice at Steele Canyon (3-2, 5-3) then followed that up with a 6-3 victory over Grossmont. Two games with Helix await in the coming week.

22. (19) Valhalla (El Cajon), 14-6-1
Classification: San Diego Section I
Ranks: 35 State, 163 National

The Norsemen had to fall back a bit after a 2-1 week. They shut out Grossmont by a 4-0 score but then lost 1-0 in the second game of their series. They came back in a huge way when they blasted Helix by a 12-0 score. Two games with West Hills are scheduled for this week - and then Granite Hills next week.

23. (20) Carlsbad, 17-5
Classification: San Diego Section Open
Ranks: 26 State, 124 National

The Lancers won all three of their games this past week but had to be adjusted a bit in the overall scheme of things. Their earlier loss to Valhalla necessitated putting them lower than the Norsemen. Carlsbad won 12-0 and 5-1 over Fallbrook and then beat Rancho Buena Vista 3-2. Two more with RBV and one against a tough El Camino (Oceanside) squad await.

24. (25) Alemany (Mission Hills), 16-5-2
Classification: Southern Section I
Ranks: 44 State, 234 National

The Warriors' trip to a tournament at Righetti wasn't on the schedule so we were surprised to see four games. And they played well there, winning against St. Bonaventure (8-2), Lompoc (8-0), Paso Robles (11-1) and tying against Lakewood (1-1). Then they lost 2-1 to Harvard-Westlake. There's no time to relax, with one more against H-W and one against Loyola in the coming week.

25. (16) Frontier (Bakersfield), 21-6
Classification: Central Section I
Ranks: 85 State, 495 National

The Titans barely held on to a rankings spot, as they lost 3-1 to Stockdale (Bakersfield). They did win 6-5 over Bakersfield earlier. Their saving grace is the fact that Clovis West had a brutal week and that the Fresno Bee has Frontier ranked higher than Clovis West. Next up are Stockdale and Independence.