Pensacola Catholic crowned national champion in Final 2013 MaxPreps Top 50 National High School Baseball Rankings

Pensacola Catholic (Fla.) has been crowned as the MaxPreps Xcellent 50 National Champion in the final rankings of the 2013 season.

The Crusaders finished their season nearly a month ago, but the northern states only completed their baseball season last week with Indiana and Michigan both crowning champions who moved up in this week's final rankings.

Pensacola Catholic had no challengers over the final few weeks, although Harvard-Westlake did come close after winning the Southern Section Division I championship.

The only teams making a move this week were Bay City Western (Auburn, Mich.) and Elkhart Central (Elkhart, Ind.). Bay City Western won the Division I state championship in Michigan and moved up to No. 16. Meanwhile Elkhart Central topped previously undefeated Indianapolis Cathedral in the Indiana Class 4A championship and moves up to No. 17. Indianapolis Cathedral dropped to No. 28.



These are the final rankings of the 2013 baseball season. MaxPreps will begin announcing its All-American teams starting June 24.

Final 2013 MaxPreps Xcellent 50 National Baseball Rankings

*State champion

*1. (1 last week) Pensacola Catholic (Fla.), 30-0
Florida 4A state champions. Avery Geyer selected player of the year by Pensacola News Journal, coach Richard LaBounty named coach of the year.

*2. (2) Owasso (Okla.), 36-0
Oklahoma Class 6A champion. Austin O'Brien selected Gatorade State Player of the Year. Coach Larry Turner named state coach of the year by Oklahoma City Oklahoman.

3. (3) Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.), 28-4
Southern Section Division I champion. Pitcher Jack Flaherty named player of the year by the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Daily News and the Southern Section.

*4. (4) Venice (Fla.), 29-3
Florida Class 7A champion. Pitcher Cooper Hammond was named Class 7A player of the year by the Florida Dairy Farmers while coach Craig Faulkner was the 7A coach of the year.



5. (5) The Woodlands (Texas), 38-4
Texas Class 5A champion. Pitcher Ryan Burnett selected to Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association All-State first team, pitcher Carter Hope selected to the third team.

6. (6) Mater Dei (Santa Ana, Calif.), 24-3
Season over. Third baseman Ryan McMahon named county player of the year by the Orange County Register.

*7. (7) Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati), 31-2-1
Ohio Division I state champion. Catcher Cameron Whitehead, infielder Riley Mahan earn Division I All-Ohio second team honors.

*8. (8) Tomball (Texas), 34-4
Texas Class 4A champion. Outfielder Nick Banks, shortstop Anthony Lucas earn first team honors from Texas High School Baseball Coaches Association.

*9. (9) Lexington (S.C.), 28-5
South Carolina Class 4A state champion. Nick Ciuffo named state player of the year by Gatorade and the South Carolina Coaches Association.

*10. (10) Desert Mountain (Scottsdale, Ariz.), 31-4
Arizona Division I state champions. Ben Rodriguez (C), David Greer (IF) and Cody Erickson (IF) earned first team all-state honors from Arizona Republic.



*11. (11) Magnolia Heights (Senatobia, Miss.), 37-0
MAIS Class AAA II state champion. Jacob Billingsley (P) and Dalton Skelton (IF) earn all-state honors from Jackson Clarion-Ledger.

*12. (12) Lake Brantley (Altamonte Springs, Fla.), 27-5
Florida Class 8A state champion. Pitcher Mitchell Jordan named Central Florida Player of the Year by Orlando Sentinel.

*13. (13) Coronado (Henderson, Nev.), 36-4
Nevada Class 4A state champions. Chandler Blanchard named state player of the year by the Las Vegas Review Journal.

14. (14) St. Francis (Mountain View, Calif.), 29-4
Central Coast Section Division I champions. John Gavin, Michael Strem, Hunter Simmons, Chris Baker and Austin Guibor earn all-league status.

*15. (15) Archbishop McCarthy (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 22-5-1
Florida Class 6A state champion. Pitcher Brian Gonzalez, catcher Mike Hernandez, outfielder Aaron Soto and outfielder Brandon Vicens earn All-Broward County honors from Miami Herald.

*16. (23) Bay City Western (Auburn, Mich.), 41-2
Defeated Brother Rice (Bloomfield Hills) 1-0 for the Division 1 state championship.

*17. (25) Elkhart Central (Elkhart, Ind.), 32-1
Captured the Indiana 4A state championship with a 1-0 win over previously undefeated Indianapolis Cathedral.



18. (16) Fort Bend Dulles (Sugar Land, Texas), 32-8
Season over. Pitcher Dakota Mills and outfielder Darryn Sheppard earn first team all-state honors from Texas Baseball Coaches Association.

*19. (17) Flora (Columbia, S.C.), 26-6
South Carolina Class 3A state champion. Madison Stokes and Matt Wallace earn all-state honors from South Carolina Coaches Association.

*20. (18) Howell (St. Charles, Mo.), 33-5
Missouri Division 5 champion. Calvin Munson, Eli Dilday, Zac Perkins, and Nic Perkins earn all-state honors from Missouri High School Baseball Coaches Association.

21. (19) Rancho Bernardo (San Diego), 30-5
San Diego Section Open Division champion. Gosuke Katoh was named MVP of the Palomar League.

*22. (20) Milton (Ga.), 31-9-1
Georgia Class 6A champion. Milton returns eight starters, including twins Dylan and Alec Cease.

*23. (22) Gloucester Catholic (Gloucester City, N.J.), 29-5
New Jersey Non-Public A champion. Gloucester Catholic wins fourth straight state championship.



*24. (24) ThunderRidge (Highlands Ranch, Colo.), 21-5
Colorado 5A state champion. Catcher Jake Hand and shortstop Brody Westmoreland earn all-state status from Denver Post while coach Joe White is chosen coach of the year.

*25. (26) Christian Brothers (Memphis, Tenn.), 35-7
Tennessee Division II AA state champion. CBHS wins 11th state title in school history.

The Next 25

26. (27) Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village, Colo.), 21-4
Season over.

27. (28) Mosley (Lynn Haven, Fla.), 28-4
Season over.

28. (21) Indianapolis Cathedral, 28-1
Lost to Elkhart Central 1-0 in the Class 4A championship game.



*29. (29) Atlantic Shores Christian (Chesapeake, Va.), 33-2
VISAA Division II state champion.

*30. (30) Mount Carmel (Chicago), 33-8
Illinois Class 4A state champion.

*31. (31) Southaven (Miss.), 25-8
Mississippi Class 6A state champion.

*32. (32) Pope (Marietta, Ga.), 28-10
Georgia Class 5A state champion.

33. (33) Martin (Arlington, Texas), 36-8-1
Lost to Fort Bend Dulles (Sugar Land) in Class 5A semifinals.

34. (34) Carroll (Southlake, Texas), 34-6-1
Season over.



35. (35) Harrison Central (Gulfport, Miss.), 28-5
Season over.

*36. (36) Ponte Vedra (Fla.), 21-11
Florida Class 5A state champion.

37. (37) Estero (Fla.), 22-10
Season over.

38. (38) Durant (Plant City, Fla.), 25-6
Season over.

39. (39) Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.), 27-3
Season over.

40. (40) American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.), 25-3
Season over.



41. (41) Seton Hall Prep (West Orange, N.J.), 30-2
Season over.

42. (42) St. Joseph Regional (Montvale, N.J.), 29-2
Season over.

*43. (43) Fayetteville (Ark.), 27-2
Arkansas Class 7A state champion.

*44. (44) Seaman (Topeka, Kan.), 23-2
Kansas Class 5A state champion.

*45. (45) Pelham (Ala.), 31-11
Alabama Class 6A state champion.

46. (46) Marina (Huntington Beach, Calif.), 22-9
Season over.



47. (47) Cypress (Calif.), 26-8
Southern Section Division II champion.

*48. (48) Hanover (Mechanicsville, Va.), 23-4
Virginia AAA state champion.

*49. (49) Westminster Christian (St. Louis), 33-3
Missouri Class 4A state champion.

*50. (50) Charlotte Christian (N.C.), 30-4
NCISAA 3A state champion.

Dropped out: None