Baseball is a sport filled with superstitions, and one of them is to not mention when a pitcher is throwing a perfect game.
In that same vein, we hesitate to mention that the Sumrall Bobcats could make history in the next few weeks, lest we jinx their chances of breaking a national record. With 11 more wins this year, the Bobcats can tie the record of 75 consecutive wins, set by Homer, Michigan, in 2005. according to the National Federation of High Schools.
Sumrall has 64 wins to its credit which ranks in a tie for fifth place on the all-time list.
As for the rest of this week's rankings, three teams move in, replacing Columbus, which lost twice last week, Lakewood and Bishop Amat. Sts. Neuman & Goretti moves into the Xcellent 25 after knocking off Germantown Academy for supremacy in the Philadelphia area. Crespi, the winner of the National Classic in Orange County, also moves in, along with Jesuit, which has won 20 straight games.
MAXPREPS XCELLENT 25 HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL NATIONAL RANKINGS
1. (1) Sumrall (Miss.), 22-0
The Bobcats won four more games and closed to within 11 wins of the all-time national winning streak of 75. Included in the week's wins was an impressive 9-0 victory over Oak Grove (Hattiesburg, Miss.) (16-5 on the season). Chad Guice and Connor Baron both had home runs in the win over Oak Grove while Jackson Posey was 3-for-4 with four RBI and a double. Luke Lowery went the distance, striking out 12 and allowing just two hits. Sumrall also defeated Seminary (Miss.) 6-0 and 14-1 and topped Forrest County Agricultural (Brooklyn, Miss.) 14-5.
2. (2) Walsh Jesuit (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio), 6-0
The Warriors swept a doubleheader with Nordonia (Macedonia, Ohio), 8-3 and 12-2, and also walloped Steele (Amherst, Ohio) 16-2. Johnny Fasola had two home runs in the victory over Steele and Tyler Skulina picked up the pitching win while striking out six batters. Greg Greve had two singles and a double with three RBI in the 8-3 win over Nordonia while Ryan Berry had two doubles and four RBI in the second game.
3. (3) Menchville (Newport News, Va.), 8-0
The Monarchs defeated Deep Creek (Chesapeake, Va.) 6-0 in their only game last week. Austin Chrismon hit a home run and had two RBI while Deshorn Lake also had a pair of runs batted in. Lake also got the win, striking out five in two innings pitched. Chrismon also had five strikeouts in three innings on the mound.
4. (5) Serra (San Mateo, Calif.), 17-0
The Padres remained unbeaten with three nonleague wins last week. Serra thumped Sacred Heart Prep (Atherton, Calif.) 12-1 with Sean McMillan blasting a home run and a double. Matt Page added a triple and a double. In a 6-3 win over Burlingame (Calif.), Serra rallied for three runs in the sixth inning to break a tie ballgame. The Padres also defeated St. Mary's (Stockton, Calif.) from the Sac Joaquin Section 8-3.
5. (7) Heritage (Colleyville, Texas), 23-1-1
The Panthers won twice last week, belting Grapevine (Texas) 14-1 with Keaton Hicks and Rylan Patel each hitting two home runs apiece, and topping Fossil Ridge (Keller, Texas) 7-2 on triples by winning pitcher Austin Kubitza and Cal Bailey.
6. (8) Sarasota (Fla.), 18-0
The Sailors ran their record to 18-0 with a win over North Port (Fla.) and an 11-6 win over Countryside (Clearwater, Fla.). Brandon Haarer knocked in four runs and hit a home run and Sean Hurley had three basehits in the victory. Dayan Rodriguez gained the mound victory.
7. (9) Archbishop Mitty (San Jose, Calif.), 17-1
The Monarchs did not play last week, but they head back into West Catholic Athletic League action this week against Valley Christian (San Jose, Calif.) and Sacred Heart Cathedral (San Francisco). 
Archbishop Mitty of San Jose, Calif., now 17-1, heads back into West Catholic Athletic League play this week.
File photo by John O
8. (11) McAllen (Texas), 24-2
The Bulldogs received an outstanding effort from Alexis Garza in a 9-7 win over Sharyland (Mission, Texas) as he gained the pitching win and also went 3-for-3 with a home run, a double and five RBI to keep the Bulldogs undefeated in District 30-5A play.
9. (12) Rockwall-Heath (Rockwall, Texas), 27-0
The Hawks won twice last week, beating Greenville (Texas) 19-7 behind Jovan Hernandez's home run and two doubles, and edging Rockwall (Texas) 4-3 with Hernandez hitting a double and gaining the pitching win.
10. (13) Canyon del Oro (Tucson, Ariz.), 20-1
The Dorados continued to score in bunches, whipping Flowing Wells (Tucson, Ariz.) 11-0, Amphitheater (Tucson, Ariz.) 10-0 and Prescott (Ariz.) 16-1. Ryan Cota hit a home run and a double and three RBI against Flowing Wells while Corey Fujimoto and Hayden Cota-Robles each had three RBI against Amphitheater. Ryan Gerber contributed four RBI on three hits in the Prescott victory.
11. (4) Wando (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.), 16-1
The Warriors suffered their first loss of the season, falling to Grassfield (Chesapeake, Va.) 3-2 at the Hanahan Invitational. Wando bounced back to defeat St. Edward (Lakewood, Ohio) 8-1 and also had a win over Hickory Grove Christian (Charlotte, N.C.), 6-5. Against Hickory Grove, Taylor Forcier had a home run and Evan Hunt had a game-winning RBI in the seventh to give the Warriors the come-from-behind victory.
12 (14) Bolles (Jacksonville, Fla.), 18-2
The Bulldogs won twice last week, beating Eagle's Landing (McDonough, Ga.) 10-0 and Episcopal (Jacksonville, Fla.) 5-3. David Perkins hit one out against Eagle's Landing, giving him seven on the season, while D.J. Stewart and Hayden Hurst each had two RBI against Episcopal.
13. (16) Farragut (Knoxville, Tenn.), 18-2
The Admirals won a pair of district games, whipping West (Knoxville, Tenn.) 12-2 and Heritage (Maryville, Tenn.) 18-2. Jordan Caughron had a home run while Ethan Bennett had a grand slam and Nick Williams had a home run for the Admirals, who scored 10 runs in the third inning against Heritage.
14. (17) Pelham (Ala.), 33-2
The Panthers won their 23rd game in a row with a 9-5 win over Oxford (Ala.) in the second game of a doubleheader. Pelham also won the first game 4-0. Reed Bright had a home run in the first game while Michael Bishop had a home run and four RBI in the nightcap. Tripp Martin got the pitching win, striking out nine in six innings.
15. (NR) Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.), 21-1
The Tigers won their 20th straight game with an 18-4 win over Knoxville Catholic (Tenn.) in the Jesuit Easter Tournament. Jesuit also topped St. John's (Washington, D.C.) 21-4, Bishop McLaughlin Catholic (Spring Hill, Fla.) 10-0 and Gonzaga (Washington, D.C.) 9-1. Max Beerman and Bobby Eveld both had home runs in the win over Knoxville Catholic while Chris Reinhardt homered against St. John's.
16. (18) Klein (Texas), 20-3
The Bearcats won their only reported game from last week, topping Tomball (Texas) 5-3 on a home run by Eric Fisher, who also struck out five batters in picking up the mound win.
17. (19) Pace (Fla.), 20-2
The Patriots picked up three wins last week, dropping Tate (Cantonment, Fla.) 10-3, Milton (Fla.) 13-11 and Pine Forest (Pensacola, Fla.) 10-0. Addison Russell notched his ninth home run of the season in the victory over Pine Forest. C.T. Bradford had a walk-off home run in the victory over Milton.
18. (20) Lake Wales (Fla.), 18-2
The Highlanders won their only game last week, defeating Sebring (Fla.) 10-1.
19. (21) Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.), 19-2
The Huskies swept a doubleheader from Desert Vista (Phoenix, Ariz.), winning 8-1 and 6-1. Ryan Casillas had a home run and three RBI in the first game while Jorge Flores hit one out in the second game.
20. (22) Madison Central (Miss.), 19-1
The Jaguars won three times, taking a doubleheader from Murrah (Jackson, Miss.) 12-2 and 13-3, and knocking off Hernando (Miss.) 11-0. Peyton Johnson, Connor Goodspeed and Parker Harrison all had two RBI apiece in the 13-3 win and Ryan Bolden had a double and a triple with three RBI in the Hernando victory.
21. (NR) Sts. Neumann & Goretti [John & Maria] (Philadelphia), 7-0
Mark Donato struck out 10 Germantown Academy batters to pick up the win and keep the Saints undefeated. The Saints will likely take over the No. 1 ranking in the Philadelphia area this week.
22. (6) Germantown Academy (Fort Washington, Pa.), 13-1
The Patriots dropped a 5-3 decision to Neumann-Goretti, the No. 2-ranked team in the Philadelphia area by the Inquirer, despite a triple by Sean Coyle and a three-hit pitching performance by Keenan Kish. Germantown Academy also defeated Hill (Pottstown, Pa.) 9-8 and Pennsbury (Fairless Hills, Pa.) 6-0. Ryan Dolan had a home run for the Patriots against Hill School and Coyle had a double and a home run against Pennsbury.
23. (24) St. Francis (Mountain View, Calif.), 16-1
The Lancers topped Los Altos (Calif.) 14-1 and Bellarmine (San Jose, Calif.) 7-1 last week and also had a 10-2 tournament win over Santa Cruz (Calif.). St. Francis has a big showdown with Serra this week.
24. (25) Brazoswood (Clute, Texas), 21-3
The Buccaneers edged Ball (Galveston, Texas) 2-0 and topped Clear Springs (League City, Texas) 6-2 to remain undefeated in District 24-5A play with an 8-0 record. Andrew Garner hit a three-run basehit to spark the win over Clear Springs.
25. (NR) Crespi (Encino, Calif.), 14-3
The Celts captured the Diamond Sports National Classic Tournament for the second time in three years with a run in the bottom of the ninth inning to defeat El Dorado (Placentia, Calif.) 2-1 in the championship game. Crespi also defeated Lutheran (Orange, Calif.) 7-6 during the tournament. Josh Mason was named the tournament MVP.
Dropped Out: (10) Columbus (Miami, Fla.), (23) Bishop Amat (La Puente, Calif.), (15) Lakewood (Calif.)
Correction: Change was made to refer to correct all-time national win streak of 75 straight games by Homer, Michigan.
