Harvard-Westlake (Studio City) and Thousand Oaks won California's Southern Section Division 1 and 2 championships respectively last week, but they are guaranteed not to win the regional championships hosted by the CIF this week. That's because both declined the invitation to play in the event.
Harvard-Westlake, which knocked off Orange Lutheran and JSerra Catholic to win the Division 1 championship, entered the MaxPreps Top 25 high school baseball rankings this week at No. 14. JSerra Catholic dropped to No. 24 and Orange Lutheran dropped out of the rankings. Harvard-Westlake finishes the season at 29-4 since it will not be playing in the SoCal tournament.
Thousand Oaks knocked off Trabuco Hills in the Division 2 playoffs but also decided not to compete in the SoCal Division 2 tournament. Thousand Oaks finishes the season at No. 6 in the MaxPreps Top 25.
No. 13 Buchanan (Clovis, Calif.) claimed the No. 1 seed in the SoCal tournament after winning the Central Section Division 1 championship with a 17-4 whitewashing of Liberty (Bakersfield) that included five home runs. A strong finish by the Bears in the SoCal event could propel them into the top 10 in next week's final rankings of the season.
Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.)
Game of the Week: Harvard-Westlake 3, JSerra Catholic 0. The Wolverines joined the rankings for the first time this season after getting a shutout pitching performance by Christian Becerra in the Southern Section Division 1 championship game against JSerra Catholic. Two years ago, JSerra Catholic defeated Harvard-Westlake in the Division 1 final.
Player of the Week: Temo Becerra, Buchanan. Becerra highlighted a home run barrage in the Central Section Division 1 championship game against Liberty (Bakersfield) with a pair of round trippers.
Recruit watch: Daylen Lile, Trinity. After hitting a home run against Hazard in the semifinals, Lile finished the season No. 2 in the nation in home runs with 18.
Game to watch: Buchanan vs. Bishop Amat. The Lancers lost 2-1 to Orange Lutheran in the quarterfinals of the Southern Section Division 1 playoffs, giving the Central Section champion Bears a tough opening-round opponent in the Southern California Division 1 championship bracket.
Milestones: Marc Johnson of Cherry Creek is the new all-time wins leader in Colorado this season, surpassing former Eaton coach Jim Danley. Johnson passed Danley on May 12 with a 6-5 win over Grandview that gave him win No. 808. Johnson and Cherry Creek finished the season on June 14 with a loss to Valor Christian, leaving Johnson with 819 career wins.
Record setters: Danville (Ky.) lost to McCracken County in the Kentucky state semifinals but the Admirals finished the season with 86 home runs. Danville had three of the top five home run hitters in the nation, topped by national leader Christian Howe with 21, No. 3 Ethan Wood with 17 and No. 5 Preston Barnes with 16. The team total of 86 ranks No. 13 all-time in high school baseball history and is the most home runs hit by a team since 2010 when Roff (Okla.) set the national record with 131.
Streaks: Webster (Wis.) upped its win streak to 57 games with a 14-3 win over Flambeau and a 12-2 win over Bruce. Webster plays undefeated Northwood/Solon Springs today. Webster is in a three-way tie for No. 21 all-time with West Perry (Elliottsburg, Pa.), 1979-81, and Wayne (Bicknell, Utah), 2006-09.
Thousand Oaks celebrates its win in California's Southern Section Division 2 title game.
Photo by Heston Quan
1. Barbe (Lake Charles, La.)Record: 39-2 |
Last week: 1
Season complete, Class 5A state champion
2. St. Mary Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.)
Record: 43-1 |
Last week: 2
Results: Def. Huron, 5-1; def. Lakeshore, 9-0
Stats: Brock Porter struck out 11 in win over Huron.
Alex Mooney went 2-for-3 with 3 RBI in championship game against Lakeshore.
Next: Season complete, Division 2 state champion
3. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)
Record: 23-2 |
Last week: 3
Season complete
4. Stoneman Douglas (Parkland, Fla.)
Record: 28-2 |
Last week: 4
Season complete, Class 7A state champion
5. Madison Central (Madison, Miss.)
Record: 34-2 |
Last week: 5
Season complete, Class 6A state champion
6. Thousand Oaks (Calif.)Record: 29-1 |
Last week: 6
Results: Def. Bonita, 10-3; def. Trabuco Hills, 3-2
Stats: Maxwell Muncy and
Roc Riggio both homered against Bonita.
Next: Season complete, Southern Section Division 2 champion
7. Trinity (Louisville, Ky.)Record: 41-2 |
Last week: 7
Results: Def. Hazard, 12-1; def. Lyon County, 10-3; def. McCracken County, 10-0
Stats: Daylen Lile and Austin Taylor both hit home runs against Hazard;
Korbyn Dickerson Dickerson drove in 4 runs against McCracken County. Lile finished season with 18 home runs.
Next: Season complete, KHSAA state champion
8. Baylor (Chattanooga, Tenn.)Record: 27-4 |
Last week: 8
Season complete, Division II Class AA state champion
9. Roff (Okla.)Record: 33-0 |
Last week: 9
Season complete, Class B state champion
10. Liberty (Peoria, Ariz.)Record: 21-3 |
Last week: 10
Season complete, Division I state champion
11. Buford (Ga.)Record: 32-2 |
Last week: 11
Season complete
12. Jackson Prep (Jackson, Miss.)Record: 35-3 |
Last week: 12
Season complete, MAIS state champion
13. Buchanan (Clovis, Calif.)Record: 29-2 |
Last week: 13
Results: Def. Stockdale, 6-4; def. Liberty (Bakersfield), 17-4
Stats: Temo Becerra hit two home runs and
Evan Wallace,
Max Bernal and
Drew Smith each had one against Liberty.
Next: Tue. vs. Bishop Amat
14. Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.)Record: 29-4 |
Last week: NR
Results: Def. Orange Lutheran, 3-2; def. JSerra Catholic, 3-0
Next: Season complete, Southern Section Division 1 champion
15. New Albany (Ohio)Record: 29-5 |
Last week: 16
Season complete, Division 1 state champion
16. Barbers Hill (Mt. Belvieu, Texas)Record: 37-8-1 |
Last week: 17
Season complete, Class 5A state champion
17. Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.)Record: 26-3 |
Last week: 18
Season complete
18. Auburn (Ala.)Record: 36-7 |
Last week: 19
Season complete, Class 7A state champion
19. The First Academy (Orlando, Fla.)Record: 31-1 |
Last week: 20
Season complete, Class 3A state champion
20. Marist (Atlanta, Ga.)Record: 33-9 |
Last week: 21
Season complete, AAAA state champion
21. Parkview (Lilburn, Ga.)Record: 30-10 |
Last week: 22
Season complete, AAAAAAA state champion
22. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas, Nev.)Record: 18-1 |
Last week: 23
Season complete, Southern Nevada 5A regional champion
23. Rockwall-Heath (Rockwall, Texas)Record: 38-11-1 |
Last week: 24
Season complete, Class 6A state champion
24. JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.)Record: 27-7 |
Last week: 14
Results: Def. Ayala, 11-7; lost to Harvard-Westlake, 3-0
Next: Tues. vs. Liberty (Bakersfield)
25. Friendswood (Texas)
Record: 31-3 |
Last week: 25
Season complete
