MaxPreps Southern California Top 25 high school baseball rankings

The final weekend of the season has arrived and there are a lot of big names that won't be playing in those final contests.

Parity is showing its face in the Southern Section and San Diego Section, while in the LA City Section, favorite Chatsworth is one win away from the title. New teams like Aliso Niguel and La Costa Canyon are looking to complete their rapid ascents with titles.

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


1. (2) Clovis, 33-5 *Season over
Classification: Central Section I
Ranks: 1 State, 4 National, 4 Xcellent 50

The Cougars' season is over, but Rancho Bernardo's tough playoff venture secures the title for the Central Section Division I champs.

2. (6) Temecula Valley (Temecula), 23-8
Classification: Southern Section II
Ranks: 4 State, 19 National

The Golden Bears are headed back to Dodger Stadium, just like last season. They eliminated Dana Hills 2-1 in the quarterfinals then blasted Valencia 10-1 to punch their ticket to the final. The Dana Hills win was a walkoff victory. They face Aliso Niguel Friday at 5 p.m. at the home of the Dodgers.

3. (12) Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita), 19-10-1
Classification: Southern Section I
Ranks: 10 State, 47 National

Wow what an ascent. The Eagles weren't ranked this season, then have gone on a blitzkrieg in the playoffs. They will battle Foothill (another upstart) in the section final Friday at 8 p.m. under the bright lights at Dodger Stadium. They were the ones to finally beat Norco, winning 6-2, then took down Trabuco Hills by a 3-0 count in the semifinals.

4. (5) Buchanan (Clovis), 25-8 *Season over
Classification: Central Section I
Ranks: 14 State, 55 National

Season over.

5. (19) Granite Hills (El Cajon), 25-7
Classification: San Diego Section Open
Ranks: 2 State, 9 National

The SDS Open Division bracket is a little complicated, but Granite Hills has made it simple. And now the Eagles face La Costa Canyon Saturday night for the crown at the University of San Diego. The No. 2 seed won 9-2 over Rancho Buena Vista, 3-2 over Cathedral Catholic (eight innings) and then 7-6 over Cathedral Catholic again.

6. (24) Foothill (Santa Ana), 22-10
Classification: Southern Section I
Ranks: 12 State, 50 National

Here's another team we didn't see in the rankings this season, and now is set to play for a title. Foothill will battle Santa Margarita Friday at 8 p.m. at Dodger Stadium. The Knights beat ranked teams Agoura (6-2) and JSerrra Catholic (4-1) to make it to the final. That's three-consecutive wins over ranked teams for the Knights.

7. (3) Norco, 26-3 *Season over
Classification: Southern Section I
Ranks: 17 State, 71 National

The Cougars' 25-game winning streak ended with a 6-2 quarterfinal setback to Santa Margarita.

8. (NR) Aliso Niguel (Aliso Viejo), 23-9
Classification: Southern Section II
Ranks: 7 State, 38 National

The Wolverines had always been right on the cusp. They definitely can not be denied any longer. Aliso Niguel has won nine in a row and will face Temecula Valley Friday at Dodger Stadium (5 p.m.). They beat Great Oak 3-0 in the quarterfinals, then also shut out La Mirada 8-0 to reach the final. They have outscored their opponents 26-7 in four postseason contests.

9. (4) Great Oak (Temecula), 23-7 *Season over
Classification: Southern Section II
Ranks: 5 State, 28 National

The Wolf Pack (Southwestern League champions) finally saw their season end when they fell 3-0 to Aliso Niguel in the quarterfinals.

10. (NR) La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad), 21-11
Classification: San Diego Section Open
Ranks: 22 State, 96 National

Seeding evidently doesn't matter to the Mavericks, who just like Foothill and Santa Margarita have gone on a playoff bender, leaving a wake of destruction. LCC (seeded fourth) defeated Carlsbad 9-3, Mira Mesa 10-1 and former top team Rancho Bernardo 3-0. Saturday is the section final at 7 p.m. against Granite Hills.

11. (1) Rancho Bernardo (San Diego), 30-5 *Season over
Classification: San Diego Section Open
Ranks: 20 State, 88 National

The Broncos were atop these rankings last week, and had their destiny in their hands. It certainly slipped away thanks to losses to a pair of unranked teams. The top seed in the Open Division lost a 5-4 shocker to Mira Mesa right out of the gate, then fought in consolation to beat Carlsbad 8-2 before avenging that Mira Mesa loss with a 12-3 triumph. But it ended in the next round with a 3-0 loss to La Costa Canyon.

12. (7) JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano), 22-8 *Season over
Classification: Southern Section I
Ranks: 8 State, 44 National

The Lions made it to the semifinals at Blair Field, but were no match for the Foothill juggernaut. They beat Edison (Huntington Beach) 2-0 in the quarterfinals to get to that point.

13. (8) Chino Hills, 23-6 *Season over
Classification: Southern Section II
Ranks: 19 State, 85 National

The Huskies fell victim to La Mirada's playoff run, losing 1-0 with just three hits in the quarterfinals.

14. (10) Dana Hills (Dana Point), 26-8 *Season over
Classification: Southern Section II
Ranks: 29 State, 131 National

The Dolphins fell 2-1 to Temecula Valley in the quarterfinals, gathering just three hits.

15. (NR) Trabuco Hills (Mission Viejo), 24-11 *Season over
Classification: Southern Section I
Ranks: 32 State, 150 National

The Mustangs also make their first appearance in the rankings, though their season is now over. They had eliminated Loyola earlier in the tournament, then did the same to Orange Lutheran by a 3-2 score. They lost 3-0 to Santa Margarita in the semifinals.

16. (11) Orange Lutheran, 18-12 *Season over
Classification: Southern Section I
Ranks: 28 State, 126 National

The Lancers lost 3-2 to Trabuco Hills in the quarterfinals to end their season.

17. (13) Fountain Valley, 19-9 *Season over
Classification: Southern Section I
Ranks: 30 State, 144 National

Season over.

18. (14) Huntington Beach, 22-5 *Season over
Classification: Southern Section I
Ranks: 6 State, 36 National

Season over.

19. (15) Harvard-Westlake (Studio City), 22-7-1 *Season over
Classification: Southern Section I
Ranks: 37 State, 203 National

Season over.

20. (16) Loyola (Los Angeles), 23-6-1
Classification: Southern Section I
Ranks: 33 State, 169 National

Season over.

21. (23) Chatsworth Charter, 28-5-1
Classification: Los Angeles City Section I
Ranks: 34 State, 192 National

The Chancellors are still fighting for the City Section title. The blasted North Hollywood in their playoff opener, 17-1, then defeated Banning (Wilmington) 5-2 before reaching the semifinals and besting Palisades 3-2. The section final, at Dodger Stadium, will be a rematch with Birmingham on Saturday at 1 p.m.

22. (17) Clovis North (Fresno), 22-9 *Season over
Classification: Central Section I
Ranks: 23 State, 108 National

Season over.

23. (20) Vista Murrieta (Murrieta), 20-8 *Season over
Classification: Southern Section II
Ranks: 15 State, 60 National

Season over.

24. (18) Cathedral Catholic (San Diego), 25-7 *Season over
Classification: San Diego Section Open
Ranks: 16 State, 64 National

We're knocking the Dons quite low here. Their season is now over, thanks to a 2-2 mark in the Open Division playoffs. They beat Vista 8-6 to start things off, then lost 3-2 to Granite Hills in eight innings. They eliminated Vista with a 3-2 win in consolation and then faced Granite Hills yet again, losing 7-6 in the second meeting.

25. (NR) Valhalla (El Cajon), 22-12-1
Classification: San Diego Section I
Ranks: 25 State, 115 National

The Vikings are back, and they're a win away from the title in Division I. The No. 5 seed won 7-1 over Madison, 5-3 over Otay Ranch and 3-2 over St. Augustine. They lost 8-0 to Helix but had to lose twice to be eliminated, and responded with a 1-0 win in eight innings. They face Grossmont for the title Friday night.