High school baseball rankings: Former No. 1 Buford drops in MaxPreps Top 25 following first loss, playoff elimination

Pope (Marietta, Ga.) proved to be a giant killer last week, knocking off the top team in the MaxPreps Top 25 high school baseball rankings. The Greyhounds handled previously unbeaten Buford in three-game series during the second round of the Georgia AAAAAA baseball playoffs.

Buford won the first game, 8-1, but lost in the final inning of the other two games. Pope won 1-0 in the 10th inning of the second game, handing Buford its first loss of the season after 32 straight wins. Pope then scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning for a 5-3 win that ended Buford's season.

Winning big games is nothing new to Pope. The Greyhounds won back-to-back Class AAAAAA championships in 2017 and 2018. They enter the rankings at No. 13. Allatoona, a team that has defeated Pope twice this year, joins the rankings this week at No. 12. Buford fell to No. 14, one spot ahead of Baylor (Chattanooga, Tenn.). Buford has a win over Parkview (Lilburn, Ga.), a team that defeated Baylor in an interstate.

The loss allowed Friendswood (Texas) to move up to the No. 1 spot. The Mustangs are 26-0 and have the program's most wins since 2008 when they went 27-12.

Pope, Allatoona and Auburn (Ala.) were the only new teams this week. Pleasant Grove (Utah) dropped out after two losses to American Fork while Columbus North (Ind.) dropped out after a loss to Noblesville. Farragut (Knoxville, Tenn.) also fell out of the rankings for the first time this year after a loss to Hardin Valley.

Dropped out: Pleasant Grove (Utah); Columbus North (Columbus, Ind.), Farragut (Knoxville, Tenn.)

Game of the Week: Pope 5, Buford 3. One day after handing the No. 1 team in the nation its first loss of the season in a 10-inning, 1-0 win, Pope ended Buford's season with a pair of runs in the seventh for a 5-3 win. Two walks, a single and a fielder's choice loaded the bases for Riley Frost who hit a line drive to left field that scored two. Pope set down Buford in the bottom of the seventh to end the game.

Player of the Week: Malachi Lott, Gregory Portland. In picking up a playoff win over Veterans Memorial, Lott got the victory, striking out 9. He also went 4-for-4 with a triple, a home run and 5 RBI.

Recruit Watch: Max Muncy, Thousand Oaks. Muncy had a home run and a grand slam in Thousand Oaks' two wins over Westlake on Wednesday and Thursday. Muncy is batting .485 on the season with 29 RBI and 6 home runs.

Game to Watch: Barbe vs. Sam Houston. The two Lake Charles rivals meet in the Class 5A state semifinal on Thursday. The two teams split their two matchups earlier in the season with Barbe winning 8-2 and Sam Houston winning 6-4.

Milestones: Billy Jack Bowen of Silo became the nation's all-time winningest high school baseball coach, when including fall and spring seasons. Bowen, in his 35th year at Silo, passed Eddie Collins of Latta on April 19 in a doubleheader sweep of Howe. Collins, who didn't coach in the spring, had retired after the 2020 season with 2,122 career wins. Collins had taken the lead from Murl Bowen (2,115 wins), Billy Jack Bowen's uncle, mid-September of 2020. Bowen's Silo team won its regional championship, giving him 2,132 career wins and counting. Silo will play in the Oklahoma Class 2A state tournament this week.

Streaks: Webster (Wis.) upped its record to 6-0 on the season to give it 43 straight wins. Webster is one win ahead of Roff (Okla.), which finished the 2021 season undefeated (33-0) with an Oklahoma Class B state championship. Roff had won its last six games of the 2019 season and all three of the games it played in 2020 before COVID ended the season.
MaxPreps Top 25 high school baseball rankings

1. Friendswood (Texas)
Record: 26-0 | Last week: 2
Results: Def. Nederland, 10-0, 5-0.
Stats: Jacob Rogers threw a two-hitter with seven strikeouts in the 5-0 win. Dylan Maxcey added a double with three RBI. Maxcey went 3-for-3 with a double, a grand slam and six RBI in the second game. Jaxson Burch tossed a one-hitter in the 10-0 win.
Next: Sat. vs. Fulshear

2. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)
Record: 23-2 | Last week: 3
Next: Season over

3. Barbe (Lake Charles, La.)
Record: 37-2 | Last week: 4
Results: Def. Haughton, 4-3, 5-1.
Stats: Jack Walker upped his record to 13-0 with a 4-3 win over Haughton that included 11 strikeouts. Gavin Guidry got the win in the second game, striking out nine.
Next: Thur. vs. Sam Houston

4. Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.)
Record: 26-2 | Last week: 5
Results: Def. Brandon, 7-1.
Stats: Nick Rodriguez was 4-for-4 with a double and three RBI in the win.
Next: Tue. vs. Jefferson.

5. Madison Central (Madison, Miss.)
Record: 26-1 | Last week: 6
Results: Def. South Panola, 26-5, 11-0.
Stats: Ross Highfill was 4-for-4 with a double and six RBI while Braden Montgomery was 3-for-4 with two doubles and three RBI in the 26-5 win. Highfill also had a home run and three RBI in the 11-0 win.
Next: Thur. vs. Starkville.

6. St. Mary Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.)
Record: 27-1 | Last week: 7
Results: Def. Brother Rice, 11-0, 12-1; def. De La Salle Collegiate, 4-1, 10-0.
Stats: Alex Mooney hit his third grand slam of the season and Ryan McKay also homered in the 11-0 win over Brother Rice. Jake Dresselhouse homered in the second game. Dresselhouse and Mooney each hit a home run in the 10-0 win over De La Salle.
Next: Tue. vs. Grand Blanc; Wed. vs. Dexter.

7. Thousand Oaks (Calif.)
Record: 19-0 | Last week: 8
Results: Def. Westlake, 10-8, 8-2; def. Calabasas, 11-0.
Stats: Maxwell Muncy homered in the first game while Dylan Jackson went 4-for-4 with a double and three RBI. Muncy added a grand slam in the second game.
Next: Wed./Fri. vs. Calabasas.

8. Stoneman Douglas (Parkland, Fla.)
Record: 24-2 | Last week: 9
Results: Def. Santaluces, 9-0.
Stats: Santiago Ordonez had a double and two home runs in the win while Gavin Conticello had one home run.
Next: Wed. vs. Park Vista

9. Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.)
Record: 19-2 | Last week: 10
Results: Def. Mountain Ridge, 3-2; 7-3.
Stats: Brock Selvidge got the 7-3 win, striking out 12. He also had a double and a home run and three RBI.
Next: Tue. vs. Basha

10. Gregory-Portland (Portland, Texas)
Record: 31-2-1 | Last week: 11
Results: Def. Veterans Memorial, 9-0, 11-3.
Stats: Robbie Spencer struck out 10 and also had a triple in the first game. Malachi Lott got the win in the second game, striking out nine. He also wet 4-for-4 with a triple, a home run and five RBI.
Next: Thur. vs. Sharyland

11. Lakeland Christian (Lakeland, Fla.)
Record: 26-1 | Last week: 12
Results: Def. Calvary Christian, 8-3.
Stats: Carson Byrd, Brody Donay and Hunter Laurell all hit home runs in the win.
Next: Tue. vs. Berkeley Prep

12. Allatoona (Acworth, Ga.)
Record: 29-5 | Last week: NR
Results: Def. Winder-Barrow, 7-6, 12-1.
Stats: William Mosley went 2-for-4 with three RBI in the 12-1 win while Aidan Jolley had a double and a home run in the 7-6 victory.
Next: Tue. vs. Glynn Academy

13. Pope (Marietta, Ga.)
Record: 27-9 | Last week: NR
Results: Lost to Buford, 8-1, def. Buford 1-0, 5-3.
Stats: Peyton Cariaco had 10 strikeouts in nine innings pitched in a 1-0 win. Riley Frost went 3-for-4 with two RBI in the 5-3 victory.
Next: Tue. vs. Glynn Academy

14. Buford (Ga.)
Record: 32-2 | Last week: 1
Results: Def. Pope 8-1, lost to Pope, 1-0, 5-3.
Stats: Jax Brockett had 13 strikeouts in 1-0 loss.
Next: Season over.

15. Baylor (Chattanooga, Tenn.)
Record: 22-4 | Last week: 13
Results: Lost to Combine Academy, 8-2; def. Combine Academy, 10-0.
Stats: Jay Dill and Cooper Kinney both hit home runs in the win over Combine Academy.
Next: Postseason TBD

16. Lake Travis (Austin, Texas)
Record: 29-4-2 | Last week: 14
Results: Def. Vista Ridge, 10-1, 3-1.
Stats: Luke Jackson struck out 11 in the 10-1 victory. Ethan Roark struck out 11 in the second game.
Next: Fri vs. Churchill

17. Reagan (San Antonio, Texas)
Record: 31-3 | Last week: 15
Results: Def. New Braunfels 7-0, 2-1.
Stats: Cohen Feser allowed three hits and struck out nine in the 7-0 win.
Next: Fri. vs. Cedar Ridge.

18. Buchanan (Clovis, Calif.)
Record: 17-1 | Last week: 18
Results: Def. Clovis, 10-5, 7-6, 12-1.
Stats: Drew Smith had four RBI in the first game, Corbin Ybarra went 3-for-3 with two doubles and three RBI in the second game and Temo Becerra had a double in all three games.
Next: Tue./Thur./Sat. vs. Central (Fresno).

19. Roff (Okla.)
Record: 33-0 | Last week: 19
Results: Won Oklahoma Class B championship with 12-2 win over Red Oak; def. Boswell, 15-0; def. Tupelo, 6-0.
Stats: Drew Sheppard hit a home run against Boswell. Trayson Miller had a double and a triple against Red Oak.
Next: Season over, Oklahoma Class B state champion.

20. Parkview Baptist (Baton Rouge, La.)
Record: 32-1 | Last week: 17
Results: Lost to E.D. White 3-2; def. E.D. White 5-2, 9-6.
Stats: Brennan Holt, Caleb Stelly and Ty Watson each hit home runs in the 9-6 win.
Next: Thur. vs. Teurlings Catholic

21. Trinity (Louisville, Ky.)
Record: 23-1 | Last week: 21
Results: Def. Shelby County, 9-1; Oldham County 5-1; Pleasure Ridge Park, 9-8; Somerset, 10-1.
Stats: Daylen Lile hit a double, triple and home run against Shelby County. Korbyn Dickerson had a home run against PRP and Somerset.
Next: Tue. vs. Silver Creek, Wed. vs. Bardstown, Thur. vs. Christian Academy of Louisville.

22. Puyallup (Wash.)
Record: 16-0 | Last week: 23
Results: Did not play
Next: Postseason TBD

23. St. Christopher's (Richmond, Va.)
Record: 17-0-1 | Last week: 24
Results: Def. Woodberry Forest, 22-0; def. Greenbrier Christian Academy, 10-4.
Stats: Griffin O'Ferrall had a grand slam against Woodberry Forest.
Next: Tue./Fri. vs. St. Anne's Belfield.

24. Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.)
Record: 19-2 | Last week: 25
Results: Def. Mater Dei, 1-0, 13-8, 5-1.
Stats: Justin DeCriscio went 3-for-4 in the 5-1 win. Ryan White had a home run and Max Andeel had a triple and four RBI in the 13-8 win.
Next: Tue./Wed./Sat. vs. Santa Margarita.

25. Auburn (Ala.)
Record: 32-6 | Last week: NR
Results: lost to Daphne 3-2, def. Daphne 9-2, 8-0.
Next: Fri. vs. Central (Phenix City)