Top baseball team in each state, 2013

Cathedral Catholic won the San Diego Section title last season and is our pick as the top team in California this season.

Photo by Steven Silva

Spruce Creek has done it. So has Oak Grove. Bishop Gorman has done it seven times in a row.

What they've all done is win a state title in 2012. All three have also landed a spot on the MaxPreps Top Team in Every State list that includes a total of 20 defending state champions.

Teams were chosen for each state except Montana and Wyoming, which don't compete in high school baseball, and Iowa, which competes in the summer.

Top baseball team in each state: 2013

Alabama – Pelham
The Panthers went 36-5 last year and reached the Class 6A quarterfinals before falling to Spain Park. Pelham returns a pitching staff headed by the state's top returning 6A pitcher in Thomas Lowery.

Alaska – Service (Anchorage)
Service finished 11-2 last season and lost in the semifinals of the Alaska state playoffs to eventual champion Juneau-Douglas. However state MVP Zach Ferntheil returns along with all-state pitcher John Meszaros and all-conference picks Jake Ridley (2B), Braden Mitchell (OF) and Matt Illalio (OF).

Arizona – Hamilton (Chandler)
Hamilton has won at least 20 games in 12 consecutive seasons and has won three state championships under coach Mike Wood. Hamilton also returns six position player starters, including second team all-state first baseman Cody Bellinger. A total of 10 wins return on the pitching staff, including Kansas commit Sean Rackoski (6-1, 1.20 ERA).

Arkansas - Bryant
The state-champion Hornets return four all-conference players from last year's 25-7 team including Hayden Daniel, Tyler Green, Trevor Ezell, and Hayden Lessenberry.

California – Cathedral Catholic (San Diego)
The Dons return an incredible 28 wins from last year's squad, including lefthanded pitcher Stephen Gonsalves (9-0), who is expected to go somewhere in the first round of the MLB draft in June. Michael Martin (7-2) and Brady Aiken (6-1) also return to give Cathedral Catholic one of the more potent pitching lineups in the nation.

Colorado – Cherry Creek (Greenwood Village)
Coach Marc Johnson has the luxury of returning eight starters from last year's state championship team, including the state's best player in pitcher Derik Beauprez (3-1, 30 K). Griffin Jax (4-0, 40 K) was one of the team's top pitchers and hitters last year while Dimitri Casas led the team in wins (6-0).

Connecticut – Shelton
Shelton picked up a state championship and went 22-5 on the year. A pair of all-conference players return, including Marcello Ursini and Ryan Testani.

Delaware – St. Mark's (Wilmington)
St. Mark's has won seven state titles since 2000, including last year when the team went 26-5 under coach Matt Smith.

Florida – Spruce Creek (Port Orange)
The surprise team in the Florida 8A playoffs last year, Spruce Creek returns as possibly the top team in the country after capturing the state championship last year. Kyle Marsh, the MaxPreps Sophomore of the Year in 2012, returns to head a pitching staff that lost just 14 innings from last year.

Georgia – Grayson (Loganville)
Austin Meadows, the nation's No. 1 recruit and a possible No. 1 overall draft pick, heads a Grayson lineup that returns eight starters from last year's squad that reached the Class 6A state semifinals. Six players on the team are headed to college next year, giving first-year coach Jed Hixson a deep and talented squad.

Hawaii – Waiakea (Hilo)
The defending state champions return the state's top player in catcher Kean Wong, along with all-conference outfielder Kori Medeiros.

Idaho – Coeur d'Alene
Inland Empire MVP Levi Pereira returns for a Coeur d'Alene team that went 24-3 last year. Also back are all-conference picks Kolby Dehaas and outfielder Nick Nyquist.

Illinois – Lyons (LaGrange)
The 2011 state champions, the Lions lost in the 2012 state finals, but return 15 lettermen including one of the state's best in P-IF Keith Lehman (.343, 36 RBI, 9-2 record, 0.86 ERA).

Indiana – Elkhart Central
Although it lost to eventual state champion Lake Central in the first round of the state playoffs, there is plenty of talent returning for the Blazers. A total of 21 wins return from last year's 24-6-1 squad, including Riley Futterknecht (8-2) and Tanner Tully (6-2) and the team's top hitter, Kaleb Defreese (.429, 22 RBI).

Kansas - Seaman (Topeka)
Seaman put four players on last year's Topeka All-City Team, including pitcher Ryan Colombo (7-1), Tyler Bushnell (.350), Butch Rea (City Player of the Year) and Chris McPherson (P).

Kentucky – Woodford County (Versailles)
Woodford County won the state tournament last season and returns one of the nation's top pitching prospects in Clinton Hollon.

Louisiana - Barbe (Lake Charles)
The Bucs lose one of the best players in the nation in MLB draft pick Gavin Cecchini, but he was one of only three players to graduate from last year's 5A state championship team. Barbe has been remarkably consistent, winning 17 of the last 18 district titles while claiming five state titles since 2000.

Maine - Messalonskee (Oakland)
The Eagles went 15-5 and won the Class A state title with three freshmen in the starting lineup. They included Trevor Gettig (C), Zach Mathieu (DH) and Jake Dexter. Four other starters also return, including seniors Reid Nutter (P), Josh Woodard (LF) and Traylor Clark (1B).

Maryland – Calvert Hall (Baltimore)
Always one of the top programs in the state, Calvert Hall went 30-6 last year and won the MIAA baseball championship. The Cardinals also return one of the state's top players in catcher Alex Murphy.

Massachusetts – Xaverian Brothers (Westwood)
The defending state champions return one of their top pitchers from last year in all-conference pick Alex Person (6-2). He's also the team's top returning hitter along with Aaron Drummey (.346).

Michigan – University of Detroit Jesuit
Although University of Detroit Jesuit had an early exit from the Division I state championship tournament last year, it has four players who have already committed to play in college next year, led by one of the state's top pitchers in Tj Shook.

Minnesota – Red Wing
Red Wing posted a 22-2 record last year, losing to eventual state champion Eastview in the playoffs. Red Wing returns one of the nation's best players in outfielder Ryan Boldt, who figures to be a first-round draft pick in June.

Mississippi – Oak Grove (Hattiesburg)
Oak Grove won the 10th state championship in school history last season and returns the three top pitchers from that team in Taylor Braley (5-0), Kirk McCarty (6-2) and John Carter Sanner (4-0). Mark Worley, the team's starting shortstop is also back.

Missouri – Westminster Christian (St. Louis)
The Division 3 state champions lost Tate Matheny to graduation and the MLB draft, but they return three all-state selections in pitchers Ben Lovell (first team), Davis Vanderslice (second team) and infielder Shane Benes (first team).

Nebraska – Millard North (Omaha)
Millard North finished third in the state last year and returns a pair of second team All-Super State Team players in infielder Matt Evans and designated hitter Jack Wilson.

Nevada – Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
The Gaels are going for their eighth-straight state championship and they are coming off a season in which they were ranked No. 1 in the nation by MaxPreps. Coach Nick Day's team lost a bunch of talent from last year, but returns some key players, including all-state honorees Jerell Latham (OF), Kenny Meimerstorf (OF) and Michael Blasko (C).

New Hampshire - Londonderry
Although it only went 11-10 last year, Londonderry returns four all-state players in Jake Cassidy, Ryan Moloney, Mike Ryan and Rob Del Signore.

New Jersey – Gloucester Catholic (Gloucester City)
The defending Non-Public champions return 20 wins from last year's staff that went 28-4. Among the group is John Murphy, a sophomore who posted seven wins. The offense should be solid with Giovanni Gussen (.444) the top returning hitter.

New Mexico - Carlsbad
The Cavemen return the bulk of last year's state championship team, including all-state players Broc Landreth (OF), Caleb Prentiss (P), Dev'n Ortiz (P), and Devin Groves (1B).

New York - Telecommunication Arts Tech (Brooklyn)
Big things are expected at Telecommunications this year after the team went 16-5 and reached the PSAL semifinals last season with a very young team. Plenty of talent returns with the likes of pitchers A.j. Serrano and Chris Lee and first baseman Austin Ruiz.

North Carolina - Weddington (Matthews)
The Warriors captured the state championship last year with a 27-6 record and return possibly the state's top player in Alex Bostic.

North Dakota – Fargo Davies
Davies could be the team to beat in both the Eastern Dakota Conference and the Class A division thanks to the return of one of the state's top pitchers in Casey Quinlan.

Ohio – Archbishop Moeller (Cincinnati)
Tim Held's team went 26-5 last year and won the Division I state championship. A number of players have graduated, but all-area picks Spencer Iacovone, Cameron Whitehead and Zack Shannon are back to lead another run at the crown.

Oklahoma - Jenks
Jenks supplants the usual favorites Owasso and Broken Arrow as this year's top team. With seven all-district players back from last year's quarterfinal team, Jenks could make a run at the title. Thomas Hatch (7-2) and Bryce Ward (6-2) top the pitching staff while Grant Maxey and Trey Michalczewski lead the offense.

Oregon – Jesuit (Portland)
Coach Eric Gunderson's team went 23-6 last year, falling to Oregon City in the state quarterfinals. However Jesuit has two of the top recruits in the state in junior all-state pitcher Christian Martinek and senior catcher Matt Decker.

Pennsylvania – Malvern Prep
Always one of the premier programs in the state, the Friars (31-6) return two of the team's top hitters in Joe Poduslenko (.424) and Stephen Robinson (.367) as well as two top pitchers in Billy Ford jr. (8-0) and Gardner Nutter (4-2).

Rhode Island – Bishop Hendricken (Warwick)
The Hawks have averaged 21 wins over the past five seasons, winning a state championship last year. Coach Ed Holloway returns one of the state's top players in right-handed pitcher Mike King.

South Carolina - Lexington
Seven players on Brian Hucks' team have committed to play in college next year. The talented squad, which went 27-4 last year, also returns three of the top four pitchers from last season as well as one of the nation's top catchers in Nick Ciuffo (.353).

South Dakota - Roosevelt (Sioux Falls)
Roosevelt could be the favorite in South Dakota this year thanks to the return of all-state pitcher Connor Grove (5-0) and all-region players Kenny Dobberpuhl (.395), Lucas Wilber (.273) and Josh Baumgart (2-1).

Tennessee – Farragut (Knoxville)
For the first time in a long time, Farragut did not win a state championship. But coach Matt Buckner has all of the players he needs to return the Admirals to their winning ways. Eight starters return from a 37-9 team, including all-state infielder Nick Senzel and all-district picks Jammer Strickland, David Logan, Brett Hagenow and Chase Chambers.

Texas – Martin (Arlington)
Nine players are expected to return for a team that went 37-6-1 overall and 15-0 in district play. Included among the returners is Dallas Morning News All-Area Newcomer of the Year Turner Larkins and all-area picks Drew Dowdy and Matt Wallerr.

Utah - Bingham (South Jordan)
Bingham has won at least 27 games each of the past two seasons and have won 20 state championships in the history of the program. Bingham, which finished fourth in the state last year, won the USA Classic in Tennessee last year.

Vermont – Champlain Valley Union (Hinesburg)
Led by Metro League Coach of the Year Tim Albertson, Champlain Valley went 18-2 last season. Two of the team's top players return in infielder Davis Mikell and catcher Kirk Fontana.

Virginia – Lake Braddock (Burke)
Lake Braddock returns seven starters from last year's Class AAA state championship team that went 26-3. Six of those players are expected to play at the next level once they graduate. Among the returning players are all-state and MaxPreps All-American Junior Team pick Alex Gransback and all-metro players Michael Church and Thomas Rogers.

Washington - Puyallup
Puyallup (22-6) reached the Class 4A state championship game, falling to Kentwood, but returns five all-conference players, including Ryan Harris (P), Quinn Rawson (1B), Brendan Illies (UT), Levi Jordan (SS) and Tyler Mcdowell (OF).

West Virginia - Nitro
Nitro loses State Player of the Year Korey Dunbar from a team that went 37-17 and reached the Class AAA state championship game. However every other player on the roster returns for coach Stephen Pritchard.

Wisconsin – Sun Prairie
The defending state champions (30-1) lose MVP Nate Hoffman to graduation, but they return perhaps the state's best player in shortstop Tony Butler, along with all-district honorable mention pick Zach Fairchild.