Barbe finished 2021 as the MaxPreps National Champions, started this season at No. 9 in the MaxPreps Top 25 high school baseball rankings and have been slowing climbing toward the top spot after a 15-0 start.
Coach Glen Cecchini's team has the best record of any team in the rankings andmoved to No. 4 this week after Orange Lutheran fell to JSerra Catholic in Trinity League play. The Buccaneers now stand poised to challenge for No. 1.
But the next few weeks figure to be tough sledding for Buford (Ga.), IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) and Barbe as they battle for position to overtake St. Mary's Prep for the nation's top spot.
Buford is set to take part in the National High School Invitational, which has been on hiatus for the past two seasons, but will be held April 6-9 in Cary, N.C. The Wolves open the tournament against Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)
IMG Academy faces several tough tests next week when it battles Brother Rice (Chicago) and Baylor (Chattanooga, Tenn.) in a tournament in LakePoint (Ga.).
Barbe will have some tough games of its own as it faces Sam Houston for a pair of district contests next week.
By the time St. Mary's Prep takes to the field March 30, the field of challengers could have a much different look heading into April.
Three teams joined the MaxPreps Top 25 this week, all from Florida — Berkeley Prep, Naples and Calvary Christian.
Dropped out: No. 11 Taravella; No. 17 The Woodlands, No. 19 Rancho Bernardo.
Best game: Orange Lutheran def. JSerra Catholic, 1-0. The Lancers got their second straight win over the defending Trinity League champions when Chase Cummings had a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the seventh.
Player of the Week: Gavin Turley, Hamilton's top power hitter, had a big week for the Huskies as he had four home runs, including two against Chandler.
Games to watch: Orange Lutheran vs. Servite. Every week in the Trinity League produces outstanding matchups and this week is no different as the eighth-ranked Lancers battle the ninth-ranked Friars.
Streaks: Roff (Okla.) opened its season with three straight wins to raise its national-best winning streak to 46 games in a row.
Hamilton's Gavin Turley celebrates a home run with teammates. The Huskies moved to No. 6 in this week's MaxPreps Top 25 high school baseball rankings.
Photo by Michael Cazares
1. St. Mary's Prep (Orchard Lake, Mich.)
Record: 0-0 |
Last week: 1
Next: Season begins March 30 vs. Shrine Catholic
2. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)
Record: 8-0 |
Last week: 2
Results: Def. Doral Academy 4-3, def. Lakewood Ranch, 4-1.
Stats: Jackson Ferris struck out 14 in the win while
TayShaun Walton had a home run against Doral Academy.
Next: Fri. vs. George Jenkins
3. Buford (Ga.)
Record: 12-0 |
Last week: 3
Results: Def. Lanier 8-1, 7-0, 12-7; Def. Habersham Central 12-4.
Stats: Stan Zagrodnik and
Riley Stanford each had a home run in the 8-1 victory. Zagrodnik added a triple and a home run in the 7-0 win with
Dylan Lesko striking out 11. Zagrodnik went 3-for-4 with a double in the 12-7 win.
Next: Mon/Wed./Fri. Vs. Habersham Central
4. Barbe (Lake Charles, La.)
Record: 15-0 |
Last week: 5
Results:
Def. St. Louis Catholic 12-1, St. Mary (Natchitoches) 25-2, Prestonwood
Christian 12-0, Evangel Christian Academy 11-1, and Mandeville 10-0.
Stats: Gavin Guidry struck out eight against Prestonwood Christian and Donnell Sandifer had a home run.
Next: Tue. vs. St. Louis Catholic.
5. Sierra Canyon (Chatsworth, Calif.)
Record: 11-0 |
Last week: 6
Results: Def. Agoura 8-0, def. Crespi 8-1.
Stats: Kassius Thomas had 12 strikeouts against Crespi.
Jaden Noot had 10 strikeouts against Agoura.
Next: Wed/Fri vs. Crossroads (Santa Monica).
6. Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.)
Record: 6-0 |
Last week: 7
Results: Def. Mountain Pointe 10-3, def. Chaparral 9-1, def. Chandler 12-2.
Stats: Gavin Turley had a solo home run against Mountain Pointe and Chaparral and two dingers against Chandler.
Next: at Boras Invitational Tournament.
7. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
Record: 9-0 |
Last week: 8
Results: Def. Basic 7-6, def. Green Valley 7-1, def. Palo Verde 9-0.
Stats: Demitri Diamant went 4-for-4 against Basic,
Justin Crawford and
Maddox Riske each homered against Green Valley and Crawford was 2-for-4 with a triple against Palo Verde.
Next: Wed. vs. Mountain Ridge.
8. Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.)
Record: 7-1 |
Last week: 4
Results: Def. JSerra Catholic 9-0, 1-0 and lost 2-1.
Stats: Louis Rodriguez had seven strikeouts in the 9-0 win while
Chase Cummings had the walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the seventh in the 1-0 win.
Next: Tue/Wed/Fri vs. Servite
9. Servite (Anaheim, Calif.)
Record: 5-0 |
Last week: 9
Results: Did not play.
Next: Mon/Wed/Fri vs. Orange Lutheran
10. The First Academy (Orlando, Fla.)
Record: 7-0 |
Last week: 10
Results: Def. Dr. Phillips, 1-0; def. Olympia 7-2.
Stats: Greg Pettay had the only two hits and the only run with a home run in the Royals' win over Dr. Phillips.
Next: Tue. vs. Ponte Vedra.
11. Stoneman Douglas (Parkland, Fla.)
Record: 6-1 |
Last week: 12
Results: Def. Barron Collier 5-1, def. West Broward 3-0.
Stats: Jake Clemente went 3-for-3 with two RBI and
Roman Anthony had a triple against Baron Collier.
Next: Tue. vs. North Broward Prep, Wed. vs. Farragut (Knoxville, Tenn.).
12. Tompkins (Katy, Texas)
Record: 13-0 |
Last week: 13
Results: Def. George Ranch 20-2, def. Magnolia 15-0, def. Milby 8-2, def. Tomball Memorial 10-5.
Stats: Jace Laviolette had a triple, home run and four RBI against George Ranch.
Next: Tue. vs. Katy Taylor, Thur vs. Morton Ranch.
13. Owasso (Okla.)
Record: 7-0 |
Last week: 14
Results: Def. Page 2-0
Stats: Jackson Farrell struck out 11 in a shutout win over Page.
Next: Wed. vs. Osceola, Thur vs. George Jenkins.
14. Deer Creek (Edmond, Okla.)
Record: 5-0 |
Last week: 15
Results: Def. Putnam City 8-2, def. Washington 12-6.
Stats: Brady Hamilton struck out nine and tripled against Putnam City.
Brett McComas had a grand slam against Washington.
Next: Thur vs. Piedmont, Fri. vs. Olathe South.
15. Allatoona (Acworth, Ga.)
Record: 12-0 |
Last week: 16
Results: Def. Sprayberry 11-0, def. Pope 5-4, def. Lassiter 4-3.
Stats: William Mosley had a triple and home run against Sprayberry while
Ethan Sutton went 2-for-3 with two RBI and also struck out nine against Pope.
Next: Wed. vs. Kell, Fri. vs. Osborne.
16. Teurlings Catholic (Lafayette, La.)
Record: 12-0 |
Last week: 18
Results: def. Opelousas Catholic, 5-4, def. Terrebonne 8-4, def. New Iberia 18-8.
Next: Tue. vs. Cecilia, Fri. vs Ruston.
17. Sumrall (Miss.)
Record: 10-0 |
Last week:: 20
Results: Def. Greene County 5-1. Monday Mize
Stats: Marshall Phillips had 10 strikeouts in the win over Green County.
Next: Tue/Fri vs. Poplarville.
18. Calvary Christian (Clearwater, Fla.)
Record: 8-0 |
Last week: NR
Results: Def. Lovett 12-3, def. Clearwater Central Catholic 9-0, def. Creekside 4-1.
Stats: Matt Rose had two home runs against Lovett and Miles Curley had one.
Next: Tue. vs. Seminole.
19. Naples (Fla.)
Record: 9-0 |
Last week: NR
Results: Def. Lely, 8-2; def. Palmetto Ridge, 14-3; def. Estero, 2-0.
Stats: Marcos Torres went 3-for-4 with two doubles and five RBI against Palmetto Ridge.
Next: Set. vs. Fort Lauderdale.
20. Berkeley Prep (Tampa, Fla.)
Record: 9-0 |
Last week: NR
Results: Def. Santa Fe Catholic 13-0, def. Bishop McLaughlin Catholic 3-2, def. Lakewood 18-0.
Next: Thur vs. Clay.
21. American Fork (Utah)
Record: 1-0 |
Last week: 25
Results: Def. Jordan 4-3
Stats: Ryder Robinson went 3-for-4 with a double in opening season win.
Next: March 25 vs. Arbor View.
22. Baylor (Chattanooga, Tenn.)
Record: 0-0 |
Last week: 21
Next: Season begins March 14 vs. Upperman
23. Hanover (Mechanicsville, Va.)
Record: 0-0 |
Last week: 22
Next: Season begins March 18 vs. Deep Run
24. Don Bosco Prep (Ramsey, N.J.)
Record: 0-0 |
Last week: 23
Next: Season begins March 24 vs. Emerson
25. Walsh Jesuit (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio)
Record: 0-0 |
Last week: 24
Next: Season starts March 26 vs. Mentor
