Two programs from California's Trinity League occupy the top two positions in this week's MaxPreps Top 25 high school baseball rankings while a five-time state champion absorbed its first defeat of the season.
No. 1
St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) opens its season Wednesday while league rival
Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.) moved up to No. 2 despite not playing last week. That was due to previous No. 2
Stoneman Douglas (Parkland, Fla.) losing to
Columbus (Miami, Fla.).
Here are three other rankings-related takeaways from last week, which also featured another statement win by IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) over a highly-ranked opponent.
Perennial Louisiana powerhouse Catholic of Baton Rouge is off to a 7-0 start, including four wins by a combined score of 37-13. (PHOTO: Josh Ankeny)
After jumping out to a 4-0 lead through four innings, Columbus withstood a late charge from Stoneman Douglas. The Eagles plated three runs in the fifth inning to cut the deficit to one but couldn’t complete the comeback, stranding the potential go-ahead run on base in both the fifth and seventh innings. Columbus, which also defeated Stoneman Douglas in 2024, debuted in the rankings at No. 8 while the Eagles fell to No. 9 following their first loss of the year.
IMG Academy outlasts Jesuit
The Ascenders climbed three spots in the rankings after knocking off then-No. 4 Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.) 10-8. Sebastian Wilson powered the offense with a perfect 5-for-5 performance, adding a double and two RBI. IMG Academy scored five earned runs on six hits against Jesuit starter Wilson Andersen. The two teams are set for a rematch March 17.
Prestonwood Christian surges 12 spots
Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas) continued its torrid stretch, adding five more wins a week after collecting six. The Lions have relied on strong pitching performances from Savion Sims, Trent Vilade and Steel Lebouef during their impressive run. After entering the rankings at No. 23 last week, Prestonwood Christian jumped to No. 12 as many programs across the country have yet to begin their seasons.
Game of the Week: Columbus 4, Stoneman Douglas 3. The loss ended a 19-game win streak for the Eagles.
Game to Watch: Basic (Henderson, Nev.) vs. Faith Lutheran (Las Vegas, Nev.), Feb. 27.
The Wolves have a tough one right out of the gate as they take on a Faith Lutheran team that features possibly the state's best player in shortstop
Rookie Sheppard.
Pitcher of the Week: Caleb Evans pitched a five-inning no-hitter for
Grapevine (Grapevine, Texas) in a 10-0 win over Denison. He struck out four and walked three
Hitter of the Week: Coleman Borthwick of
South Walton (Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.) went 4-for-4 with three doubles, a home run and six RBI against Arnold and then went 3-for-3 with a double, a home run and two RBI.
Streaks: Stoneman Douglas had its win streak end at 19 in a row while
The First Academy (Orlando, Fla.) and
London (Corpus Christi, Texas) both had their streaks end at 18 in a row. IMG Academy upped its streak to 19 in a row.
MaxPreps Top 25 baseball rankings
1. St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) 0-0 |
Last week: 1
Next: Opens Wednesday vs. La Serna
2. Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.)Record: 0-0 |
Last week: 3
Next: Opens Friday vs. Crespi
3. Calallen (Corpus Christi, Texas)Record: 6-0 |
Last week: 5
Scores: Def. Economedes 3-0, def. Palmview 8-0, def. Valley View 17-0, def. Donna 18-1, def. McAllen 8-2, def. Weslaco 14-0
Next: Thursday vs. Vela
4. Grapevine (Texas)Record: 5-0 |
Last week: 6
Scores: Def. Wylie East 10-4, def. Centennial 8-1, def. Heritage 7-3, def. Denison 10-0
Next: Thursday vs. Johnson
5. Venice (Fla.)Record: 6-0 |
Last week: 8
Scores: Def. Canterbury 2-1, def. West Orange 7-0, def. Auburn 1-0
Next: Tuesday vs. Riverview Sarasota
6. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)Record: 4-0 |
Last week: 9
Scores: Def. Braden River 1-0, def. Jesuit 10-8
Next: Tuesday vs. St. Petersburg Catholic
7. Etowah (Woodstock, Ga.)Record: 5-1 |
Last week: 10
Scores: Def. Cartersville 8-4, def. Alpharetta 7-0
Next: Tuesday vs. North Paulding
8. Columbus (Miami, Fla.)
Record: 5-0 |
Last week: NR
Scores: Def. Florida Christian 6-3, def. Coral Gables 9-2, def. Stoneman Douglas 4-3
Next: Tuesday vs. South Dade
Record: 6-1 |
Last week: 2
Scores: Def. West Orange 6-5, def. Neumann 10-0, lost to Columbus (Miami) 4-3, def. Cypress Bay 12-5
Next: Wednesday vs. West Broward, BCAA tournament
10. Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.)Record: 4-1 |
Last week: 4
Scores: Def. Lakeland Christian 8-4, lost to IMG Academy 10-8, def. Plant 4-1
Next: Tuesday vs. Northside Christian
11. Catholic (Baton Rouge, La.)Record: 7-0 |
Last week: 19
Scores: Def. Dunham 7-5, def. Holy Cross 10-4, def. CCA 5-1, def. Archbishop Shaw 15-3
Next: Tuesday vs. Slidell
12. Prestonwood Christian (Plano, Texas)
Record: 11-0 |
Last week: 23
Scores: Def. Legacy 15-0, def. Cedar Hill 5-1, def. Brewer 16-6, def. Burleson 6-0, def. Keller Central 8-0
Next: Thursday vs. China Spring
13. Bishop Verot (Fort Myers, Fla.)
Record: 6-0 |
Last week: 24
Scores: Def. Riverview Sarasota 1-0, def. Cardinal Mooney 8-0, def. Cambridge Christian 9-3
Next: Tuesday vs. Riverview Sarasota
14. De La Salle (Concord, Calif.)Record: 0-0 |
Last week: 11
Next: Opens Wednesday vs. St. Ignatius College Prep
15. Trinity (Louisville, Ky.)Record: 0-0 |
Last week: 12
Next: Opens March 7 vs. Montgomery County
16. Basic (Henderson, Nev.)Record: 0-0 |
Last week: 13
Next: Opens Friday vs. Faith Lutheran
Record: 0-0 |
Last week: 14
Next: Opens March 17 vs. Maine South
18. Corona (Calif.)Record: 1-0 |
Last week: 16
Scores: Def. Maranatha 11-0
Next: Tuesday vs. Etiwanda
19. Gloucester Catholic (Gloucester City, N.J.)Record: 0-0 |
Last week: 17
Next: Opens March 25 at National High School Invitational
20. Brother Rice (Chicago, Ill.)Record: 0-0 |
Last week: 18
Next: Opens March 16 vs. Faith Lutheran
21. Tomball (Texas)Record: 1-0 |
Last week: 20
Next: Thursday vs. Montgomery
22. Magnolia Heights (Senatobia, Miss.)Record: 1-0 |
Last week: 21
Scores: Def. Marshall Academy 10-2
Next: Thursday vs. Rockwall
23. Baylor (Chattanooga, Tenn.)Record: 0-0 |
Last week: 22
Next: Opens March 2 vs. Boyd-Buchanan
24. South Walton (Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.)Record: 5-1 |
Last week: 25
Scores: Def. Arnold 12-0, def. Lincoln 8-0, def. Cottondale 4-0
Next: Thursday vs. Hazel Green
25. Pleasant Grove (Texarkana, Texas)Record: 5-1 |
Last week: 15
Scores: Def. Community 14-2, def. Crandall 18-7, def. Tyler Legacy 15-0, def. Whitehouse 5-0, lost to Tyler Legacy 4-3
Next: March 3 vs. Pittsburg
Dropped Out: No. 7
Blessed Trinity (Roswell, Ga.)
