Expect big movement in the MaxPreps Top 25 high school baseball rankings next week as nine ranked programs compete in the National High School Invitational and the IMG Academy National Classic.
In its 13th year, the National High School Invitational gets underway in Cary, N.C., on Wednesday with six MaxPreps Top 25 teams in the field including No. 1
St. John Bosco (Bellflower, Calif.) and No. 2
Venice (Fla.). The top-ranked Braves are making their first trip to the event and coming off a set of three Trinity League wins over
JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano) last week. Bosco opens with
Nolensville (Tenn.) and could face one of the nation's top pitchers in
Wyatt Clatur.
Venice, the defending champion, opens against No. 14
Gloucester Catholic (Gloucester City, N.J.). The Florida school has racked up 16 straight wins while the New Jersey program hasn't played a game.
Other ranked teams at the Invitational include No. 4
Trinity (Louisville, Ky.), which plays No. 9
Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.) in the first round, and three-time champion
Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.), which opens against
Regis Jesuit (Aurora, Colo.).
The IMG Academy National Classic began Monday. The tournament includes No. 10
IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), which faces No. 11
St. Laurence (Burbank, Ill.) today, and No. 19
Merritt Island (Fla.)Two new teams enter the rankings this week. Jesuit returns with its win over IMG Academy.
Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.) debuts at No. 22 after getting off to a 10-0 start.
Freshman phenom Macade Carey and No. 2 Venice will carry their perfect record into this week's National High School Invitational in North Carolina. (PHOTO: Raymond Nanko, M.D.)
Jesuit 8, IMG Academy 1: The Tigers and Ascenders have had some epic battles over the years as they traditionally play a home-and-home matchup each year. After losing to IMG Academy earlier in the seasaon, Jesuit won 8-1 behind the pitching of Kaden Waechter and Samir Mohammed, two of the nation's best. Wachter gave up one run on four hits with six strikeouts to get the win while Mohammed struck out three batters in the seventh.
Game to Watch
No. 4 Trinity vs. No. 9 Jesuit (Tampa), Wednesday: Take your pick of the opening matchups at the National High School Invitational. We could have went with No. 2 Venice vs. No. 14 Gloucester Catholic or No. 1 St. John Bosco vs. Nolensville. But we are going with Trinity and Jesuit as both are coming off strong performances last week. Trinity won its first five games of the season in blowout fashion, outscoring opponents 75-8. Jesuit, meanwhile, is coming off a big win over IMG Academy.
Pitcher of the Week
Luke Reeves of
Waxahachie (Texas) finished a hit batter away from a perfect game in an 18-0 win over DeSoto. He struck out nine in picking up the five-inning win.
Hitter of the Week Grayson Willoughby of Trinity is one of his team's top pitchers but so far he has also been one of the team's top hitters. In four games, Willoughby went 8-for-11 with three doubles, a triple and a home run.
Streaks Record: 7-0 |
Last week: 1
Scores: Def. JSerra Catholic, 6-0, 5-1, 13-0
Next: Wednesday vs. Nolensville at National High School Invitational
2. Venice (Fla.)Record: 16-0 |
Last week: 2
Scores: Def. Riverview Sarasota 6-5, def. Tampa Prep 5-2, def. Braden River 8-5, def. Palmetto 9-1
Next: Wednesday vs. Gloucester Catholic at NHSI
3. Tomball (Texas)Record: 20-0-1 |
Last week: 3
Scores: Def. Magnolia West 1-0, 6-2
Next: Tuesday vs. Klein
4. Trinity (Louisville, Ky.)Record: 5-0 |
Last week: 14
Scores: Def. South Oldham 19-4, def. Lafayette 11-1, def. Greenwood 14-0, def. Prestonsburg 15-0, def. Highlands 12-3
Next: Wednesday vs. Jesuit (Tampa) at NHSI
5. Barbe (Lake Charles, La.)
Record: 23-1 |
Last week: 8
Scores: Def. New Iberia 9-3, def. Lafayette, 5-4, 4-2
Next: Tuesday vs. Acadiana
6. Calallen (Corpus Christi, Texas)Record: 19-2 |
Last week: 10
Scores: Def. Ingleside 22-4, def. Robstown 20-1, def. Eagle Pass 7-0
Next: Friday vs. Eagle Pass
7. Farragut (Knoxville, Tenn.)
Record: 11-2 |
Last week: 6
Scores: Def. Bearden 4-0, 10-0, def. Greeneville 5-4, def. Providence Academy 9-5, lost to Jefferson County 2-1, def. Lakeway Christian 13-0, def. Lenoir City 9-0
Next: Wednesday vs. Lenoir City.
8. The Bennett School (Houston, Texas)
Record: 19-4 |
Last week: 7
Scores: Def. Memphis University 16-0, def. Knights Academy 11-0, def. Magnolia Heights 3-2, def. IMG Academy Black 8-3
Next: Tuesday vs. TBA
9. Jesuit (Tampa, Fla.)
Record: 13-3 |
Last week: NR
Scores: Def. IMG Academy 8-1, def. Trinity Christian Academy 5-2, def. Clay 12-0
Next: Wednesday vs. Trinity at the NHSI
10. IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.)Record: 14-2 |
Last week: 9
Scores: Lost to Jesuit (Tampa) 8-1, def. Parrish Community 10-3, def. Georgetown Prep 10-5
Next: Tuesday vs. St. Laurence (Burbank, Ill.) at IMG Academy National Classic
Record: 3-0 |
Last week: 15
Scores: Def. Reavis 10-1, def. Berwyn/Cicero Morton 19-6, def. Poly Prep Country Day 11-1
Next: Tuesday vs. IMG Academy at IMG Academy National Classic
12. Corona (Calif.)Record: 7-1 |
Last week: 4
Scores: Def. King (Riverside) 8-3, 19-7, lost to Santiago 6-2
Next: Wednesday vs. Santiago
13. South Walton (Santa Rosa Beach, Fla.)Record: 14-3 |
Last week: 13
Scores: Def. Florida State University 13-3, def. Arnold 5-1
Next: Tuesday vs. Pace
14. Gloucester Catholic (Gloucester City, N.J.)Record: 0-0 |
Last week: 16
Next: Wednesday vs. Venice at NHSI
15. Orange Lutheran (Orange, Calif.)Record: 3-1 |
Last week: 19
Scores: Def. Damien (LaVerne) 8-5
Next: Wednesday vs. Regis Jesuit at NHSI
16. Pleasant Grove (Texarkana, Texas)Record: 18-2 |
Last week: 20
Scores: Def. North Lamar 6-0, def. Sulphur Springs 8-1
Next: Tuesday vs. Pittsburg
17. Catholic (Baton Rouge, La.)Record: 21-2 |
Last week: 22
Scores: Def. Belle Chasse 11-1, def. South Beauregard 7-4, def. St. Augustine 10-2, def. Liberty 13-3
Next: Tuesday vs. Liberty
18. Waxahachie (Texas)
Record: 20-1 |
Last week: 24
Scores: Def. DeSoto 17-6, 18-0, def. Martin 15-3
Next: Tuesday vs. Horn
19. Merritt Island (Fla.)
Record: 17-1 |
Last week: 11
Scores: Def. Space Coast 18-0, def. Titusville 17-0, lost to Melbourne 3-2, def. South Dade 8-3
Next: Tuesday vs. Landon at IMG Academy National Classic
20. Bishop Moore (Orlando, Fla.)
Record: 17-1 |
Last week: 12
Scores: Def. East Hamilton 10-1, def. Montverde Academy 6-0, lost to Hagerty 4-1, def. Don Bosco Prep 3-1
Next: Thursday vs. Florida Christian
21. Etowah (Woodstock, Ga.)
Record: 16-3 |
Last week: 25
Scores: Def. North Cobb 2-1, 10-0, 17-0
Next: Tuesday vs. Walton
22. Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks, Calif.)
Record: 10-0 |
Last week: NR
Scores: Def. Chaminade 13-2, 11-0, 5-4
Next: Tuesday vs. Crespi (Encino)
23. Magnolia Heights (Senatobia, Miss.)Record: 12-3-1 |
Last week: 21
Scores: Def. Lockport 9-3, lost The Bennett School 3-2
Next: Tuesday vs. Simpson Academy
24. North Paulding (Dallas, Ga.)
Record: 15-3 |
Last week: 23
Scores: Lost to Marietta 5-3, def. Marietta 7-5, 2-0
Next: Tuesday vs. Wheeler
25. Bishop Snyder (Jacksonville, Fla.)
Record: 12-3 |
Last week: 5
Scores: Lost to West Broward 2-0, lost to Columbia 3-1
Next: Tuesday vs. Bolles
Dropped out: No. 17
Brother Rice (Chicago, Ill.); No. 18
Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.)
