MaxPreps Northern California Top 20 baseball rankings

Video: Top 5 Plays of the Week // Week 1
See the best from this week on the diamond.

This is how competitive and stacked the monstrous West Catholic Athletic League is: Serra is only ranked fifth in these rankings.

It's no slight to the Padres of San Mateo as there are so many good teams in front of them, but what is clear is two victories over top-ranked Valley Christian speak of how formidable this bunch is, especially when ace Mitchell Scott is on the mound. He beat Valley Christian twice, including 3-0 with nine strikeouts last week.

Valley Christian remains in first place in the WCAL, perhaps the most taxing league in California and certainly in Northern California.

The only league that is in the argument would be the Delta League, topped by ranked Elk Grove, Franklin, Davis and Jesuit. Elk Grove and Franklin split games against each other other road last week, Elk Grove winning at Franklin 2-1 and Franklin beating the Thundering Herd 3-0 in the rematch a few miles east.

1. (Last week 1) Valley Christian (San Jose), 20-2-1
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: John Diatte
Next: vs. Saint Francis, Sacred Heart.

2. (3) De La Salle (Concord), 14-3
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay Athletic
Coach: David Jeans
Next: vs. Dougherty Valley, Dublin.

3. (6) Archbishop Mitty (San Jose), 17-4
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Brian Yocke
Next: vs. vs. Bellarmine, Serra.

4. (2) Bellarmine College Prep (San Jose), 18-4
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Mike Rodriguez
Next: vs. Mitty, Riordan.

5. (9) Serra (San Mateo), 15-5
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Chris Houle
Next: vs. Sacred Heart Cathedral, Mitty.

6. (7) Elk Grove, 10-4-2
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: Jeff Carlson
Update: vs. Sheldon, Davis.

7. (8) Franklin (Elk Grove), 15-4
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: Bryan Kilby
Next: vs. Monterey Trail, Sheldon.

8. (4) Foothill (Pleasanton), 13-3
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay Athletic
Coach: Angelo Scavone
Next: vs. Monte Vista, Granada.

9. (6) Saint Francis (Mountain View), 16-6
Section: Central Coast
League: West Catholic Athletic
Coach: Matt Maguire
Next: vs. Valley Christian, St. Ignatius.

10. (11) St. Mary's (Stockton), 13-4-1
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Tri-City Athletic
Coach: Randy Ortega
Next: vs. Tracy (3 games).

11. (16) Davis, 12-5
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Delta
Coach: Dan Ariola
Next: vs. Jesuit, Elk Grove

12. (12) Rocklin, 13-4
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Sierra Foothill
Coach: Steven Moller
Next: vs. Oak Ridge.

13. (17) Alameda, 15-0-1
Section: North Coast
League: Foothill
Coach: Ken Arnerich
Next: vs. Berkeley, Concord.

14. (10) Berkeley, 14-2
Section: North Coast
League: West Alameda
Coach: Curtis Sandeford
Next: vs. Alameda, Dougherty Valley.

15. (14) Vacaville, 13-5
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Monticello Empire
Coach: Stu Clary
Next: vs. Rodriguez (3 games).

15. (18) Tracy, 11-5
Section: Sac-Joaquin
League: Tri-City Athletic
Coach: Vic Alkire
Next: vs. St. Mary's (3 games).

16. (18) Granada (Livermore), 13-5
Section: North Coast
League: East Bay
Coach: Corrigan Willis
Next: Dougherty Valley, Foothill.

17. (21) Casa Grande (Petaluma), 11-4
Section: North Coast
League: North Bay
Coach: Chad Fillinger
Update: vs. Santa Rosa, Cardinal Newman.

18. (13) Acalanes (Lafayette), 10-5
Section: North Coast
League: Diablo Foothill
Coach: Justin Santich-Hughes
Next: vs. Campolindo, Northgate, Foothill.

19. (19) Los Gatos, 16-5
Section: Central Coast
League: De Anza
Coach: Nate Anderson
Next: vs. Los Altos, San Benito.

20. (NR) Winters, 23-1
Section: Northern
League: Butte View
Coach: Jeff Ingles
Next: vs. Live Oak, Lagune Creek

The Next 5
21. Jesuit (Carmichael) — 9-6
22. Santa Cruz — 14-4
23. San Benito (Hollister) — 15-5
24. Northgate (Walnut Creek) — 13-2
25. Willow Glen (San Jose) — 16-4

What makes a small-school powerhouse feeling the slice of big time in a baseball-mad community ... click here

Joe Davidson has covered high school sports for The Sacramento Bee since 1988. Follow him on Twitter: @SacBee_JoeD and at sacbMaxee.com