Much like the NCAA men’s basketball season, finding a team to stay at the top of the MaxPreps Xcellent 25 Baseball Rankings has proven to be a difficult task.
Edison (Huntington Beach, Calif.) became the second No. 1 team to fall as the Chargers lost to Sonora (La Habra, Calif.) 4-0 in the second game of the Loara Tournament over the weekend. Edison opened with a strong outing against Aliso Niguel (Calif.), but was unable muster any offense against Sonora.
Edison’s loss is Bishop Gorman’s gain. The preseason No. 1 in 2009, the Gaels lost three of their first four games last year to fall from the top spot. Although Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) won 40 games by season’s end, it was unable to regain the top spot from Sumrall, which finished the year undefeated. Now the Gaels begin play this week as the No. 1 team in the Xcellent 25 Rankings with Sumrall (Miss.) right behind in the No. 2 spot. The Bobcats are off to a strong start with a 6-0 mark.
MAXPREPS XCELLENT 25 HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL NATIONAL RANKINGS
1. (2) Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas), 0-0
Season begins March 11 vs. Desert Oasis. 
Chad Guice, Sumrall
Courtesy photo
2. (3) Sumrall (Miss.), 6-0
The Bobcats won four games in impressive fashion last week, starting with a 5-4 win over Wayne County (Waynesboro, Miss.) and then a 13-1 victory over Gulfport (Miss.), 14-0 over Northeast Lauderdale (Meridian, Miss.) and 7-1 against Ridgeland (Miss.). Jackson Posey was 3 for 4 against Northeast Lauderdale and also got the pitching win. Chad Guice had five RBI against Gulfport.
3. (4) Walsh Jesuit (Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio), 0-0
Season begins March 22 vs. Roosevelt (Kent, Ohio).
4. (5) Menchville (Newport News, Va.), 0-0
Season begins March 16 vs. Warwick (Newport News, Va.).
5. (6) Owasso (Okla.), 4-0
The Rams opened the season with four straight wins, including an 8-1 victory over Bentonville (Ark.). Ryan Wilson had a home run and a double in the win while Phillip Wilson also homered. In a 9-4 victory over Collinsville (Okla.), Dylan Bundy went the distance for the win, giving up four runs on five hits with 18 strikeouts.
6. (7) Farragut (Knoxville, Tenn.), 0-0
Season begins March 15 vs. Heritage (Maryville, Tenn.).
7. (8) Poway (Calif.), 0-0
Season begins March 9 vs. Valhalla (El Cajon, Calif.).
8. (9) Rocky Mountain (Fort Collins, Colo.), 0-0
Season begins March 24 vs. Chaparral (Parker, Colo.).
9. (12) Bolles (Jacksonville, Fla.), 7-0
The Bulldogs whipped Raines (Jacksonville, Fla.) 16-1 in their only game last week. David Perkins was 2 for 3 with a home run and two RBI in the win while Hunter Wildes and D.J. Stewart each had three RBI.
10. (13) Barbe (Lake Charles, La.), 6-0
The Buccaneers played just one game last week, defeating St. Louis (Lake Charles, La.) 8-7.
11. (17) Bellaire (Texas), 10-1
The Cardinals won five in a row to capture the Ewell Jackson Tournament over the weekend, including a 5-0 win over Clements (Sugar Land, Texas) in the championship game. Matthew Abrahams pitched the win, going the distance and striking out five. Toller Boardman had a two-run single and Landon Goodman had a two-run double, both in the first inning. Abrahams was named the tournament MVP.
12. (22) Northshore (Slidell, La.), 9-0
The Panthers battled defending 4A state champion Zachary (La.) in a game that turned into a mismatch with Northshore winning 14-2. Kyle Deckwa, Breck Kline and Taylor Eads all hit home runs in the win and Jacob Corbin went four innings for the victory. The Panthers concluded the weekend with an 11-1 win over Brother Martin (New Orleans, La.).
13. (24). Wando (Mt. Pleasant, S.C.), 4-0
The Warriors captured the International Paper Classic with an 11-4 win over Flora (Columbia, S.C.). Drew Cisco was 3 for 3 with a double while Conner Bright had two hits, including a home run, with four RBI. Winning pitcher Robbie Dodds was also 3 for 3 with a home run. Wando also defeated Dorman (Roebuck, S.C.) 2-1, Carolina Forest (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) 13-0 and Spartanburg (S.C.) 8-7 during the tournament.
14. American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.), 8-0
The Patriots took a pair from Key West (Fla.) over the weekend, winning 9-2 and 7-3. Brandon Sedell has been a force at the plate, batting .615 with 10 RBI, two doubles and two home runs in eight games.
15. (NR) Columbus (Ga.), 6-0
The Blue Devils won the Lagrange Invitational with impressive wins over a pair of top-notch teams from Alabama. Columbus beat Russell County (Seale, Ala.) 4-2 in the semifinals and then knocked off defending 6A state champion Auburn (Ala.) 11-7 in the championship game.
16. (NR) Roswell (Ga.), 5-0
The Hornets have averaged just over 12 runs a game in their last four outings, topping Grayson (Loganville, Ga.) 19-12, Woodstock (Ga.) 11-10, Redan (Stone Mountain, Ga.) 11-0 and Sprayberry (Marietta, Ga.) 11-1.
17. (NR) Sharyland (Mission, Texas), 10-0-1
The Rattlers are off to a strong start, winning the Mira’s Classic over the weekend with a 5-3 win over previously undefeated Moody (Corpus Christi, Texas). Fernando Martinez is batting .625 for Sharryland while Brian Valencia is hitting .522 with 12 RBI.
18. (11) Moody (Corpus Christi, Texas), 11-1
The Trojans suffered their first loss of the season at the Mira’s Tournament, falling to Sharyland 5-3. Earlier in the tournament, Moody topped The Woodlands (Texas) 2-0 to extend a streak of six straight shutouts. Moody also defeated Flour Bluff (Corpus Christi, Texas) 4-3 and Alamo Heights (San Antonio, Texas) 4-1 before the loss.
19. (1) Edison (Huntington Beach, Calif.), 1-1
The Chargers received a strong outing from ace junior pitcher Henry Owens, as he went seven innings and struck out 14 in a 10-2 win over Aliso Niguel at the Loara Tournament. Christian Lopes was 2 for 4 with six RBI in the win. However Edison fell to Sonora on Saturday 4-0.
20. (15) St. Rita (Chicago), 0-0
Season begins March 20 vs. Oak Lawn (Ill.).
21. (18) Naples (Fla.), 5-1
The Golden Eagles won their fifth in a row with a 4-0 win over Community (Naples, Fla.). Naples also crushed Golden Gate (Naples, Fla.) 20-2. Stephen Grove and Naples (Fla.) each hit home runs against Golden Gate with Grove also pitching four innings with nine strikeouts in the win over Community.
22. (19) Lakeland (Fla.), 4-1
The Dreadnaughts edged Bartow (Fla.) 9-6 and also topped Lake Region (Eagle Lake, Fla.) 4-1 earlier in the week.
23. (20) Columbus (Miami, Fla.), 7-1
The Explorers won two games last week, dropping LaSalle (Miami, Fla.) 1-0, and Southwest (Miami, Fla.) 5-1.
24. (21) Germantown Academy (Fort Washington, Pa.), 0-0
Season begins March 12 vs. Shipley (Bryn Mawr, Pa.).
25. (NR) Vestavia Hills (Ala.), 13-1
The Rebels are off to a strong start, defeating West Lauderdale (Collinsville, Miss.) 17-0 Saturday behind Ryan Howard’s two doubles and Alex Milazzo’s home run and double. Also whipped Northridge (Tuscaloosa, Ala.) 14-0 with Milazzo, Joseph Odom and Georgie Salem each getting three hits apiece.
