MaxPreps Southern California Top 25 high school baseball rankings

Video: Hagen Danner baseball highlights
See the Huntington Beach star in action, playing for the new No. 1 team in the SoCal rankings

Prep baseball fans almost saw the first undefeated season for a Southern Section team since 1991, but when Walnut beat San Dimas in the Division 3 semifinals, that all went up in smoke.

Not only did it knock San Dimas from the top spot, it got Walnut into the rankings thanks to an 18-game winning streak. Now Huntington Beach is the top team, though a loss in the Division 1 title game could give the title to Buchanan.

Other Southern Section finalists Chino Hills and Redondo Union have made their way into the Top 25, and San Diego finalist San Ysidro makes its first foray.

Next week's rankings will be the final edition, as all sections officially wrap up this weekend. There could be one or two new teams depending on happenings in San Diego.

Click here to see the MaxPreps California Computer Rankings and click here to see California playoff brackets. Records are current as of Thursday morning.


1. (4 last week) Huntington Beach, 24-8
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 3 state, 10 national

The Oilers are in the Southern Section Division 1 final and will face Hart (Newhall) on Saturday for the crown. They beat El Dorado 5-1 and Norco 4-0 to reach the championship game. A loss to Hart could make Buchanan the No. 1 team.

2. (3) Buchanan (Clovis), 29-4 *Season over
Classification: Central 1
Rankings: 7 state, 22 national, 16 Xcellent 50

The Bears won the Central Section Division I crown.

3. (1) San Dimas, 31-1 *Season over
Classification: Southern 3
Rankings: 10 state, 30 national, 3 Xcellent 50

The Saints' quest for perfection finally ended, as they lost 4-1 to Walnut in the Division 3 semifinals. They beat Santa Monica 1-0 to make it to the semis, but in the end they finally had a bad game.

4. (6) La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad), 26-6
Classification: San Diego Open
Rankings: 12 state, 46 national

The Mavericks are in the CIFSDS Open Division championship series thanks to a 3-1 win over Granite Hills and then a 1-0 triumph over St. Augustine in the upper bracket final. They face Rancho Bernardo for the title this weekend.

5. (19) Hart (Newhall), 20-9-1
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 36 state, 180 national

The Indians are a bit of a Cinderella, as they have reached the CIFSS Division 1 title game. They eliminated JSerra Catholic in a 10-6 decision then dispatched league foe Saugus 3-2 to advance to Saturday's final against Huntington Beach.

6. (2) JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano), 27-5-1 *Season over
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 1 state, 1 national, 36 Xcellent 50

The Lions' promising season ended short of a title, as they ran into the Hart buzzsaw. Hart won 10-6 in the quarterfinals to eliminate JSerra.

7. (8) Norco, 25-6 *Season over
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 11 state, 42 national

The Cougars ended up one win short of the title game, losing 4-0 to Huntington Beach in the Division 1 semifinals. They eliminated Valencia in the quarterfinals with a 9-3 rout that included five runs in the top of the seventh.

8. (5) San Clemente, 25-8 *Season over
Classification: Southern 2
Rankings: 5 state, 17 national

The Tritons are done after losing 4-3 to Chino Hills in the semifinals. They beat Bonita 4-3 in 10 innings to advance to the semis.

9. (9) El Camino Real (Woodland Hills), 27-7 *Season over
Classification: Los Angeles 1
Rankings: 20 state, 84 national

The Conquistadors won the LA City Section title with a 4-3 triumph over Cleveland at Dodger Stadium.

10. (10) Rancho Bernardo (San Diego), 25-7
Classification: San Diego Open
Rankings: 24 state, 109 national

The Broncos beat Cathedral Catholic 3-1 and Torrey Pines 16-1 to win the lower half of the SDS Open Division bracket. That sets them up with a three-game set against La Costa Canyon this week for the title.

11. (14) Mission Viejo, 25-10
Classification: Southern 2
Rankings: 18 state, 80 national

The Diablos will battle Chino Hills on Saturday for the right to be called Division 2 champions. They defeated Royal 2-1 in the quarterfinals and Crescenta Valley 4-2 in the semifinals.

12. (8) El Dorado (Placentia), 21-9 *Season over
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 38 state, 182 national

The Golden Hawks fell to Huntington Beach in the quarterfinals by a 5-1 score.

13. (11) Harvard-Westlake (Studio City), 24-6 *Season over
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 6 state, 21 national

Season over.

14. (12) Agoura, 23-5 *Season over
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 4 state, 12 national

Season over.

15. (13) Fountain Valley, 20-10 *Season over
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 31 state, 147 national

Season over.

16. (15) Dana Hills (Dana Point), 24-8 *Season over
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 8 state, 24 national

Season over.

17. (16) Vista Murrieta (Murrieta), 18-9 *Season over
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 16 state, 73 national

Season over.

18. (17) Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks), 22-7 *Season over
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 22 state, 89 national

Season over.

19. (18) Alemany (Mission Hills), 18-11 *Season over
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 40 state, 192 national

Season over.

20. (20) Valencia, 20-10 *Season over
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 43 state, 205 national

The Vikings lost to Norco in the quarterfinals, 9-3. They trailed by one entering the seventh inning.

21. (23) Saugus, 20-10-1 *Season over
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 80 state, 456 national

The Centurions beat Arlington in the quarterfinals, 3-2, scoring twice in the bottom of the seventh to recover a lead they blew in the top of the seventh. The craziness continued in the semifinals, where they battled for 10 innings before losing 3-2 to Hart.

22. (NR) Chino Hills, 21-8
Classification: Southern 2
Rankings: 47 state, 220 national

The Huskies advanced to the Division 2 championship game thanks to wins over a pair of ranked teams: 3-2 over Moorpark in nine innings and 4-3 over San Clemente. A title would move them up fast. They face Mission Viejo on Saturday.

23. (NR) Walnut, 21-7-2
Classification: Southern 3
Rankings: 141 state, 924 national

The Mustangs eliminated then-undefeated San Dimas in the CIFSS Division 3 playoffs, 4-1. A shocking result perhaps. But this team is in the midst of an 18-game winning streak, so it was hardly a David vs. Goliath matchup. They will face Redondo Union on Saturday for the title.

24. Redondo Union (Redondo Beach), 28-7
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 28 state, 141 national

The Sea Hawks are in the Division 3 final thanks to a 6-3 win over Palm Desert and then a 6-2 semifinal victory over Bishop Amat. They'll face Walnut on Saturday.

25. San Ysidro (San Diego), 30-3
Classification: San Diego II
Rankings: 34 state, 166 national

The Cougars' quest for a San Diego Section title is still alive, with a championship series against La Jolla on tap. They beat Poway earlier this season, a quality larger-school team.

Dropped out: 21 Cathedral Catholic, 22 Arlington, 24 Moorpark, 25 Cleveland