MaxPreps Southern California Top 25 high school baseball rankings

Things got a little out of hand in the past week (plus one day) with six teams falling out of the rankings, and many more suffering losses. Once you get past the top-tier teams in the Top 10 or so, it's a big jumble.

Tight league races also seem to abound. We're expecting many more changes each week up until the late rounds of the playoffs.

Click here to see the MaxPreps California Computer Rankings.


1. (1 last week) JSerra Catholic (San Juan Capistrano), 18-3
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 1 state, 1 national, 9 Xcellent 50

The Lions won all three of their games to put a stranglehold on the top ranking. They avenged a loss by beating Orange Lutheran 4-0 and 3-1, then beat St. John Bosco 5-3. They have two more with Bosco this week and then play the Boras Classic title game on Saturday against Saint Francis (Mountain View).

2. (2) San Dimas, 23-0
Classification: Southern 3
Rankings: 6 state, 15 national, 30 Xcellent 50

The Saints stayed perfect. They beat Nogales twice, 5-2 and 6-0, then took down Covina 4-0. That's four shutouts in the past five games. They face Covina one more time this week.

3. (3) Buchanan (Clovis), 23-3
Classification: Central 1
Rankings: 9 state, 42 national, 26 Xcellent 50

The Bears bested Clovis West 2-0 and 4-0 in a big league series, then took down Clovis 5-3. They only have three games left in the regular season, and one of them is against Clovis on Friday.

4. (6) Harvard-Westlake (Studio City), 18-3
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 2 state, 6 national, 23 Xcellent 50

The Wolverines won three times, touting some big offense. They bashed Crespi 10-0 and 4-2, then whacked Serra 11-1 in a weekend tournament game. They have a nonleague game with San Marcos (Santa Barbara) and then a tournament game with Bishop Amat this weekend.

5. (8) Dana Hills (Dana Point), 21-4
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 3 state, 8 national, 42 Xcellent 50

The Dolphins got back into the Xcellent 50 thanks to sweeping a pair from San Clemente, 2-1 and 5-4. Another test against a good team comes with two against Aliso Niguel this week.

6. (7) Huntington Beach, 15-7
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 8 state, 33 national

The Oilers convincingly took a pair from Los Alamitos in league play, winning 6-2 and 8-0 to continue torrid play as of late. They own six straight victories.

7. (4) Agoura, 17-2
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 4 state, 9 national, 46 Xcellent 50

The Chargers played a pair of 2-1 contests against Calabasas but one was a win and the other was a loss. That puts them at 8-2 in the Marmonte League, and they will face Westlake once this week.

8. (5) San Clemente, 17-2
Classification: Southern 2
Rankings: 5 state, 14 national, 50 Xcellent 50

The Tritons did lose both of their games last week, but they were to Dana Hills and they were both tight ones, 2-1 and 5-4. Two games with Laguna Hills are on the schedule this week.

9. (9) La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad), 16-4
Classification: San Diego 1
Rankings: 16 state, 65 national

The Mavericks didn't play last week. They are still No. 1 in the U-T San Diego poll. They have three games with Rancho Buena Vista this week, a tough matchup.

10. (12) Alemany (Mission Hills), 15-7
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 19 state, 70 national

This is where the list gets tough, as most teams ranked from here on lost last week. Alemany crushed Bishop Amat 13-2, then went scoreless in a 1-0 loss to Chaminade in nine innings. They face Chaminade again, then Dos Pueblos (Goleta).

11. (18) Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks), 18-5
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 17 state, 66 national

The Knights now have six wins in a row, thanks to 15-2 and 4-0 victories over Chaminade, a 9-3 bashing of Oak Hills and a 16-4 blowout of St. Francis. One more with St. Francis awaits.

12. (11) Vista Murrieta (Murrieta), 13-7
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 27 state, 103 national

The Broncos lost 9-2 to Murrieta Valley but came right back with an 11-0 triumph in the rematch. They have at least one with Murrieta Mesa (maybe two) this week.

13. (NR) Santa Fe Christian (Solana Beach), 18-4
Classification: San Diego 1
Rankings: 68 state, 323 national

The Eagles are in Cal-Hi Sports' Top 20 in the state and have moved to No. 2 in the U-T San Diego poll. They have won eight in a row and have allowed just 41 runs in their 22 games.

14. (NR) Fountain Valley, 16-7
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 41 state, 177 national

The Barons have won six in a row and eight out of nine, and they beat Edison last week. They're ranked sixth by the Orange County Register and entered the Los Angeles Times rankings as well. Los Alamitos is on the schedule this week.

15. (10) Edison (Huntington Beach), 14-6
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 22 state, 85 national

The Chargers lost 6-1 to Fountain Valley and then 6-4 to Tesoro. That, coupled with last week's losses to Huntington Beach, is not good. But nobody else seems ready to move up, so we are keeping the Chargers at 15th.

16. (NR) Norco, 16-4
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 24 state, 90 national

The Cougars enter the rankings after they won 6-5 and 8-4 over Corona, which was ranked 15th at the time. They are still a half-game behind in the Big VIII with Corona, but would own a tiebreaker.

17. (16) Aliso Niguel (Aliso Viejo), 15-9
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 26 state, 99 national

The Wolverines split their two games last week, winning 4-2 and losing 2-1 to Tesoro. They lost 5-1 to Dana Hills but have a shot at revenge later this week.

18. (20) Rancho Bernardo (San Diego), 14-6
Classification: San Diego 1
Rankings: 54 state, 240 national

The Broncos split with Westview but won the three-game series, losing 1-0 in nine innings and winning 8-2. They're third in the U-T San Diego rankings behind La Costa Canyon and Santa Fe Christian.

19. (NR) Santa Margarita (Rancho Santa Margarita), 14-7
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 18 state, 67 national

The Eagles are tied atop the Trinity League and took two of three from St. John Bosco and Mater Dei in their completed series. They have split thus far with Servite and the rubber match is Friday.

20. (NR) South Hills (West Covina), 16-6
Classification: Southern 2
Rankings: 23 state, 86 national

The Huskies are back, and they're tied atop a very jumbled Palomares League. Ayala, Glendora and Bonita are also in the mix. This team is 14th in the LA Times rankings. One more game with Ayala is on the schedule this week.

21. (13) Mater Dei (Santa Ana), 12-9
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 14 state, 63 national

The Monarchs lost 2-1 and 4-1 to Santa Margarita but got back on the winning side with a 7-2 victory over Orange Lutheran. They have two more with the Lancers this week.

22. (NR) El Dorado (Placentia), 15-7
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 67 state, 320 national

The Golden Hawks lead the Crestview League with an undefeated record. They also own two wins over El Modena. The LA Times and OC Register each have El Dorado ranked 10th.

23. (22) Chatsworth, 17-10
Classification: Los Angeles City 1
Rankings: 37 state, 161 national

The Chancellors split with Cleveland (Reseda), losing 3-2 in eight innings and winning 1-0. They also beat South (Torrance) 8-7 in their own tournament. They have two with Taft (Woodland Hills) and one with Culver City.

24. (23) El Modena (Orange), 15-6
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 31 state, 123 national

The Vanguards split two games last week. They lost 5-4 to Foothill and then came out and won 1-0 against Villa Park. Up next is two with El Dorado next week.

25. (24) Orange Lutheran, 15-7
Classification: Southern 1
Rankings: 12 state, 46 national

The Lancers lost three in a row yet here they are, thanks to lofty rankings in all local media outlets. After beating JSerra they lost the last two and then fell in the opener of a three-game set against Mater Dei.

Dropped out: Corona, Vista, Santiago, Clovis West, Valencia, Bonita.