Top players from teams making huge moves in this week’s state rankings are Matt Wilcox (left) of Los Gatos and Kourtney Shaw of Poway. Photos: lghsbaseball.com & calbears.com
It’s been less than one week since the last State Top 20s were done, but the weekend created mass changes. Los Gatos leads a group of five newcomers in baseball and goes in all the way up at No. 11. Softball is even more crazy with seven new teams, including two San Diego Section teams that are now up to No. 10 and No. 11.
Check below for this week’s new list of the State Top 20 baseball and softball rankings.
To read our breakdowns on each Top 20 team, why some of these rankings moves were made, which teams are on the bubble and for divisional state rankings (once basketball is complete), you need to be a member of our Gold Club. Join our team today by CLICKING HERE.
NEW CAL-HI SPORTS BASEBALL
TOP 20 OVERALL RANKINGS
It wasn’t just a 5-2 win last week over previous No. 9 Valley Christian of San Jose that propelled the 15-1 Los Gatos baseball team up to No. 11 in this week’s Cal-Hi Sports State Top 20 rankings.
The Wildcats also benefitted with St. Francis of Mountain View winning the NorCal bracket of the Boras Baseball Classic. Los Gatos also happens to own a win over the Lancers this season and quickly avenged its only loss to Milpitas in the second game of a two-game set.
In the win over the Warriors, junior Jake Holton had two hits and one RBI while junior pitcher Brooks Olesek got a complete-game triumph.
St. Francis, meanwhile, defeated Serra of San Mateo and Clovis West of Fresno to win the NorCal bracket of the Boras Classic. The SoCal bracket of that tournament will be held this week and will include state No. 2 JSerra of San Juan Capistrano.
Harvard-Westlake of North Hollywood moved up to No. 4 in this week’s rankings behind San Clemente, JSerra and College Park after it won the Perfect Game Louisville Slugger Tournament in Georgia. The Wolverines defeated O’Fallon of Illinois in the semifinals 6-0, then beat legendary football school Valdosta of Georgia 3-1 in the title game.
Tanner Adams has been a top pitcher this season for Franklin of Elk Grove. Photo: @FHSAthletics2 via Twitter.
(Compiled by Mark Tennis; updated through games played Saturday, April 4; previous rating in parentheses)
1. (1) SAN CLEMENTE 14-1
2. (2) JSERRA (SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO) 9-1
3. (3) COLLEGE PARK (PLEASANT HILL) 7-2
4. (6) HARVARD-WESTLAKE (NORTH HOLLYWOOD) 13-2
5. (7) ALEMANY (MISSION HILLS) 11-2
6. (8) DANA HILLS (DANA POINT) 16-2
7. (13) FRANKLIN (ELK GROVE) 10-2
8. (14) BUCHANAN (CLOVIS) 17-3
9. (18) SAN DIMAS 14-0
10. (4) LA COSTA CANYON (CARLSBAD) 12-2
11. (NR) LOS GATOS 15-1
12. (5) EDISON (HUNTINGTON BEACH) 14-2
13. (17) BELLARMINE (SAN JOSE) 12-2
14. (NR) ST. FRANCIS (MOUNTAIN VIEW) 10-3
15. (10) ST. AUGUSTINE (SAN DIEGO) 11-2
16. (9) VALLEY CHRISTIAN (SAN JOSE) 12-3
17. (NR) MARIA CARRILLO (SANTA ROSA) 9-2
18. (12) OAK RIDGE (EL DORADO HILLS) 12-2
19. (NR) VISTA MURRIETA (MURRIETA) 9-3
20. (NR) MONTE VISTA (DANVILLE) 6-2
Dropped Out:
Previous No. 11 San Ramon Valley (Danville); No. 15 Foothill (Pleasanton); No. 16 Elk Grove; No. 19 Vintage (Napa); No. 20 Vista.
NEW CAL-HI SPORTS SOFTBALL
TOP 20 OVERALL RANKINGS
It’s getting to seem ho-hum for the No. 1 Mission Viejo softball team winning big tournaments, so it’s what’s happening among other teams in these events that are creating the most interesting moves in the weekly Cal-Hi Sports State Top 20 rankings.
In last week’s Michelle Carew Classic hosted by Canyon of Anaheim, the Diablos won the title with a 5-1 win in the final over Poway.
But for Poway getting to the final, which included wins over previous No. 13 Los Osos and previous No. 11 Canyon, it’s an accomplishment that not only helped the Titans in this week’s rankings but also two other CIF San Diego Section teams.
After all, it’s not as if we could just jump Poway ahead of other San Diego teams that are ranked higher. The section’s No. 1 ranked team, Patrick Henry, improved to 12-1 and went from No. 16 to No. 7 while Bonita Vista of Chula Vista, which has a win over Poway, was placed all the way up to No. 10 with the Titans going in at No. 11.
The Livermore Stampede also caused mass changes with previous No. 7 Archbishop Mitty losing in its first game to Heritage of Brentwood. When it all shook out, Mitty actually stayed in this week’s rankings at No. 20 right behind Heritage with tourney champion Livermore going in as a newcomer at No. 12.
It’s certainly shaping up to be one of those seasons in which there will be a lot of yo-yo action for many of the state’s top teams. If your team isn’t ranked this week, have faith. The yo-yo for the teams that are up right now probably will spin back down in a week a two.
(Compiled by Mark Tennis; updated through reported games played Saturday, April 4; previous rating in parentheses)
1. (1) MISSION VIEJO 17-0
2. (2) SANTIAGO (CORONA) 13-1
3. (3) PIONEER (SAN JOSE) 18-0
4. (4) LUTHERAN (ORANGE) 15-0
5. (6) YUCAIPA 14-3
6. (8) ETIWANDA 16-3
7. (16) PATRICK HENRY (SAN DIEGO) 12-1
8. (9) JAMES LOGAN (UNION CITY) 10-0-1
9. (5) PACIFICA (GARDEN GROVE) 10-4
10. (NR) BONITA VISTA (CHULA VISTA) 10-2
11. (NR) POWAY 15-4
12. (NR) LIVERMORE 9-2
13. (NR) MATER DEI (SANTA ANA) 13-3
14. (20) WEST RANCH (VALENCIA) 11-3
15. (17) SAN CLEMENTE 13-3
16. (NR) AMADOR VALLEY (PLEASANTON) 8-2
17. (11) CANYON (ANAHEIM) 12-5
18. (NR) HIGHLAND (PALMDALE) 9-1
19. (NR) HERITAGE (BRENTWOOD) 11-2
20. (7) ARCHBISHOP MITTY (SAN JOSE) 14-3
Dropped Out:
Previous No. 10 Murrieta Valley (Murrieta); No. 12 Los Alamitos; No. 13 Los Osos (Rancho Cucamonga); No. 14 Benicia; No. 15 Norco; No. 18 Saugus; No. 19 San Benito (Hollister).
Mark Tennis is the co-founder and publisher of CalHiSports.com. He can be reached at markjtennis@gmail.com. Don’t forget to follow Mark on the Cal-Hi Sports Twitter handle: @CalHiSports
