Video: Early Contenders – BuchananWatch a season preview for the Bears, who moved up to No. 1 in the Xcellent 25 National High School Baseball Rankings.
The National High School Invitational results created a big shakeup in this week's Xcellent 25 National High School baseball rankings.
Buchanan, last year's MaxPreps national baseball champion, climbs to the top spot after Archbishop McCarthy lost to South Hills in the second round of the NHSI The Mavericks fell to No. 6 with the loss, while South Hills, which lost in the next two rounds, comes in at No. 13.
Winder-Barrow and Dana Hills were also big winners in the tournament. Winder-Barrow rises 13 spots to No. 7 after going 3-1 in the tournament. Dana Hills, which lost in the championship game to Orange Lutheran, enters the rankings this week at No. 21 despite seven losses on its record (9-7). Three of those losses are to Orange Lutheran.
Orange Lutheran moves up two spots to No. 2 following its NHSI championship.
Other newcomers this week include West Monroe at No. 25, New Hanover at No. 17 and Tate at No. 21.
MaxPreps 2017 Xcellent 25 National High School Baseball Rankings
1. (last week 2) Buchanan (Clovis, Calif.), 15-0
Facing two of its toughest tests of the season, Buchanan stayed undefeated and moved into the No. 1 spot in the Xcellent 25. The Bears, who finished the 2016 season as the No. 1 team in the nation, have now won 28 games in a row after beating Clovis 5-4 and Clovis North (Fresno) 5-2.
Orange Lutheran won the National High School Invitational
Photo by Alyson Boyer Rode
The Lancers became the fifth Southern California team to win the NHSI, defeating Dana Hills (Dana Point) 3-2 in the title game. The Lancers also topped South Hills (West Covina) 5-3 in the semifinals, Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville, Fla.) 5-1 in the quarterfinals and Merritt Island (Fla.) 7-3 in the first round.
3. (5) Shawnee (Okla.), 17-0
Shawnee won the Shawnee Showdown with four wins, including a 6-5 win over Dale, a 14-5 victory over Putnam City, a 9-1 win over Fort Gibson and a 9-1 win over Noble.
4. (6) George Ranch (Richmond, Texas), 20-1
George Ranch won its two district games last week, beating Pearland 11-4 and Alief Elsik 11-0 to retain their No. 1 state Class 6A ranking by Texas High School Baseball.
5. (7) Owasso (Okla.), 19-0
The Rams captured a pair of league wins over Bartlesville, winning by identical 2-1 scores. Owasso also knocked off Jenks 5-2 on a three-run home run by
Athanie Leeviraphan in the bottom of the seventh.
6. (1) Archbishop McCarthy (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.), 14-1
The Mavericks lost their first game of the season with a 5-1 defeat to South Hills (West Covina, Calif.) in the second round off the National High School Invitational. Archbishop McCarthy finished 3-1 in the tournament, beating Arlington (Tenn.) 3-1, Canterbury (Fort Myers, Fla.) 12-5 and Cullman (Ala.) 4-0.
7. (20) Winder-Barrow (Winder, Ga.), 18-2
Winder-Barrow had a strong showing at the NHSI, beating Huntington Beach (Calif.) 3-1, American Heritage (Plantation, Fla.) 7-0, and Rocky Mountain (Fort Collins, Colo.) 6-5, while losing to Dana Hills 6-5 in the semifinals.
8. (3) Huntington Beach (Calif.), 11-2
The defending NHSI champions went 2-2 in the event for their first two losses of the season. After falling to Winder-Barrow 3-1 and Cullman in the first two rounds, the Oilers bounced back to beat Merritt Island (Fla.) 8-3 and Canterbury (Fort Myers, Fla.) 4-3.
9. (8) North Gwinnett (Suwanee, Ga.), 20-1
After 20 straight wins to start the season, North Gwinnett fell to Mill Creek (Hoschton) 6-2 on Friday. North Gwinnett had defeated Mill Creek 6-2 earlier in the week and had also beaten Collins Hill (Suwanee) 6-5.
10. (9) Lake Travis (Austin, Texas), 15-1-1
The Cavaliers took three straight district games from Lehman, winning 12-1, 6-2 and 6-2.
11. (11) Rancho Bernardo (San Diego), 11-1
The Broncos captured the North County Conference Tournament, beating Poway 4-0 in the championship game.
Brian Marquez tossed a no-hitter in the finals, striking out three in the process. Rancho Bernardo also defeated Mission Hills (San Marcos) 13-0 in the semifinals and La Costa Canyon (Carlsbad) 10-1 in the quarterfinals.
12. (12) Allatoona (Acworth, Ga.), 19-2
The Buccaneers claimed four region wins last week, beating River Ridge (Woodstock) 4-3 in 10 innings, Creekview (Canton) 13-5, and Sequoyah (Canton) 11-7 and 7-6.
13. (10) South Hills (West Covina, Calif.), 11-3
The Huskies pulled off the biggest upset of the NHIS, beating former No. 1 Archbishop McCarthy 5-1 in the second round. South Hills fell to eventual tournament champion Orange Lutheran 5-3 in the semifinals and lost again on the final day, 2-1 to Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville, Fla.). South Hills opened the tournament with a 2-0 win over Brother Rice (Chicago).
14. (16) Columbus (Miami), 14-1
The Explorers won twice last week, beating Varela (Miami) 3-0 and Ferguson (Miami) 8-6.
Danny San Pedro struck out six in the win over Varela.
Mike Fernandez had a home run in the Ferguson victory.
15. (21) Prosper (Texas), 21-2-1
The Eagles won both of their district games against Turner (Carrollton), winning 12-0 and 13-0. Prosper faces its toughest district test of the season when it takes on McKinney North (19-4 overall) in a pair of games this week.
16. (22) Oxford (Miss.), 19-2
The Chargers won all four games they played last week, beating defending Class 4A state champion Houston 13-5, Saltillo in two games 6-0 and 6-2, and Olive Branch 12-2.
17. (NR) New Hanover (Wilmington, N.C.), 12-0
New Hanover is the only undefeated Class 4A team in the state of North Carolina, according to the MaxPreps standings.
18. (15) Oak Grove (Hattiesburg, Miss.), 17-2
Oak Grove won three games last week, but finished with a 6-5 loss to Purvis in eight innings. The Warriors defeated Meridian 13-3 and 13-0, and also topped Seminary 5-3.
19. (17) Palmetto (Miami), 12-1
The Panthers split their two games last week, beating South Dade (Homestead) 3-2 and falling to Killian (Miami) 11-5.
20. (NR) Tate (Cantonment, Fla.), 14-1
The Aggies have wins over some of the top teams in Florida, including Mosley (Lynn Haven), Sarasota and Trinity Christian Academy (Jacksonville).
21. (NR) Dana Hills (Dana Point, Calif.), 9-7
Dana Hills' strong showing at the National High School Invitational included wins over Canterbury, Cullman (Ala.) and Winder-Barrow before falling to Orange Lutheran in the finals.
22. (18) Canterbury (Fort Myers, Fla.), 13-4
Canterbury went 1-3 at the NHSI, losing to Huntington Beach 4-3, Archbishop McCarthy 12-5 and Dana Hills and beating Hamilton (Chandler, Ariz.) 7-0.
23. (13) Horizon (Scottsdale, Ariz.), 16-2-1
Horizon played just once last week, losing to Desert Vista (Phoenix) 6-0 in a non-league game.
24. (23) Barbe (Lake Charles, La.), 22-4
The Buccaneers fell to New Iberia 3-1 after beating Comeaux (Lafayette) 7-5 and Sulphur 7-5 earlier in the week.
25. (NR) West Monroe (La.), 21-2
The Rebels have one of the best records in Louisiana with one of the losses coming against Barbe early in the season.
Dropped out: No. 14 Harvard-Westlake (Studio City, Calif.), No. 19 Lake Brantley (Altamonte Springs, Fla.), No. 24 Pinnacle (Phoenix), No. 25 Blanchard (Okla.).
