SBLive’s Southern Section Baseball Top 25: Norco jumps up to No. 15 in latest rankings
SBLive’s Southern Section high school baseball rankings are compiled by SBLive reporter Connor Morrissette and are released weekly throughout the season.
SBLIVE SOUTHERN SECTION TOP 25 BASEBALL RANKINGS
April 11, 2022
1. Orange Lutheran (17-3)
Last week: 1
The Lancers are 14-2 against teams from California this season.
2. Yucaipa (15-3)
Last week: 2
Yucaipa walked off to beat No. 4 Harvard-Westlake 6-5 on Feb. 15. Last week, the Thunderbirds went 2-1 in the USA Baseball National High School Invitational.
3. Sierra Canyon (20-0)
Last week: 3
The Trailblazers have two MLB Draft prospects in senior pitchers Jaden Noot and Kassius Thomas and so far the two aces have led Sierra Canyon to an undefeated season. The Trailblazers took down Crescenta Valley and Poly last week by a combined 21-2 score.
4. Harvard-Westlake (15-5-1)
Last week: 4
Harvard-Westlake has won eight of its last nine Mission League games, but star outfielder Toussaint Bythewood injured his wrist two weeks ago, according to Eric Sondheimer of the Los Angeles Times, and may miss the rest of the season.
5. Notre Dame (Sherman Oaks) (17-5-1)
Last week: 5
The Knights went 1-1-1 against No. 4 Harvard-Westlake in their series in March and since then, Notre Dame has won 13 of 15 Mission League games.
6. JSerra (11-9)
Last week: 6
JSerra swept No. 7 Servite two weeks ago. The Lions play No. 4 Harvard-Westlake on Monday.
7. Servite (9-8)
Last week: 7
A week after sweeping No. 13 Santa Margarita, Servite lost three in a row to No. 6 JSerra two weeks ago.
8. Villa Park (17-2)
Last week: 8
Villa Park is red hot. The Spartans have won 14 of their last 15 games.
9. Arlington (20-1)
Last week: 9
Arlington has beaten No. 14 King this season. The Lions are currently on a 20 game win streak.
10. Huntington Beach (14-5)
Last week: 10
Huntington Beach has won 10 of its last 11 games since starting the year 4-4.
11. Foothill (13-6)
Last week: 11
Foothill finished off its three game sweep of El Dorado in Crestview League play two weeks ago.
12. Cypress (17-3-2)
Last week: 12
Cypress has won 13 of its last 14 games. The Centurions won the National Classic championship game 3-1 over Bishop Amat last week.
13. Santa Margarita (16-6)
Last week: 14
Santa Margarita went 3-1 in the National Classic last week. The lone loss came against No. 12 Cypress, 7-2.
14. King (12-5)
Last week: 15
King beat No. 10 Huntington Beach 2-0 on March 9th. The Wolves have won all three of their Big VIII series so far this season against No. 15 Norco, Corona Centennial and Roosevelt two games to one. This week, King plays a three game series against No. 23 Corona.
15. Norco (18-3)
Last week: 18
Norco swept No. 23 Corona in three games last week to move up to No. 15 this week.
16. Hart (14-7)
Last week: 20
The Indians have beaten No. 5 Notre Dame this season and are 6-0 in the Foothill League.
17. Mission Viejo (11-9)
Last week: NR
Mission Viejo started the year 1-5, but since then, the Diablos are 10-4. Last week, Mission Viejo swept No. 18 Tesoro in three games.
18. Tesoro (16-4)
Last week: 13
Tesoro went winless in its series against No. 17 Mission Viejo last week, which drops the Titans to No. 18 this week.
19. San Dimas (13-4)
Last week: NR
San Dimas beat both No. 20 South Hills and No. 21 St. John Bosco in the National Classic last week.
20. South Hills (16-5)
Last week: 17
Coming into the National Classic, South Hills had won nine games in a row. But last week the Huskies went 2-2 in the tournament with losses to No. 12 Cypress and No. 19 San Dimas
21. St. John Bosco (13-8)
Last week: 16
St. John Bosco had a tough go in the National Classic losing to Bishop Amat 13-0 and No. 19 San Dimas 5-4.
22. Mater Dei (11-7)
Last week: 22
Mater Dei took two of three games from No. 13 Santa Margarita two weeks ago.
23. Corona (11-7)
Last week: 21
Corona has lost five of its last eight games, but the Panthers have the talent to make a deep playoff run.
24. Los Alamitos (13-6-2)
Last week: NR
The Griffins are unbeaten in their last seven games. Last week, Los Alamitos took down No. 25 Torrance 3-2.
25. Torrance (18-2-1)
Last week: 19
Torrance' fell to No. 24 Los Alamitos 3-2 last week. The Tartars best wins this season have come against Warren and West Torrance.
Honorable mention: Bishop Amat
The Lancers advanced to the championship game of the National Classic last week thanks to wins over No. 21 St. John Bosco and El Dorado. Amat has also beaten No. 24 Los Alamitos this season, but losing two out of three games to unranked Gardena Serra in the Del Rey League has the Lancers on the outside of the Top 25 looking in this week.