SBLive’s California Baseball Top 25: Harvard-Westlake No. 1 in final statewide rankings of 2021
Harvard-Westlake ended the season on a 20-game winning streak and took down JSerra in the CIF Southern Section Championship game to earn the No. 1 spot in our final statewide baseball rankings of the 2021 season.
SBLive’s statewide California high school baseball rankings are compiled by SBLive reporter Bodie DeSilva and were released weekly throughout the season.
SBLIVE CALIFORNIA TOP 25 BASEBALL RANKINGS
June 29, 2021 (final)
1. Harvard-Westlake (29-4)
The Wolverines cruised through the Southern Section playoffs, beating Orange Lutheran in the semifinals and JSerra in the championship game to finish the season on a 20-game winning streak. They opted out of the regional playoffs.
Last week:1
2. JSerra (30-7)
The Lions regrouped after being shutout by Harvard-Westlake in the Southern Section championship game and won three straight in the Southern California D1 Regional playoffs to become champions.
Last week:2
3. Thousand Oaks (29-1)
Thousand Oaks cruised through the Southern Section D2 playoffs before taking down Trabuco Hills 3-2 in the championship game. Their lone loss of the season came against Newbury Park by one run on May 21.
Last week:5
4. Orange Lutheran (30-6)
The Lancers lost to Harvard-Westlake in the Southern Section semifinals and then lost to JSerra in the Southern California Regional semifinals.
Last week:3
5. Ayala (26-4)
The Bulldogs couldn't get past JSerra, losing to the Lions in the Southern Section semifinals and then again in the Southern California Regional championship game.
Last week:7
6. Bishop Amat (21-9)
The Lancers lost to Orange Lutheran in the Southern Section quarterfinals but secured a big upset when they took down top-seeded Buchanan in the first round of the Southern California D1 Regional playoffs before falling to Ayala.
Last week:NR
7. Buchanan (29-3)
The Bears crushed Liberty 17-4 in the Central Section D1 Championship game but lost to Bishop Amat in the regional playoffs.
Last week:3
8. Valley Christian (San Jose) (24-9)
The Warriors made a run in the Central Coast D1 playoffs taking down top-seeded Archbishop Mitty 6-5 in the championship game.
Last week:NR
9. Eastlake (25-10)
The Titans picked up their play after the regular season, winning four of five games all away from home to capture their third San Diego Section Open Division Championship in the last five seasons. They fell to Ayala, 8-6, in the first round of the Southern California D1 Regional playoffs.
Last week:NR
10. Archbishop Mitty (24-5)
The Monarchs saw their 13-game winning streak come to an end with a 6-5 loss to league foe Valley Christian in the Central Coast Section Championship.
Last week:13
11. Grossmont (29-7)
The Foothillers cruised into the open division championship game but were unable to beat Eastlake for the fourth straight time this season. Their season ended with a 2-1 loss to Orange Lutheran in the first round of the Southern California D1 Regional playoffs.
Last week:15
12. Elk Grove (23-4)
The Thundering Herd finished the season on a five-game winning streak and were the outright winners of the Delta League.
Last week:17
13. Huntington Beach (24-5)
The Oilers were unbeaten in the Sunset Surf League but fell to Corona, 4-3, in the second round of the Southern Section D1 playoffs.
Last week:14
14. La Costa Canyon (22-13)
La Costa Canyon was a semifinalist in the open division, losing to eventual runner-up Grossmont. The Mavericks reset with a new title on the line and won three straight games to claim the Southern California D2 Regional Championship, capped by a Mark Prince walk-off hit.
Last week:NR
15. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame (21-9)
The Knights finished in second place in the Mission League and lost to Ayala by one run in the Southern Section playoffs.
Last week:NR
16. San Marcos (26-7-1)
The top-seeded Knights struggled in the San Diego Section Open Division playoffs, losing two of their three matchups against Eastlake. They opted out of regional playoffs.
Last week:16
17. Liberty (Bakersfield) (16-6)
The Patriots made a run to the Central Section Championship game, falling to Buchanan and then lost to JSerra in the first round of the Southern California Regional playoffs.
Last week:NR
18. King (Riverside) (24-6)
The Wolves saw their season end with a 4-2 loss to Cypress in the Southern Section second round.
Last week:18
19. De La Salle (20-4)
The Spartans took down 13 straight opponents to finish their season and were done in May with the North Coast Section not offering playoffs this season.
Last week:19
20. Tamalpais (19-1)
The Red-Tailed Hawks wrapped up their season on a seven-game winning streak to finish 19-1.
Last week:8
21. Granite Hills (28-10)
Facing elimination, the Eagles rattled off four straight wins to grab the San Diego Section D1 Championship and followed it up with three more wins to become the Southern California D3 Regional Championship.
Last week:NR
22. Millikan (25-5)
The Rams beat Arlington to win the Southern Section D3 Championship and lost the Southern California D2 Regional Championship 1-0 to La Costa Canyon.
Last week:NR
23. Royal (24-6)
Royal beat Rancho Cucamonga 3-2 to win the Southern Section D4 Championship and fell to Ridgeview in the Southern California D4 Regional Championship game.
Last week:NR
24. Palo Alto (20-4)
The Vikings won nine straight to finish their season.
Last week:20
25. Live Oak (17-2)
The Acorns finished their season at 17-2.
Last week:22
