Jeez. It's nearly April. We're coming up on the halfway point already. And what have we learned?

A crazy month of March showed us some things. We can guess the teams that are queuing up for Central Coast Section tournament bids. The WCAL will be well-represented by six, and maybe seven, teams. No surprise there, but after that, it's pretty murky.

The PAL-Bay Division is a jumble of uncertainty. Sequoia appears to be the class of the conference. And then the debate begins. One week, it's Hillsdale and Menlo School that catch our eye. The next week it's Carlmont and Burlingame that do something worth noting. The teams that find their consistency over the final six weeks are going to be the ones still playing after May 15.

The Santa Clara Valley Athletic League's De Anza Division features one exceptional team in Los Gatos, a Wilcox squad that fundamentally sound and five teams that are going to be beating up on each other for a CCS bid. The team that gets hot – will it be Palo Alto, Homestead or Los Altos? – is the one in line for the De Anza's third CCS bid.

And what about the PAL-Ocean Division? At this point, it might be the most competitive public-school league around from top to bottom. Seven of the eight teams have winning records. Sacred Heart Prep and Terra Nova are probably the favorites to bring home the crown, but don't be surprised if it's someone else.

So, what's the point of all of this? It's simply that we have no idea how this will turn out. There is an unpredictability to this season that is making every week a little more fun.

Make sure to take some time to enjoy the journey – to savor the uncertainty.

Rank  Team Summary Upcoming Games
1. Saint Francis (10-1) With the best returning lineup on the Peninsula, we only worried whether the Lancers had enough pitching to compete. So far so good. Kyle McMillan is a workhorse, while Brody Larocque might be the best rags-to-riches story in the WCAL. Saint Francis has gone 55 innings without allowing an earned run. The pitching has been exceptional. So has the defense. And the baserunning is lethal. This weeK: Boras Family Classic in Sacramento.
2. St. Ignatius Prep (8-2) The Wildcats took care of business with two relatively easy wins over Riordan. The regulars -- Archer Horn, Chase Gordon and DJ Delaney -- have been consistently good, and they're also getting major contributions from others like AJ Wineinger, Ryan Rosenthal, Jack Callen and RJ Church. This team is deep. This week: Boras Family Classic in Sacramento.
3. Los Gatos (9-1) The WIldcats have all but wrapped up the De Anza Division after racing to a 7-0 start that includes a series sweep of Wilcox two weeks ago. The Big Three -- Beau Musser, Brady Simon and Ethan Williams -- have been as good as advertised, while juniors Jackson Fitzpaatrick and Chase Frolich, who occupy the Nos. 3 and 4 spots in the batting order, have burst onto the scene. This week: Boras Family Classic in Sacramento.
4. Bellarmine Prep (11-2) We like this lineup a lot. There are few teams around that have a lineup that features this kind of firepower. The Bells are piecing together their pitching and bludgeoning the opposition with hitters like Drew McClelland, Isaiah Beyah aand Emmet Arnott, Nathan Chew and Vincent Kim. These guys can hit. This week: Thursday vs. The King's Academy, 4 p.m.
5. Valley Christian (8-4) Just when we were getting ready to give up on the Warriors and their ability to compete in the WCAL wit a young roster, they went out and swept a series from Serra that put them within striking distance of Saint Francis. The win over Serra came by virtue of their three best players: Nathan Choi, Christian Nevarez and Colton Hadfield. This week: Thursday vs Folsom, 3 p.m.
6. Serra (8-4) The Padres have lost three straight games and most of their problems can be attributed to an offense that, after shortstop Nate Hui, has lacked the consistency needed to win in the WCAL. But we're seening signs of life from centerfielder Aaron Minton and William Walbridge continues to be a longball threat. This week: Boras Family Classic in Sacramento.
7. Archbishop Mitty (10-4) The Monarchs were swept by Saint Francis this week, but had their chances. Anyone who doubts how good their are needed only to see what they did the next day. An 18-0 victory over Homestead showed that have the strength to do some damage, while every now and then pulling off an upset against a team like St. Ignatius Prep. Derek Allen was hit by three pitches in a game last week, something Mitty wears like a badge of courage. This week: Wednesday vs. Menlo-Atherton, 4 p.m..
8. Sequoia (8-3) Morgan Winfield is the straw that stirs the drink in Redwood City, but it would be ignorant to overlook the rest of a lineup that had scored at least seven runs in eight of their 11 games this year. Cole Hymer is having a big year at first base, while the Fausto brothers, Nolan and Mario, have each shined with the longball this year. If Sequoia can find its footing on the mound, this is a team that can make a CCS run. This week: Wednesday vs. Carlmont, 4:30 p.m.; Friday at Carlmont, 4:30 p.m.
9. Sacred Heart Prep (9-4) The Gators are coming off a 3-0 week after a sweep of South San Francisco and a thrilling 6-5 victory over Menlo-Atherton at Sunkin Diamond. We know about their high-powered pitching rotation of Rallin Covey and Kyle Sweeney. Nico Pollioni is the player who is standing out each game. On Tuesday, he led off the bottom of the first with a home run against South City, picked two runners off first base from behind the plate and pitched the last two innings to earn the save. This week: No games. Spring break.
10. Wilcox (7-4) The Chargers took care of business by sweeping crosstown rival Sannta Clara. Coach Matthew Huth's squad is a favorite to lock up one of the De Anza Division's CCS bids, but they have to continue winning. Having Eliah Laureles gives them a big advantage every time he takes the mound. The senior is a bulldog. Isaiah Mata is turning into an RBI machine for the Chargers. This week: Wednesday vs. Los Altos, 4 p.m.; Friday at Los Altos, 4 p.m.
11. Terra Nova (6-3) The Tigers' season thus far can be compared to a game of Mother, May I. Two steps forward, one step back. A loss to San Mateo early in the week wasn't what the Tigers wanted, but Aiden James bounced back with a big game to help Terra Nova salvage a series split. A win over Sequoia the next day was huge for the Tigers and they pulled it off without injured shortstop Brody Finale, who figures to return this week. This week: Tuesday at Woodside, 4:30 p.m.; Thursday vs. Woodside, 4:30 p.m.
12. Carlmont (6-6) The Scots are finally firing on all cylanders and are riding the wave of a four-game winning streak. That it comes on the heels of a six-game losing streak is pause for concern. Consistency matters. We'll learn a lot about Carlmont this week when it takes on Sequoia in a suddenly-big Bay Division series. The pitching duo of Nate Werbinski and Jacob Shinseki makes the Scots a threat. Outfielder Levi Wellman is on a heater right now. This week: Wednesday at Sequoia, 4:30 p.m.; Friday vs. Sequoia, 4:30 p.m.
13. Menlo School (7-5) The Knights are no pushover in the Bay Division, but they've yet to hit their stride, either. Chuck Wynn is having a big season, while Jack Freehill anchors the infield and is the quintessential tablesetter. Throw in a team that features plenty of talent and varsity experience -- especially in big games -- and this is a group that will be there in the end. Keep an eyes on Fletcher Cahill, who is Menlo's Swiss army knife. This week: Thursday vs. Half Moon Bay, 4 p.m.; Saturday at Aptos, 11 a.m.
14. The King's Academy (6-4) The Knights took a week away from baseball for community service week. That usually leads to them coming back with a renewed energy and an appreication for baseball. The King's Academy has been an offensive surprise thus far, but it remains to be seen how they will overcome the injury of shortstop Justin Cho, who broke a thumb earlier this month. This week: Thursday at Bellarmine, 4 p.m.
15. Burlingame (7-3) The Panthers are offensively challenged, but they have enough pitching and defense to keep them in every game they play in the Bay Division. A 1-0 walkoff victory over Sacred Heart Cathedral on Saturday night served as an eye-opener that they can contend for a league crown while putting themselves in the running for a CCS tourney bid. This week: Week off. Spring break.
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