Peninsula Prep Baseball
Our first ranking of the season isn't much different than the way last year ended. Simply put, until someone knocks off Serra, the Padres of the kings of the Peninsula's baseball hill.
The Padres will get better, especially as they rely on a large throng of young players, but they're not bad right now. Winning the Battle of Atherton for the second straight year is a good way to open the season.
We know that St. Ignatius Prep and Saint Francis have the talent to climb to the top, and we'll never count out Valley Christian in the West Catholic Athletic League chase. Those matchups are on the horizon and we eagerly await them.
Rankings are merely a snapshot of where we are at this point in time. That said, there are a handful of teams that have gotten out of the gates quickly and were rewarded with their ranking.
Sequoia's Tamone tourney win was impressive, as was Bellarmine's bounce-back win in Clovis on Saturday against Buchanan. Wilcox also opened our eyes with a seventh-inning rally that fell short.
| Rank | Team | Summary | Upcoming Games |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Serra (3-0) | The Padres found a way to win the Battle for Atherton. Nate Hui was the catalyst with two three-hit games and five stolen bases, but a new crop of contributors stepped forward, too. | This weeK: Tuesday vs. San Ramon Valley; Thursday vs. College Park; Saturday at St. Mary's of Stockton. |
| 2. | St. Ignatius Prep (1-0) | The cancellation of the De La salle game was disappointing, but SI showed its chops a few days later in a win over Cardinal Newman. No team has more senior leadership. | This week: Tuesday at Accalanes; Saturday vs. Granada. |
| 3. | Saint Francis (2-1) | A loss to Soquel was a downer. The bats haven't heated up yet, but they will. The pitching has been a pleasant surprise. If that continues, the Lancers will be there at the end. | This week: Thursday vs. Mountain View; Friday vs.Sequoia. |
| 4. | Los Gatos (2-1) | The Wildcats hit. No one should be surprised by that. If the pitching steps up, they've shown themselves as a bunch to be reckoned with. | This week: No Games. Next game, March 11 vs. Mountain View. |
| 5. | Bellarmine (2-1) | The Bells showed a lot in a series split with Buchanan in Clovis over the weekend. The heartbreaking walkoff loss not withstanding, they bounced back with an extra-innings win on Saturday. | This week: Friday vs. Jesuit; Saturday vs. Oakridge. |
| 6. | Sequoia (3-0) | The Ravens claimed the Tamone tourney title without having to use Morgan Winfield on the mound. The senior played third base and made his presence felt at the plate, showing his surgically-repaired knee has mended. | This week: Tuesday vs. Woodside; Friday at Saint Francis. |
| 7. | Valley Christian (1-1) | It's hard to fathom how the same team that beat Cardinal Newman handily in its opener could drop a decision to Scotts Valley three days later. It's a process. | This week: Monday vs. Christopher; Wednesday and Saturday at Hazlett tourney. |
| 8. | Wilcox (2-1) | The Chargers showed no quit in a seventh-inning rally that came up one run short on Saturday night. They're young but scrappy and now look to their own tourney. | This week: Tuesday vs. Monterey; Thursday and Saturday at Hazlett tourney. |
| 9. | Sacred Heart Cathedral (1-1) | The Irish bats have come out strong. Don't worry about a pitching staff led by Jacob Vines. There's no shame in Saturday's loss at Marin Catholic. | This week: Wednesday at Redwood. |
| 10. | Archbishop Mitty (3-0) | The Monarchs will see stiffer competition than they saw at the Milpitas tourney, but it's hard to argue with the results. They hit and pitched their way to a tournament crown. | This week: Monday vs. Hollister; Wednesday and Saturday at Hazlett tourney. |
| 11. | The King's Academy (3-0) | Nate Plata's 100th career hit is an accomplishment, but it doesn't begin to explain a first week that has saw their offense shine brightly. Taiyo Peterson's bat is on fire. | This week: Tuesday vs. Scotts Valley; Thursday vs. Soquel; Saturday vs. Half Moon Bay. |
| 12. | Menlo-Atherton (0-3) | Don't let the record fool you. The Bears have played the toughest schedule on the Peninsula to date. They can hit and will hit. | This week: Friday at Woodside. |
| 13. | Menlo School (1-2) | The good news is catcher Chuck Wynn is back after soccer season. He'll make a difference immediatley. Jack Freehill is off to a nice start. The pitching will be a key. | This week: Tuesday vs. San Mateo; Thursday vs. Westmont; Saturday vs. Santa Clara. |
| 14. | Carlmont (1-0) | The Scots opened the season with a nice win at Half Moon Bay. Now we find out how a young team with plenty of arms fares at the Hazlett tourney. | This week: Monday vs. Palo Alto; Wednesday and Saturday at Hazlett tourney. |
| 15. | Terra Nova (1-1) | Jessie Martinez, the Tigers' ace, returns after basketball season. That's the good news. A loss to Lowell raises questions for a team with lofty goals this year. It's early. | This week: Tuesday vs. University; Saturday vs. Santa Cruz. |
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