1. West Torrance High (Torrance, Calif.) - (27-1) *9
Losses by every team ranked ahead of them that played made it possible for the Warriors to make the quantum leap from No. 9 to No. 1 in just one week. But it didn't come easy as West Scott Benedict's Wellington High baseball team fell to South Miami High in the state Class 6A semifinals, losing out on a national crown.

Torrance needed a clutch hit by Elliot Salcedo to secure a 3-2 come-from-behind win over sub-.500 San Marcos (10-14-1) in the CIF Southern section Division III playoffs. San Marcos' lefty junk-baller, Ryan Ramirez, held the Warriors hitless through four innings, but couldn't prevent them from coming back from a 2-1 deficit.

2. Wellington High (West Palm Beach, Fla.) - (30-2) *1

	Scott Benedict's Wellington High baseball team fell to South Miami High in the state Class 6A semifinals, losing out on a national crown.

The national championship was Wellington's to win, but five errors against South Miami High in the Class 6A semifinals cost the Wolverines that honor. A win would have sent Wellington to the state title game against Colonial High, and given it a chance at a second consecutive state championship. South Miami went on to defeat Colonial, 4-2, for the title.

3. Bishop Kenny High (Jacksonville, Fla.) - (34-2) *2
Had Bishop Kenny not fallen to Jesuit High, 4-1, in the Class 4A state title game, it would have been a national champion.

4. Moody High (Corpus Christi, Texas) - (33-2-1) *3
Moody beat Taft High, 4-0, in the first game of the regional quarterfinals, lost, 2-1, in Game 2 of the best-of-three series, then came back in the rubber match with a 5-3 win to advance to the regional semifinals against Rowe High. Moody's loss, unlike many of the other 10 teams', wasn't a season-ending one.

5. Lowndes County High (Valdosta, Ga.) - (34-4) *4
Seniors Zane Green and Javon Moran both hit three-run home runs to lead the Vikings to a 13-5 victory over Lassiter (30-9) for Lowndes County's first Class AAAA state championship since 1981. Jeff McCarthy pitched five strong innings in the win. Lassiter opened the best-of-three series with an 11-5 win, but lost Game 2, 16-6, before dropping the third game.

6. Barbe High (Lake Charles, La.) - (36-4) *5
Sophomore pitching sensation Chris Denton and the Buccaneers completed a dream season two weeks ago with a 6-0 victory over Rummel High (31-6) in the Class 5A state championship game for their second state title in three years. Denton, who finished the season with the best pitching record in school history at 14-0, pitched five innings of shutout relief and won his fourth playoff game.

Three successive bunts scored key runs in a six-run first inning that propelled Barbe to a 10-2 win against Covington High in the semifinals. Austin Nagle and the game's winning pitcher, Josh Fontenot (2-0), both homered.

7. Weatherford High (Weatherford, Okla.) - (41-0) *10
The Eagles capped off one of the greatest runs in Oklahoma prep history by posting the best record ever (Garber High went 35-0 in 1961 for second-best) in becoming only the ninth team in state history to complete a perfect season. The dream season was iced with an 11-2 win over Collinsville in the Class 4A state championship game.

The Eagles accomplished the feat in the state's third-highest classification. Of the other undefeated teams in state history, six did so in one of the state's two smallest classes. Binger High did it in Class B in 1964 with Hall of Famer Johnny Bench earning the win on the mound.

8. Bellaire High (Bellaire, Texas) - (28-2) *8
Two weeks ago, Bellaire appeared to be on the verge of winning the national championship. But a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Elkins High ended that dream, and its season.

9. Providence Catholic (New Lenox, Ill.) - (25-2) *6
Providence could have moved into one of the top two spots this week, but like most every other team in the Top 10, it lost. Providence had won five straight games before falling, but after scoring 20 runs in its most recent regular-season game, against Lockport High, Providence Catholic is still the top local team in the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times baseball polls.

10. Oakland High (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) - (37-3) *11
If the Patriots want to become the first baseball team to win consecutive Tennessee Class AAA titles, they will have to get past No. 16 Germantown High this week in the state Final Four in Chattanooga. But for that meeting to occur, Oakland must first get past Hendersonville High, a team the Patriots swept earlier in the season.

Best of the rest

11. Rancho Bernardo High (San Diego, Calif.) - (27-3) *12
The Broncos shut out Rancho Buena Vista High, 11-0, as Matt Wheatland threw a no-hitter with six strikeouts. Rancho also beat Vista, 12-5, to complete its regular season.

12. Steinert High (Hamilton Township, N.J.) - (23-2) *7
Steinert has followed up its win over Gloucester Catholic with four more wins, but also suffered its second setback of the season.

13. Villa Park (Villa park, Calif.) - (25-2) *15
The Spartans were one of the only teams from Orange County that didn't lose last week, as they managed a 4-1 win over Artesia High. Brandon Averill was the key in that victory, as he pitched a five-hitter with seven strikeouts.

14. Canyon del Oro High (Tucson, Ariz.) - (31-5) *17
Flawless relief pitching by senior Nate Hastings led Canyon del Oro to a 6-5 win over defending state champion Desert Vista (26-8) in the Class 5A state title game two weeks ago. The Dorados gave up a mere 14 runs in five tournament games without the use of ailing ace Ryan Schroyer. Canyon del Oro moves up three spots due to others' follies.

15. Westlake High (Westlake Village, Calif.) - (23-3) *18
Westlake rocked Temple City High, 10-0, in a five-inning, first-round game in the CIF Division III Tournament. It now faces Paso Robles High in the second round.

16. Germantown High (Germantown, Tenn.) - (34-3) *20
Germantown is continuing its quest for a second Class AAA title this week against Science Hill High, which owns a record of 28-7. The Red Devils will be looking to pay back Science Hill for a pair of losses in the 1998 state tournament, including an 8-3 loss in the state championship game.

A win over Science Hill would mean a showdown on Thursday (May 25) with No. 10 Oakland High, assuming the Patriots get past Hendersonville High.

17. Eldorado High (Albuquerque, N.M.) - (22-3) *21
The Eagles captured their second straight Class AAAA state title two weeks ago with a 13-4 rout of La Cueva High (19-6). A midseason slump put Eldorado in jeopardy of qualifying for the state tourney, but a late-season turnaround changed its fortunes.

The title was coach Jim Johns' fifth in 13 years at El Dorado. Pitcher Greg Atencio, who signed a letter of intent with the University of Mexico last week, worked the final inning against La Cueva, capping off a three-day playoff run that included 19 strikeouts in 10 innings.

18. Start High (Toledo, Ohio) - (21-0) *NR
Start enters the poll after winning 21 straight games.

19. Gloucester Catholic High (Gloucester City, N.J.) - (22-2) *22
Gloucester was on the verge of extinction from the Top 25 following two straight losses, including one to Steinert High, now ranked No. 12. But Gloucester Catholic won its last two games to remain in the poll.

20. Duncanville High (Duncanville, Texas) - (29-5) *23
Duncanville swept Martin High (Arlington, Texas), 3-1 and 5-3, in a best-of-three Class 5A Region I quarterfinal series to set up a one-game playoff against Mesquite Poteet High in the Class 4A Region II semifinals.

21. Merritt Island High (Merritt Island, Fla.) - (30-4) *24
Merritt Island proved itself worthy last week of re-entry into the poll after winning the Class 5A state championship with a 6-5 win over Sarasota High. Merritt nearly lost to Tate High in the semifinals, but pulled out a dramatic 6-4 win in 10 innings.

22. Ballard High (Louisville, Ky.) - (29-2-1) *25
Ballard has won three straight games since replacing Pleasure Ridge Park High last week as the top representative from Kentucky.

23. Chatsworth High (Chatsworth, Calif.) - (25-1) *NR
Chatsworth enters the poll after a near-flawless regular season and a first-round win in the playoffs. Plus, what's one more California team'

24. Riverdale Baptist High (Laurel, Md.) - (42-4) *NR
Riverdale Baptist re-enters the poll after a two-month hiatus. It's now preparing to play in a four-team Maryland Private School tournament this week.

25. Zephyrhills High (Zephyrhills, Fla.) - (31-3) *14
The Bulldogs faltered in the Class 4A semifinals against No. 3 Bishop Kenny High, 9-0, despite setting a state record for home runs with 63. Brett Cimorelli and Danny Wardell had 14 each on the season.

Bishop Kenny pitcher Pat Rumble pitched a one-hitter, allowing just three balls to be hit out of the infield.

Dropping from last week's poll: No. 13 Gulliver Prep (Miami, Fla.); No. 16 South Kitsap High (Port Orchard, Wash.); No. 19 La Quinta High (La Quinta, Calif)