1. Gloucester Catholic High (Gloucester City, N.J.) - (33-1) *1
It didn't seem possible at the beginning of the season, but the national championship has landed in New Jersey. With the upper levels of the top 25 dominated by Florida and California teams to start the season, the odds of a team from the Garden State winning it all seemed pretty long. But Gloucester Catholic kept turning back opponents and working its way up our ranks. Last week, it moved into the No. 1 spot.

Gloucester and its seven Division I signees capped a near-perfect season Saturday by routing Seton Hall Prep, 13-4, in the Parochial A state finals. Despite the lopsided final score, Seton Hall (27-7) didn't go quietly into the New Jersey night. A rally in the bottom of the fifth inning allowed Seton Hall to close within 7-3 and force Gloucester coach Dennis Barth to take out starting pitcher Mark Michael, who was drafted in the 21st round as a third baseman by the Minnesota Twins.

Michael (6-0) was replaced by Brad Reed, who immediately gave up a single to Jon Marzella, cutting the deficit to 7-4. But Reed settled down and struck out the next two batters to end the inning. He struck out the side in the sixth, then retired Seton Hall in order in the seventh to ice the state and national crowns. Gloucester reached the finals via an 11-0 rout of Christian Brothers Academy.

2. Rancho Bernardo High (San Diego, Calif.) - (30-3) *2
The Broncos went from being out of national championship contention to right in the thick of things following their 1-0 win over Vista High (20-13) in the CIF Division I title game two weeks ago. The Broncos could have won the national crown if Gloucester had faltered in the Parochial A state finals, but, unfortunately for Rancho Bernardo, that didn't happen.

A solo home run by David Giorgis in the first inning of the CIF title game not only won the contest for Rancho Bernardo, but helped the Broncos tie the state record for home runs in a season (75), set last year by Eastlake High. The Broncos produced only two more hits the rest of the game, but one run was more than enough for pitcher Matt Wheatland (11-1).

Wheatland, who was selected eighth overall (by the Detroit Tigers) in the MLB Draft, struck out 10 batters, giving him 100 Ks for the season. He allowed just six hits.

The win gave Rancho Bernardo its second state championship since 1995 and gave head coach Sam Blalock his 512th career victory.

3. West Torrance High (Torrance, Calif.) - (29-2) *4
A national title appeared imminent for West Torrance following its 14-4 win over Notre Vista High in the semifinals of the CIF Southern Section Division III playoffs. But then-No. 20 Villa Park upset the Warriors, 5-1, in the championship game at Dodger Stadium.

The matchup was never expected to happen, as Villa Park was eliminated by Tustin High earlier in the playoffs. However, Tustin was later disqualified due to an ineligible player, allowing Villa Park back in the tournament.

4. Wellington High (West Palm Beach, Fla.) - (30-2) *5
Five errors against South Miami High in the Class 6A semifinals last month cost the Wolverines their second straight state title and their No. 1 national ranking. South Miami went on to defeat Colonial High, 4-2, for the state title.

5. Bishop Kenny High (Jacksonville, Fla.) - (34-2) *6
Bishop Kenny fell to Jesuit High, 4-1, in the Class 4A state title game last month, denying itself a shot at the national championship.

6. Lowndes County High (Valdosta, Ga.) - (34-4) *7
Seniors Zane Green and Javon Moran both hit three-run home runs to lead the Vikings to a 13-5 victory over Lassiter High (30-9) last month, giving Lowndes County its 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.

7. Barbe High (Lake Charles, La.) - (36-4) *8
Sophomore pitching sensation Chris Denton and the Buccaneers completed a dream season last month 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 (14-0) threw five innings of shutout relief and won his fourth playoff game.

8. Weatherford High (Weatherford, Okla.) - (41-0) *9
The Eagles capped off one of the greatest runs in Oklahoma prep baseball history last month by posting the best record ever (Garber High went 35-0 in 1961 for second-best) in becoming only the ninth Oklahoma high school baseball team to complete a perfect season. The dream season was iced with an 11-2 win over Collinsville High in the Class 4A state championship game.

9. Moody High (Corpus Christi, Texas) - (38-4-1) *3
The Trojans followed last week's thriller over South San Antonio High in Game 2 of the Region IV-5A championship series with a win over Houston-area power Elkins High (28-9) to advance to the state championship game. That's when the wheels came off the Moody express.

The Trojans fell to The Woodlands High, 3-2. The Woodlands beat Duncanville High, 11-1, in the state semifinals.

10. Bellaire High (Bellaire, Texas) - (28-2) *10
Bellaire was on the verge of winning the national championship, but a heartbreaking 2-1 loss to Elkins High last month ended that dream and its season.

Best of the Rest

11. Villa Park (Villa Park, Calif.) - (29-3) *11
In an unbelievable reversal of fortune, the Spartans went from being eliminated from the Southern Section Division III quarterfinals by Tustin High to winning the Southern Section title three weeks ago over then-No. 1 West Torrance High.

Villa Park got the opportunity to pull off the 5-1 upset when it was allowed back in the playoffs after it was discovered Tustin had an ineligible player. Spartans pitchers Erik Averill (7-0) and Dan Reid combined for a three-hitter against the Warriors, who had outscored their opponents, 31-14, in four playoff games.

12. Oakland High (Murfreesboro, Tenn.) - (40-3) *12
The Patriots became the first Tennessee baseball team to win consecutive Class AAA state titles since the TSSAA went to a three-class system in 1977, when they beat Hendersonville (25-4), 4-0, in Chattanooga last month. Middle Tennessee State-signee John Williams earned the win and improved to 11-0 on the season. He finished his career with a 39-2 record, including a 22-0 mark over the past two seasons.

Oakland pitcher/first baseman Jason Sharber, who has a 95 mph fastball and was named the Tennessee Gatorade Player of the Year, was named tournament MVP.

13. Steinert High (Hamilton Township, N.J.) - (30-2) *13
Mike Costello beat out a routine grounder with two outs and the bases loaded in the eighth inning to give the Spartans a 2-1 win over South Jersey champion Shawnee High at the Sandcastle in Atlantic City. The NJSIAA Group IV state semifinals win made it possible for the Spartans to advance to the Group 4 state championship game against unranked Bloomfield High.

Steinert beat Bloomfield, 3-0, despite a strong pitching performance from Bloomfield's Joe Prestianni. Steinert got to Prestianni in the fourth inning, when Costello hit a lead-off triple. He was brought home two outs later on a sacrifice fly to end the scoreless deadlock.

Prestianni, who allowed just four hits and three walks for the game, recovered by retiring the order in the fifth and the first two batters of the sixth. But Steinert turned a Bloomfield error into two more runs to account for the final score. Bloomfield hadn't lost by more than two runs all season.

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

15. Germantown High (Germantown, Tenn.) - (35-5) *15
The Red Devils rallied to tie Hendersonville High in the top of the fifth inning of their state semifinals game last month. But it proved to be all for naught when Hendersonville's Worth Scott hit a solo home run in the bottom of the fifth inning to give the Commandos a 5-4 win.

Germantown had its chance to advance to the state title game against No. 12 Oakland, but left 11 men stranded on base.

16. Eldorado High (Albuquerque, N.M.) - (22-3) *16
The Eagles captured their second straight Class AAAA state title last month with a 13-4 rout of La Cueva High (19-6). A midseason slump put Eldorado in jeopardy of not 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.

17. Merritt Island High (Merritt Island, Fla.) - (30-4) *18
Merritt Island proved itself worthy of re-entry into the poll after winning the Class 5A state championship with a 6-5 win over Sarasota High last month. It nearly lost to Tate High in the semifinals, but pulled out a dramatic 6-4 win in 10 innings.

18. Providence Catholic (New Lenox, Ill.) - (32-4) *19
The Celtics jumped to an 8-1 first-inning lead over DeLaSalle High and appeared on track to repeat their 12-0 pounding of the Meteors earlier in the season. But an 11-run fourth-inning explosion by DeLaSalle (32-5) turned the game around and led to a stunning 12-9 upset two weeks ago in the Thornwood Sectional final.

DeLaSalle starter Mike Munoz was relieved by David Moore after a third of an inning. Moore entered the game with the bases loaded and a 6-1 deficit. He allowed just five hits the rest of the way.

Eric Keefner, who drew three walks and pitched 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, was taken 127th by the Houston Astros in the MLB Draft.

19. Ballard High (Louisville, Ky.) - (36-2-1) *20
Ballard beat Anderson County High, 8-6, in the first round of the state playoffs, then claimed a 1-0 victory over rival Pleasure Ridge Park High ' the same team it replaced in the top 25 last month.

Next up for Ballard is Boyd County High this Thursday (June 15) in the state semifinals, with the winner playing either Nicholas County High or Henderson County High. Check out Friday's National Buzz for results of the semifinals contest.

20. Westlake High (Westlake Village, Calif.) - (25-4) *21
Westlake beat Paso Robles High, 12-3, in the second round of the CIF Division III Tournament two weeks ago, but fell to Charter Oak High, 6-5, in the third round.

21. De La Salle (Concord, Calif.) - (26-1) *22
De La Salle completed a near-perfect season two weeks ago with a win over Monte Vista High in the North Coast Section 3A championship game.

22. Riverdale Baptist High (Laurel, Md.) - (43-4) *23
Riverdale Baptist finished its season two weeks ago with a 10-2 win over Good Counsel High for the Maryland private school tournament championship.

23. Cretin-Derham Hall (St. Paul, Minn.) - (26-0) *24
Cretin-Derham beat St. Thomas Academy to advance to the Class 3A state tournament last week and set up a quarterfinals matchup against 23-1 Mounds View High this Thursday (June 15). The winner of that contest advances to the state semifinals for a game against either Elk River Area High (15-9) or Brainerd High (22-5). Check out Friday's National Buzz for results of the semifinals contest.

24. The Woodlands High (The Woodlands, Texas) - (30-6) *NR The Woodlands proved it belongs among the Lone Star State's best by pounding then-No. 17 Duncanville High, 11-1, in the state semifinals, followed by a 3-2 win over then-No. 3 Moody High in the Class 5A state championship game. The Woodlands could probably be ranked higher, but six losses are six losses.

25. Zephyrhills High (Zephyrhills, Fla.) - (31-3) *25 The Bulldogs faltered in the Class 4A semifinals last month against No. 6 Bishop Kenny High, 9-0, despite setting a state record for home runs with 63. Brett Cimorelli and Danny Wardell each had 14 dingers on the season.

Dropping from last week's poll: No. 17 Duncanville High (Duncanville, Texas)

*: last week's ranking