The playoffs for high school baseball are inching closer and closer, less than three weeks away now.
Plus, the latest Florida High School Athletic Association baseball rankings were released on Monday, heading into the week once again. Only a handful of area teams played this past week, a majority playing teams from Oklahoma in the Tate Aggie Classic. Pace also won the Florida League Invitational against some tough competition in Lake Mary.
The Patriots also remain the top-ranked team for Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, with a 12-2 record and a 21.021 rating, sitting at No. 16. That's an eight-spot jump for Pace, which is also the top team in District 1-6A.
Gulf Breeze has taken the runner-up spot for area teams this week, ranked 32nd in the state with a 17.883 rating and an 11-4 record, second in District 1-5A behind Niceville.
Currently, the district leaders for area teams include Pace (6A), Escambia (4A) and Central (Rural), which jumped back over Jay this week.
Here are the third FHSAA baseball rankings for teams from Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, plus a way-too-early playoff watch.
Class 6A
- Pace (21.021) – first in District 1-6A, second in Region 1-6A, second in Class 6A, 16th overall in state
- Tate (10.927) – second in District 1-6A, fourth in Region 1-6A, 17th in Class 6A, 126th overall in state
- Navarre (0.308) – fourth in District 1-6A, 16th in Region 1-6A, 62nd in Class 6A, 353rd overall in state
Class 5A
- Gulf Breeze (17.883) – second in District 1-5A, third in Region 1-5A, third in Class 5A, 32nd overall in state
- Milton (9.377) – third in District 1-5A, eighth in Region 1-5A, 19th in Class 5A, 159th overall in state
- Pine Forest (-10.764) – fourth in District 1-5A, 16th in Region 1-5A, 71st in Class 5A, 502nd overall in state
Class 4A
- Escambia (11.550) – first in District 1-4A, third in Region 1-4A, 15th in Class 4A, 112th overall in state
- Booker T. Washington (-2.187) – fourth in District 1-4A, 11th in Region 1-4A, 52nd in Class 4A, 400th overall in state
Class 3A
- West Florida (16.313) – second in District 1-3A, second in Region 1-3A, sixth in Class 3A, 45th overall in state
- Pensacola (-6.969) – fourth in District 1-3A, 15th in Region 1-3A, 59th in Class 3A, 464th overall in state
Class 2A
- Pensacola Catholic (13.866) – second in District 1-2A, seventh in Region 1-2A, 22nd in Class 2A, 80th overall in state
Class 1A
- LEAD Academy (-4.136) – second in District 1-1A, 10th in Region 1-1A, 40th in Class 1A, 427th overall in state
Rural
- Central (11.892) – first in District 1-Rural, second in Region 1-Rural, third in Rural, 104th overall in state
- Jay (9.984) – second in District 1-Rural, third in Region 1-Rural, sixth in Rural, 147th overall in state
- Northview (4.658) – third in District 1-Rural, fifth in Region 1-Rural, 10th in Rural, 259th overall in state
Way-too-early region playoff picture
District tournaments aren't for another month, but it's still fun to examine what the playoff scenarios would look like if the regular season ended today as far as region tournaments.
District champions automatically advance to the region tournament after the district tourney, and there are four at-large bids per region in Classes 1A-7A. The Rural classification only brings two district champions plus two at-large bid teams. For the playoff watch, we'll presume that the top team in each district wins the district tournament and moves onto regionals – that's what we're going to share below.
Rankings are bound to change after district tournaments as well, so we'll pretend that they didn't change at all through districts to make things a little easier. Remember: anything can happen in the playoffs.
Here's what the region tournaments would look like.
Region 1-6A
- 1. Buchholz (2)* vs. 8. Lake Howell (4)
- 2. Pace (1)* vs. 7. Forest (2)
- 3. Tocoi Creek (2) vs. 6. Fletcher (3)*
- 4. Tate (1) vs. 5. East River (4)*
Notes: While Pace continues to rank toward the top of the region (and the state for that matter), the Patriots would host in the quarterfinals against District 2's Forest. Tate, which continues to climb in the rankings, comes in as the fourth seed but, as of now, would still be on the road at East River, which is the presumed District 4 champion. Overall, the four district champs rank inside the top eight teams.
Region 1-5A
- 1. Lincoln (2)* vs. 8. Milton (1)
- 2. Niceville (1)* vs. 7. Ponte Vedra (4)*
- 3. Gulf Breeze (1) vs. 6. Chiles (2)
- 4. Columbia (3)* vs. 5. Mosley (2)
Notes: If the season ended today, Milton would sneak in as the final at-large bid for the region, seeded eighth. That means the Panthers would be on the road at Lincoln to start the region tournament. Gulf Breeze also gets in as an at-large bid at the No. 3 spot, hosting Chiles. The four district champs are in the top eight teams, but Ponte Vedra, ranked seventh, would go to Niceville as a higher-seeded district champion.
Region 1-4A
- 1. Arnold (2)* vs. 8. Bishop Kenny (4)
- 2. Clay (3)* vs. 7. Baker County (3)
- 3. Escambia (1)* vs. 6. St. Augustine (4)*
- 4. Wakulla (2) vs. 5. Choctaw (1)
Notes: As the presumed district champion in District 1, Escambia still gets the automatic bid. The Gators, ranked third in the region, would host St. Augustine, which is the presumed District 4 champion. The other two district champions also rank in the top eight squads.
Region 1-3A
- 1. South Walton (1)* vs. 8. Bay (2)*
- 2. West Florida (1) vs. 7. Baldwin (3)
- 3. Fernandina Beach (4)* vs. 6. Paxon (3)
- 4. Suwannee (3)* vs. 5. West Nassau (4)
Notes: West Florida, ranked second in the region, would get an at-large bid, assuming South Walton wins the district crown. The Jaguars would host Baldwin in the region quarterfinals to start. All four district champions are in the top eight teams, however Bay, the presumed District 2 champion, would still be on the road at South Walton.
Region 1-2A
- 1. Trinity Christian (3)* vs. 8. Maclay (2)*
- 2. Bozeman (1)* vs. 7. Keystone Heights (4)*
- 3. Bishop Snyder (3) vs. 6. Episcopal (3)
- 4. Providence School (3) vs. 5. Bolles (3)
Notes: Things get a little weird in Region 1-2A. Because of how many District 3 teams currently rank inside the top eight, they appear to rule the region. That means Pensacola Catholic, ranked sixth, would miss out on an at-large bid since the presumed District 4 (Keystone Heights) and District 2 (Maclay) champions both get in for automatic bids. As it's looking now, the Crusaders need to win the district crown to get in. Trinity Christian and Bozeman, from District 3 and District 1, are also in the top eight.
Region 1-1A
- 1. St. Joseph Academy (4)* vs. 8. Rocky Bayou Christian (1)*
- 2. St. Johns Country Day (4) vs. 7. Christ's Church (4)
- 3. University Christian (4) vs. 6. Eagle's View (3)*
- 4. St. John Paul II (2)* vs. 5. North Florida Christian (2)
Notes: Region 1-1A is the only region with an area team ranked outside the top eight. LEAD Academy, ranked 10th, misses out on an at-large bid, as of now. The four district champions in the region are all within the top eight squads, though Rocky Bayou Christian would be on the road at a higher-seeded district champ, and Eagle's View would host an at-large bid team from District 4.
Region 1-Rural
- 1. Holmes County (2)* vs. 4. Chipley (2)
- 2. Central (1)* vs. 3. Jay (1)
Notes: If things stay the way they are, it'll be district foes squaring off in the region semifinals to start, since only four teams get into the region tournament for the Rural class. Central would host Jay to start as the presumed district champion.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: FHSAA Baseball Rankings: Pace, Gulf Breeze are Pensacola-area's top two
