ESPNHS Pennsylvania

After games ending Saturday, May 19

If there's any one thing we learned this past week, it doesn't matter how good you are in the regular season; if you don't get it done in the postseason, the season doesn't mean much. Norwin found that out for the second straight year, and as a result, a team that rode the No. 1 spot for much of the season is now out of the POWERADE Pennsylvania Weekly Rankings. So too is the No. 2 team, Bethel Park, and now the presumptive finalists in the WPIAL Class AAAA tourney are eliminated. So who's next? South Williamsport takes over the top spot for now, but it's a wide open field for whoever wants to assert their dominance and take hold of the No. 1 mark in the rankings.

1. South Williamsport (17-3) Last week: No. 4

2. Cedar Crest (17-4) Last week: No. 3

3. Council Rock South (16-1) Last week: No. 5

Click here for the full POWERADE Pennsylvania Rankings.

After games ending Saturday, May 12

Nobody's moved out of this week's installment of the POWERADE Pennsylvania Weekly Rankings, but there's been plenty of moving and shaking. Norwin's unbeaten record has kept them firmly entrenched in the top spot, but it's another team from the WPIAL, Bethel Park, which has moved up to No. 2 from the 10 spot. Bethel Park currently sits at 18-2 and is considered one of the favorites to challenge Norwin in the upcoming WPIAL Class AAAA tournament. Another WPIAL school, Blackhawk, has established itself as the class of Class AAA.

1. Norwin (17-0) Last week: No. 1

2. Bethel Park (18-2) Last week: No. 10

3. Cedar Crest (17-4) Last week: No. 3

Click here for the full POWERADE Pennsylvania Rankings.

After games ending Saturday, May 5

Call it spring cleaning, but it was time to make room for some new teams in this week's installment of the POWERADE Pennsylvania Weekly Rankings. Four teams give way to some new faces this week, and those new squads are more than deserving. Meanwhile, look at what our top teams are doing to stay ahead of the pack - Norwin and South Williamsport have combined to go 29-0 and both teams are making quick work of their opponents.

1. Norwin (15-0) Last week: No. 1

2. South Williamsport (14-0) Last week: No. 2

3. Cedar Crest (16-3) Last week: No. 3

Click here for the full POWERADE Pennsylvania Rankings.

After games ending Saturday, April 28

Two unbeaten teams are at the top of our POWERADE Pennsylvania Weekly Rankings, but the team that made the biggest leap is Neumann-Goretti. A 4-0 week wasn't the end of the story for the Saints, as the team posted three shutouts and allowed just one run on the week. Another hot team, Hopewell, joins our rankings this week for the first time. The one-loss Vikings' only defeat came in a 13-12 loss back on April 4. Other teams of note this week include Cedar Crest, whose 1-0 win over previous No. 2 Hempfield was enough to move the team into the top three.

1. Norwin (13-0) Last week: No. 1

2. South Williamsport (12-0) Last week: No. 3

3. Cedar Crest (13-3) Last week: No. 5

Click here for the full POWERADE Pennsylvania Rankings.

After games ending Saturday, April 21

There's little debate as to which team is No. 1 in Pennsylvania. Norwin's incredible 10-0 start has solidified the team's position as the state's top team in the POWERADE Pennsylvania Weekly Rankings. The Knights routed opposing teams this week, going 3-0 and looking as sharp as ever. With some challenging games on the schedule, however, it'll be interesting to see how long this team can keep its unblemished streak alive. And with so many teams knocking on the door, including new teams Hempfield and South Williamsport, even the slightest slip-up can spell doom for a top-ranked club.

1. Norwin (10-0) Last week: No. 1

2. Hempfield (11-1) Last week: NR

3. South Williamsport (10-0) Last week: NR

Click here for the full POWERADE Pennsylvania Rankings.

After games ending Saturday, April 14

A blazing hot start to the season by Norwin has propelled the team to the No. 1 spot in the POWERADE Pennsylvania Weekly Rankings. Norwin has also taken the No. 8 spot in the POWERADE East Region Rankings. Cedar Crest, off to a similarly strong start, is close behind at No. 2 after jumping up two spots this week. And Conestoga, which had held the top spot last week, dipped to No. 3 after suffering a tough 13-0 loss to Garnet Valley last week. But the season is very young, and there's plenty of time for more reshuffling.

1. Norwin (7-0) Last week: No. 2

2. Cedar Crest (8-1) Last week: No. 4

3. Conestoga (4-1) Last week: No. 1

Click here for the full POWERADE Pennsylvania Rankings.

After games ending Saturday, April 7

The first official ranking of the season is always a tough one, and in the POWERADE Pennsylvania Weekly Rankings, it's no different. Conestoga, our preseason No. 1, made things a little easier for us by taking care of business to start the season. So too did Norwin and Malvern Prep, which are off to fast starts so far this season. But for some teams, high hopes have turned to slow starts. For teams like Spring Ford, Penn Charter and Chestnut Hill, hopefully there's time to rejoin the ranks following a stretch of good play.

1. Conestoga (3-0)

2. Norwin (5-0)

3. Malvern Prep (7-0)

Click here for the full POWERADE Pennsylvania Rankings.

After games ending Sunday, March 25

There's little surprise here - Chester is the top team at the conclusion of our POWERADE Pennsylvania Weekly Rankings. The Clippers ran the table to finish 32-0 and cap the year as the nation's No. 4 team in the POWERADE FAB 50. Season-long No. 2, Neumann-Goretti, also claimed a state championship with a narrow win over Montour. Other state champs included Imhotep Charter, in an upset win over Beaver Falls, and Constitution, which ran the table in Class A after playing a very difficult non-league schedule. Congratulations to all of this year's state champions.

1. Chester (32-0) Last week: No. 1

2. Neumann-Goretti (29-3) Last week: No. 2

3. Imhotep Charter (22-8) Last week: No. 10

Click here for the full POWERADE Pennsylvania Weekly Rankings.

After games ending Sunday, March 18

By this weekend, we'll know who the state champions are, and we'll know which teams end the season atop the POWERADE Pennsylvania Weekly Rankings. Chester and Neumann-Goretti, which have sat at the top of our rankings every week since the beginning of the season, are just two wins away from state championships in Class AAAA and Class AAA, respectively. But that doesn't mean a title is a sure thing. Look out for tough teams such as Lower Merion, Central Dauphin and Montour, possibly the hottest team in the state right now, as the final week shapes up to be an exciting one.

1. Chester (30-0) Last week: No. 1

2. Neumann-Goretti (26-3) Last week: No. 2

3. Lower Merion (27-3) Last week: No. 3

Click here for the full POWERADE Pennsylvania Weekly Rankings.

After games ending Sunday, March 11

The state tournament has begun, and already there's a bit of separation evident between the state's top teams and those who weren't quite on that level. No teams have fallen out of or slipped in the POWERADE Pennsylvania Weekly Rankings, but with the tournaments heating up this week, that will surely change with some big matchups on the horizon. As always, check back often for updates as the tournament progresses.

1. Chester (28-0) Last week: No. 1

2. Neumann-Goretti (25-3) Last week: No. 2

3. New Castle (27-0) Last week: No. 3

Click here for the full POWERADE Pennsylvania Weekly Rankings.

After games ending Sunday, March 4

It's make-or-break season for the state's top teams, and the squads at the top of the POWERADE Pennsylvania Weekly Rankings appear to be peaking at the right time. But still, that's why they play the games. While some squads are on the outside looking in at this time of year, others are looking for their shot at a state title - and just five wins can get it done. Can Chester keep the winning streak alive? Is Neumann-Goretti deep enough to win the Class AAA crown again? Is anyone up to the task of toppling Beaver Falls in Class AA? Only time will tell.

1. Chester (27-0) Last week: No. 1

2. Neumann-Goretti (23-3) Last week: No. 2

3. New Castle (27-0) Last week: No. 3

Click here for the full POWERADE Pennsylvania Weekly Rankings.

ESPNHS has announced its preseason all-state baseball teams, so feel free to start debating the Pennsylvania selections.

It's no surprise that players like Conestoga's Scott Williams or Nazareth's Karl Keglovits are on our squad. But take a look at who else made the team, and then reach out on Twitter @CParishESPN to tell us who you think should have made the cut.

Click here for the Pennsylvania All-State baseball team.

Click here to check out the other states across the country.

After games ending Sunday, Feb. 26

The postseason is rapidly approaching and in some cases has already left a big impression, knocking teams from the district tournaments and denying them a shot at state tournament glory. That's the fate that has befallen former No. 3 Central Dauphin, while Chartiers Valley is also out in the WPIAL tourney despite being a top seed, and Malvern Prep couldn't slip past its foes in the Independent Schools Tourney. The field is narrowing, but some of the top teams are still around as well as some underdogs hoping to strike at just the right time.

1. Chester (25-0) Last week: No. 1

2. Neumann-Goretti (22-3) Last week: No. 2

3. New Castle (24-0) Last week: No. 4

Click here for the full POWERADE Pennsylvania Weekly Rankings.

After games ending Sunday, Feb. 19

Here's how tough it is to stay in the POWERADE Pennsylvania Weekly Rankings - a very good Hershey team dropped to 20-2 on the season...and fell from the top 10. That vacancy opened up a spot for a very deserving Beaver Falls team, which was probably past due. What does Beaver Falls get for its newfound spot in the top 10? A very difficult road through the WPIAL tourney including dates with Brentwood and potentially Jeannette and Sto-Rox down the line. We'll find out soon if the Tigers are up to the task.

1. Chester (23-0) Last week: No. 1

2. Neumann-Goretti (21-3) Last week: No. 2

3. Central Dauphin (23-1) Last week: No. 3

Click here for the full POWERADE Pennsylvania Weekly Rankings.

Central Dauphin senior Devin Thomas, an ESPNHS All-State second-teamer, broke the backboard during a game against Greencastle-Antrim on Thursday.

Thomas took a pass from teammate Nick Seefeldt and unleashed a monster jam that shattered the glass. The game was postponed late in the third quarter with Central Dauphin ahead, 39-30. The contest was the championship game of the Mid-Penn League.

The game will resume on Friday at 7 p.m.

Thomas' Rams are the state's No. 3 team in the POWERADE Pennsylvania Weekly Rankings.