1. Nova, Davie, Fla. (21-0)
Why they're good: LHP-OF J.J. Housey (9-0 1.27 earned run average), a transfer from Cooper City, is batting .400 with 24 RBI. RHP-3B Donnie Amos (4-0) has won 14 consecutive games in two seasons and is the team's top hitter at .500 with 33 RBI and six home runs.

2. Palm Beach Central, Wellington, Fla. (20-0)
Why they're good: Florida's top-ranked Class 6A (largest) team this season also advanced to the state Final Four in 2004 and region final in 2005. A strong core of juniors is led by RHP Mike Gipson (7-0) and SS Mike Alvarez (.442, 21 runs, 14 RBI). LHP John Atteo is 5-0 with four saves, and RHP Richie Erath is 4-0 with a 0.37 ERA. Already clinched the District 9-6A regular-season title.

3. Monsignor Pace, Opa Locka, Fla. (17-2)|
Why they're good: The heart of the lineup is SS Adrian Cardenas (.652, 13 HRs, 40 RBI), 3B Chris Marrero (.391, seven HRs, 25 RBI) and 2B J.J. Jimenez (.460, five HRs, 22 RBI). RHPs Alex Koronis (7-0, 1.41 ERA) and Anthony Gallego (7-0, 0.60) and LHP Chris Hernandez (5-2, 0.85) head the mound corps.

4. Fallbrook, Calif. (12-1)
Why they're good: Offense averages nearly 10 runs a game. Third baseman Erik Castro has five home runs, and 2B James Borges adds seven more. RHP Mike Leak, who signed with Arizona State, is 5-0, and righty Adam Herter is 4-1. Won the North County Conference Tournament, beating Rancho Bernardo (San Diego) 5-0 in the final.

5. Owasso, Okla. (22-1)
Why they're good: Three pitchers — Chris Armstrong (6-0, 1.42 ERA), Josh Beal (6-1) and Matt Hoffman (4-0) — have at least four wins. Right-hander Matthew Sparks is 2-0 as the closer. Junior SS Pete Kozma is batting .600 with eight home runs and 35 RBI. Coach Larry Turner's club won the Nike Pro 9 Tournament, beating defending Class 6A champion Union (Tulsa) 4-3 in the final.

6. Jesuit, New Orleans (25-1)
Why they're good: SS Ryan Adams (.510), a USA TODAY Dandy Dozen player, is out until next month with a hamstring injury. The pitching staff has picked up the slack, with junior lefty Michael LeBreton (7-1, 1.30 ERA) leading five pitchers with at least four wins. The defending Class 5A champions opened the season by winning 22 consecutive games before losing to Archbishop Rummel (Metairie) 4-1.

7. Bellarmine Prep, San Jose (18-1)
Why they're good: RHP Nate Garcia is 4-0 with a 1.68 ERA for a staff that includes junior Eric Goeddell (4-1, 2.91) and Ben Reuder (5-0, 2.41). Catcher Tommy Medica (.455) bats leadoff. Has already won two tournaments this spring.

8. James Monroe, Bronx, N.Y. (21-0)
Why they're good: With eight left-handed bats in the lineup, CF Rafael Cabreja (11 HRs, 30 RBI) is slugging 1.200 with a .520 batting average. After attending school in Florida last year, left-hander Danny Almonte (4-0, 0.37) is back. Jeffrey Hoston (0.40 ERA) and Dawin Rivas (0.00) are both 4-0, contributing to a team ERA of 1.87 and limiting opponents to a .187 batting average.

9. The Woodlands, Texas (22-1)
Why they're good: RHPs Kyle Drabek (7-0), Stephen Maxwell (6-0) and junior Jarad Stevens (4-0) have won 17 of the team's 22 victories, topping a staff with a 1.35 ERA and 172 strikeouts in 150 innings. Drabek (.468), whose father, Doug, pitched in the majors, has 27 RBI, and clean-up hitter 3B Paul Goldschmidt (.333) adds 32 RBI.

10. Petal, Miss. (22-1)
Why they're good: Last year's Class 4A runner-up is Mississippi's top-ranked team. 3B-RHP Tyler Watkins (7-1, 1.39 ERA) is hitting .466 with 33 RBI and four homers. Matt Warren, Cory Lowery and Michael Lindsey are all 4-0. Earlier this spring, coach Larry Watkins picked up his 600th victory in 24 seasons.

11. Mosley, Lynn Haven, Fla. (19-3)
Why they're good: 1B Cody Johnson, a Dandy Dozen player, is hitting .490 with 10 homers and 35 RBI, and RHPs Kyle Mitchell (5-1) and Ben Francis (6-0) lead the pitching staff. Have won two tournaments this spring, including the Westminster National Classic, where it beat Catalina Foothills (Tucson) 11-2 in the final.

12. Brenham, Texas (24-1)
Why they're good: LHP Jason Gurka (9-0, 0.81 ERA) threw the school's second perfect game April 7, the first since 1965. William Kankel (7-0, 0.64) adds pitching depth, and cleanup hitter SS Colby Price is batting .494 with 34 RBI. Has won two tournaments this spring.

13. Wando, Mount Pleasant, S.C. (22-0)
Why they're good: Nick Sprowls (7-0) has struck out 66 with seven walks in 48 innings, and junior Cole Rakar (7-0) has struck out 44 with 19 walks in 39 innings. Rakar (.500) has 30 RBI in 68 at-bats. Already clinched the Region VII championship and will be a favorite for the Class AAAA state crown this spring.

14. Riverside (Calif.) Poly (10-2)
Why they're good: Eight starters are back for a team that advanced to the CIF-Southern Section Division I final. Junior RHPs Bryan Castro (4-0, 1.50) and Kyle O'Campo (3-1, 0.91) are the aces. Reliever Bryan Rabajo, who signed with Southern California, has four saves with a 0.75 ERA.

15. Florida Christian, Miami (16-5)
Why they're good: The two-time Class 2A champions added SS Ryan Jackson (.510, 20 RBI), a transfer from Gulliver Prep (Miami). RHPs Shane Hill (6-0) and Konrad Zielonka (5-0) have teamed for 11 wins, and lefty Bryan Morgado is 3-3 but has a 1.25 ERA.

16. Walsh Jesuit, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio (6-0)
Why they're good: LHP Chad Rodgers (2-0, 0.17 ERA) and RHP Bobby Simone (2-0) have four of the wins, and CF Trey Bennett is hitting .625 with nine runs scored in the leadoff spot. The team is outscoring opponents 48-7.

17. Silverado, Las Vegas (16-2)
Why they're good: Hitting .419 as a team; heart of the order features SS Rance Roundy (.515, five homers 29 RBI), junior C Mike McDade (.468, four homers 25 RBI) and 3B Chad Robinson (.330). Brenton Van (4-1) and junior Chase Bradford (5-0) have more than half the victories.

18. Chatsworth, Calif. (15-1)
Why they're good: 3B Matt Dominguez (.355 17 RBI) and SS Mike Moustakas (.355, 18 RBI) are juniors. Junior righty Trent Jones (5-0 0.49 ERA) has two shutouts, and Daniel Simmon (1.75 ERA) is 3-0.

19. Calvert Hall, Baltimore (10-1)
Why they're good: C Joe Velleggia (.485) and CF Nick Wojnowski (.586 19 RBI) are the top hitters for a team batting .452 and averaging 14 runs. Had a 38-game winning streak stopped by Archbishop Spalding (Baltimore) 8-2.

20. Brownsburg, Ind. (3-0)
Why they're good: The defending Class 4A state champions have won 38 consecutive games. RHP Mark Conover has won two games and saved another, all in relief. CF Gary King (.400) and DH Michael Bradburn (.500) combined for eight RBI in three tournament games.

21. Serra, San Mateo, Calif. (11-1)
Why they're good: SS-RHP Jon Karcich (1-0) is batting .412 with six HRs and 16 RBI, including six game-winning RBI. RF Brett Hart leads the team with a .515 batting average, and 1B Evan Jones is hitting .406 with 16 RBI. Sophomore lefty Zack Edgington is 4-1.

22. Bishop Kelley, Tulsa (20-0-1)
Why they're good: A pair of left-handers, Dallas Keuchel (6-0 0.73 ERA) and Jeff Scardino (7-0 1.02), anchor a staff with a 1.45 ERA and 187 strikeouts in 140 innings.

23. Seneca, Tabernacle, N.J. (2-0)
Why they're good: Advanced to the Group 2 state final in its first varsity season. RHPs Ryan Brecko (1-0), who signed with George Mason, and Ryan Doolittle (1-0), lead the staff.

24. Jackson, Mill Creek, Wash. (9-0)
Why they're good: RF Travis Snider, a Dandy Dozen player, is hitting .571 with four homers and 14 RBI. A veteran staff with a 0.75 ERA is topped by Cam Nobles (3-0) and junior lefty Jeff Brown (4-0).

25. St. John's Washington, D.C. (9-2)
Why they're good: RHP-SS Wade Newman is hitting .433 with 18 RBI, and sophomore CF L.J. Hose (.460) has driven in 12 RBI in eight games. Junior RHP Connor Hoehn is 2-1, striking out 33 in 22 innings.

About the rankings: USA TODAY's Super 25 baseball rankings are compiled by Lawlor, who consults with a national network of high school sportswriters, scouts and coaches. Among the criteria considered are a school's strength of schedule, the quality of competition in its state or league and the quality of its players.