By Sean Duncan
Executive Director

It’s crazy to think that this is the final week of the regular season in Class 4A and 3A; and even crazier to think that the small-school playoffs begin Monday. This schizophrenic weather hasn’t allowed us to get in any rhythm. And when it snows in mid-May, as it did in Barrington/Schaumburg last week, it messes with your sense of time and space.

Nevertheless, despite the crazy weather last week, some huge games were played and top-ranked teams lost. Other teams stayed extremely hot despite the temps.

A look at the updated Power 25 Team Rankings:

Climbing

+ No. 14 Brother Rice is definitely trending up. The young Crusaders can be a very dangerous team come the playoffs, as they showed last week when they hammered top-ranked St. Rita (16-5), split a series with No. 2 St. Laurence (won 2-0; lost 4-2) and defeated No. 24 Richards (3-2). Subsequently, Brother Rice, which finished fourth in the Chicago Catholic Blue, jumped six spots in the rankings.

+ No. 5 O’Fallon is red-hot, having won 15 straight against top competition in the St. Louis Metro area. The Panthers haven’t lost since April 15, when they suffered an 11-1 defeat against No. 15 Edwardsville. The rivals will meet again today at Edwardsville.

+ No. 8 Glenbrook South is one of the hottest teams in the state, as the Titans have reeled off 20 consecutive wins since losing to No. 16 Libertyville on April 12.

+ No. 7 Champaign Central broke the school record when the Maroons improved to 32-1 and captured the Big 12 Conference championship.

+ It took a while to get on track, but No. 22 Lyons Township is trending up heading into the playoffs. The Lions have won 16 straight, and make their first appearance in the Top 25 since the beginning of the season.

+ No. 9 Batavia continues to win and moves into the top 10 for the first time all season.

Sinking

+ No. 11  Mount Carmel dropped five spots despite splitting a two-game set with No. 1 St. Rita. The defending 4A champs, which lost one of its top pitchers, junior RHP Nelson Munoz for perhaps the duration of the season, also fell to Providence last week.

+ No. 12 Minooka lost to Romeoville in Southwest Prairie play last week. The Indians will play a critical three-game series with No. 19 Plainfield North, starting Tuesday, to decide the conference championship.

+ No. 20 Sandburg fell six spots after dropping conference games to Lockport and Joliet West last week.

New to the Top 25

+ Lyons Township
+ Rockford Boylan
+ Carmel

Dropped Out

+ Barrington
+ St. Joseph-Ogden
+ Waubonsie Valley

Just Missed the Cut

+ Homewood-Flossmoor
+ Grant
+ Huntley
+ Herscher
+ Oak Forest
+ Peoria Notre Dame

Big Matchups this Week

Monday, May 19
O’Fallon at Edwardsville, 4:30
Grant at Vernon Hills 4:30
York at Hinsdale Central 4:30

Tuesday, May 20
Minooka at Plainfield North 4:15
Vernon Hills at Grant 4:30

Wednesday, May 21
Plainfield North at Minooka 4:15

Thursday, May 22
Central Suburban Championship Game @ South Champion 4:45
Minooka at Plainfield North 4:15
3RD Annual Steven M. Bajenski Memorial Tournament
Quarterfinals @ Standard Bank Stadium Crestwood
5:15 St. Rita vs. St. Laurence
7:30 Joliet Catholic Academy vs. Providence

Friday, May 23
Mid-Suburban League Championship Game @ West Champion 4:30
3rd Annual Steven M. Bajenski Memorial Tournament Semifinals

Saturday, May 24
Steven M. Bajenski Memorial Tournament
Championship Round at Standard Bank Stadium
2A Regional Finals – TBD

CLICK HERE to view updated Top 25 Team Rankings