By Sean Duncan
Executive Director

Many conference championships were decided last week, while others began to taper their efforts to prepare the upcoming playoffs. A look back at the week that was:

+ Lincoln-Way North (27-1-1) remains the top team for the sixth straight week. The Phoenix also wrapped up the Southwest Suburban Red championship with a two-game sweep over a hot Andrew club. No rest for the Phoenix this week, either. They have a two-game set with district rival Lincoln-Way West, which is a dangerous team. Then on Thursday, Lincoln-Way North takes on No. 2-ranked St. Laurence in the second-annual Do It Stevie’s Way Tournament at Benedictine University at 5 p.m. This loaded event, which commemorates the spirit of former Mount Carmel infielder Steve Bajenski, has pool play games on Thursday and Friday at Benedictine University, Standard Bank Stadium and Wheaton College. The championship game will be played at Standard Bank Stadium on Saturday at 7 p.m. For complete tournament matchups, visit www.doitsteviesway219.com. 

+ Speaking of St. Laurence (22-6), the No. 2-ranked Vikings clinched the Chicago Catholic Blue championship last week with a sweep over Brother Rice. St. Laurence edged out No. 4 Mount Carmel (24-6) and No. 5 St. Rita (25-6) for the conference championship.

+ There’s no hotter team in the state than No. 3 Normal West (25-3). The Wildcats won their 20^th consecutive game on Saturday with a doubleheader sweep over Danville. Normal West also wrapped up the Big 12 title with a sweep over Bloomington.

+ No. 6 Harrisburg (28-3) stayed red-hot as the Bulldogs begin their Class 2A state championship run this week with regional play. Harrisburg’s chief challenger in Class 2A is No. 9 Teutopolis (24-3). The two teams are scheduled to meet in the sectional championship. Teutopolis has won two state championships in the last three years and knocked off Harrisburg in the sectionals last year.

+ No. 7 Glenbrook South (20-4) and No. 8 Huntley (22-3) each enjoyed strong weeks of baseball.

+ No. 10 Lockport (21-7) moves back into the top 10 after knocking off No. 16 Naperville Central (19-7) and earning several other high-value victories last week. Few teams are as battle-tested as Lockport in the state.

+ No. 11 Downers Grove South (25-5-1) lost two of three with Willowbrook to allow the West Suburban Gold title to slip away. But the Mustangs bounced back to handle No. 12 Mundelein (23-3) on Saturday.

+ No. 13 Rock Island Alleman (22-2) played a perfect week of baseball and looks to be one of the premier teams in Class 3A after finishing second in Class 2A last year.

+ No. 14 Metamora (24-4) has a huge two-game Mid-Illini series with No. 25 Limestone (19-5) on Monday and Wednesday. Monday’s game will be the PBR Spotlight Game of the Day. Sophomore RHP/1B Trent Johnson, an Arizona recruit, has been putting up All-State type numbers and will be on the mound Monday night at Metamora.

+ No. 15 Ottawa (19-2) stays red-hot behind Illinois-bound OF Michael Hermosillo. (See Draft Blog). No. 17 Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin (21-5) is also playing excellent ball as it prepares for the Class 3A state playoffs.

+ Don’t look now, but here comes No. 18 Minooka (20-7), which moves into the top 25 for the first time. The Indians, who took fourth place in 4A last year, are peaking at the right time.

+ Minooka is one of several new teams in the top 25 this week. No. 20 Lemont (19-4) has stayed hot for a while, and defending 4A state champion, No. 21 Oak Park (21-8), clinched the tough West Suburban Silver title. Other new teams include: No. 22 Crystal Lake South (15-4), No. 23 Peoria Notre Dame (21-5), No. 24 Benet Academy (18-7), which just swept previously-ranked Carmel on Saturday, and No. 25 Limestone (19-5).

+ Teams that fell from the top 25: Carmel, Plainfield South, Wheaton North, O’Fallon, Glenwood, Lake Park, and Lincoln-Way East.

CLICK HERE to view the Top 25 state rankings