PBR/NCBCA Coaches Poll: 2018 Final Rankings

June 6, 2018
Brandon Hall
North Carolina Director of Scouting

Prep Baseball Report is proud to organize and run the North Carolina Baseball Coaches Association (NCBCA) team rankings again in 2018. PBR has selected over 70 high school coaches, representing each of the four NCHSAA classifications. The coaches also represent the eight regions across North Carolina.

Every other week throughout the 2018 season, PBR put together information and ask the coaches on the 2018 poll to vote for their top 10 teams in the 4 classifications. PBR took the individual coach rankings to create the PBR/NCBCA Team Rankings. The poll was released every other Tuesday throughout the 2018 season.

Below are the Team Rankings from the PBR/NCBCA Poll for June6, 2018, the final team rankings for 2018. With State Champions named in each of the four classifications, coaches were able to vote in any manner they choose. They were given information concerning win percentage and the bracket from each classification's tournament. Coaches were able to look up any need information to make informed decisions in their rankings.

Class 1A Rankings

Murphy HS completed its road back to the 2018 State Championship series, after falling just short in 2017. This year Murphy completed its task, taking a 2-0 series over East Region Champion West Columubs HS. The one-and-done format of the NCHSAA State Tournament can produce upsets and unexpected results. East Surry HS edges West Columbus for the No. 2 slot in the final poll based on its overall results from an excellent season.

State Champion: Murphy HS
East Region Champion: East Surry HS
West Region Finalist: Lincoln Charter
East Region Finalist: North Lenoir HS

Rank	School	Record	Previous Rank
1	Murphy HS	28-1	1
2	East Surry HS	23-3	2
3	West Columbus HS	20-10	NR
4	Lincoln Charter	22-7	RV
5	Riverside HS	21-8	RV
6	Uwharrie Charter Academy	25-4	5
7	Bear Grass Charter	22-2	6
8	Falls Lake Academy	19-4	RV
9	Rosewood HS	16-5	7
t-10	Polk County HS	20-4-1	7
t-10	North Stanly HS	23-4	3

Others Receiving Votes: Perquimans, Voyager Academy, Chatham Charter, Northside-Pinetown, Cherryville

Class 2A Rankings

Whiteville HS did it again and won the 2A State Championship in 2018. A great matchup in the State Championship Series saw Ledford HS push Whiteville in the best of three. Throughout the entire 2018 year, the 2A rankings saw the most teams receive votes and the most movement at the top of the poll, but in the end, the two teams expected to play for the title were there in Zebulon settling it in a best of three series. The two teams that made it to Regional Finals, finished No. 3 and No. 4 with a tight and compacted voting process settling No. 5 - 10.

State Champion: Whiteville HS
West Region Champion: Ledford HS
East Region Finalist: North Lenoir HS
West Region Finalist: North Lincoln HS

Rank	School	Record	Previous Rank
1	Whiteville HS	29-2	1
2	Ledford HS	29-5	2
3	North Lincoln HS	25-4	3
4	North Lenoir HS	20-7	NR
5	North Davidson HS	22-5	5
6	Randleman HS	23-6	6
7	RS Central HS	23-4	4
8	South Granville HS	21-6	RV
9	Smoky Mountain HS	21-4	7
10	West Stanly HS	21-7	NR

Others Receiving Votes: Midway, Bandys, West Craven, West Wilkes, Providence Grove

Class 3A Rankings

In 2017, New Hanover HS made it to the 4A State Finals, falling in a tight series to TC Roberson HS. Both schools moved to the 3A Classification in 2018 and New Hanover found themselves in a similar situation at the end of the year, but this year they completed their task with a 2-0 series win over Crest HS. Tightly contested Regional Finals, saw all four schools end up in the Top 4 of the Final Coaches Poll. Western Alamance, a victim of the one-and-done format had a great year, but falls to No. 5 in a deep pool of teams at the 3A level.

State Champion: New Hanover HS
West Region Champion: Crest HS
East Region Finalist: Terry Sanford HS
West Region Finalist: AC Reynolds HS

Rank	School	Record	Previous Rank
1	New Hanover HS	28-1	3
2	Crest HS	27-5	2
3	Terry Sanford HS	28-5	6
4	AC Reynolds HS	23-5	9
5	Western Alamance HS	26-2	1
6	Chapel Hill HS	24-4	7
7	Southwest Guilford HS	23-4	5
8	Southeast Guilford HS	24-4	4
9	Jesse Carson HS	24-6	RV
10	TC Roberson HS	17-11	NR

Others Receiving Votes: Wilson Fike, Alexander Central, Marvin Ridge, Union Pines, North Gaston, DH Conley

Class 4A Rankings

A topsy-turvy year at the 4A level continued in the State Tournament. Very few teams could stake their claim inside the Top 10 throughout the year and the eventual State Champion, No. 1 Fuquay-Varina was not ranked in the Top 10 at any point in 2018. The immaculate run saw the Bengals take down several teams that had been in the poll. At No. 2, Ardrey Kell made a similar run, taking down the teams that previously held the No. 1 and No. 2 spots in the PBR/NCBCA Coaches Poll, in their State Tournament run, as well as defeating a total of four teams in the final Top 10.. The depth of the 4A level shows through in the final poll as 20 different schools received votes from the NC coaches across the state.

State Champion: Fuquay-Varina HS
West Region Champion: Ardrey Kell HS
East Region Finalist: Apex HS
West Region Finalist: East Forsyth HS

Rank	School	Record	Previous Rank
1	Fuquay-Varina HS	22-12	NR
2	Ardrey Kell HS	27-7	4
3	East Forsyth HS	23-7	10
4	West Forsyth HS	23-7	RV
5	Providence HS	23-4	1
6	Apex HS	18-10	NR
7	Ronald Reagan HS	18-9	NR
8	South Caldwell HS	23-4	4
9	Lake Norman HS	24-4	2
10	Holly Springs HS	18-5	8

Others Receiving Votes: Garner Magnet, Hickory Ridge, Ashley, Sanderson, Middle Creek, South Mecklenburg, Pinecrest, Myers Park, Pine Forest