It was an important week for the Power 25, considering that it was the final week before 3A and 4A Regional action begins and it also featured the prestigious Steven Bajenski Memorial Tournament. Per usual, the tournament featured a number of the top teams in the Chicagoland area. Marist, the tournament second-place finisher, continues to ascend up the Power 25, now sitting at No. 7.  

The Top six in the Power 25 remained the same after a busy week, with St. Rita, remaining at the top. The 29-6 Mustangs from St. Rita went 3-1 on the week, with their only loss coming to Marist (4-2).

Four new teams entered the Top 25 for the first time this season. Three-of-the-four teams went undefeated last week and are playing some of their best baseball at the right time of year.

Continue reading on for all of the details surrounding the last week of action as most of these teams prepare for their first taste of playoff ball – weather permitting, of course.

CLIMBING

+ Marist - Marist, the new No. 7 team, continues to climb up the board after another impressive week. The Redhawks went 4-1 on the week, beating No. 1 St. Rita, No. 3 St. Laurence and No. 9 Brother Rice. The only loss for the surging Marist (22-9 overall) squad was to Andrean (IN) in the Championship game of the Steven Bajenski tournament.

+ Plainfield South - The Cougars jumped four spots to No. 8, after a 4-0 week, knocking off crosstown rival, Plainfield North twice (8-2 & 7-4) as well as Oswego twice (4-3 & 5-3). Plainfield South enters playoff season with a 26-6 record.

+ Huntley - The Red Raiders bounced back after an up-and-down last few weeks with a undefeated 3-0 week. The week consisted of wins over No. 23 Grant (5-4), Burlington Central (2-0) and Hampshire (10-1). Huntley, 26-8 on the season, are looking to get back to the Class 4A state finals for a second straight season.

+ Normal West - The Wildcats are 23-2 in their last 25 games and climb two spots, to a season-best, No. 12 in the Power 25. Normal West, now 26-6 on the season, went 4-0 on week, with wins over Maine South (4-1), Lincoln (5-2), Moline (10-3) and Rantoul (2-0).

+ Barrington - The Broncos are 13-2 in their last 15 games and went a perfect 3-0 last week. Barrington beat Hersey 2-0, Elk Grove 2-1 and No. 22 St. Charles North 7-4. The Broncos currently sit at No. 13 in the Power 25, up five spots and sport a 28-6 record.

+ Prairie Ridge - The Wolves impressed last week, pulling off a convincing a three-game sweep of conference-foe Cary-Grove. Prairie Ridge outscored Cary 24-2 in the three games and jumped four spots as a result, up to No. 16. Prairie Ridge is now 25-9 on the season.

+ Lyons Township - The Lions had three impressive wins in a 3-1 week and jump two spots, up to No. 17. The Lions knocked off Oak Park-River Forest 4-0, Homewood-Flossmoor 5-3 and Providence Catholic 1-0. Their only loss was to No. 9 Brother Rice. Lyons Township is now 24-7 on the season.

SINKING

+ Neuqua - The Wildcats had a tough 1-2 week and dropped four spots to No. 11 in the state. Neuqua knocked off St. Charles East 3-0 but lost to Downers Grove South 6-0 and Naperville North 6-1. The Wildcats head into postseason week with a 23-7 record.

+ Nazareth - The Roadrunners had one of their toughest weeks of the season going 2-2 and feel six spots to No. 14 as a result. In the up-and-down week, Nazareth had quality wins against Buffalo Grove and Marian Catholic but lost one-run games to Riverside-Brookfield and Fenwick 5-4.

+ Normal University - The Pioneers had a hectic week playing seven games and went 5-2. Tough losses to Morton and Springfield Lanphier resulted in a drop of four spots, to No. 15 in the state. Normal U-High still sits at 25-8 on the season and has one of the more talented rosters in Central Illinois.

+ De La Salle - De La Salle, who participated in the Steven Bajenski tournament, fell victim to a tough schedule on the week and finished 1-2. The Meteors took down Lockport 4-1 but lost to Andrean (IN) 6-2 and No. 1 St. Rita 4-1. De La Salle dropped four spots to No. 19 and is 16-7 on the season.

+ St. Charles North - The North Stars have been up-and-down a bit over the past monthing and it continued with a 3-2 record last week. St. Charles North split two-game sets against Wheaton Warrenville South and Batavia and won a single game against Marmion. St. Charles North fell five spots to No. 22 and sits at 23-10 on the season.

NEW TO THE POWER 25

+ No. 20 Mascoutah - The Indians enter the Power 25 for the first time this season after a 4-0 week. Mascoutah knocked off Columbia 6-5, Salem 5-0, Granite City 13-2 and Waterloo 3-1. The Indians are currently 28-3 on the season and are the No. 1 seed in the Salem Sub-Sectional A Group.

+ No. 21 Rochester - The Rockets won the Central State Eight conference regular season title with a 16-2 conference record. Rochester went 4-1 last week and currently sit at 25-7-1 record on the season. Rochester earned the No. 2 seed in the Springfield Sub-Sectional A group.

+ No. 24 Normal Community - The Ironmen are one of three Normal high schools with 24 or more wins on the season and they jump into the Power 25 for the first time this season. Normal Community is coming off a 3-0 week in which they beat Mahomet-Seymour 6-0, Mattoon 4-2 and Bradley-Bourbonnais. Normal Community is 24-6 on the season and earned the No. 1 seed in the Bloomington Sub-Sectional B group.

+ No. 25 Tuscola - Tuscola, who made it to the 2A State Finals last spring, is making a strong impression once again this spring and slide into the Power 25 for the first time. The Warriors captured the Regional Championship over Oakwood this weekend. Looking ahead Tuscola, who is 28-2 on the season, have a Sectional Semi-final game against Clifton Central on Wednesday.

DROPPED OUT

+ Oak Park-River Forest (20-12)

+ Metea Valley (23-7)

+ Willowbrook (23-5-1)

+ Belleville West (25-7)

JUST MISSED THE CUT

+ Dunlap (23-5)

+ St. Francis (21-5)

+ Quincy Notre Dame (24-4)

+ Galesburg (26-7)

+ Grayslake Central (23-7)

+ Glenwood (25-8)

+ O'Fallon (24-8)

 

UPDATED TOP 10

RANK	LAST WEEK	TEAM	CLASS	2019 RECORD
1	1	St. Rita	4A	29-6
2	2	Edwardsville	4A	29-5
3	3	St. Laurence	3A	29-5
4	4	Lincoln-Way East	4A	25-5
5	5	Joliet Catholic	3A	25-7
6	6	Warren	4A	29-3
7	9	Marist	4A	22-9
8	12	Plainfield South	4A	26-6
9	10	Brother Rice	4A	23-11
10	13	Huntley	4A	26-8

 

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