For the third time this spring, we’re updating our WIAA Power 25 rankings following the first month of play. Four weeks in, the WIAA scene is getting a little more clear. The top programs in the state are settling in, and we’re also getting a clearer picture of the top D2, D3, and D4 programs that are aiming for a trip to Appleton at the end of June.

In case you missed any of our previous coverage, here’s some links you can bookmark as we continue on our trek through the spring:

• WIAA Power 25 page
  
• Scout Blog: Player reports from live looks
  
• Daily Roundup: Scores and recaps from the day before
  
• Player of the Week: We named our first last Wednesday
  
• Diamond Notes: POTW submissions and runners-up
  

And now, onto our latest update to the state’s Power 25 rankings.

THE TOP-10

+ No. 1 Sun Prairie (12-1): While, yes, they were dealt their first loss of the spring to unranked Madison West, the Cardinals erased that loss with four quality wins on the week to remain the top-ranked team in the state. They won two games against Janesville Craig and No. 18 Kimberly both – and those Craig wins helped keep them at the top of the Big Eight, 9-1 in conference. Looking ahead, the Cardinals will be put to the test with a Wednesday trip to No. 8 Union Grove, and they’ll host No. 12 Arrowhead on Friday, while playing a two-game set with Beloit Memorial during the week.

+ No. 2 Pewaukee (17-0): No matter how you slice it, it’s tough to win 17 games in a row, at any division. The Pirates won all three of their games this week to stay undefeated, including a lopsided two conference victories over Pius XI and Saturday’s against Luther Prep. They continue to show some of the most balanced performances in the state, headlined by their strength on staff, but their lineup is looking even better and deeper than we initially thought prior to the start of the spring.

+ No. 3 Bay Port (12-1): A week ago today, Bay Port lost its first game of the season to then-ranked Ashwaubenon. That’s a young, talented Jaguars team, so the loss didn’t hurt Bay Port too much, which won its next two over Sheboygan South and Manitowoc Lincoln. Down just a spot in this update to No. 3 overall, Bay Port will prepare for the week ahead with a trip to Preble today, Pulaski at home on Tuesday, and another home meeting with Notre Dame Academy on Friday as conference action heats up.

+ No. 4 Eau Claire North (15-1): Like a couple other teams ranked ahead of them, the Huskies were handed their first loss of the season last week in a stellar pitching performance on behalf of rivals Eau Claire Memorial. North rallied right back in their second game against their crosstown foes, winning a narrow 6-5 contest to avenge the loss right away. A Saturday doubleheader sweep of La Crosse Central helped them end the week strong, and a 15-1 overall record this season has them looking like one of the state’s strongest teams, yet again. They have just two games on the calendar this week, but it’s an important Big Rivers series with River Falls.

+ No. 5 Kenosha Tremper (16-1): Winners of 10 straight, the Trojans climbed three big places inside this update following a 5-0 week with three wins over Racine Case that followed an 8-3 win at Westosha Central, capped by a 6-0 win over Burlington on Saturday morning. Tremper is demonstrating some poise and polish, looking like one of the top programs in the state, though their three-game series against both No. 13 Franklin and No. 7 Oak Creek are lurking in June. Before then, they’ll play three with Racine Park this week.

+ No. 6 Muskego (12-2): The Warriors are the Power 25’s biggest winners this week, as they leaped five huge spots to land at No. 6 overall following their comfortable two wins over both Mukwonago and Catholic Memorial, now in the midst of an eight-game win streak. They’re 10-2 in the Classic Eight, ahead of 9-1 (10-4 overall) No. 12 Arrowhead, a team they split against earlier in the season. Our staff took in three Muskego wins last week and we came away highly impressed with the depth inside their lineup, and they’re also rostering some of the most talented arms in the state, led by senior LHP Alex Hayes (Madison JC commit), who’s pitching like one of the WIAA’s best.

+ No. 7 Oak Creek (13-2): While they technically dropped a spot to make way for Tremper and Muskego’s big weeks, the Knights rebounded very well from a loss to no-hit defeat to Indian Trail last Monday to win their next two against the Hawks by a score of 15-0 combined, and then went on to defeat No. 11 Menomonee Falls, 10-1, on Saturday. We’re really looking forward to their Southeast series this week, when they take on rivals No. 13 Franklin on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday.

+ No. 8 Union Grove (14-2): The Broncos’ excellent pitching staff was uncharacteristically out of their rhythm on Saturday, resulting in a 10-5 loss to Brookfield East that ended their week with a blemish. They won both their conference games against Delavan-Darien prior to it, which keeps them ranked comfortably among the top-10 teams in the state, though it’s a critical week ahead, with Monday and Tuesday meetings with Westosha Central before hosting No. 1 Sun Prairie on Wednesday.

+ No. 9 Wauwatosa East (15-1): The Red Raiders used last week to hold their ground atop the Greater Metro Conference standings, now 11-0, 15-1 overall. ‘Tosa East scored a 12-0 win over crosstown West to start the week, and backed that up with wins over Brookfield Central and Marquette to hold firm as the No. 9 ranked team in the state for the second straight week.

+ No. 10 De Pere (11-2): De Pere’s back within the top-10 after a 4-0 week with overwhelming wins against Preble, Green Bay Southwest, and Appleton West. The Redbirds seem to be hitting their stride now, a game behind Bay Port inside the Fox River Classic, the only team that has beaten them this season. They have Notre Dame Academy at home today before traveling to Sheboygan North and Pulaski later this week.

WELCOME…

+ No. 21 La Crosse Aquinas (15-1): The Blugolds rocket up the Power 25 inside this update, landing at No. 21 after a 15-1 start overall, 5-1 inside the Mississippi Valley Conference as its lone D3 program, surrounded by familiar D1 squads. Aquinas has collected a number of impressive wins, like its two over Holmen, several against competitive D3s like Prairie Du Chien, Viroqua, and Westby, in addition to a win over a talented Minnesota program, Caledonia, which is 15-1 this season. The D3 landscape is a fun one this year, in particular, and the emergence of Aquinas only adds to the division’s race.

+ No. 22 DeForest (9-2): The Norskies have won nine of 10 games since their Opening Day loss against Baraboo, looking a lot more like the team we expected them to be when we ranked them on our Preseason Power 25. DeForest’s Saturday sweep of conference rivals Waunakee is what helped put them over the edge and back on the state rankings in this update, with a senior-heavy squad that should keep them competitive inside the Badger North and beyond.

+ No. 23 Madison Memorial (7-2): Madison Memorial has won seven of its nine game this spring against Big Eight opponents exclusively, with their only losses coming against perennial powerhouse Craig and the talented Verona. They avenged their loss to Verona this week, however, with a 7-4 win on Saturday behind a dominant relief appearance from junior LHP/OF Aaron Jungers, who’s also been one of their most valuable hitters this spring. The Spartans look tough, and they swap spots with Verona in this week’s update, as the Wildcats are now on the Bubble.

+ No. 25 Dodgeville (15-0): The D2 Dodgers have won all 15 of their games this spring, behind its loud offense led by seniors Anthony Vivian (Wisconsin-La Crosse) and Austin Montague, as well as sophomore Sean Reilly. Dodgeville’s comfortably leading the SWC at 6-0, but they’ve also scored nine non-conference wins, several of which can be considered quality. They opened the season with a win over Pecatonica and which has not lost since, they’ve also beaten Madison Edgewood, Fennimore, Sauk Prairie, and McFarland, among others, shaping themselves up as a program to know in the D2 scene. They have a couple key conference games this week against PdC and Platteville, where they can take an even larger lead in the SWC.

MORE MOVEMENT

+ No. 13 Franklin (13-3): The Sabers are putting up a ton of runs, and after seeing it first-hand in their win over Whitefish Bay at The Rock, we’re eager to see this team continue this run-scoring trend against one of, if not the, deepest pitching staff in the state: Southeast rivals Oak Creek. Their three-game set in Week 5 has a ton of energy surrounding it.

+ No. 15 Hortonville (10-3): The Polar Bears made up for their 7-3 loss to Appleton North with three huge FVA wins over No. 18 Kimberly and two over Neenah. They scored 17 combined in their Neenah meetings (one of which was a delayed game that was completed on Saturday), and the signs of an improving offense will make this talented staff that much more capable of claiming the FVA, and more, possibly.

ON THE BUBBLE

+ Verona Area (8-4): Off the Power 25 for the first time this spring, the Wildcats are still right on the edge of the rankings. They went 3-1 last week with their lone loss to now-ranked Madison Memorial, and they did beat them earlier in the season, too. They battled through a couple hard-fought contests with Janesville Parker this past week as well, and could find themselves back on the board if they can take care of business with Oregon and Middleton twice this week.

+ Markesan (10-1): The Hornets suffered their first loss of the spring last week, and we still view them as one of the likeliest bets to make it back to state at the D3 level, but given how competitive the D3 scene looks right now, that loss was enough to bump them off the rankings to make way for La Crosse Aquinas, which has navigated an even more dangerous schedule with poise.

+ Beloit Turner (12-0): Turner and their Rock Valley rivals Jefferson can each be considered D2 contenders. Turner remains undefeated this season following Week 4 wins over Brodhead and McFarland. Their two-game series with Jefferson this week has the chance to propel one or the other up the Power 25 in the next update.

+ West Bend East (10-5): The Suns had a shot to earn one of the last spots on the Power 25 this week, though Saturday’s loss to New Berlin West extinguished that for the time being. East had previously won five straight, including over West Bend rivals West.

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