By Sean Duncan
Executive Director

For the first time in six weeks there’s a new No. 1-ranked team. Normal West, winners of its last 24 games, jumps up to the top spot, replacing long-time holder Lincoln-Way North.

Anyone who thinks that Normal West isn’t legitimate because the Wildcats don’t play the schedule of the Chicago Catholic Blue is grossly mistaken. Normal West has high-level talent all over the field, along with a deep rotation anchored by one of the state’s most dominant pitchers, Illinois-bound RHP/SS Matthew James. Both James and senior RHP Nick Hieb are 10-0.

On Saturday, James and the Wildcats handed Lyons Township ace Keith Lehmann his first loss of the season, 2-1. (Read Game Story). Normal West, however, will receive a significant challenge next Saturday, when it will likely face No. 25 Moline in a regional championship game.

+ The loaded Steven M. Bajenski Memorial Tournament turned the rankings logic upside down and then back over again. The Chicago Catholic Blue teams continued to pound on each other, one team knocking off the next, to the extent that we’re almost at the same point prior to the tournament.

A few things from the tournament were gleaned, however. Joliet Catholic Academy finally looks like it is playing up to the ability which earned the Hilltoppers the No. 3 preseason ranking. The Hilltoppers won the second-annual tournament by throwing consecutive shutouts against No. 3 Mount Carmel in the championship game and No. 4 St. Rita in the semifinals.

In arguably the most anticipated matchup of the season, No. 2 St. Laurence hammered then-No. 1 Lincoln-Way North, 14-0, in six innings. The resounding loss dropped Lincoln-Way North to No. 5 this week. Both Lincoln-Way North’s losses are to Chicago Catholic Blue teams, Brother Rice and St. Laurence. Although St. Laurence stumbled in the Bajenski Tournament after that, the Vikings won the Chicago Catholic Blue title outright, and therefore remained at the No. 2 spot.

+ A pair of Class 2A teams remain red-hot – No. 6 Harrisburg and No. 9 Teutopolis. The perennial powerhouses have a collision course in the sectional championship game on Saturday.

+ No. 12 Minooka, which is one of the state’s hottest clubs, continues to climb up the rankings. In one of the more absurd regional semifinal matchups, Minooka will play No. 19 Joliet West on Thursday at Joliet Central at 4:30 p.m.

+ New teams in the top 25 rankings: No. 25 Moline and No. 19 Joliet West, which has been consistently been in the rankings all year.

+ Teams that dropped out of the rankings: Crystal Lake South and Peoria Notre Dame.

+ Team that just missed the top 25: Belleville West, which won the tough Southwestern Conference championship.

CLICK HERE to view the Top 25 Team Rankings