Wisconsin Power 25: Week 9
May 31, 2022
The PBR Wisconsin staff updated the Power 25 rankings today, and with the playoffs underway across WIAA Divisions 2-4, and beginning later today in Division 1, this will be our final Power 25 update of the regular season. We’ll create one final Power 25 board at the season’s conclusion, reflecting the results of the WIAA playoffs, but today’s update we’ll carry us through that point and into our postseason accolades, like our all-state teams and PBR Wisconsin Player of the Year award.
TOP-3
+ No. 1 Whitefish Bay (23-2): With this being our last Power 25 update until the end of the playoffs, Whitefish Bay made it through the entire season staying atop our Power 25 rankings. Whitefish Bay started off their week with a dominant 5-0 win over No. 3 Franklin which was followed up with a 10-0 win over Waukesha South. The Blue Dukes then ran into a Wauwatosa West squad who handed them their second loss of the season – and something to watch will be the possibility of a rematch in the Regional title game Thursday. Nonetheless, this Blue Duke squad seems poised to bring home some hardware as the playoffs start rolling around across the state, replicating the run that the 2021 Sun Prairie squad went on, going from start to finish as the No. 1-ranked team on the Power 25, and eventually winning a state championship.
- Next up, Regional Championship, Thursday, June 2: vs. winner of Wauwatosa West/Nicolet
+ No. 2 Eau Claire North (20-2): Eau Claire North has been one of the most consistent teams in the entire WIAA this season. They kept up their stellar play last week as they took on then No. 24 La Crosse Aquinas and cruised to a 13-7 win. We knew this team would be one of the top teams in the ever-so competitive Big Rivers Conference, but what they have accomplished this season is truly impressive. Now, with a Big Rivers Conference Championship under their belt, Eau Claire North rose up to the No. 2 spot, their highest of the season, and are looking to make a deep run in the WIAA playoffs – which would only be their latest in a hugely successful era for head coach Bob Johnson and this program.
- Next up, Regional Championship, Thursday June 2: vs. winner of Wausau West/D.C. Everest
+ No. 3 Franklin (21-4): The Sabers have enjoyed a productive season in which they have not left the top five of our Power 25 rankings. To start the week Franklin was handed a tough loss at the hands of No. 1 Whitefish Bay. They then took on Racine Case for their final three game series of the season, and they ended up sweeping the series in handily fashion to clinch the Southeast Conference championship. With this solid week, Franklin finishes the regular season with a 21-4 record and have earned a No. 1 seed in their Sectional.
- Next up, Regional Championship, Thursday, June 2: vs. winner of Kenosha Bradford//Waterford Union
RISING
+ No. 4 Sun Prairie (23-3): Over the past month or so, Sun Prairie has been one of the hottest teams in the entire WIAA. The Cardinals have not lost a game since Week 5 and last week they garnered yet another dominant week. To start their 3-0 week, Sun Prairie took on Madison West and grabbed two one-sided wins, and they then capped their week with a 3-2 victory over then-ranked Milton. It seems that Sun Prairie has put it all together as they continue their stellar play and continue to rise up our Power 25 rankings, and a state title this year would be a fitting finish as this program is about to undergo some changes next spring as the area splits into two separate high school programs.
- Next up, Regional Championship, Thursday, June 2: vs. winner of Madison Memorial/Monona Grove
+ No. 5 Kimberly (20-6): A perfect 5-0 week from Kimberly led to them rising slightly to the No. 5 spot in this Power 25 update. In their five wins, the Kimberly pitching staff continued their dominance as they combined to give up just four runs throughout the week. It was good to see the Papermakers bounce back after taking three losses last week. Now, with five more wins under their belt, Kimberly has some momentum going into the first round of the playoffs.
- Next up, Regional Championship, Thursday, June 2: vs. winner of Pulaski/West De Pere
+ No. 7 Brookfield Central (21-4): The Lancers have been leaping up the board these past couple updates, now ranked at their highest spot of the spring at No. 7 overall. To start the season, Brookfield Central was at the No. 24 spot and steadily rose up our Power 25 rankings. Central started their week with a 11-1 win over Cudahy. They then played one of their most important games of the season as they took on Sussex Hamilton with a share of the conference title on the line. When it was all said and done, the Lancers came out with a 4-0 win and grabbed a share of the Greater Metro Conference, their first since 2009, alongside Marquette – a program they beat twice this spring for what it's worth. They then capped the week with a comeback win against Milwaukee King on their senior day to end the season with a 21-4 record, their latest in a long line of dramatic victories in what's becoming a special season for this program.
- Next up, Regional Championship, Thursday, June 2: vs. winner of Wauwatosa East/Milwaukee King
+ No. 9 Marquette University (20-4): In their one game of the week, the Hilltoppers grabbed a 10-5 win over then-ranked St. Thomas More. Marquette is another team who has substantially risen up our Power 25 rankings since the beginning of the season, as they started at No. 23. Now at the No. 9 spot, Marquette earned a share of the Greater Metro Conference with Brookfield Central and they have also earned a No. 1 seed in their Sectional.
- Next up, Regional Championship, Thursday, June 2,: vs. winner of Milwaukee Riverside/Milwaukee Reagan
+ No. 10 Beloit Turner (20-3): The Trojans enjoyed two important wins last week to help them move up three spots in this Power 25 update. To start the week they grabbed a 4-0 win over Brodhead. With this win, Turner was crowned Rock Valley Conference champions for the sixth consecutive year. Being one of the few Division 2 teams inside our Power 25, Turner started their playoff push. In their first regional game, Turner cruised to a 8-2 win over Whitewater as the No. 2 seed. With this 2-0 week, Turner grabbed their 20th win and are looking to improve on that as the playoffs continue to roll on, and they'll face what's arguably their most difficult test of the spring, against top-ranked senior Rory Fox (2022; Notre Dame commit) and Catholic Memorial.
- Next up, Regional Semi-Finals, Tuesday 31: vs. Catholic Memorial
+ No. 11 Denmark (22-3): The reigning Division 2 state champs have been building on last year's success throughout the season. To start the season, Denmark was not inside our Power 25 rankings and, up until three weeks ago, they remained unranked. But their stellar play caught our attention and they earned a spot in our Power 25 rankings. In this most recent update, Denmark is rising up to the No. 11 spot due to them grabbing two more wins. Their first win of the week came against Green Bay Southwest as they scrapped out a 3-2 win. Their second and final win of the week came against Gladstone (MI) on Friday.
- Next up, Regional Semi-Finals, Tuesday, May 31: vs. Plymouth
+ No. 12 Janesville Craig (18-5): Craig lunged out to the No. 12 spot on the board after a couple lopsided wins against Beloit Memorial this week, and they’re trending in the right direction headed into the postseason.
- Next up, Regional Championship, Wednesday, June 1: vs. winner of Elkhorn Area/Mukwonago
+ No. 13 Amherst (24-0): The Division 3 Falcons climbed all the way to No. 13 in this update following one of their toughest tests of the season last week in a non-conference action against D2 Mosinee, which was previously the top-ranked D2 team on our board. With the win, Amherst completed an undefeated regular season, and they piled on two more wins against a competitive Pacelli squad, too.
- Next up, Regional Semi-Finals, Tuesday, May 31: vs. Saint Mary Catholic
+ No. 14 Ashwaubenon (18-5): The Jaguars took two of their three games last week against conference heavyweights Bay Port and Preble to ultimately claim the Fox River Classic title. Senior RHP Mack Crowley (2022; Minnesota State) authored the start that propelled Ashwaubenon to the conference crown, their first FRCC title since 2011 – and a rematch with Bay Port may await, as the Pirates host Appleton East on Tuesday, and the winner heads to Ashwaubenon for the Regional championship.
- Next up, Regional Championship, Thursday, June 2: vs. winner of Bay Port/Appleton East
+ No. 17 Union Grove (18-5): The Broncos snuck back onto the Power 25 last week and captured the Southern Lake Conference title outright later on with a big win over Westosha Central, 11-2, that ultimately pushed them up another eight spots in this update. They beat both Waterford and Westosha last week, two teams that had (we felt) a greater chance of winning the SLC prior to the season, but Union Grove found their groove despite graduating a chunk of last year’s team that earned a spot at state – now they have a chance to get back there.
- Next up, Regional Semi-Finals, Tuesday, May 31: vs. Indian Trail
WELCOME…
+ No. 18 Verona Area (18-7): The Wildcats opened the season at No. 21 on our Preseason Power 25, but a 2-3 start in the first couple weeks knocked them off. Credit the Wildcats, as they spent the remainder of the season climbing all the way back and now they’re headed into the postseason riding a 10-game win streak, and their doubleheader sweep of a stacked Arrowhead squad last Saturday, as well as two wins over conference foes Madison Memorial. Verona’s back on the Power 25, and they’ll play next for a Regional title at home on Thursday.
- Next up, Regional Championship, Thursday, June 2: vs. winner of Madison West/DeForest
+ No. 20 Medford Area (21-5): The Great Northern Conference race was sneakily one of the most compelling conference battles of the season, regardless of Division. We pegged Medford to capture the GNC as they opened the spring ranked on our Preseason Power 25 at No. 22 overall, and we liked what we saw when they ventured to The Rock Complex for the PBR Wisconsin High School Invitational back in April. They spent a few weeks off the rankings following a few losses, but those losses have aged well, especially the one against conference rivals Mosinee, and now the Raiders are in the midst of a nine-game win streak headed into Tuesday’s matchup with fellow GNC rival Antigo – a team they beat twice already this season. Should they win, they could very well find themselves against No. 15 Mosinee next, which they split their season series against.
- Next up, Regional Championship, Tuesday, May 31: vs. Antigo
+ No. 21 Oconomowoc (19-5): The Raccoons were a pesky Classic Eight program in 2022, finishing tied for second, a few games behind Arrowhead, though they were the only team to hand the Warhawks a conference loss this spring. Meanwhile, Ocon allowed the fewest runs in Classic Eight (48), which is perennially one of the toughest conferences in the state. They’re making their season debut on the Power 25 as one of the steadiest programs in the state this spring, and they’re familiar with many of the programs that await them inside their Sectional, so consider them a dark horse squad to break out and earn a state tourney berth.
- Next up, Regional Championship, Tuesday, May 31: vs. Beloit Memorial
BUBBLE TEAMS
Altoona (19-3), Appleton North (17-6), Campbellsport (17-5), Catholic Memorial (16-10), Coleman (21-1), De Pere (16-7), Eau Claire Memorial (14-7), Eau Claire Regis (16-1), Edgerton (19-4), Edgewood (15-4), Freedom (17-5), Greendale (17-9), Homestead (18-7), Hortonville (15-7-1), Jefferson (19-7), La Crosse Central (18-8), Lake Country Lutheran (19-3), Markesan (19-5), Middleton (17-8), New Berlin Eisenhower (17-9), Pecatonica (17-2), Saint Croix Falls (21-2), Solon Springs (18-4), South Milwaukee (18-5-1), Southern Door (19-2), Stevens Point Area (19-6), University School (19-3), Waunakee (17-6).