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Wisconsin Power 25 Update: Week 9

May 27, 2024
By: Maddox Durst, Andy Sroka & Josh Fields
Wisconsin Staff

The spring regular season has officially hit its conclusion throughout the entirety of the state, as playoff brackets are now active for all divisions. Action gets started this Tuesday with the Regional Semifinals for each division. Wednesday includes the Regional Championships for Divisions 2, 3 & 4, while Thursday will mark that event for competitors in the Division 1 field. Stay up to date with Prep Baseball Wisconsin, as our staff will provide coverage, updates and recaps on all three days of action.

In the meantime, our staff has once again created an update to the Power 25 rankings—including a new No. 1 team in the state for the first time in a couple of weeks.

+ VIEW THE FULL PREP BASEBALL WISCONSIN POWER 25 PAGE HERE

AT THE TOP

+ No. 1 De Pere (21-3): For the first time in a month, there is a new No. 1 atop the Power 25 rankings, as the Redbirds have put together an elite resume to assume the position. De Pere secured wins over a pair of Sheboygan teams to notch the Fox River Classic Conference championship. They outscored their opponents 19-0 this past week—winning one of the toughest conferences in the state. It started with a 9-0 victory over Sheboygan South, where INF Javin Gauthier (2024; Valparaiso commit) finished with five RBIs and a home run to power the offense. RHP/INF Easton Arendt (2024; Winona State University) added a bomb in addition to his 12 strikeouts on the mound, working around two hits. The next day, it was more of the same against Sheboygan North—run-ruling the Golden Raiders with a 10-0 final score. INF Axel Donaldson (2024; Madison JC) and 1B Milo Upton (2024; Concordia (WI)) were the igniters on the offensive end—showcasing the depth this team brings to the table. They stand as the No. 1 seed in their sectional, as they will battle the winner of Ashwaubenon and West De Pere on Thursday.

+ No. 2 Oak Creek (22-3): The Knights enjoyed a quality week of play over the course of four games—securing the Southeast Conference championship along with a Power 25 non-conference on Saturday. Oak Creek swept Kenosha Tremper in a three-game series, defeating the Trojans with relative ease. In game one, RHP/OF Payten Jibben (2024; Illinois-Chicago) dominated his start by throwing six innings with seven strikeouts to earn the win. He then went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a double to lead the way with the bats. OF Nate Schopf (2025) powered the offense with a perfect 3-for-3 performance on Wednesday, along with driving in the game-winning run on Saturday against Menomonee Falls in a 2-1 win. OF/LHP Cade Palkowski (2024; Wisconsin-Milwaukee) hit two home runs throughout the week, in addition to his complete game effort on the mound versus the Phoenix, where he finished with 10 strikeouts.

RISERS

+ No. 5 Kimberly (22-3): The Papermakers rise into the top-5 of the Power 25 with the help of three dominant wins throughout the week—outscoring their foes 22-3 in three games. LHP Brady Koester (2024; Notre Dame) tallied eight strikeouts in five innings—twirling a one-hitter in a 9-0 victory against Oshkosh North. INF/RHP Connor Olson (2025) notched a save against their rivals in Hortonville on Thursday, striking out a pair of batters in the final two innings to get the win. He then finished 1-for-2 at the plate, scoring once in the ballgame. While they only accumulated two hits on Saturday, Kimberly was able to manufacture six runs to defeat Slinger, as RHP’s Ayden Tomlinson (2024) and Maddux Hermus (2027) got the job done on the mound to win it. The Papermakers will match up against either the aforementioned Polar Bears or Green Bay Preble on Thursday in a Regional Championship game.

+ No. 6 Arrowhead (19-5): The Warhawks stormed back against Muskego and clinched a Classic 8 Conference championship by sweeping the Warriors in two games this past week—rising all the way to No. 6 in our newest update to the Power 25. RHP Peter Kussow (2025; Louisville) made his presence felt in the first game of the week, as Arrowhead used their starter to tally a win over Muskego. The right-hander struck out 10 batters in a complete game effort—limiting a powerful offense to just three hits. RHP Nolan Buss (2024; Kansas State) matched Kussow on Thursday—throwing the first 6.2 innings while holding the Warriors to two runs. That allowed bats such as OF Yamato Takahashi (2025) to get hot, as the junior finished 3-for-3 with a pair of RBIs. In the middle of those two matchups, the Warhawks took down Kettle Moraine in a nine-inning marathon, as 1B/OF Sam Reichert (2024) hit a walk-off single to win it. INF Jacob Lorbecki (2024; Wisconsin Lutheran College) finished with four hits, as Arrowhead seems to be catching fire at the right time. The Warhawks will face-off versus West Allis Central in the Regional Semifinal tomorrow.

+ No. 11 Westosha Central (21-5): Despite dropping a game to a hot Janesville Craig team, the Falcons rise in our update after tallying three wins over the course of the week. Two of those victories came against Beloit Memorial, as Westosha Central defeated them twice with final scores of 11-1 and 14-4. OF Carson Sieler (2025) has remained a top producer for the Falcons, as the junior accumulated three RBIs in their first win of the week. C/INF Mason Mitacek (2024; Wisconsin-Parkside) hit a home run in game one as well—continuing to be a staple in this lineup. INF Charlie Dietz (2025) stayed hot and racked up six RBIs on the week. RHP Brody Schulte (2025) and LHP Joseph Suokko (2025) will be key down the stretch for the Falcons, as the juniors put together another solid week on the mound. Westosha Central emerged as the No. 1 seed in their sectional after a very successful regular season, as they will await the winner of Mukwonago and Waterford on Thursday.

+ No. 16 Notre Dame Academy (20-6): The Tritons are entering the playoffs on an eight-game winning streak—adding two wins on to that after taking down Green Bay Preble and Manitowoc Lincoln. RHP Avery Duncan (2024; Dallas Baptist) provided a short start for Notre Dame Academy against the Ships, striking out three batters in three innings. He then launched a clutch RBI double to allow the Tritons to defeat their rival—winning the game on an error in the seventh inning after a two-run comeback. UTL Christian Collins (2025), who has assumed the leadoff spot for a majority of the year, enjoyed a quality game versus the Hornets, going 2-for-4 with a triple, two RBIs and three runs scored. C Brady LaViolette (2024; Ohio) added a hit and an RBI in that one—rounding out the 2-0 week. Notre Dame Academy earned a bye and will play Shawano in a Division 2 Regional Semifinal on Tuesday.

+ No. 17 Hudson (19-7): After returning to the Power 25 last week, the Raiders jumped six spots to No. 17 while winning the Big Rivers Conference and a win against a ranked opponent. Hudson swept Eau Claire North in a pair of conference games to conclude their regular season, as LHP Bradyn Bezanson (2024; Maryville University) struck out 11 batters in six innings of work to secure the 5-1 win. Both C Hunter Carlson (2024; Wichita State) and OF Logan Hagman (2027) homered in the game—continuing to clutch up on the offensive end. Carlson and Hagman each tallied an RBI in the win against Mosinee in a non-conference battle—outlasting the Indians in a quality 5-4 win. A bullpen game allowed the Raiders to keep the Huskies off balance, as RHP/INF Sam Abrahamson (2026) put in solid work as the starter—punching out a pair in three innings. Hudson now enters the playoffs on a seven-game winning streak—looking to make a push toward the state tournament as the No. 2 seed in their sectional. They will battle the winner of New Richmond and D.C. Everest.

Logan Hagman [5/11/24]

WELCOME…

+ No. 21 Janesville Craig (20-6): After a stellar 2023 season, the Cougars needed to replace the production of a strong senior class. They have done so in a big fashion—hitting their stride at the right time of the year to debut on the Power 25 rankings. It all starts with the production of C Ryan Lemm (2025; Wisconsin-Milwaukee), who is a staple behind the dish for their unit. His defensive prowess, in addition to a quality, competitive bat in the middle of their lineup has allowed Janesville Craig to reach 20 wins this season. RHP/INF Charlie Claas (2024) has found a ton of success at the plate for the Cougars—including a 1-for-3 outing against the aforementioned Westosha Central Falcons. Claas powered Janesville Craig to two solid wins over Madison La Follette throughout the week, too. RHP Drayton Lou (2024; St. Cloud State) has dominated on the mound as well—benefiting from the solid defense that plays behind him. Role players have stepped up in a big way for the Cougars, as they will take on their rival in Janesville Parker on Tuesday in the first round of playoff action.

Ryan Lemm [3/3/24]

+ No. 22 Bay Port (17-8): The Pirates slot in right behind the Cougars, as they have now won nine straight games—emerging in the Power 25 rankings for the first time since the preseason edition. The work of LHP Ethan Plog (2024; Iowa Western CC) and RHP Craig Kabat (2024; Gonzaga) has carried this Bay Port unit, to say the least. Both pitchers have continued to excel, as each found success in their start this past week. Kabat was especially important in Monday’s matchup against Green Bay Southwest, as the right-hander struck out 16 batters and only allowed one hit in his complete game effort in a 1-0 victory. Offensively, the Pirates started to pick up some momentum this past week, vital for their future success. OF Carter Kallies (2024; Wisconsin-La Crosse) and C/INF Cal Casper (2024; Winona State University) are two of the main bats in their order who have picked up that rhythm, and will be key down the stretch. OF Carson Hawley (2026) earned some playing time and finished 2-for-3 in a win over Fond du Lac—driving in one run from the bottom of the lineup. Bay Port is tasked with Green Bay East/West in the first round of playoffs in a tough sectional, hosted by Kimberly.

DROPPED OUT

+ Kettle Moraine Lutheran (21-5)
+ Pewaukee (19-7)

BUBBLE TEAMS (ALPHABETICAL)

+ Hayward (19-4)
+ Holmen (16-6)
+ Indian Trail (18-8)
+ Jefferson (21-5)
+ Kiel (20-4)
+ Little Chute (18-2)
+ Medford (22-3)
+ Neenah (17-8)
+ New Berlin Eisenhower (15-10)

WIAA ROUNDUP: EPISODE 8

Maddox Durst and David Go sat down on the podcast to break down some of the upcoming action for the playoffs this upcoming week for all divisions. Check out their most recent episode!

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