SBLive Iowa Top 25 baseball rankings: Johnston stays on top, other teams move

By Chris Short 

Johnston remains on top of our rankings again this week with West Des Moines Dowling still nipping at the Dragons’ heels, but there was plenty of movement. Sioux City East, Council Bluffs Lewis Central and MOC Floyd Valley step in, and Southeast Polk, Iowa City West and West Des Moines Valley drop out. 

1. Johnston (19-1)

The Dragons have bounced back to win 10 straight after splitting a doubleheader with SE Polk. Miles Risley leads the Dragons at the plate with a .409 average, garnering a team-high 27 hits, seven doubles, 12 RBIs and a state-high nine home runs. Carter Woollums and Kaden Halsrud lead the pitching staff with 4-0 records.

2. Dowling (14-4)

The Maroons hold onto second going 5-1 last week with its only blemish a doubleheader split with SE Polk. Trever Baumler is hitting .564 with a state-best 63 total bases, including nine home runs and 28 RBIs.

3. Cedar Rapids Xavier Catholic (17-3)

The Saints are the highest-ranked Class 3A team, replacing Wahlert at No. 3 after sweeping previously ranked Iowa City West and Dubuque Senior. Xavier, which has won 11 of 12, is led at the plate by Andrew Hamlett (.424 avg.), while hurlers Alex Neal and Drew Proskovec are each 4-0 with ERAs under 1.00.

4. Waukee (14-3)

The Warriors continue to surprise many, led by the bats of Colin Driscoll and Liam McGee and the arm of Camden Kaufman. Waukee, which battled No. 2 Dowling to a 7-4 loss, will be tested Monday in a doubleheader against No. 1 Johnston

5. Dubuque Wahlert Catholic (13-4)

The Eagles drop a couple of spots after losing a pitcher’s duel, 1-0, to Independence and splitting with Iowa City High. Ryan Brosius leads the team with 19 hits and Ben Free with 15 RBIs. Bryce Rudier has pitched Wahlert to five wins and a 1.22 ERA.

6. Cedar Falls (14-4)

The Tigers had a solid 5-1 week, highlighted with a sweep over Cedar Rapids Prairie and a win over North Scott. Ben Phillips continues to have a hot bat, hitting .422.

7. Iowa City High (16-6)

The Little Hawks dropped three spots after winning four of six, splitting with Iowa City Liberty and Wahlert and beating Cedar Rapids Washington and Solon. Joey Bouska has a team-high 27 hits with 10 stolen bases and Cade Obermueller has driven in 23 runs.

8. Davenport Assumption (12-3)

The 3A power Knights rolled to a pair of victories last week to move up five spots. Chance Dreyer leads his team a .465 batting average and has driven in 24 runs.

9. Grinnell (18-1)

The Tigers, who are our fourth ranked 3A team, finally lost a game in 2022 -- a doubleheader split with ranked Indianola. Grinnell continues to get fantastic pitching, allowing only 11 runs in six games last week. Brady Steward has five wins, 1.03 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 40 2/3 innings pitched. Will Doty has also pitched Grinnell to five victories.

10. Van Meter (18-0)

All the three-time defending Class 2A champions can do is beat the teams on their schedule, which the Bulldogs have done in the first 18 games. Ganon Archer is hitting at a .453 clip with six home runs, which is second behind Baumler, and has a sparkling 0.46 ERA and 43 strikeouts on the bump. Reese Moore, who is hitting .489, also has six bombs and a team-high 29 RBIs. Chris Schreck has pitched VM to four wins and a 0.44 ERA.

11. Urbandale (14-5)

The J-Hawks drop a couple spots after losing handily in both games of a doubleheader against the state’s top team in rival Johnston. They did bounce back to win five of six. Sam Harris has four victories and Lukas Jellnor is hitting .450.

12. Western Dubuque (16-3)

The Bobcats had an up-and-down week, losing a twin bill to Cedar Rapids Prairie and sweeping Iowa City Liberty. Garrett Kadolph is hitting .542 with a state-high 32 hits, three dingers and a team-high 29 RBIs.

13. Remsen St. Mary’s (18-0)

The unbeaten Hawks move up three spots after outscoring their four opponents 50-4. Carter Schorg has a state-high six victories and a perfect ERA with 57 strikeouts (fourth in the state) in 32 2/3 innings pitched. Cael Ortmann is hitting .547 with 24 RBIs and 20 runs scored. The Hawks are our highest ranked Class 1A team.

14. Marion (10-4)

The defending 3A state champs lost its only two games in a doubleheader to Benton after getting rained out against Independence. Jake Miller (.476) and Kaden Frommelt (.462, 4 HR, 20 RBI) are getting it done at the plate for the Wolves.

15. West Delaware (17-6)

The 3A Hawks bounced back from losing four of five with a 7-1 week, falling only to Center Point-Urbana 1-0. Luke Kehril has three wins and a 0.75 ERA and 32 Ks on the mound and has also smacked five dingers on the season. Lukas Meyer has a team-high 23 hits to go with three dingers and 21 RBIs.

16. Clear Creek-Amana (12-3)

CCA moves up four spots after winning six straight before losing a 21-15 shootout to Iowa City Liberty. Ben Swalls is having a nice senior season, leading the team with a .532 batting average, five home runs and 31 RBIs, which is second in the state. Sam Young has pitched the 3A Clippers to four wins.

17. Mason City Newman Catholic (15-3)

The Class 1A Knights got tremendous pitching last week, giving up only one run in three close games. Matthew Henrich and Elijah Brinkley are both 3-1, while Newman has a staff ERA of 1.07. Doug Taylor leads the state with 34 RBIs.

18. Indianola (13-6)

The Indians move up a spot after a 4-1 week, splitting with previously unbeaten Grinnell. Iowa recruit Brady Blake continues to lead the squad, batting .377 with 17 RBIs and Casey Stecker is hitting .315 with 17 RBIs. Bennett Bruck has three wins, 28 strikeouts and 0.36 ERA.

19. Estherville-Lincoln Central (15-2)

The Class 2A Midgets, winners of six straight, move up three spots after outscoring its four foes 46-3. The week was highlighted by a 13-1 win over a quality Spencer team. Owen Larson has pitched his squad to four wins and a 0.54 ERA, and Carter Snyder is ripping pitches at a .431 clip with 22 RBIs.

20. Waukee Northwest (11-6)

The Wolves move up a spot after a 3-2 week, which included close losses to Ankeny Centennial in a doubleheader split and No. 2 Dowling. Anthony Watts has pitched Northwest to four wins this so far with a sparkling 0.30 ERA. Carter Van Horn is hitting .419 and Brady Grisham .319 with four bombs and 19 RBIs.

21. Lansing Kee (20-2)

Since the 1A Lancers had their 11-game win streak snapped at unbeaten New London, they have bounced back nicely winning nine straight. Damon Weber is hitting .500 with 30 hits, including nine doubles, 29 RBIs and 31 runs scored. Tyson Cota also has 30 hits and is second with 12 doubles, which is second in the state. Dalton Dibert has pitched Kee to four wins.

22. Storm Lake (14-3)

The Tornadoes move up three spots after a 4-0 week to improve their win streak to 11. Edgar Barriero is hitting .377 and Sam Dvergsten has a .457 average with 18 runs scored and 13 RBIs. Hunter DeMey has hurled SL to four wins and Jake Eddie has a 1.43 ERA with 45 Ks.

23. Sioux City East (14-6-1)

The Black Raiders debut in the rankings after a 3-2 week where gave #1 Johnston a scare in a 9-8 defeat. Kelynn Jacobsen is hitting .322 with 17 runs and 14 RBIs. Aidan Haukap has pitched East to four wins.

24. MOC Floyd Valley (14-2)

The Dutchmen have won six straight and 11 of 12 to crack the rankings, including a victory over #19 Estherville-Lincoln Central. Carson Jager is hitting .435 with 25 runs and 25 RBIs, cranking three homers. Austin Oolman has hurled MOC to five wins with a 1.35 ERA.

25. Council Bluffs Lewis Central (12-2)

The Titans have won eight straight to debut in this week’s rankings. Aron Harrington is hitting at a .514 clip with 19 RBIs and 16 runs scored. JC Dermody has four victories with a 0.95 ERA and has fanned 39 batters in 22 innings on the mound and has stole 23 bases, which ranks fifth in the state.