SBLive Iowa high school baseball Top 25 rankings: Major shakeups highlight Week 1

There were plenty of shakeups after the first week of games.

By Chris Short 

After one week the rankings already look vastly different with teams rising and falling. The biggest shakeup was Class 4A defending state champion Pleasant Valley falling from preseason No. 1 to 14 this week after dropping its first two games. Here is the Top 25 for the week of May 23-28. 

1. Johnston (4-0)

The Dragons avenged the Class 4A state championship loss with a convincing 12-1 beatdown of Pleasant Valley. The Dragons outscored their opponents 35-3 in four games. Spencer Campidilli is hitting .571 with 2 homers and 7 RBIs.

2. Dowling (3-1)

The Maroons stubbed their toe, splitting a doubleheader against Des Moines Roosevelt. Sophomore Trever Baumler hit 4 home runs and drove in 12 RBIs for Dowling.

3. Marion (4-0)

Marion won all four of its games last week. The Class 3A Wolves were led by Cael Hodges with 8 hits, 8 runs and 7 RBIs.

4. Davenport Assumption (4-1)

Assumption capped its week with a 10-4 victory over Iowa City High. Noah Mack and Tyler Welch are both hitting over .400 for the 3A Knights .

5. Cedar Rapids Xavier Catholic (4-1)

The Saints only lost by a run to the defending 3A champ Marion. Sophomore Andrew Hamlett is hitting .526 for the 3A club.

6. Waukee Northwest (4-0)

Northwest flexed its muscle in the first four games in school history, outscoring its foes 47-3. Caden Sammler and Brady Grisham are both hitting over .500 for the Wolves.

7. Iowa City High (4-2)

City High stumbled against Dubuque Hempstead and Davenport Assumption. Alex Knudtson is hitting .571 with 6 RBIs for the Little Hawks.

8. Dubuque Wahlert Catholic (4-1)

Wahlert lost only to 4A North Scott. Patrick Fitzgerald is hitting .538 for the Golden Eagles.

9. Grinnell (5-0)

The Tigers picked up two victories from pitcher Brady Steward to start the season unbeaten. The Tigers appear to be a legitimate contender in 3A.

10. Indianola (5-1) 

The Indians  lost 8-0 to top-ranked Johnston but swept a pair of doubleheaders. Brady Blake is on fire, hitting .500 with 4 dingers, 14 RBIs and 11 runs scored.

11. Van Meter (3-0)

The three-time defending Class 2A state champion, allowed only four runs in three games. Carter Durflinger is hitting .556 for the Bulldogs.

12. Urbandale (2-1) 

Urbandale was led by Dillon Kuehl (.714 avg.) and Sam Harris, who struck out 11 in seven scoreless innings for the J-Hawks.

13. Cedar Falls (6-0) 

Cedar Falls enters the rankings after a blazing start where it outscored its opponents 67-10. Ben Phillips and Jaden Kramer led the Tigers at the plate.

14. Pleasant Valley (2-2)

PV bounced back with a pair of wins after losing its first two games. Drew Micek is hitting .412 for the defending 4A champs, who opened our poll last week at No. 1.

15. Dubuque Hempstead (3-2)

Hempstead lost one-run games to Cedar Rapids Kennedy and Iowa City High. Jonny Muehring is hitting .312 for the Mustangs.

16. Mason City Newman Catholic (4-0)

The Knights dominated their four opponents 59-6. Tim Castle is seeing the ball well, hitting .700 for the Knights.

17. West Delaware (4-0)

West Delaware beat 1A power Lansing Kee to highlight the first week of the season. Luke Kehril is hitting .667 with 9 RBIs with two bombs and Lukas Meyer is hitting at a .583 clip with a dinger for the Hawks.

18. Des Moines Roosevelt (3-1)

The Roughriders swept Marshalltown and split a twin bill with Dowling to earn a spot in the rankings.

19. Waukee (3-0)

The Warriors notched a pair of wins over previously ranked Ankeny Centennial. Lawson DeWeerdt and Camden Kaufman both hurled shutouts for the WHS.

20. Sioux City East (4-0)

East swept doubleheaders over Bishop Heelan and Lemars. Brecken Schossow pitched the Black Raiders to two victories and Lincoln Colling is hitting .538 with a homer.

21. North Scott (1-2)

NS stubbed its toe losing its first two games, but bounced back with a convincing 8-3 win over Wahlert. Kaden Kelley is leading the Lancers with a .429 batting average.

22. Council Bluffs Lewis Central (3-1)

Lewis Central lost only to Dowling 3-2. JC Dermody has a 0.88 ERA in 8 innings.

23. Des Moines Christian (3-0)

Christian enters the rankings, highlighted by an impressive 15-7 victory over previously ranked Carroll Kuemper Catholic. Adam Witty is hitting .455 for the Lions.

24. Independence (2-0) 

Independence beat South Tama handily in a doubleheader in its only games. Keagan Palmer and Mitchell Johnson combined for 7 hits and 8 RBIs for the Mustangs, who put up 30 runs.

25. Western Dubuque (5-0)

Western Dubuque beat four Class 4A teams and a 17-6 win over 1A power Dyersville Beckman Catholic. Isaac Then is hitting a robust .615 for the Bobcats.