Roland-Story(16-4) The Norsemen continued down the same path they were on in the previous weeks. Nolan Faber continues to be one of the most dominant players in the state with a .536 average and is 5-0 with 48 K’s off the mound.
West Marshall (16-5) The Trojans get a bump thanks to Van Meter’s fall. After splitting a doubleheader with Roland-Story in the previous week, they’ve continued with a six game win streak and are up to 16 home runs overall.
Des Moines Christian (15-5) After a string of close losses to Van Meter and a couple of WCAC teams, the Lions pulled away with big wins over Class 3A powers Dallas Center-Grimes and Gilbert to pad their resume a bit more.
Van Meter (15-5) In a shocker, the Bulldogs lost 6-4 in a doubleheader with a rebuilding Woodward-Granger team (that also beat Panorama in the same week). Coupled with the string of Class 3A losses, Van Meter has been exposed in the past couple of weeks.
Underwood (14-2) One of the most balanced teams, the Eagles rank top 12 in batting average, total bases, steals, WHIP, and ERA.
Kuemper Catholic (10-4) After being bearish on the Knights after a rough week, they earned back some favorability with a win over Lewis Central. They have a deep staff that likes to get as many pitchers involved, four of which hold an ERA below 1.50.
Jesup (13-2) The J-Hawks have one of the most impressive bullpens around with a 1.67 ERA. They split the series with Dike-New Hartford and also hold a win over Cascade as part of a seven-game win streak.
Estherville Lincoln Central (11-2) The Midgets haven’t lost since June 1 and hold a 10-2 record with the top margin of victory in the class and recently found their marquee win over honorable mention Spirit Lake.
Beckman Catholic (13-6) The Trailblazers have been hit-and-miss this season as they have three losses to teams below .500 this season. But a win over Class 3A Clear Creek-Amana along with 1A powerhouse North Linn and rising Cascade has the program’s stock rising.
Woodward-Granger (8-9) Despite losing a coaching change and losing virtually an entire college caliber pitching staff, the Hawks are playing as well as ever with wins over Panorama and Van Meter. That is largely due to a class-leading .77 WHIP. Granted, losses to ACGC, IKM-Manning, and Pella Christian hurt their stock, but the wins over the conference’s elite programs show Woodward is as dangerous as any other squad.
