By MATT PIKE
With two weeks left in the high school baseball regular season, the Missouri High School Baseball Coaches Association released it's latest Top 10 rankings for each class, which saw more movement for area teams, as well as some teams staying put in the Top 10.
In Class 1, the Rock Port Blue Jays dropped one spot, moving from No. 5 to No. 6. The Blue Jays did not drop any games, winning four in a row since the previous rankings, improving to 16-3. Rock Port earned big wins over North Nodaway and Dekalb, but had competitive 3-1 and 5-1 wins against Albany and Nodaway Valley respectively. Rock Port does have big games to close out the regular season, including today against North Platte, Thursday against Plattsburg, May 11th against Maysville, and closing out the season against Mid-Buchanan.
In Class 2, Maysville rose back up in the rankings after previously falling, moving back up three spots from No. 9 to No. 6. The Wolverines in the last rankings fell from No. 6 to No. 9. Maysville has won seven in a row since the previous rankings, including wins over Trenton, Faith Christian Academy, Brookfield, and St. Joseph Christian. The Wolverines have three games remaining, including a big matchup with West Platte on Thursday and Rock Port to close out the regular season.
For Class 3, the West Platte Blue Jays stayed put at No. 9 in the rankings, while Mid-Buchanan remained unranked but receiving votes. The Blue Jays went 4-1 since the last rankings, moving to 14-4 on the season. West Platte did fall to Mid-Buchanan, but won matchups with Plattsburg and Maryville among others. The Blue Jays have three games left in the regular season, taking on Dekalb tonight, Maysville on Thursday, and Platte Valley to close out the regular season.
For the Dragons, despite shutouts against West Platte and Lathrop, and winning seven of their eight games were unable to move back into the top 10 after falling out in the last rankings. With wins against the Blue Jays, Mules, and also North Platte, Mid-Buchanan did claim the KCI Conference title outright, after sharing it last season. The Dragons have four games left in the regular season, including two that could potentially help push them back into the Top 10 by seasons end, facing Savannah on Friday and Rock Port at the end of the regular season.
In Class 4, the Benton Cardinals dropped from No. 7 to No 9 in the rankings with a record of 16-10, going 4-2 since the previous rankings. The Cardinals dropped back-to-back matchups with Kearney and Fort Osage, but also beat Kearney, Smithville, and Lincoln College Prep during the Pony Express Tournament. Benton has eight games remaining in the regular season, with some big matchups including a game in Savannah today, against Chillicothe at Phil Welch Stadium on Wednesday, and Liberty and Platte County on Saturday.
Chillicothe fell one spot, from No. 5 into a tie for No. 6, with a record of 16-6, going 5-2 since the last rankings. Savannah did continue receiving votes but did not break into the Top 10. The Savages went 5-1 since the previous rankings, improving to 15-9. Savannah has won five straight games, including wins over East Buchanan, Maryville twice, Cameron, and Lincoln College Prep, dropping one game in the Pony Express Tournament to Park Hill.
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