Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association rankings: Cascade continues to hold spot in Class 2A poll

The play and results may not be but Cascade’s ranking remains consistent.

The Cougars have been in the polls, coming in as high as seventh after entering the preseason poll ninth.

Cascade is ranked eighth in Class 2A by the latest Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association released Monday. The Cougars were 10-5, entering Monday’s game at Dubuque Hempstead.

“We’ve been up and down so far this year,” Cascade Coach Roamn Hummel said. “We haven’t been as consistent as I thought we would be.”

The Cougars have still be a formidable foe with a shot at returning to Carroll for the state tournament. Cascade has notable wins over 1A No. 8 Burlington Notre Dame and 3A Solon. Offensively, the Cougars rank among 2A leaders in a handful of categories. They are tied for third with five home runs, fourth with 197 total bases, fifth with .446 slugging percentage and seventh with a .330 team batting average. Cascade is 11th with 123 runs, averaging 8.2 per contest.

“So far, we’ve hit well,” Hummel said. “I’ve been pleased with our at-bats and how we compete at the plate.”

Cascade sits near the top of the River Valley Conference North Division with a 7-1 RVC mark. The Cougars only trail longtime rival and conference newcomer Dyersville Beckman. Both teams were in the old Big Bend conference together until Beckman joined the Wamac, leaving after the 2021-22 school year.

Coincidentally, the two traditional powers face each other Thursday at Cascade’s American Legion Ball Park. The Cougars have won four of the last seven meetings with the Blazers owning a 7-6 edge since 2013.

“I think having Beckman in the conference again gives it a little more excitement,” Hummel said. “Previously, we generally would see their best pitcher or then ours. Now, we each will (throw our best).”

Beckman moved up to fourth in 2A. Van Meter swapped places with No. 2 Mid-Prairie to reclaim 2A’s top spot.

Cedar Rapids Prairie held its No. 2 ranking in 4A, while Iowa City High jumped three spots to sixth. Cedar Rapids Kennedy remains in the rankings at No. 8, kicking off the week against Prairie at Herkelman Field.

Western Dubuque keeps its firm grasp of the top spot in 3A. The Bobcats are joined by No. 5 Marion.

North Linn and Lisbon have been constants in the 1A poll. The Lynx, who posted an 8-3 win over Cascade at Mount Mercy last week, comes in fifth. Lisbon is ninth and travels to Cascade on Wednesday.

Ankeny Centennial (4A) and Mason City Newman (1A) maintained their No. 1 rankings.

Class 4A rankings

1. Ankeny Centennial (15-1)

2. Cedar Rapids Prairie (19-1)

3. Johnston (17-3)

4. Southeast Polk (17-6)

5. Pleasant Valley (16-6)

6. Iowa City High (15-8)

7. West Des Moines Dowling (13-5)

8. Cedar Rapids Kennedy (18-6)

9. Dallas Center-Grimes (11-5)

10. Indianola (13-7)

Others receiving votes (in alphabetical order): Ankeny (9-9), Bettendorf (12-4), Cedar Falls (11-7), Urbandale (11-8), Waukee Northwest (10-11)

Class 3A rankings

1. Western Dubuque (18-4)

2. Council Bluffs Lewis Central (13-1)

3. North Polk (11-2)

4. Knoxville (17-1)

5. Marion (12-3)

6. Sioux City Heelan (16-6)

7. Adel ADM (14-5)

8. Ballard (12-3)

9. Dubuque Wahlert (13-8)

10. Davenport Assumption (9-9)

Others receiving votes (in alphabetical order): Bondurant-Farrar (13-6), Cedar Rapids Xavier (9-10), MOC-Floyd Valley (11-4), Sergeant Bluff-Luton (13-5), West Delaware (12-6)

Class 2A rankings

1. Van Meter (12-5)

2. Mid-Prairie (12-4)

3. Estherville-Lincoln Central (11-4)

4. Dyersville Beckman (11-6)

5. Underwood (9-2)

6. Carroll Kuemper (10-5)

7. Williamsburg (14-7)

8. Cascade (10-5)

9. West Marshall (14-3)

10. New Hampton (12-5)

Others receiving votes (in alphabetical order): Anamosa (14-3), Dike-New Hartford (9-4), Pella Christian (12-5), Pleasantville (14-6), West Lyon (10-1)

Class 1A rankings

1. Mason City Newman (17-2)

2. Kingsley-Pierson (13-0)

3. Remsen-St. Mary’s (14-2)

4. Lynnville-Sully (13-0)

5. North Linn (14-2)

6. West Harrison (11-1)

7. Coon Rapids-Bayard (14-1)

8. Burlington Notre Dame (13-4)

9. Lisbon (10-2)

10. Le Mars Gehlen (11-2)

Others receiving votes (in alphabetical order): Akron-Westfield (13-4), Don Bosco (13-3), Newell-Fonda (10-4), South Winneshiek (11-2), Woodbury Central (10-2)