Defending Class 3A Western Dubuque sits atop IHSBCA preseason rankings

Western Dubuque will begin the season exactly where it left off last year.

The defending Class 3A champion received top billing in the preseason rankings. The early tag is met with perspective.

“We were given this ranking, based off last year,” Western Dubuque Coach Casey Bryant said. “Now, we know we have to go prove our ranking this season.”

Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association released its preseason rankings Monday for all four classes. Western Dubuque is joined by West Des Moines Dowling (4A), Van Meter (2A) and Remsen St. Mary’s (1A) as top-ranked teams.

The Bobcats finished 32-11 last season, capturing the school’s first state baseball crown. They open the season Monday at Iowa City Liberty.

“It’s an honor people consider us one of the team’s as one of the potential contenders,” Bryant said. “Nothing has been proven, yet.”

The 3A rankings are dominated by Eastern Iowa programs. Marion, the 2021 state champion, is ranked second followed by No. 3 Cedar Rapids Xavier. Last season’s state runner-up Davenport Assumption is fourth and Independence is eighth.

“It’s almost a murderer’s row in Eastern Iowa,” Bryant said of the area 3A and Mississippi Valley Conference competition.

The MVC has six ranked teams in the two biggest classes. Cedar Rapids Prairie is fourth in 4A after falling to Dowling in last year’s state quarterfinal. Cedar Rapids Kennedy, which lost to Prairie in the substate final, is seventh. Iowa City High was a 2022 state semifinalist and starts the season ranked ninth.

Add in No. 6 Dubuque Wahlert in 3A and some other capable teams in the conference and every game is a challenge.

“The MVC is going to be filthy good,” Bryant said. “It’s going to depend on what day of the week you play and the pitching matchups. Any team can take it on the chin because of how good it is.”

Mid-Prairie, a state semifinalist last season, leads the 2A teams. The golden Hawks are second. Dyersville Beckman begins a new era under Coach Ryan Mabe and in the River Valley Conference. The Blazers are ranked fourth after a state tournament run ended in the semifinal against eventual state champion Van Meter.

Williamsburg and Cascade round out area teams in the poll, coming in sixth and ninth, respectively.

Perennial power North Linn is ranked third to start the year. Tri-Rivers Conference rival Lisbon is one spot behind. The Lions are vying for a third straight state tournament appearance, which would be a program first.

IOWA HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL COACHES

ASSOCIATION PRESEASON RANKINGS

(2022 record in parentheses)

Class 4A

1. West Des Moines Dowling (27-15), 2. Ankeny Centennial (25-14), 3. Johnston (36-4), 4. C.R. Prairie (31-9), 5. Waukee Northwest (27-13), 6. Pleasant Valley (24-12), 7. C.R. Kennedy (25-15), 8. West Des Moines Valley (20-15), 9. Iowa City High (32-9), 10. Indianola (26-13)

Class 3A

1. Western Dubuque (32-11), 2. Marion (25-11), 3. C.R. Xavier (28-12), 4. Davenport Assumption (32-7), 5. Council Bluffs Lewis Central (31-4), 6. Dubuque Wahlert (25-13), 7. North Polk (17-9), 8. Independence (30-12), 9. MOC-Floyd Valey (26-14), 10. Pella (23-15)

Class 2A

1. Van Meter (39-0), 2. Mid-Prairie (19-11), 3. Carroll Kuemper (20-17), 4. Dyersville Beckman (25-14), 5. Dike-New Hartford (26-4), 6. Williamsburg (22-14), 7. Estherville-Lincoln Central (33-3), 8. Underwood (20-4), 9. Cascade (20-6), 10. Osage (20-5)

Class 1A

1. Remsen-St. Mary’s (35-1), 2. Mason City Newman (33-4), 3. North Linn (31-3), 4. Lisbon (24-6), 5. Kingsley-Pierson (27-5), 6. Lynnville-Sully (24-3), 7. Don Bosco (23-6), 8. LeMars Gehlen (21-10), 9. Saint Ansgar (19-12), 10. West Harrison (17-7)