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THE POWER RANKINGS: Dripping Springs assumes top spot in Austin area baseball poll
It’s unwise to draw too many conclusions when teams play late-season Saturday afternoon non-district games. This usually happens when a team with a Bye week in district play schedules a game or two during the week against other teams with a similar gap to fill. They’re great opportunities to throw some other pitchers, get some reserves some at-bats, etc., so results from these non-district games come with a huge grain of salt.
All that said, top-ranked Round Rock took it on the chin twice last week against two very good 5A programs in Anderson and Georgetown. (By the way, this marks the second consecutive week Anderson has knocked off our top-ranked team). The Dragons will be just fine – but these two losses-with-asterisks have to count for something. Because #2 Westlake split with #4 Lake Travis, that’s a wash. So, we’re elevating Dripping Springs to the top spot -- why not? –- and can’t wait for their showdown with Westlake after Easter.
Round Rock only slipped back one spot since the Battle of the Lakes was a draw, while Liberty Hill remained in the Top 5 after a perfect week, (including another one of those Saturday afternoon wins over Anderson).
In fact, there was a lot of that Saturday afternoon stuff going on last week. Buda Johnson dropped a game to Reagan after two lopsided wins over Judson; Rouse fell to Lake Belton after sweeping Leander; along with Georgetown’s win over Round Rock that kept them in the Rankings after two tough district losses to Weiss. Surging Stony Point entered the poll after sweeping Hutto, even after a loss to a Westwood squad battling for its playoff life.
With two weeks left in the regular season and several rivalry series left on the schedule, things will likely change again. Here’s how they stand heading into Easter Week.
VYPE's Austin Baseball Rankings
1. (3) Dripping Springs Tigers (6A) 16-8 (Swept Del Valle)
2. (1) Round Rock Dragons (6A) 19-5-1 (L vs. #10 Anderson; L vs. #14 Georgetown)
3. (2) Westlake Chaparrals (6A) 19-4-1 (Split w/#4 Lake Travis)
4. (4) Lake Travis Cavaliers (6A) 14-8-3 (Split w/#2 Westlake)
5. (5) Liberty Hill Panthers (5A) 18-6 (Swept Lehman; def. #10 Anderson)
6. (6) Buda Johnson Jaguars (6A) 17-7 (Swept Converse Judson; L vs. Reagan)
7. (7) Cedar Ridge Raiders (6A) 16-8 (Def. Vista Ridge; swept #14 McNeil)
8. (8) Vandegrift Vipers (6A) 19-6 (Def. Manor; swept Hutto)
9. (9) Rouse Raiders (5A) 15-6-2 (Swept Leander; L vs. Lake Belton)
10. (10) Anderson Trojans (5A) 17-6 (Def. #1 Round Rock; L @ #4 Liberty Hill)
11. (11) San Marcos Rattlers (6A) 18-7-1 (Def. Salado; def. Austin High; L vs. SA Harlan)
12. (12) Hays Hawks (5A) 16-7-1 (Split w/Glenn; def. Seguin)
13. (15) Weiss Wolves (5A) 14-6-2 (Swept #13 Georgetown)
xx. (NR) Stony Point Tigers (6A) 14-12-1 (Def. Hutto; split w/Westwood)
15. (13) Georgetown (5A) 13-9-1 (Swept by #15 Weiss; def. #1 Round Rock)
THE POWER RANKINGS: Round Rock edges Westlake for top spot in Austin area baseball poll
Tough call. Top-ranked Westlake fell 16-14 to #10 Anderson Saturday (4/5) in a typical city league softball-like non-district affair. Non-district games are usually not truly indicative of the teams’ strengths; those games are great for providing playing time for reserves and getting your bullpen some innings on the mound. However, these two were district foes just last year and the Trojans are mopping up their new 5A district. That adds some credence to their win. Combined with how well Round Rock is playing, that’s enough for a flip-flop as the Dragons take over the top spot in this week’s Power Rankings.
Right behind them #5 Lake Travis fought #3 Dripping Springs to a draw to edge in front of #4 Liberty Hill after the Panthers split with unranked Glenn. And right behind them, Buda Johnson split with a good East Central squad while Cedar Ridge and Vandegrift fought each other to a draw to remain in place.
In fact, there was no other movement in the rankings except for Georgetown slipping in front of McNeil down in the bottom third. Everyone else pretty much held serve.
So, does that mean the dust is settling on our Power Rankings? Not likely, but here’s how they stand for now.
VYPE's Austin Baseball Rankings
1. (2) Round Rock Dragons (6A) 19-3-1 (Swept Hutto; Def. Westwood)
2. (1) Westlake Chaparrals (6A) 18-3-1 (Swept Bowie; L vs. #10 Anderson)
3. (3) Dripping Springs Tigers (6A) 14-8 (Split w/#5 Lake Travis)
4. (5) Lake Travis Cavaliers (6A) 12-8-3 (Split w/#3 Dripping Springs)
5. (4) Liberty Hill Panthers (5A) 15-6 (Split w/Glenn)
6. (6) Buda Johnson Jaguars (6A) 15-6 (Split w/SA East Central)
7. (7) Cedar Ridge Raiders (6A) 13-8 (Split w/#8 Vandegrift; Def. Vista Ridge)
8. (8) Vandegrift Vipers (6A) 16-6 (Split w/#7 Cedar Ridge; Def. Manor)
9. (9) Rouse Raiders (5A) 15-6-2 (Swept Cedar Park)
10. (10) Anderson Trojans (5A) 16-5 (swept McCallum, Def. #1 Westlake)
11. (11) San Marcos Rattlers (6A) 16-6-1 (Split w/Cibolo Steele; Def. SA O’Connor)
12. (12) Hays Hawks (5A) 14-6-1 (Swept Lockhart; Def. McCallum)
13. (14) Georgetown (5A) 12-7-1 (Swept Hendrickson)
14. (13) McNeil Mavericks (6A) 10-8-2 (Split w/Vista Ridge)
15. (15) Weiss Wolves (5A) 12-6-2 (Swept Jarrell)