Major shakeup in The Observer’s Sweet 16 baseball poll. Hot Meck Co. team takes top spot
After Saturday’s 7-5 win over reigning N.C. 4A state champion TC Roberson, from Skyland, NC, Charlotte Catholic’s baseball team has won 13 straight games.
The Cougars (19-2) have also taken the No. 1 spot in The Charlotte Observer’s regional baseball rankings. Former No. 1 Cuthbertson (16-3) fell six spots to No. 7.
Catholic is off this week and will face No. 5 Weddington on April 21. The Cougars have gotten six home runs from senior Matt McKnight, an infielder batting .519 with 28 RBIs.
There is one new team in this week’s rankings.
Charlotte Latin (13-2) is in the poll. The Hawks started the season 2-2, but have won 11 in a row, including back-to-back wins over Matthew’s Covenant Day School (14-3), which fell from No. 7 to No. 13.
▪ The rankings are compiled by longtime N.C. high school sports expert Alex Bass, a co-host of The Observer’s streaming “Talking Preps” show. Eligible NCHSAA and NCISAA teams are in the following counties: Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln and Union.
This week’s rankings
| Rk | School | Rec. | Prvs. |
| 1 | Charlotte Catholic | 19-2 | 3 |
| 2 | Providence | 15-2 | 2 |
| 3 | Charlotte Christian | 19-4 | 4 |
| 4 | Metrolina Christian | 19-1 | 5 |
| 5 | Weddington | 14-4 | 8 |
| 6 | South Mecklenburg | 14-7 | 6 |
| 7 | Cuthbertson | 16-3 | 1 |
| 8 | Hough | 14-3 | 9 |
| 9 | Hopewell | 14-4 | 10 |
| 10 | Marvin Ridge | 12-6 | 11 |
| 11 | Lake Norman | 14-5 | 12 |
| 12 | Charlotte Latin | 13-2 | NR |
| 13 | Covenant Day | 14-3 | 7 |
| 14 | South Iredell | 13-5 | 13 |
| 15 | North Iredell | 13-3 | 14 |
| 16 | Ardrey Kell | 11-7 | 15 |
