Two weeks into the Illinois’ high school baseball season and it’s time for an update to our ‘Small School’ rankings. At ScoutConnect, we break our IHSA rankings into two different categories, grouping the 3A and 4A into a ‘Large’ school bucket, while doing the same for the 1A and 2A programs as ‘Small’ schools.

To see our ‘Preseason Rankings’ click HERE. 

It’s important to note that these rankings do not cover the entire state. Our coverage map extends from Peoria on down, and only teams that fall underneath the Peoria line on the state map will be included within our rankings all season long. It’s also important to note that these are just initial rankings, and they will fluctuate throughout as the season rolls on and gameplay starts. 

We’ve expanded the rankings in this update, going from our traditional 10 to a top-15. Continue reading below to learn more about some movement inside our list, which teams make their debut, and more. 

THE RANKINGS…

+ Holding onto the top spot on our rankings is St. Joseph-Ogden (6-1). The Spartans dropped their season opener to ranked Columbia, but have rattled off six straight wins. In five of those contests, St. Joseph-Ogden has allowed less than four runs, and they’ve scored seven or more runs in five of those wins as well. They came into the preseason as the top team on our rankings for a reason, and head coach Josh Haley’s club holds firm in that regard. 

Two teams on the rise make up the next two spots on our rankings, rounding out the top three:

+ Teutopolis (4-1) bumps up to No. 2 overall in this update. The Wooden Shoes only loss on the year was to ‘Large School’ ranked Mascoutah (3-1) with wins over Columbia (4-3), Cumberland (12-1), Greenville (8-0), and Casey-Westfield (10-0). Teutopolis boasts one of the top pitching staffs in the state for the 2A classification and is firmly a favorite to make it to the state playoffs. 

+ Freeburg (4-1) is on the rise as well, now at No. 3 after climbing up two spots. They dropped a game to Joliet West (3-0) at the Kickoff Classic, but also have two ranked wins against Dunlap (5-2) and Nashville (3-1), as well as Highland (12-9) and Wesclin (16-0), which warrants their rise up this list. 

+ St. Anthony (4-1) hasn’t skipped a beat thus far into the season, staying put in the fourth spot. Their only loss came at the hands of No. 1 St. Joseph-Ogden (7-0), and they’ve rattled off some impressive wins, defeating Civic Memorial (7-2), Harrisburg (5-3), and Breese Central (9-3) for three of their four victories. 

+ Father McGivney (4-3) bumps down three spots, sitting at fifth in this update. They dropped two games on their spring break trip to Memphis and fell to Harvest-Westminster (10-5) this past week as well. From a wins standpoint, the Griffins defeated two out of state opponents in Tennessee, and swept a conference series with Alton Marquette (6-1, 23-1). 

+ Staying put in the sixth spot is Effingham (5-2), a club that’s flashed in the early going, but will also need to find more consistency as the season rolls on. They took down a quality Marion club 17-1, and they’ve also beaten Richland County (5-1), Marshall (15-1), Altamont (5-0), and Mt. Vernon (5-4). That being said, their losses came to Newton (4-3) and a 14-0 defeat at the hands of Triad. We believe in the Hearts’ talent, which is why they’re not dropping in this update, but they’ll be tested in the coming weeks, with matchups against Tolono Unity and Teutopolis on the horizon. 

+ Two teams, each of them jumping up a spot, are No. 7 Nashville (4-1) and No. 8 Carterville (8-1). The Hornets’ only loss came in a tight contest against ranked Freeburg, with wins over Red Bud (10-3), Hamilton County (11-0), Trico (10-0), and Carbondale (5-4). Carterville’s been on a tear to start the season, winning eight of their nine games, and four of those coming in run-rule fashion. They’ve shown they can score runs in bunches, eclipsing the eight-run mark in six of their eight wins. The Lions’ pitching staff has also thrown the ball well, tossing four shutouts, and holding opponents to under two runs in six of their eight wins. 

The next six spots on our rankings, as in No. 9 through No. 14, are made up of teams that were not previously ranked in the preseason with the expansion of our list: 

+ Harrisburg (6-1): A program with a winning tradition, the Bulldogs jump into these rankings in the ninth spot. They dropped a tight contest to No. 4 St. Anthony in the early going, but have six wins otherwise, including a pair of quality wins over Columbia (8-6) and Pleasant Plains (13-6). They’re fairly young, with names like Ian Crabb (2027), Dax Randolph (2028), and Aidan Hankins (2027) leading the charge. 

+ Monticello (7-0): One of the more successful 2A clubs in central Illinois over the last few years, the Sages find themselves off to a perfect start this spring. Their best win on the season is a 8-7 victory over ranked Waterloo, while they’ve also taken down Villa Grove (15-4), Anna-Jonesboro (11-0), Murphysboro (19-2), Arthur (7-5), Westville (12-0), and New Berlin (3-2). 

+ DuQuoin (6-0): One of two undefeated teams on this list, the Indians have made a name for themselves at the 2A level in each of the past two seasons. They eclipsed the 30+ win mark in 2024 and came within one out of winning their Super-Sectional last spring before falling to state runner-up Teutopolis. In 2026, the Indians have yet to lose, with notable wins over Marion (6-5) and Civic Memorial (2-1), and a duel against ranked Carterville later today. 

+ Tremont (6-1): The Turks may be the most talented 2A team in the Peoria area. They debut in these rankings at No. 12 overall, with their only loss on the year against ranked Morton 3-0. In games they’ve won, the Turks have outscored their opposition 68-to-14. 

+ Tolono Unity (4-1): The Rockets have a talented group led by a few seniors, most notably Tyler Henry (2026; Danville CC) and Brayden Henry (2026; Danville CC). They’ve won four of their first five games and have a challenging matchup against Effingham this coming Thursday. 

+ Roxana (5-1): Jumping in the rankings at No. 14, Roxana’s core group has seen plenty of success in each of the past two seasons. They dropped a game to Gibault Catholic (7-4) early on, but have won four straight since, and have yet to get their ace Mason Crump (2026; Indian Hills CC) on the mound. 

+ Rounding out our rankings is Columbia (1-3), who bump down five spots from their preseason ranking to No. 15 in this update. While the Eagles don’t have the most impressive record, it’s important to note that they’ve played maybe the toughest schedule of anyone on this list. They defeated the No. 1 team on our rankings, St. Joseph-Ogden, on opening day, and their three losses are all close defeats to Teutopolis (4-3), Harrisburg (8-6), and Waterloo (1-0). Head coach Neal O’Donnell has never been afraid to challenge his squad, which is why their record may not stand out, but the Eagles are a tough, talented group that deserves to stay in these rankings in this update.