High School Baseball: Power Rankings for Chillicothe-area teams following Week 6

CHILLICOTHE — The final week of the high school baseball regular season is on the horizon.

Just as conference play wraps up and the final games of the regular season tick by, area teams are prepping as best they can ahead of the tournament draw on Sunday. Zane Trace has locked down at least a share of the Scioto Valley Conference title, and Unioto is hot on its heels. Piketon earned a win over Paint Valley in extra innings on senior night, and Waverly has notched a pair of good wins in the process.

With one more week to go in the season, it's time to see how every area team stacks up against one another. Here are power rankings for all 10 Chillicothe-area baseball teams following the sixth week of the season.

What we learned: Takeaways from the past week in area high school baseball and softball

Ross County Meet: Zane Trace boys, Adena girls place first at annual Ross County track and field meet

10. Chillicothe Cavaliers (6-15, 5-7 Frontier Athletic Conference)

Six straight losses is a tough rut to break out of for most teams, and the Cavaliers have had to contend with some tough competition to boot. Their next week on the schedule — including games against Unioto, Huntington and Wheelersburg — won't be any more forgiving.

9. Adena Warriors (7-13, 4-10 SVC)

Adena slipped behind a bit in the SVC standings after dropping three of its last four games, but it did stutter the slide after getting one over Piketon on Friday. In that game, Austin Magill pitched another gem and the offense, led by Marcus Jackson, had its best night since a win over Southeastern in mid-April. On the bright side, the worst of Adena's schedule is over, and it can focus on getting a few good wins before the regular season ends.

8. Piketon Redstreaks (8-15, 3-11 SVC)

This week has been kind to the Redstreaks. They've won two of their last three games, including a win in extra innings over Paint Valley thanks to a walkoff single by Malik Diack. A shutout of Dawson-Bryant helps a bit as well, and gives the Redstreaks a little bump heading into the final week of the season.

7. Paint Valley Bearcats (10-12, 4-10 SVC)

The Bearcats almost ended their losing streak when they took Piketon to extra innings Wednesday. But they're now juggling a four-game losing streak, and the tournament draw is on the horizon. It's not all doom and gloom, however, as they have a chance to rebound before the tournament with home games against Western and Vinton County.

6. Westfall Mustangs (6-11, 4-10 SVC)

Give the Mustangs credit, they've done what only one other team in the area has been able to do: knock off Zane Trace. They did it by a very comfortable five-run margin as well. A good night for the bats, plus good showings on the mound by Noah Stonerock and Trent Gardner. Wednesday might have been Westfall's biggest win of the year.

5. Southeastern Panthers (12-9, 7-7 SVC)

Southeastern is beating the teams it's expected to and giving a fight to the heftier opponents on its schedule. Not a bad way to end April, especially holding Adena and Westfall, which went on to beat Zane Trace, to a combined three runs. Conference play is over for Southeastern, and now it can spend the final week of the regular season prepping against some decent FAC and SOC opponents.

4. Waverly Tigers (13-7, 4-3 Southern Ohio Conference III)

Give Hunter Hauck the team MVP after his showing on Tuesday — 15 strikeouts and one walk against Northwest is nasty work, and Hauck only gave up two hits as well. Not to mention Tyler Malone putting out another complete game against Minford on Monday. With the tournament draw on the horizon, the Tigers have stacked a pair of solid wins inside the SOC that will benefit them down the line.

3. Huntington Huntsmen (14-5, 10-3 SVC)

The Huntsmen sit in the unique position of having the potential to be both kingmaker and streak-breaker all in one night. If they outlast Unioto when the two teams pick up their suspended game on Friday, they snap Unioto's 10-win streak inside the conference and hand the crown to Zane Trace. Lose, and the conference title is split between the two.

Can the Huntsmen do it? They have won six of their last seven, and they led the Shermans by two runs in the fifth inning of said suspended game.

2. Unioto Shermans (17-3, 11-2 SVC)

Just when the conference title seemed out of sight, Unioto pulls its way back into the race. Its win over Zane Trace on Friday set up the chance for a run at the title, and now there's a very real possibility the two split the SVC Championship. As of Friday, it will be in the Shermans' hands, as they close out the deciding game against Huntington.

1. Zane Trace Pioneers (18-4, 12-2 SVC)

Crunch time for the Pioneers. They've clinched at least a share of the SVC championship, but the loss to Westfall means there's a chance left for them to split the title with Unioto. Their conference schedule is done for the year, so their hopes of an outright title lean on the outcome of the suspended Unioto-Huntington game that picks up on Friday night.

This article originally appeared on Chillicothe Gazette: High School Baseball: Week 6 power rankings for Chillicothe-area teams