Hopewell rises into the top 10 of latest Sweet 16 baseball poll. Two new teams join
After winning the Queen City 3A/4A regular-season championship Friday, Hopewell High made a big jump in this week’s Sweet 16 baseball poll.
The Sweet 16 ranks the top teams in the media company’s coverage area, which includes schools in the following counties: Mecklenburg, Cabarrus, Gaston, Iredell, Lancaster, Lincoln, Union and York. Rankings are based on strength of schedule, strength of a classification, team success within that classification and head-to-head competition between teams ranked in the Sweet 16.
It does not consider how ranked teams would fare against each other — or other unranked teams — unless those teams meet.
Hopewell beat Hough — No. 10 in last week’s poll — twice last week to capture the league title. Hough fell one spot to No. 11. Hopewell moved to No. 9 from No. 16.
Up top, Cuthbertson, Providence and Catawba Ridge remained in the top three spots, and there was a lot of shuffling after that.
Also, two new teams joined the poll this week: No. 12 Lake Norman Charter (15-6) has won three straight games, and No. 16 Union Academy (15-6) has won seven of its past eight games.
