The Catalina Trojans woke up this morning and found themselves ranked third in the first Division IV AIA/MaxPreps power-rankings of the season.  It's an incredible turnaround from a program that has only won 33 games since winning a state championship in 2011.

The Trojans took their new ranking on a test drive Wednesday and came up with a 4-1 win over divisional power Pusch Ridge at home. The Lions have averaged 23 wins over the last three years, an incredible run that included a runner-up finish in 2014 and a semifinal finish last year, but Pusch Ridge (4-11-1 overall and 2-5-1 in power-ranking games) has struggled this year.

With only 24 teams making the state playoffs, the Lions will have to come on strong to get an at-large bid to keep their playoff streak alive. Meanwhile, Catalina (8-8, 7-0) already has a 6-0 record in Section III.  It's a long season and section rivals Desert Christian, Pueblo and Thatcher will still have plenty to say by the time playoffs come around.

Pusch Ridge took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first thanks to a leadoff double from Matt Weber and an RBI single from Aaron Noller three batters later.

Frank Villalobos took the mound for Catalina and he limited Pusch Ridge to the one run but he was tested in the fifth after Noller came up with a double to put two on with only one out. Andres Hernandez came on in relief and he collected a strikeout and a fly ball to end the threat.  

Catalina tied things up in the bottom of the first on an RBI single from Charles Stewart that scored Jonah Lauten. The Trojans collected three hits in the inning but Noller was aided by a perfect relay home to get Cameron Musser out on Stewart's hit.

Jack MacDonald sacrificed Miguel Valenzuela home in the second inning to give Catalina a 2-1. It turned out to be all the Trojans needed but Jon Lerma scored on a passed ball in the fifth and Hernandez scored on an error in the sixth to provide the final 4-1 margin.

Robert Summerville came in to pitch in the fifth for Pusch Ridge.

Noller went 2-3 with a double and an RBI and Evan Weidenkeller went 2-4 to lead Pusch Ridge. For Catalina, Alex Phillips went 2-4 and Hernandez went 2-3.