Pre-Holiday Break Rankings Update
I’m back from my honeymoon and diving back into coverage headfirst. First things first, thank you to everyone who reached out with well wishes via text, email, Twitter, or Instagram. Your messages were greatly appreciated! Now it’s time to get caught up on the team rankings as we head into the holiday break. Two weeks worth of games have occurred since these were last updated, and there is a ton of shakeup as a result. While I was away, 24 of the 40 ranked teams suffered at least one loss. Let’s update some rankings!
The only class in which the top-ranked team remains the same is in Class 1A, where North Linn (8-0) continues to pace the class. The Lynx are blasting teams by an average of 59.5 points a game with four players averaging in double-figures, led by senior guard Austin Hilmer Austin Hilmer 5'10" | PG North Linn | 2022 State IA (25.6 points a game, 8.5 assists). Grand View Christian (8-0) and AHSTW (6-0) flip spots, with the Thunder moving up to #2 following a dominant start to the year that has seen them winning games by an average of 44.6 points a game. Their resume also includes a win over 4A Des Moines North. There are a pair of newcomers this week, as North Mahaska (7-0) and Edgewood-Colesburg (6-0) enter the rankings at #9 and #10, respectively.
In Class 2A, Central Lyon (6-0) elevates to the #1 spot on the strength of their win over Boyden-Hull. The Lions are averaging 84.3 points a game, best in 2A, with three players averaging at least 17.8 points a night. A dominant scoring team, we’ll learn a lot more about this team shortly after the winter break, as they’ll have games against Estherville Lincoln Central, Rock Valley, and rematches with West Lyon and Boyden-Hull within the first two weeks after the holiday break. Aplington-Parkersburg (5-1) suffered a loss to Caledonia (MN) but remains at #2. Caledonia is led by future Iowa State guard Eli King, and the Falcons were extremely competitive in that loss against a very good team. Estherville Lincoln Central (7-1) makes their debut all the way up at #3. The Midgets beat then-#1 Western Christian, and despite losing a heartbreaker to Cherokee, they remain above the Wolfpack (5-1) who come in at #4.
The most shakeup comes in Class 3A, where five new teams enter the rankings – #2 Washington (6-0), #6 Clear Creek Amana (6-0), #7 Harlan (6-0), #9 Central DeWit (4-1), and #10 Fort Madison (6-0). Washington beat defending champion Pella (4-2) convincingly, 82-69, and have been dominant so far, with Ethan Patterson Ethan Patterson 5'11" | SG Washington | 2023 State IA (19.8 points a game) leading a trio of double-figure scorers. The Dutch lost back-to-back games, but have rebounded nicely and check in at #3 in a wide-open class. Dallas Center-Grimes (5-0) assumes the top spot in the class.
Finally, in Class 4A, Council Bluffs Lincoln (6-0) takes over the top spot after Ames’ (5-1) loss to Christian Brothers College (MO). The Little Cyclones drop a spot to #2. There is a heavy CIML and MVC flair to the 4A rankings this week, as Ames, #3 Waukee Northwest (5-1), #5 Johnston (5-1), #8 Ankeny (4-2) and #9 Valley (5-2) represent the CIML, while #4 Iowa City West (5-0), #7 Cedar Rapids Jefferson (5-1) and #10 Linn-Mar (3-1) hold down the MVC. Jefferson has been a fantastic story early this season and enter the rankings on the strength of their win over Cedar Falls. After winning just two games last year, the J-Hawks have already notched five wins on the strength of a balanced perimeter attack.
Class 1A
Rank | Team | Record | Last Week | Key Wins |
1 | North Linn | 8-0 | 1 | Spring Grove (MN) |
2 | Grand View Christian | 8-0 | 3 | Des Moines North |
3 | AHSTW | 6-0 | 2 | |
4 | St. Mary’s, Remsen | 6-0 | 4 | |
5 | New London | 5-0 | 6 | Danville |
6 | Newman Catholic | 7-0 | 7 | Osage |
7 | Lake Mills | 7-0 | 9 | Garner-Hayfield-Ventura |
8 | Gladbrook-Reinbeck | 6-0 | 10 | Wapsie Valley |
9 | North Mahaska | 7-0 | NR | Montezuma |
10 | Edgewood-Colesburg | 6-0 | NR | Springville |
Dropped out: Gehlen Catholic (5), West Harrison (8)
Class 2A
Rank | Team | Record | Last Week | Key Wins |
1 | Central Lyon | 6-0 | 5 | Boyden-Hull |
2 | Aplington-Parkersburg | 5-1 | 2 | |
3 | Estherville Lincoln Central | 7-1 | NR | Western Christian |
4 | Western Christian | 5-1 | 1 | Spencer, Newell-Fonda |
5 | Boyden-Hull | 5-1 | 6 | Rock Valley |
6 | Pella Christian | 4-1 | 4 | Norwalk |
7 | Rock Valley | 5-1 | 3 | |
8 | Camanche | 6-0 | 7 | Northeast |
9 | Van Meter | 6-0 | 8 | ACGC |
10 | Des Moines Christian | 5-1 | 9 |
Dropped out: Beckman Catholic (10)
Class 3A
Rank | Team | Record | Last Week | Key Wins |
1 | Dallas Center-Grimes | 5-0 | 2 | Des Moines Christian, Indianola |
2 | Washington | 6-0 | NR | Pella |
3 | Pella | 4-2 | 1 | Indianola |
4 | Bondurant-Farrar | 4-1 | 7 | Ballard, Winterset |
5 | Ballard | 5-1 | 3 | Norwalk |
6 | Clear Creek Amana | 6-0 | NR | |
7 | Harlan | 6-0 | NR | |
8 | Xavier | 4-1 | 8 | Waverly-Shell Rock |
9 | Central DeWitt | 4-1 | NR | |
10 | Fort Madison | 6-0 | NR | Williamsburg |
Dropped out: Carroll (4), Clear Lake (5), Marion (6), Spencer (9), Wahlert Catholic (10)
Class 4A
Rank | Team | Record | Last Week | Key Wins |
1 | Council Bluffs Lincoln | 6-0 | 2 | |
2 | Ames | 5-1 | 1 | Ankeny, Kennedy |
3 | Waukee Northwest | 5-1 | 6 | Hoover, Ankeny |
4 | Iowa City West | 5-0 | 8 | City |
5 | Johnston | 5-1 | 3 | |
6 | Pleasant Valley | 6-0 | NR | Rock Island (IL) |
7 | Cedar Rapids Jefferson | 5-1 | NR | Cedar Falls |
8 | Ankeny | 4-2 | 7 | Valley, Indianola |
9 | Valley | 5-2 | 4 | Waukee Northwest |
10 | Linn-Mar | 3-1 | NR | Jefferson, Kennedy |
Dropped out: Cedar Falls (5), Hoover (9), Kennedy (10)