We have arrived at the start of the girls prep basketball season in Iowa, as games hit the hardwood Friday night. And with that, we have the preseason rankings from the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union.
Updated throughout the season, these rankings are key because they help with deciding postseason pairings. The higher-ranked teams will also earn the right to host during the playoffs prior to the state tournament.
Opening the season as No. 1 ranked teams in their respective classes are Johnston in 5A, Sioux City Bishop Heelan in 4A, Estherville-Lincoln Central in 3A, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont in 2A and Bishop Garrigan in 1A.
One of the featured opening night games takes place in Monticello, as fourth-ranked (3A) Monticello meets No. 5 (4A) and defending state champion Clear Creek-Amana.
A pair of Top 15 battles in 5A will see No. 9 West Des Moines Valley welcome 15th-ranked Cedar Rapids Washington while seventh-rated Cedar Rapids Prairie hosts No. 4 Davenport North.
Two reigning champions meet when 2A titleholder Dike-New Hartford travels to defending 1A champ North Linn.
Last year, Johnston took home the 5A title with a victory over preseason No. 2 West Des Moines Dowling in the finals, as the Clippers won it all in 4A vs. Waverly-Shell Rock. The Clippers open this season ranked fifth while the Go-Hawks are 14th.
Estherville-LC was upset by Solon in the championship game, with the Spartans starting this year unranked. Dike-New Hartford and Panorama, who met for 2A gold last winter, are not ranked while reigning 1A champion North Linn is second.
Class 5A
1. Johnston; 2. West Des Moines Dowling; 3. Ankeny Centennial; 4. Davenport North; 5. Pleasant Valley; 6. Cedar Falls; 7. Cedar Rapids Prairie; 8. Ankeny; 9. West Des Moines Valley; 10. Waukee; 11. Waukee Northwest; 12. Bettendorf; 13. Iowa City West; 14. Iowa City High; 15. Cedar Rapids Washington.
Class 4A
1. Sioux City Bishop Heelan; 2. North Polk; 3. Sioux Center; 4. Norwalk; 5. Clear Creek-AMana; 6. Gilbert; 7. Maquoketa; 8. Cedar Rapids Xavier; 9. Central DeWitt; 10. Dallas Center-Grimes; 11. Storm Lake; 12. Carlisle; 13. Keokuk; 14. Waverly-Shell Rock; 15. Oskaloosa.
Class 3A
1. Estherville-Lincoln Central; 2. Mount Vernon; 3. Dubuque Wahlert; 4. Monticello; 5. Forest City; 6. Algona; 7. Humboldt; 8. Roland-Story; 9. Cherokee; 10. Williamsburg; 11. PCM; 12. Center Point-Urbana; 13. Harlan; 14. West Delaware; 15. Clarinda.
Class 2A
1. Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont; 2. Westwood; 3. Cascade; 4. North Mahaska; 5. Central Lyon; 6. Rock Valley; 7. Exira-EHK; 8. MVAOCOU; 9. Iowa City Regina; 10. Denver; 11. West Lyon; 12. Hudson; 13. Hinton; 14. Jesup; 15. Emmetsburg.
Class 1A
1. Bishop Garrigan; 2. North Linn; 3. Montezuma; 4. Riceville; 5. Mount Ayr; 6. Newell-Fonda; 7. Dunkerton; 8. Akron-Westfield; 9. Kee; 10. Lone Tree; 11. East Buchanan; 12. Fremont-Mills; 13. Council Bluffs St. Albert; 14. Springville; 15. Gladbrook-Reinbeck.
* Clarion-Goldfield/Dows student expresses disappointment in season being canceled
* Three more girls programs opt out for 2024-25 varsity season
* Sibley-Ocheyedan, West Sioux scrap upcoming girls basketball seasons
