Prep Basketball- The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union (IGHSAU) released their seventh basketball rankings of the 2024-25 season and a local team has reemerged into the top 15. It was also not a good week to be ranked 9th as three of the five classes saw downward movement from the slot on an overall quiet week.
Class 5A
Johnston is still clinging on to an undefeated record and the top spot, followed by Dowling Catholic and Waukee Northwest, respectively. In fact, only one team caused any source of movement in the rankings.
Iowa City West was formerly ranked #9, but a loss to #5 Prairie in a 65-57 final pushed the Trojans down to #11 this week. Iowa City Liberty’s four-game win streak caused the Lightning to jump Cedar Falls to the #12 spot.
No teams were ejected from the rankings.
Class 4A
To breeze past the usual, Bishop Heelan is the #1 team for Class 4A as the top seven remained unchanged. The 8-10 spots were jumbled with Xavier moving two spots up to #8 as Waverly-Shell Rock and Pella were shifted two spots down to #9 and #10, respectively.
The reason the Go Hawks were slotted a spot lower was a 67-59 loss to Keokuk. The win catapulted the Chiefs back into the top 15 at #13 for the first time since December 5th in the second rankings of the season.
The Chiefs are touting an 11-game win streak with eight of the games being won by double digits. Last year’s SEC Player of the Year, Kendra Boatman, has really stepped up her play, averaging 20.3 points per game to go along with five steals and five assists per game.
Gilbert lost two of their past three games to #2 North Polk and #15 Carroll caused their removal from the top 15.
Class 3A
Mt. Vernon and Estherville Lincoln Central kept their top two spots, respectively, but undefeated Forest City jumped Wahlert Catholic after the Golden Eagles fell to Xavier in their most recent matchup.
Solon’s 57-54 loss to West Delaware saw the Spartans tossed from the top 15 and replaced by Center Point-Urbana at the #15 slot.
Class 2A
Not a single team was moved from their spot last week as Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont’s 15-0 record reigns over everyone else. Other undefeated teams include: #4 Hinton, #7 Denver, and #9 Maquoketa Valley.
Class 1A
The curse of the #9 slot caused a juggling of the middle three slots. #8 Springville handed East Buchanan a 61-54 loss on Tuesday night, causing the Buccaneers to fall from #9 to #10 in the rankings. Gladbrook-Reinbeck climbed two spots to the open #9 slot, while Lynnville-Sully took a step back to #11.
St. Albert kept their stranglehold on the crown, while North Linn and Newell-Fonda kept their spots in the top three, respectively. No teams were dropped from the top 15.