Prep Girls’ Basketball– The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union released their second in-season rankings for the 2023-24 season and with the new rankings we have our first Southeast Iowa Super Conference team make an appearance.
In Class 1A, North Linn still held on to the top spot as the top four remained the same. Bishop Garrigan and Calamus-Wheatland each jumped up three spots to now be ranked 7th and 8th. Woodbine had one of the toughest schedules to start the season as the #5 Tigers had to take on three ranked teams in a row. Unfortunately, the Tigers lost to Cherokee Washington and #14 CAM, resulting in a tumble down the list to #12, while CAM moved above them to #11. Marquette Catholic and Boyden-Hull fell out of the rankings and made room for #14 Lynnville-Sully and #15 Holy Trinity Catholic. The Crusaders started the year 4-0 with two of the four wins coming by 31 points or more. Mary Kate Bendlage’s 20.7 points and 7.7 rebounds per game have led this squad.
Class 2A had little movement in the top 15 with Aplington-Parkersburg and Sioux Central switching spots to now be ranked 8th and 9th, respectively. Dike-New Hartford sits atop the rankings as the defending champions, but Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont is making a run with a 5-0 record to begin the season.
Solon is the top team in Class 3A, but we did see some movement in the top three. In a top five matchup, #5 Mt. Vernon defeated #2 Benton 53-45, resulting in the top teams switching positions in the rankings with the Mustangs now ranked 2nd. Chariton replaced Center Point-Urbana in the top 15.
Class 4A saw few moves in the top 10 with Dallas Center-Grimes, Clear Creek-Amana, and Norwalk all holding on to the top three spots, respectively. Mason City fell back from 4th to 6th. Sioux Center fell out of the top 15 and Western Dubuque vaulted over #15 Xavier to take the #14 slot.
Johnston kept the top spot in Class 5A, beyond that chaos ensued. #2 Ankeny Centennial lost by nearly 30 points to #6 Dowling Catholic, knocking the Jaguars down to #5, while Dowling Catholic is now ranked 4th. #3 Pleasant Valley’s lost to #4 Davenport North saw the Spartans slide to #7, while the Wildcats took that open #3 slot. Valley’s 5-0 record and two wins against ranked opponents shot the Tigers up to #2 in the rankings. Tomorrow will see a highly anticipated matchup with Valley facing off against Ankeny Centennial. Muscatine’s loss to Valley sent them out of the top 15 with Sioux City West taking the open #15 spot.