IGHSAU releases preseason list

Cedar Rapids Xavier, which claimed the Class 4A girls state basketball championship last season, begins the 2013-14 season at No. 3.

The Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union released its preseason rankings Friday. Iowa City Regina is the highest-ranked team, at No. 2 in Class 2A.

Iowa City High (5A), Xavier (4A) and Mount Vernon (3A) are third in their respective classes.

Des Moines East (5A), Harlan (4A), MOC-Floyd Valley (3A), Western Christian (2A) and Newell-Fonda (1A) are preseason No. 1s.

East returns all five starters from last year's team, which was beaten in the quarterfinals by West Des Moines Dowling, this year's preseason No. 2. City High is led by Haley Lorenzen, a University of Florida signee.

Waterloo West is fourth, Cedar Rapids Kennedy ninth, Cedar Rapids Washington 10th.

Harlan brings back the bulk of its lineup from a team that fell, 53-52, to Xavier in last year's championship dandy. The Cyclones were 23-3 last year.

Lewis Central is second, followed by Xavier. The Saints finished 17-9 last season, cutting their teeth in the Mississippi Valley Conference before catching fire in the postseason.

MOC-Floyd Valley is led by Alexis Conaway, who will play volleyball at Iowa State. The Dutch advanced to the 3A semifinals last year. Bondurant-Farrar is No. 2. Three Wamac Conference teams are in the 3A top 10 -- Mount Vernon is third, Center Point-Urbana sixth, Williamsburg seventh.

Western Christian is gunning for its third straight 2A title. Regina returns a good share of its state-tournament team from last year, including senior Jenna Lehman. Cascade is fourth, North Linn eighth.

Newell-Fonda, Burlington Notre Dame and Colo-Nesco are the top three in 1A. Belle Plaine is No. 10.