Mount Vernon, North Linn draw preseason No. 2 girls’ basketball rankings in 3A, 1A

There is a wave of new blood atop the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union preseason girls’ basketball rankings, released Friday morning.

Johnston is the lone reigning state champion to open at No. 1.

The Dragons (26-0) bring back three starters from last year’s title team, led by junior guard Jenica Lewis. They are a narrow pick for the top spot, just ahead of West Des Moines Dowling (21-5).

Johnston beat Dowling in the 5A title game last year, 48-36. The Maroons return all five starters, including Creighton signee Ava Zediker.

Ankeny Centennial, Davenport North and Pleasant Valley round out the top five.

Centennial and PV square off at Rivalry Saturday on Nov. 30 at Kirkwood Community College, and Jaguars Coach Scott DeJong sits at 699 career wins.

Cedar Rapids Prairie is No. 7.

A year after earning state runner-up honors, Sioux City Heelan (23-2) opens as the 4A favorite. Melina Snoozy averaged 18 points per game last year as a freshman and is one of three returning starters.

North Polk (22-2) was a semifinalist last year and starts at No. 2, followed by Sioux Center, Norwalk and reigning champion Clear Creek Amana.

CCA graduated four starters from its 26-0 team from 2023-24, but the return of junior Averie Lower softens the blow immensely.

Maquoketa and Cedar Rapids Xavier are seventh and eighth.

A Rivalry Saturday showdown between Estherville-Lincoln Central and Mount Vernon will be a 1-vs.-2 battle in 3A.

The runner-up last year to Solon, ELC (24-3) earned the No. 1 nod behind the return of Minnesota State recruit Haylee Stokes.

Mount Vernon (22-4) has four starters back, including Evansville signee Sydney Huber and volleyball state player of the year Chloe Meester.

Dubuque Wahlert, Monticello and Forest City complete the top five.

Monticello is led by Jayden Kuper, one of the area’s top senior athletes. Williamsburg is 10th, and gets a shot at Monticello at Rivalry Saturday.

Four-time defending 2A champion Dike-New Hartford is in reload mode, making that class wide open.

Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont (23-2) brings back four starters -- including the Shafer twins -- from a team that has qualified for state each of the last two seasons.

The Rockets get a Rivalry Saturday test against No. 3 Cascade (17-7), which is led by returning double-digit scorers Molly Roling and Addison Frake.

Westwood is No. 2 in 2A; North Mahaska and Central Lyon are fourth and fifth. Iowa City Regina is No. 9.

Algona Garrigan (23-2) has made five straight state appearances in 1A, winning the title in 2022 and 2023 behind Audi Crooks. The Golden Bears are the favorite the winter, and are followed by North Linn, Montezuma, Riceville and Mount Ayr.

North Linn (26-1) won its last 25 games a year ago in capturing the 1A state title. The Lynx lost the dynamic backcourt tandem of Kamryn Kurt and Macy Boge, but return their other three starters, led by Molly Boge.

Montezuma (20-5) has three starters back. The Bravettes will be perimeter-dominated with the return of 3-point specialists Ellen Cook and Vivian Cook.

Lansing Kee and Lone Tree are ninth and 10th.

Class 5A

1. Johnston (26-0)

2. West Des Moines Dowling (21-5)

3. Ankeny Centennial (14-9)

4. Davenport North (22-3)

5. Pleasant Valley (19-5)

6. Cedar Falls (23-2)

7. Cedar Rapids Prairie (16-5)

8. Ankeny (13-10)

9. West Des Moines Valley (13-11)

10. Waukee (19-5)

11. Waukee Northwest (11-12)

12. Bettendorf (11-11)

13. Iowa City West (13-10)

14. Iowa City High (8-15)

15. Cedar Rapids Washington (11-12)

Class 4A

1. Sioux City Heelan (23-2)

2. North Polk (23-3)

3. Sioux Center (17-7)

4. Norwalk (18-5)

5. Clear Creek Amana (26-0)

6. Gilbert (15-10)

7. Maquoketa (20-4)

8. Cedar Rapids Xavier (10-14)

9. Central DeWitt (15-6)

10. Dallas Center-Grimes (20-4)

11. Storm Lake (14-8)

12. Carlisle (13-10)

13. Keokuk (19-4)

14. Waverly-Shell Rock (25-1)

15. Oskaloosa (11-11)

Class 3A

1. Estherville ELC (24-3)

2. Mount Vernon (22-4)

3. Dubuque Wahlert (19-6)

4. Monticello (20-4)

5. Forest City (21-4)

6. Algona (19-5)

7. Humboldt (18-5)

8. Roland-Story (22-2)

9. Cherokee (15-8)

10. Williamsburg (14-9)

11. Monroe PCM (15-7)

12. Center Point-Urbana (10-14)

13. Harlan (20-4)

14. West Delaware (10-13)

15. Clarinda (15-9)

Class 2A

1. Eddyville EBF (23-2)

2. Westwood (22-1)

3. Cascade (17-7)

4. North Mahaska (19-5)

5. Central Lyon (23-4)

6. Rock Valley (11-9)

7. Exira-EHK/Audubon (16-7)

8. Mapleton MVAOCOU (17-5)

9. Iowa City Regina (19-5)

10. Denver (16-8)

11. West Lyon (14-8)

12. Hudson (12-11)

13. Hinton (20-3)

14. Jesup (17-6)

15. Emmetsburg (13-10)

Class 1A

1. Algona Garrigan (23-2)

2. North Linn (26-1)

3. Montezuma (20-5)

4. Riceville (22-2)

5. Mount Ayr (16-7)

6. Newell-Fonda (24-3)

7. Dunkerton (18-6)

8. Akron-Westfield (14-8)

9. Lansing Kee (18-6)

10. Lone Tree (19-4)

11. East Buchanan (15-8)

12. Fremont-Mills (23-1)

13. Council Bluffs St. Albert (23-2)

14. Springville (18-7)

15. Gladbrook-Reinbeck (15-10)

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com