New number ones in Class 2A, 3A

CEDAR RAPIDS - Well, that was an interesting week of boys' basketball.

The top-ranked teams in Class 2A and 3A suffered defeats and have been replaced atop their respective classes in this week's Gazette poll.

The new number one in 3A is Spirit Lake (12-1), which ascended to the top after Waverly-Shell Rock was beaten twice. The Go-Hawks (13-2) dropped to number five after losses to New Hampton and Western Dubuque.

LeMars moved from five to two after its second win of the season over 2A top-ranked Western Christian. Dubuque Wahlert (7-6) lost again, this time to 4A number eight Linn-Mar, but remains a strong third.

All six Golden Eagles losses have come to winning 4A teams, including five to ranked teams. Williamsburg (12-1) stays at four.

Your new number-one team in 2A is New Hampton (15-1), which avenged a loss earlier in the season to Waverly. Western Christian slides to second, with Aplington-Parkersburg, Cascade and Iowa City Regina next at third through fifth, respectively.

Monticello stays at number eight.

Iowa City West (13-0) remains an obvious top choice in Class 4A, though the Trojans will have to play the next three weeks without starting center Wali Parks, who has an injured leg. Pleasant Valley is second and Des Moines Hoover third.

Those three are undefeated. Linn-Mar (10-3) moved up a spot from eighth to seventh.

There remains seven unbeaten teams in Class 1A, and they all are ranked. Gladbrook-Reinbeck (14-0) tops the list, followed by LeMars Gehlen (14-0) and Danville (13-0).

Belle Plaine (14-0) moved ahead a spot to ninth, with Meskwaki Settlement School (13-0) and Colo-NESCO (15-0) eighth and seventh, respectively. Those two teams play Friday night at Colo.

Here is the entire poll, with last week's ranking in parentheses:

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CLASS 4A

1. Iowa City West 13-0 (1)

2. Pleasant Valley 13-0 (2)

3. Des Moines Hoover 13-0 (3)

4. North Scott 10-3 (5)

5. Waukee 11-3 (6)

6. Ankeny Centennial 12-1 (7)

7. Linn-Mar 10-3 (8)

8. Dubuque Hempstead 11-1 (9)

9. West Des Moines Dowling 10-2 (4)

10. West Des Moines Valley 10-3 (10)

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CLASS 3A

1. Spirit Lake 12-1 (1)

2. LeMars 11-2 (5)

3. Dubuque Wahlert 7-6 (3)

4. Williamsburg 12-1 (4)

5. Waverly-Shell Rock 13-2 (1)

6. MOC/Floyd Valley 12-2 (6)

7. Fort Madison 11-2 (10)

8. Pella 11-2 (NR)

9. Algona 12-2 (NR)

10. Harlan 10-3 (NR)

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CLASS 2A

1. New Hampton 15-1 (2)

2. Western Christian 12-2 (1)

3. Aplington-Parkersburg 15-0 (4)

4. Cascade 15-1 (5)

5. Iowa City Regina 13-1 (6)

6. IKM-Manning 13-1 (3)

7. Treyor 11-2 (7)

8. Monticello 16-2 (8)

9. West Fork 12-2 (9)

10. Forest City 13-2 (NR)

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CLASS 1A

1. Gladbrook-Reinbeck 14-0 (1)

2. LeMars Gehlen 14-0 (2)

3. Danville 13-0 (3)

4. Central Lyon 12-2 (4)

5. Maple Valley/Anthon-Oto 16-1 (5)

6. Ar-We-Va 15-0 (7)

7. Colo-NESCO 15-0 (8)

8. Meskwaki Settlement School 13-0 (9)

9. Belle Plaine 14-0 (10)

10. Boyden-Hull 11-3 (NR)

l Comments: (319) 398-8259; jeff.johnson@thegazette.com