Iowa high school softball rankings: Defending state champion Williamsburg opens at No. 1 in Class 3A

True, Williamsburg lost three all-staters from last year’s Class 3A state-championship softball team.

But a good portion of the Raiders’ nucleus is back, and the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union took note.

Williamsburg is the top-ranked team in the 3A preseason rankings, released Monday afternoon.

Led by first-team all-state outfielder Shannon Finn, six starters are back from last year’s squad, which finished 36-9 and allowed only one postseason run.

The other top-ranked teams are Ankeny Centennial (5A), North Polk (4A), Van Meter (2A) and Martensdale-St. Marys (1A).

Like Williamsburg, Centennial (36-5) is a reigning state champion. The Jaguars outscored their three state-tournament opponents by a 29-2 margin.

Pleasant Valley is No. 2, followed by West Des Moines Valley, Muscatine and Ankeny. Iowa City Liberty is the highest area team, at No. 8.

North Polk (31-5) was the top-ranked team in the final 4A ratings last year, but was upset in the state quarterfinals and settled for fifth place.

Norwalk, Fort Dodge, Dallas Center-Grimes and Winterset round out the top five. Western Dubuque opens at No. 6; Cedar Rapids Xavier is No. 9.

Williamsburg is followed by Dubuque Wahlert (32-10) in 3A. Then it’s Davenport Assumption, Estherville-Lincoln Central and Benton Community. Mount Vernon and Washington are sixth and seventh.

Van Meter (36-6) and Martensdale-St. Marys (27-7) were 2A and 1A runners-up in 2023.

Northeast is second in 2A, followed by two-time defending champion Iowa City Regina. Alburnett is No. 6.

Sigourney (27-5) is tabbed as MSM’s top challenger in 1A. Wayne is third; reigning champion North Linn is fourth.

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Class 5A Iowa high school softball preseason rankings

1. Ankeny Centennial (36-5)

2. Pleasant Valley (32-10)

3. West Des Moines Valley (34-10)

4. Muscatine (34-7)

5. Ankeny (31-8)

6. Waukee Northwest (32-12)

7. Johnston (26-14)

8. Iowa City Liberty (23-14)

9. Dubuque Senior (25-15)

10. Southeast Polk (31-11)

11. Dubuque Hempstead (30-11)

12. Ames (23-17)

13. Bettendorf (30-11)

14. Sioux City East (26-14)

15. Urbandale (16-26)

Class 4A Iowa high school softball preseason rankings

1. North Polk (31-5)

2. Norwalk (33-10)

3. Fort Dodge (32-11)

4. Dallas Center-Grimes (29-11)

5. Winterset (28-12)

6. Western Dubuque (29-11)

7. Carlisle (31-7)

8. North Scott (28-12)

9. Cedar Rapids Xavier (28-13)

10. Adel ADM (24-14)

11. Burlington (20-9)

12. Sergeant Bluff-Luton (33-7)

13. Clear Creek Amana (19-17)

14. Indianola (27-12)

15. Maquoketa (26-10)

Class 3A Iowa high school softball preseason rankings

1. Williamsburg (36-9)

2. Dubuque Wahlert (32-10)

3. Davenport Assumption (34-7)

4. Estherville-Lincoln Central (33-4)

5. Benton Community (29-15)

6. Mount Vernon (27-11)

7. Washington (24-13)

8. Sumner-Fredericksburg (26-7)

9. Clarinda (22-13)

10. Atlantic (23-16)

11. Solon (24-14)

12. West Lyon (27-4)

13. Chariton (21-6)

14. West Liberty (20-12)

15. Albia (21-10)

Class 2A Iowa high school softball preseason rankings

1. Van Meter (36-3)

2. Northeast (22-13)

3. Iowa City Regina (30-8)

4. Missouri Valley (30-4)

5. West Monona (30-8)

6. Alburnett (25-12)

7. Interstate 35 (26-14)

8. East Marshall (20-13)

9. South Hardin (27-8)

10. Hinton (15-6)

11. Louisa-Muscatine (15-16)

12. Jesup (23-11)

13. Cascade (27-10)

14. Osage (25-9)

15. Central Springs (27-6)

Class 1A Iowa high school softball preseason rankings

1. Martensdale-St. Marys (27-7)

2. Sigourney (27-5)

3. Wayne (23-9)

4. North Linn (39-6)

5. Remsen St. Mary's (26-2)

6. Fort Dodge St. Edmond (23-13)

7. Earlham (31-10)

8. Newell-Fonda (28-9)

9. Clarksville (29-3)

10. Collins-Maxwell (21-7)

11. Saint Ansgar (23-12)

12. Mason City Newman (27-8)

13. Griswold (26-4)

14. Twin Cedars (21-6)

15. Central City (30-12)

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com