Iowa high school boys’ basketball rankings: Cedar Rapids Kennedy is new No. 1 in Class 4A

Cedar Rapids Xavier moves down from 1st to 3rd in 3A, North Linn and Alburnett remain in top 10 in their respective classes

Jeff Johnson

Jan. 16, 2023 12:59 pm, Updated: Jan. 17, 2023 2:01 pm

Kennedy Cougars guard Cyrus Courtney (4) goes for a layup with pressure from Wahlert Catholic Golden Eagles forward Quinn Walsh (3) in the first half of the game at Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids, Iowa on Friday, January 13, 2023. (Savannah Blake/The Gazette)

CEDAR RAPIDS — A Metro boys’ basketball team has lost its top ranking, but another has gained one.

Cedar Rapids Kennedy is your No. 1 team in Class 4A in the latest Iowa High School Athletic Association poll, released Monday afternoon.

The Cougars (10-0) won a pair of games handily last week and have a margin of victory average this season of a gaudy 34.4 points. Kennedy averages 81 points offensively, which leads 4A.

Dropping from the top spot to No. 2 this week is Waukee Northwest (11-1), which lost its first game of the season last week, to West Des Moines Valley, 75-64. Waukee (11-2) remains third, though it, too, lost last week

The rest of the top five is Valley and Ankeny Centennial.

Kennedy plays a big one Tuesday night at Dubuque Senior (10-1), which is ranked eighth.

Cedar Rapids Xavier (9-2) lost last week to Dubuque Wahlert and Iowa City High and fell from first to third in Class 3A. Wahlert is a 3A school, City High 4A.

Bondurant-Farrar (11-0) is the new No. 1 in 3A, followed by MOC-Floyd Valley (9-1). Sioux City Heelan is fourth and Webster City fifth.

Marion has joined the 3A rankings at seventh. The Wolves (10-3) have losses to Kennedy, City High and by two points on a neutral court to Bondurant-Farrar.

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There’s just an incremental amount of change in the 2A poll, with Grundy Center (11-2) joining the top 10. Central Lyon, Aplington-Parkersburg, Western Christian, Roland-Story and West Burlington are your top five, in that order.

Alburnett (12-1) moves up one spot, from seventh to sixth.

Wapsie Valley (11-1) is new to the 1A poll at 10th. Grand View Christian is a solid No. 1, with North Linn (12-0) second.

Alburnett and North Linn play Friday night at North Linn. The first game between the two was won by the Lynx by two points.

Below are this week’s entire rankings with last week’s ranking in parentheses.