Iowa high school football rankings: Ankeny, Lewis Central, Harlan finish atop Gazette poll

They were on top at the end of the last season.

They started there at the beginning of this season. And that’s where they remain today.

Lewis Central and Harlan are ranked No. 1, unanimously, in The Gazette’s final football poll of the season, in classes 4A and 3A, respectively.

Ankeny continues to lead a tight pack of four in 5A.

Defending 4A champion Lewis Central came from behind to edge Harlan, 30-27, in Week 1, and hasn’t looked back. The Titans also held off non-district challenges from Carlisle, Norwalk and Indianola, then won their five district games by an average of 43.2 points.

Unbeatens Waverly-Shell Rock and Cedar Rapids Xavier close at No. 2 and No. 3, with Carlisle and Iowa City Liberty rounding out the top five.

Lewis Central carries an 18-game winning streak into the postseason and hosts Le Mars (6-3) in the first round.

Harlan won the 3A title last year and rebounded nicely from its Week 1 loss to Lewis Central. The Cyclones (8-1) lead 3A in scoring at 49.3 points per game and are fourth in scoring defense (10.7 ppg).

They will begin their title defense at home against MOC-Floyd Valley (6-3).

The lone unbeaten in 3A, Mount Vernon is No. 2. The Mustangs were unranked to start the year, but a Week 2 win over Solon vaulted them upward.

Adel ADM and Independence are tied for third; Solon is No. 5.

A clear top four developed in 5A early this season, and that’s where it stands now. Ankeny (8-1, 54 poll points) is a narrow choice for the top spot, ahead of West Des Moines Dowling (8-1, 5-3), Pleasant Valley (9-0, 50) and Southeast Polk (8-1, 47).

The Central Iowa trio split an early-season round robin among each other. Pleasant Valley, meanwhile, had only one close game all season, an overtime win over Linn-Mar in Week 3.

Each of the “big four” are in different playoff pods and are favored to reach the UNI-Dome.

Linn-Mar is the highest ranked 5A team from the Corridor, at No. 8. Iowa City High is No. 9.

The Gazette high school football poll, final

(First-place votes in parentheses)

1. Ankeny (2) 8-1 54 1

2. West Des Moines Dowling (2) 8-1 53 2

3. Pleasant Valley (2) 9-0 50 3

4. Southeast Polk 8-1 47 4

5. Cedar Falls 7-2 26 5

6. Johnston 6-3 20 7

(tie) Waukee Northwest 5-4 20 7

8. Linn-Mar 6-3 18 9

9. Iowa City High 6-3 11 9

10. West Des Moines Valley 5-4 10 9

Dropped out: Cedar Rapids Prairie (6).

Others receiving votes: Sioux City East 7, Cedar Rapids Kennedy 6, Cedar Rapids Prairie 5, Ankeny Centennial 3.

CLASS 4A (Final) W-L Pts. Pvs

1. Lewis Central (6) 9-0 60 1

2. Waverly-Shell Rock 9-0 52 2

3. Cedar Rapids Xavier 9-0 50 3

4. Carlisle 8-1 41 4

5. Iowa City Liberty 8-1 34 6

6. Bondurant-Farrar 8-1 33 5

7. North Scott 7-2 23 7

8. Indianola 6-3 15 8

9. Western Dubuque 6-3 7 —

10. Spencer 7-2 5 —

(tie) Webster City 6-3 5 —

Dropped out: Norwalk (9), Cedar Rapids Washington (10).

Others receiving votes: Glenwood 4, Fort Madison 1.

CLASS 3A (Final) W-L Pts. Pvs

1. Harlan (6) 8-1 60 1

2. Mount Vernon 9-0 54 2

3. Adel ADM 8-1 39 4

(tie) Independence 9-1 39 5

5. Solon 7-2 37 6

6. Humboldt 8-1 33 7

7. North Polk 7-2 30 8

8. Nevada 7-2 20 3

9. West Delaware 5-4 8 —

10. DeWitt Central 6-3 3 —

Dropped out: MOC-Floyd Valley (9), Benton Community (10).

Others receiving votes: Hampton-Dumont/CAL 2, MOC-Floyd Valley 2, Sioux Center 2.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com