Iowa high school football rankings: Ar-We-Va is No. 1 despite no first-place votes

Northwood-Kensett's upset win over Don Bosco brought a measure of chaos to the 8-Player rankings in this week's Gazette/KGYM high school football poll.

Four different 8-Player teams earned at least one first-place vote this week. None of them are ranked No. 1.

Instead, it's Ar-We-Va, which jumped two spots into the top seat. The Rockets edged Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton by one point (53-52). Exira-EHK earned three first-place votes, while New London, Northwood-Kensett and Iowa Valley — ranked 3-4-5 overall — each received one.

Ar-We-Va was second on five ballots, third on one.

Northwood-Kensett blanked Don Bosco, 18-0, Friday at Gilbertville, snapping a 26-game winning streak for the two-time defending-champion Dons.

West Des Moines Valley, Cedar Rapids Xavier, Monroe PCM, Dike-New Hartford and Hudson remained on top of the five 11-player classes.

The top 10 remain the same in 4A — Valley, Ankeny Centennial, Cedar Falls, West Des Moines Dowling and Bettendorf make up the top five.

Both of the top two 3A teams face a top-10 battle this week. Xavier, which has won 34 consecutive regular-season games, hosts No. 7 Western Dubuque while Lewis Central hosts No. 8 Harlan.

Pella is third, with Solon sharing the No. 4 spot with North Scott.

Three of last week's 2A top 10 lost Friday, sparking some major movement. Monroe PCM remains a unanimous No. 1, Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley slides up to second, then it's Algona, Waukon and West Marshall.

The top eight are unchanged in 1A. Dike-New Hartford is on top, followed by West Sioux, Van Meter, South Central Calhoun and Bellevue.

Hudson earned five of six first-place Class A votes and retains its season-long grip on No. 1. The Pirates are followed by Algona Garrigan, Avoca AHSTW, Belmond-Klemme and North Tama.

This week's pivotal 8-Player contest is at Marengo, where Iowa Valley faces New London in a battle that will likely determine the District 4 champion.

Class 4A

1.

West Des Moines Valley

6-0, 59 points (5 No. 1 votes)

6-0, 59 points (5 No. 1 votes)

Last week: No. 1 | Beat Urbandale, 49-10

This week: at Council Bluffs Lincoln

 

2.

Ankeny Centennial

6-0, 51 points

6-0, 51 points

Last week: No. 2 | Beat Southeast Polk, 31-10

This week: at Fort Dodge

 

3.

Cedar Falls

6-0, 50 points (1 No. 1 vote)

6-0, 50 points (1 No. 1 vote)

Last week: No. 3 | Beat Cedar Rapids Jefferson, 38-7

This week: at Waterloo West

 

4.

West Des Moines Dowling

4-2, 38 points

4-2, 38 points

Last week: No. 4 | Beat Des Moines Lincoln, 43-0

This week: vs. Sioux City East

 

5.

Bettendorf

5-1, 31 points

5-1, 31 points

Last week: No. 5 | Beat Burlington, 65-0

This week: vs. Cedar Rapids Kennedy

 

6.

Johnston

5-1, 30 points

5-1, 30 points

Last week: No. 6 | Beat Ottumwa, 52-6

This week: vs. No. 9 Indianola

 

7.

Iowa City West

5-1, 29 points

5-1, 29 points

Last week: No. 7 | Beat Linn-Mar, 41-7

This week: at Davenport North (Thursday)

 

8.

Waukee

4-2, 22 points

4-2, 22 points

Last week: No. 8 | Beat Des Moines East, 27-19

This week: at Ottumwa

 

9.

Indianola

6-0, 13 points

6-0, 13 points

Last week: No. 9 | Beat Mason City, 42-0 

This week: at No. 6 Johnston

 

10.

Cedar Rapids Prairie

5-1, 6 points

5-1, 6 points

Last week: No. 10 | Beat Dubuque Hempstead, 35-0

This week: at Cedar Rapids Jefferson

 

Dropped out: none

Others receiving votes: Fort Dodge 1

Class 3A

1.

Cedar Rapids Xavier

6-0, 60 points (6 No. 1 votes)

6-0, 60 points (6 No. 1 votes)

Last week: No. 1 | Beat Dubuque Wahlert, 45-6

This week: vs. No. 7 Western Dubuque

 

2.

Lewis Central

6-0, 53 points

6-0, 53 points

Last week: No. 2 | Beat Winterset, 52-14

This week: vs. No. 8 Harlan

 

3.

Pella

6-0, 46 points

6-0, 46 points

Last week: No. 3 | Beat South Tama, 56-6

This week: at Oskaloosa

 

4.

North Scott

5-1, 37 points

5-1, 37 points

Last week: No. 4 | Beat Iowa City Liberty, 44-15

This week: vs. Clinton

 

4.

Solon

6-0, 37 points

6-0, 37 points

Last week: No. 4 | Beat Washington, 37-14

This week: vs. Mount Pleasant

 

6.

Sergeant Bluff-Luton

5-1, 33 points

5-1, 33 points

Last week: No. 6 | Beat Le Mars, 51-6

This week: at Spencer

 

7.

Western Dubuque

5-1, 23 points

5-1, 23 points

Last week: No. 7 | Beat Center Point-Urbana, 35-7

This week: at No. 1 Cedar Rapids Xavier

 

8.

Harlan

5-1, 19 points

5-1, 19 points

Last week: No. 8 | Beat Glenwood, 42-12 

This week: at No. 2 Lewis Central

 

9.

Clear Creek Amana

6-0, 10 points

6-0, 10 points

Last week: No. 10 | Beat Clinton, 28-0

This week: vs. Davenport Assumption

 

 

 

10.

Sioux City Heelan

5-1, 9 points

5-1, 9 points

Last week: No. 9 | Beat Denison-Schleswig, 30-20

This week: at Le Mars

 

Dropped out: none

Others receiving votes: Waverly-Shell Rock 2, Spencer 1

Class 2A

1.

Monroe PCM

6-0, 60 points (6 No. 1 votes)

6-0, 60 points (6 No. 1 votes)

Last week: No. 1 | Beat Saydel, 50-7

This week: vs. Des Moines Christian

 

2.

Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley

5-1, 54 points

5-1, 54 points

Last week: No. 3 | Beat Okoboji, 67-13 

This week: at Sheldon

 

 

 

3.

Algona

6-0, 44 points

6-0, 44 points

Last week: No. 4 | Beat Clarion CGD, 65-22

This week: at Estherville Lincoln Central

 

 

 

4.

Waukon

5-1, 42 points

5-1, 42 points

Last week: No. 7 | Beat Oelwein, 46-16

This week: vs. No. 9 Waterloo Columbus

 

 

 

5.

West Marshall

5-1, 40 points

5-1, 40 points

Last week: No. 6 | Beat Vinton-Shellsburg, 50-6

This week: at Nevada

 

 

 

6.

Union Community

4-2, 23 points

4-2, 23 points

Last week: No. 9 | Beat Roland-Story, 44-8

This week: at Vinton-Shellsburg

 

 

 

7.

Benton Community

5-1, 21 points

5-1, 21 points

Last week: No. 10 | Beat Nevada, 56-16

This week: at Roland-Story

 

 

 

7.

Spirit Lake

5-1, 21 points

5-1, 21 points

Last week: No. 2 | Lost to Southeast Valley, 48-41

This week: vs. Clarion CGD

 

9.

Waterloo Columbus

5-1, 8 points

5-1, 8 points

Last week: NR | Beat Anamosa, 22-16

This week: at No. 4 Waukon

 

10.

Southeast Valley

4-2, 7 points

4-2, 7 points

Last week: NR | Beat No. 2 Spirit Lake, 48-41

This week: at Garner GHV

 

Dropped out: Clear Lake (5), Greene County (8)

Others receiving votes: Clear Lake 3, Des Moines Christian 3, Chariton 2, Crestwood 1, Greene County 1

Class 1A

1.

Dike-New Hartford

6-0, 57 points (4 No. 1 votes)

6-0, 57 points (4 No. 1 votes)

Last week: No. 1 | Beat East Marshall, 53-0

This week: vs. Jesup

 

2.

West Sioux

5-1, 53 points (1 No. 1 vote)

5-1, 53 points (1 No. 1 vote)

Last week: No. 2 | Beat Western Christian, 45-3

This week: at No. 7 West Lyon

 

3.

Van Meter

6-0, 47 points (1 No. 1 vote)

6-0, 47 points (1 No. 1 vote)

Last week: No. 3 | Beat West Central Valley, 35-14

This week: vs. Panorama

 

4.

South Central Calhoun

6-0, 42 points

6-0, 42 points

Last week: No. 4 | Beat South Hamilton, 14-8

This week: vs. Madrid

 

5.

Bellevue

6-0, 37 points

6-0, 37 points

Last week: No. 5 | Beat Dyersville Beckman, 42-7

This week: at North Cedar

 

6.

West Branch

5-1, 29 points

5-1, 29 points

Last week: No. 6 | Beat North Cedar, 52-14

This week: at Northeast

 

7.

West Lyon

5-1, 22 points

5-1, 22 points

Last week: No. 7 | Beat Unity Christian, 32-12

This week: vs. No. 2 West Sioux

 

8.

Interstate 35

6-0, 19 points

6-0, 19 points

Last week: No. 8 | Beat Colfax-Mingo, 51-13

This week: at Woodward Academy

 

9.

Mediapolis

6-0, 11 points

6-0, 11 points

Last week: No. 10 | Beat Columbus Community, 55-40

This week: vs. No. 10 Wilton

 

 

 

10.

Wilton

5-1, 9 points

5-1, 9 points

Last week: NR | Beat Wapello, 35-6

This week: at No. 9 Mediapolis

 

Dropped out: Sumner-Fredericksburg (9)

Others receiving votes: Pella Christian 4

Class A

1.

Hudson

6-0, 58 points (5 No. 1 votes)

6-0, 58 points (5 No. 1 votes)

Last week: No. 1 | Beat No. 5 Saint Ansgar, 27-12

This week: at No. 7 Wapsie Valley

 

2.

Algona Garrigan

6-0, 53 points (1 No. 1 vote)

6-0, 53 points (1 No. 1 vote)

Last week: No. 2 | Beat No. 4 Belmond-Klemme, 22-20

This week: at North Union

 

3.

Avoca AHSTW

6-0, 51 points

6-0, 51 points

Last week: No. 3 | Beat Earlham, 35-7

This week: vs. Nodaway Valley

 

4.

Belmond-Klemme

5-1, 40 points

5-1, 40 points

Last week: No. 4 | Lost to No. 2 Algona Garrigan, 22-20

This week: vs. Graettinger GTRA

 

5.

North Tama

5-1, 30 points

5-1, 30 points

Last week: No. 7 | Beat Grundy Center, 34-26

This week: at Garwin GMG

 

 

 

6.

BGM

6-0, 29 points

6-0, 29 points

Last week: No. 9 | Beat Belle Plaine, 28-20

This week: vs. Pekin

 

 

 

7.

Wapsie Valley

5-1, 15 points

5-1, 15 points

Last week: NR | Beat Conrad BCLUW, 53-0

This week: vs. No. 1 Hudson

 

 

 

8.

Saint Ansgar

4-2, 13 points

4-2, 13 points

Last week: No. 5 | Lost to No. 1 Hudson, 27-12

This week: vs. South Winneshiek

 

9.

Mason City Newman

5-1, 12 points

5-1, 12 points

Last week: NR | Beat Postville, 42-7

This week: at Grundy Center

 

10.

Edgewood-Colesburg

5-1, 9 points

5-1, 9 points

Last week: NR | Beat Lisbon, 41-8

This week: at Alburnett

 

Dropped out: Hinton (6), Southwest Valley (7), Pekin (10)

Others receiving votes: Highland 7, Sioux Central 6, West Hancock 4, Hinton 2, Southwest Valley 1

8-Player

1.

Ar-We-Va

6-0, 53 points

6-0, 53 points

Last week: No. 3 | Beat No. 6 Newell-Fonda, 47-14

This week: vs. Clay Central-Everly

 

 

 

2.

Exira-EHK

6-0, 52 points (3 No. 1 votes)

6-0, 52 points (3 No. 1 votes)

Last week: No. 2 | Beat West Harrison, 51-6

This week: at Woodbine

 

3.

New London

6-0, 43 points (1 No. 1 vote)

6-0, 43 points (1 No. 1 vote)

Last week: No. 4 | Beat Winfield-Mount Union, 82-8

This week: at No. 5 Iowa Valley

 

4.

Northwood-Kensett

6-0, 42 points (1 No. 1 vote)

6-0, 42 points (1 No. 1 vote)

Last week: No. 9 | Beat No. 1 Don Bosco, 18-0

This week: vs. Janesville

 

 

 

5.

Iowa Valley

6-0, 37 points (1 No. 1 vote)

6-0, 37 points (1 No. 1 vote)

Last week: No. 5 | Beat English Valleys, 80-20 

This week: vs. No. 3 New London

 

6.

Don Bosco

5-1, 29 points

5-1, 29 points

Last week: No. 1 | Lost to No. 9 Northwood-Kensett, 18-0

This week: at Dunkerton

 

 

 

7.

Fremont-Mills

5-1, 26 points

5-1, 26 points

Last week: No. 7 | Beat Bedford, 48-0

This week: at East Mills

 

8.

Southeast Warren

7-0, 17 points

7-0, 17 points

Last week: No. 8 | Beat Lenox, 28-12

This week: vs. Mormon Trail

 

9.

Central City

6-0, 15 points

6-0, 15 points

Last week: No. 10 | Beat Easton Valley, 78-44

This week: vs. Elkader Central

 

10.

Newell-Fonda

5-1, 6 points

5-1, 6 points

Last week: No. 6 | Lost to No. 3 Ar-We-Va, 47-14

This week: at Harris-Lake Park

 

 

 

Dropped out: none

Others receiving votes: Audubon 5, Midland 2, Turkey Valley 2, Stanton 1