Kennedy, Washington climb to 3, 4

From three wins to No. 3 in the state. That's the one-year upward trek that Cedar Rapids Kennedy has taken.

Kennedy and Cedar Rapids Washington each climbed a notch in this week's Class 4A rankings in the Gazette/KCRG/KGYM football poll, released Monday afternoon.

West Des Moines Dowling remains the top team, while Bettendorf is No. 2. Then it's the Metro duo, both of which have clinched district championships, at 3 and 4.

Kennedy (8-0) wrapped up the District 5 title with a 21-7 win over Cedar Falls. The Cougars play at Waterloo West on Friday, and can put a bow on their first perfect regular season in school history. They were 3-7 last season.

Washington (7-1) has won six straight games since a 28-24 loss to Kennedy in Week 2. The Warriors clinched the District 6 crown with a 39-20 win at Iowa City High last week, and are heavily favored to beat Burlington on Friday.

The Cougars and the Warriors moved up after West Des Moines Valley was upset by Ankeny Centennial, 16-14. Valley fell from third to seventh.

Pella remains a unanimous No. 1 in Class 3A. The Dutch are followed by West Delaware (a 13-9 victor over Independence) and Cedar Rapids Xavier (which rallied from a 28-point halftime deficit to beat Iowa City Regina, 38-35).

Despite its loss, Regina stayed No. 1 in Class 1A. The Regals maintained seven of eight first-place votes; No. 2 Dike-New Hartford received the other.

For the third straight week, Albia and Spirit Lake share the No. 1 spot in Class 2A. Albia nabbed four first-place votes, Spirit Lake three. South Tama is No. 3 this week and plays at No. 5 Aplington-Parkersburg on Friday for the district crown.

BGM and Newell-Fonda stay on top in Class A and 8-Player, respectively.

The final poll of the season will be released next Monday.

GAZETTE/KCRG/KGYM FOOTBALL POLL

(First-place votes in parentheses)

CLASS 4A W-L Pts Pvs

1. West Des Moines Dowling (6) 8-0 78 1

2. Bettendorf (2) 8-0 74 2

3. Cedar Rapids Kennedy 8-0 64 4

4. Cedar Rapids Washington 7-1 55 5

5. Waukee 6-2 38 8

6. Ankeny 7-1 37 7

7. West Des Moines Valley 6-2 36 3

8. Fort Dodge 7-1 19 6

9. Ankeny Centennial 6-2 16 -

10. Johnston 6-2 11 9

Dropped out: Muscatine (9).

Others receiving votes: Pleasant Valley 6, Southeast Polk 4.

CLASS 3A W-L Pts Pvs

1. Pella (8) 8-0 80 1

2. West Delaware 8-0 68 2

3. Cedar Rapids Xavier 7-0 67 3

4. Dallas Center-Grimes 7-1 51 4

5. Webster City 8-0 47 5

6. Independence 7-1 31 6

7. Harlan 7-1 28 7

8. Norwalk 7-1 25 8

9. Sergeant Bluff-Luton 7-1 17 9

10. Sioux City Heelan 7-1 11 -

Dropped out: Glenwood (9).

Others receiving votes: Davenport Assumption 9, Washington 6.

CLASS 2A W-L Pts Pvs

1. Albia (4) 8-0 73 1

(tie) Spirit Lake (3) 8-0 73 1

3. South Tama (1) 8-0 67 3

4. Anamosa 8-0 59 4

5. Aplington-Parkersburg 7-1 40 6

6. Waukon 7-1 31 8

7. Mount Vernon 6-2 28 9

8. North Fayette Valley 6-2 27 10

9. Central Lee 7-1 15 -

(tie) Garner GHV 7-1 15 -

Dropped out: Monroe PCM (5), Williamsburg (7).

Others receiving votes: Tipton 6, Monroe PCM 4, Dyersville Beckman 2.

CLASS 1A W-L Pts Pvs

1. Iowa City Regina (7) 7-1 79 1

2. Dike-New Hartford (1) 8-0 71 2

3. West Branch 8-0 65 3

4. Underwood 8-0 57 4

5. Van Meter 7-1 38 5

6. Hinton 7-1 24 6

7. Hudson 7-1 22 7

(tie) South Central Calhoun 7-1 22 8

9. Saint Ansgar 7-1 20 9

10. Western Christian 6-2 15 10

Others receiving votes: South Winneshiek 13, Panorama 9, Ridge View 3, Pocahontas Area 2.

CLASS A W-L Pts Pvs

1. BGM (7) 8-0 78 1

2. Algona Garrigan 8-0 68 2

3. Logan-Magnolia 7-1 55 4

4. Denver (1) 7-1 54 3

5. West Sioux 8-0 48 5

6. Gladbrook-Reinbeck 6-2 40 7

7. Audubon 7-1 35 8

8. Winfield-Mount Union 8-0 21 9

9. West Hancock 7-1 19 -

10. Pekin 7-1 14 10

Dropped out: Pleasantville (6).

Others receiving votes: Mount Ayr 5, Pleasantville 2, Belmond-Klemme 1.

8-PLAYER W-L Pts Pvs

1. Newell-Fonda (5) 8-0 75 1

2. Don Bosco (2) 6-0 69 2

3. Marcus MMC 7-0 60 3

4. Glidden-Ralston (1) 8-0 58 4

5. Janesville 7-0 47 5

6. Elkader Central 8-0 40 6

7. Lenox 8-0 36 7

8. Fremont-Mills 7-1 16 8

9. Ruthven GTRA 7-1 14 9

10. Exira-EHK 7-1 10 10

Others receiving votes: HLV 6, Moravia 6, Colo-Nesco 3.

l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com