Lots of change in Gazette boys' hoops poll, but No. 1s remain same

CEDAR RAPIDS — There was lots of shakeup in this week's Gazette boys' basketball rankings, but the No. 1s remain the same.

That's Pleasant Valley in Class 4A, Dubuque Wahlert in 3A, Treynor in 2A and West Hancock in 1A.

PV is 12-0 and one of two undefeated teams left in the biggest class. The other is West Des Moines Valley, which also is 12-0 and second.

Iowa City West (8-3) is third, followed by Des Moines Hoover (10-1) and Ankeny (10-2). The Trojans lost their first game this season to an Iowa opponent last Tuesday (Wahlert) but rebounded to beat 4A eighth-ranked Linn-Mar despite missing leading scorer Connor McCaffery, out with a concussion.

By the way, Linn-Mar plays at Ankeny on Tuesday night and hosts Wahlert on Friday night. Pleasant Valley's lone game this week is against 10th-ranked North Scott (9-3).

Wahlert's killer schedule continues to give it the nod at the top of 3A, despite a two-point loss last Friday night to Dubuque Senior. It plays all 4A competition, with the exception of two games, both of which it won.

Pella (11-1) jumped from fourth to second in 3A, with Cedar Rapids Xavier going from fourth to third despite a loss last Saturday at 4A sixth-ranked West Des Moines Dowling. Six of last week's top 10 in 3A lost last week.

Defending champ Treynor (12-0) remains a strong No. 1 in Class 2A, though second-ranked Western Christian (11-1) is right on the Cardinals' heels. Dike-New Hartford (13-0) is third, followed by Pocahontas Area (11-1) and Northeast Goose Lake (11-1).

Northeast lost its first game of the season last week to Monticello, which makes an appearance in the 2A poll at 10th. Anamosa also is in at ninth, with both of those clubs playing well after the return of injured players.

In 1A, West Hancock (13-0) remains at the top, followed by Boyden-Hull (10-1), Colo-NESCO (10-1), Jesup (12-1) and Gladbrook-Reinbeck (10-2). Montezuma (13-0) is a new entrant this week at No. 9.

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

CLASS 4A

1. Pleasant Valley 12-0 (1)

2. West Des Moines Valley 12-0 (3)

3. Iowa City West 8-3 (2)

4. Des Moines Hoover 10-1 (4)

5. Ankeny 10-2 (6)

6. West Des Moines Dowling 9-2 (5)

7. Council Bluffs Lincoln 11-1 (8)

8. Linn-Mar 7-3 (7)

9. Ames 8-3 (9)

10. North Scott 9-3 (10)

CLASS 3A

1. Dubuque Wahlert 9-3 (1)

2. Pella 11-1 (4)

3. Cedar Rapids Xavier 9-2 (4)

4. Chariton 11-1 (2)

5. Spirit Lake 11-2 (9)

6. Webster City 9-1 (NR)

7. Harlan 10-2 (6)

8. Atlantic 10-2 (7)

9. Waverly-Shell Rock 10-3 (8)

10. Glenwood 10-3 (NR)

CLASS 2A

1. Treynor 12-0 (1)

2. Western Christian 11-1 (2)

3. Dike-New Hartford 13-0 (4)

4. Pocahontas Area 11-1 (5)

5. Northeast Goose Lake 11-1 (3)

6. Cascade 10-1 (7)

7. Aplington-Parkersburg 9-2 (6)

8. Ridge View 11-1 (9)

9. Anamosa 8-4 (NR)

10. Monticello 8-4 (NR)

CLASS 1A

1. West Hancock 13-0 (1)

2. Boyden-Hull 11-1 (2)

3. Colo-NESCO 10-1 (6)

4. Jesup 12-1 (7)

5. Gladbrook-Reinbeck 10-2 (3)

6. West Fork 12-0 (9)

7. Danville 13-0 (10)

8. Meskwaki Settlement School 12-1 (8)

9. Montezuma 13-0 (NR)

10. Grand View Christian 10-0 (NR)

l Comments: (319) 398-8259; jeff.johnson@thegazette.com