Carousel continues in Class 3A

You figure out Class 3A this season. That's a challenge.

Another week brings another new team atop the class in The Gazette's weekly boys' basketball poll. Actually, this isn't the first time Dubuque Wahlert has been number one.

The Golden Eagles began there because they were defending state champions and had their top two players back in Iowa Hawkeye recruit Cordell Pemsl and guard Josh Carter. Their record is a pedestrian 11-6 but all six losses have come to top-flight Class 4A teams.

Playing without an injured Pemsl, resting a troublesome knee, Wahlert won twice last week, including 80-62 over Dubuque Hempstead, which was ranked ninth eighth in 4A. Hempstead was without its top player, Martell Wilson, who is suspended.

Class 3A has been the most difficult to figure this season, and you could make a legitimate case for a top ranking for about six or seven schools. Waverly-Shell Rock, which has beaten 4A schools the past two weeks, moved from fifth to second this week, followed by Spirit Lake, Williamsburg, MOC/Floyd Valley, Fort Madison and Pella.

The other classes are pretty straight forward. Iowa City West remains a solid number one in 4A. The Trojans are one of three unbeaten teams in the class (with Pleasant Valley and Des Moines Hoover).

In 2A, New Hampton remains in the top spot, followed by Western Christian, Aplington-Parkesburg and IKM-Manning. Iowa City Regina lost twice last week and went from fourth to 10th.

Gladbrook-Reinbeck is number one in 1A, with the Rebels and Aplington-Parkersburg putting their identical 20-0 records on the line in a game against each other Tuesday night.

Here is the entire poll, with last week's ranking in parentheses:

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CLASS 4A

1. Iowa City West 17-0 (1)

2. Pleasant Valley 17-0 (2)

3. Des Moines Hoover 16-0 (3)

4. Ankeny Centennial 16-2 (5)

5. North Scott 14-3 (4)

6. Linn-Mar 14-3 (5)

7. Urbandale 15-4 (9)

8. Waukee 13-5 (6)

9. Ames 13-5 (NR)

10. Council Bluffs Lincoln 13-5 (9)

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CLASS 3A

1. Dubuque Wahlert 11-6 (3)

2. Waverly-Shell Rock 17-2 (5)

3. Spirit Lake 16-2 (3)

4. Williamsburg 16-1 (4)

5. MOC/Floyd Valley 16-2 (5)

6. Fort Madison 16-2 (7)

7. Pella 15-2 (8)

8. LeMars 15-3 (1)

9. Algona 15-3 (9)

10. Gilbert 16-2 (10)

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CLASS 2A

1. New Hampton 19-1 (1)

2. Western Christian 17-2 (2)

3. Aplington-Parkersburg 20-0 (3)

4. Monticello 19-2 (5)

5. IKM-Manning 18-1 (6)

6. Cascade 18-2 (7)

7. Treynor 17-2 (8)

8. Forest City 17-2 (9)

9. West Fork 17-3 (10)

10. Iowa City Regina 16-3 (4)

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CLASS 1A

1. Gladbrook-Reinbeck 20-0 (1)

2. Danville 19-0 (2)

3. Maple Valley/A-O 19-1 (4)

4. Boyden-Hull 16-3 (5)

5. Ar-We-Va 19-0 (6)

6. LeMars Gehlen 17-1 (7)

7. Central Lyon 16-3 (8)

8. Colo-NESCO 19-1 (4)

9. Meskwaki Settlement School 16-1 (9)

10. D.M. Grandview Christian 19-1 (NR)

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