The Ankeny Centennial and Ankeny girls’ soccer teams finished last season as the top two squads in Class 3A.
The Jaguars and Hawkettes are beginning the 2019 season near the top as well.
Centennial is ranked No. 2 in the Class 3A preseason rankings by the Iowa Girls’ High School Athletic Union. Ankeny is ranked No. 4.
The two Ankeny schools met in last year’s Class 3A championship game. Centennial posted a 3-2 victory to win its second state title in three years.
Waukee is No. 1 in the preseason rankings. The Warriors return all 11 starters from a team that lost to Centennial, 2-0, in the Class 3A semifinals.
Valley is ranked No. 3. The Tigers lost a shootout against Ankeny, 2-1, in the Class 3A semifinals.
Linn-Mar (Marion) is ranked No. 5, followed by Bettendorf, Council Bluffs Lincoln, Cedar Rapids Kennedy, Dowling Catholic and Urbandale.
Ankeny, which has a new head coach in Simon Brown, will host Urbandale in its season opener on Tuesday. Centennial will host Fort Dodge.