Jaguars are No. 3, Ankeny No. 8 in Class 5A preseason girls’ basketball rankings

Ankeny’s Ainsley Kiene tries to steal a pass from Ankeny Centennial’s Mya Crawford during last year’s game at Centennial. The Jaguars are third and Ankeny is No. 8 in the Class 5A preseason rankings from the Iowa Girls’ High School Athletic Union. Kiene and the Hawkettes will open their season on Saturday by hosting a non-conference game against Ames. We will have a prep of the week feature on Kiene coming on Monday. (Photo by Drue Wolfe)

Both Ankeny Centennial and Ankeny are in the top 10 of the preseason girls’ basketball rankings from the Iowa Girls’ High School Athletic Union.

Centennial is ranked third in Class 5A behind two of its CIML Conference rivals. No. 1 Johnston defeated No. 2 Dowling Catholic, 48-36, in last year’s Class 5A championship game.

The Jaguars posted a 14-9 record a year ago and return their entire roster. Leading the way are forward Jaeden Pratt and guard Mya Crawford, a pair of Division I recruits.

Ankeny is ranked eighth. The Hawkettes return a trio of double-digit scorers from a team that went 13-10 last season.

Here is the complete top 15 of the 5A rankings:

1. Johnston

2. Dowling Catholic

3. Ankeny Centennial

4. Davenport North

5. Pleasant Valley

6. Cedar Falls

7. Cedar Rapids Prairie

8. Ankeny

9. WDM Valley

10. Waukee

11. Waukee Northwest

12. Bettendorf

13. Iowa City West

14. Iowa City High

15. Cedar Rapids Washington