Iowa High School Girls Basketball Top 25 State Rankings - Dec. 29, 2025

Teams finish up 2025 and look towards stretch run in 2026

Johnston's Adaya Phillips (20), Dowling’s Ellie Muller (23) and Johnston's Jenica Lewis (10) look to the basket after a pair of Dowling free throws on Dec. 16, 2025, at Johnston High School. / Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As the calendar flips to 2026, the Iowa girls high school basketball season prepares for a hectic and exciting run towards March Madness.

Johnston, the two-time defending Class 5A state champions, finished up unbeaten and kept its win streak intact, holding down the No. 1 spot in the power rankings.

Dowling Catholic, who lost to the Dragons in the finals last year and dropped a close regular season contest, are second followed by Dallas-Center-Grimes, Council Bluffs St. Albert and Sioux City Bishop Heelan.

Here is the High School on SI Iowa girls basketball Top 25 state rankings:

Iowa High School Girls Basketball Top 25 State Rankings - Dec. 29, 2025

1. Johnston (Class 5A, 9-0)

Previous Rank: No. 1

Last Week: The Dragons stretched their win streak to 60 with wins over Dowling Catholic and Urbandale.

2. Dowling Catholic  (5A, 8-1)

Previous Rank: No. 2

Last Week: A three-point loss to Johnston only motivated the Maroons to handle Waukee, 61-41, three nights later.

3. Dallas Center-Grimes  (4A, 8-0)

Previous Rank: No. 3

Last Week: The week featured double-digit wins over Des Moines Roosevelt and Oskaloosa.

4. Council Bluffs St. Albert  (1A, 8-0)

Previous Rank: No. 4

Last Week: Two more wins for the defending 1A state champs, who are allowing just 36 points per game.

5. Sioux City Bishop Heelan (4A, 5-0)

Previous Rank: No. 5

Last Week: After holding Le Mars to 18, the Crusaders dropped Sergeant Bluff-Luton, 67-39.

6. Waverly-Shell Rock (4A, 9-0)

Previous Rank: No. 6

Last Week: Dominating 59-14 win over Aplington-Parkersburg sends Go-Hawks into holiday season perfect.

7. Waukee Northwest  (5A, 5-3)

Previous Rank: No. 7

Last Week: Nice bounce-back for the Wolves over Waukee and Southeast Polk.

8. Maquoketa  (3A, 6-2)

Previous Rank: No. 8

Last Week: Signature win for Maquoketa, as they beat Norwalk, 76-71.

9. Treynor  (2A, 7-0)

Previous Rank: No. 9

Last Week: The Cardinals have reeled off seven straight, averaging over 60 per night.

10. Bishop Garrigan  (1A, 6-1)

Previous Rank: No. 12

Last Week: Outside of a nine-point loss to 5A Valley, the Golden Bears have won by an average of 34 points per game.

11. Newell-Fonda  (1A, 5-0)

Previous Rank: No. 13

12. Maquoketa Valley  (2A, 5-0)

Previous Rank: No. 14

13. West Des Moines Valley (5A, 6-2)

Previous Rank: No. 15

14. North Polk  (4A, 5-1)

Previous Rank: No. 16

15. Clear Creek-Amana (7-0)

Previous Rank: No. 17

16. Cherokee  (3A, 5-1)

Previous Rank: No. 19

17. Denver  (2A, 5-1)

Previous Rank: No. 20

18. Iowa City West  (5A, 4-3)

Previous Rank: No. 21

19. Iowa City High  (5A, 7-2)

Previous Rank: No. 22

20. Norwalk  (4A, 7-1)

Previous Rank: No. 11

21. Des Moines Christian  (3A, 7-2)

Previous Rank: No. 23

22. Hinton  (2A, 6-1)

Previous Rank: No. 24

23. Gladbrook-Reinbeck  (1A, 6-1)

Previous Rank: No. 25

24. Cedar Falls (5A, 6-2)

Previous Rank: Unranked

25. Cedar Rapids Prairie  (5A, 4-2)

Previous Rank: No. 10

Dropped out: No. 18 Spirit Lake.

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