The Cedar Rapids Kennedy baseball team will begin the 2012 season Monday as the top-ranked Class 4A team in the state.

The Cougars topped the preseason poll that was released Sunday by the Iowa High School Baseball Coaches Association (IHSBCA). Kennedy finished 31-9 last season and reached the quarterfinals of the 4A state tournament.

West Des Moines Valley, Dowling Catholic and Ankeny are ranked 2-3-4 in the 4A poll. The Xavier Saints are ranked eighth and the Prairie Hawks are ninth.

The Marion Indians are ranked No. 9 in the Class 3A poll.

Kennedy, Xavier, Prairie and Marion will begin their seasons in the Bob Vrbicek Metro Tournament Monday night.

IHSBCA PRESEASON RANKINGS

Class 4A

1. Cedar Rapids Kennedy
2. West Des Moines Valley
3. Dowling Catholic
4. Ankeny
5. Iowa City West
6. Southeast Polk
7. Des Moines Roosevelt
8. Cedar Rapids Xavier
9. Cedar Rappids Prairie
10. Pleasant Valley
Others of note: Sioux City East

Class 3A

1. Sioux City Heelan Heelan
2. Clear Lake
3. Harlan
4. Western Dubuque
5. ADM
6. Decorah
7. Assumption
8. Solon
9. Marion
10. Charles City
Others of note:  Dallas Center-Grimes, Mount Pleasant, New Hampton, West
Delaware, Grinnell, Denison, MOC-Floyd Valley, Atlantic, Washington

Class 2A

1.  Davis County
2.  Carroll Kuemper
3.  Dyersville Beckman
4.  Fort Dodge St. Edmond
5.  Prairie City-Monroe
6.  North Polk
7.  Ogden
8.  Iowa City Regina
9.  Waterloo Columbus
10.  Alta-Aurelia
Others of note: North Fayette, Hudson, Eddyville-Blakesburg, Gilbert

Class 1A
1. Martensdale-St. Mary's
2. Lawton-Bronson
3. Council Bluffs St. Albert
4. Preston
5. Kee (Lansing)
6. Coon Rapids-Bayard
7. Mason City Newman
8. Van Meter
9. Logan-Magnolia
10. Algona Garrigan
Others of note: Don Bosco, Storm Lake St. Mary's, Treynor, Manson NW
Webster, Gladbrook-Reinbeck, Murray, West Lyon, Walnut, Southeast Warren,
Lisbon, BGM, Montezuma