The state has released the first boys soccer rankings of the year, and a few area schools find their name on the list.

In class 1A, Mid-Prairie sees the highest ranking at No. 9, tied with MOC- Floyd Valley. The Golden Hawks 9-4-2 record last season place them at No. 12 at the end of the year. Columbus Junction and IMS are the other two schools, both ranked No. 14 in the rankings.

Golden Hawk head coach Pat Cady said his team needs to finish ranked high to help keep away from a playoff game with No. 1 Ranked Regina.

“I was surprised to see us ranked at ninth. I am happy for the kids, in the tournament play at the end of the year, you need to get up there and get ranked high in order to hopefully get kicked out of that bracket where we’re not playing Regina, I don’t want to play the No. 1 team in the state before we get to state, if we have to play them there that would be great, but we’re going to have to play good smart soccer at the beginning of the year, and playing these ranked clubs, it is going to make us better and to get us where we want to be,” Cady said.

The boys are back in action tomorrow morning for a tournament at Newton.