The Associated Press has released their latest set of Iowa High School boys basketball rankings this week and four area teams are listed amongst the best in the state.

The highest ranked team in the area is the Mid-Prairie Golden Hawks, checking in at No. 2 in this week’s 2A rankings, up two spots from fourth a week ago. The Hawks are receiving two votes to be named the No. 1 team in the poll. Mid-Prairie is 18-0 on the year, 16-0 in the River Valley Conference. They are 1-0 on the week after a 84-53 win at Wilton Tuesday where they clinched their first conference title since 2009. They went 3-0 last week with wins over West Liberty in Wellman and road victories against Iowa City Regina and Bellevue. Mid-Prairie is out to the best start to the season and longest winning streak since 1991. The Golden Hawks travel to West Branch for a conference contest Friday.

The Washington Demons are ranked No. 4 in class 3A this week by the AP. The Demons are 14-2 on the season. The Demons dropped a contest January 24th in overtime to Ottumwa 58-50, then rebounded to beat Burlington January 28th. The Demons are back on the floor Friday when they host No. 1 in 3A Fort Madison with the lead in the Southeast Conference on the line.

In class 1A, a pair of KCII area schools continue to appear in the receiving votes category. The Winfield-Mt. Union Wolves are listed with four votes. The Wolves are 17-1 this year, and 14-0 in the Southeast Iowa Superconference. They won their 11th straight game Tuesday and clinched a share of the north division title 60-34 against Louisa-Muscatine. The WACO Warriors received three votes this week. WACO is 14-4 this season and dropped their only contest to this point in the week 39-37 to No. 10 Danville. The Wolves and Warriors each have two games remaining this week. WMU will travel to Columbus Friday night and then meet New London on the Tigers home floor Saturday for the championship game of the Southeast Iowa Superconference Shootout. The Warriors host winless Central Lee tonight and entertain Hillcrest Academy Saturday on Bob Hilmer Court in the third place game of the conference shootout.