Latest KBCA Rankings January 27th -- click here

As the basketball season rolls along and many area teams up the mid-season tournaments in the rear view mirror a few others gear up for tournaments this week to keep their season rolling. The KBCA has released its latest set of rankings and 18 area teams area ranked with plenty of movement in the polls this week.

Class 4A-Division II saw movement and the addition of a team that had fell out of the poll the previous week. On the girls side the Santa Fe Trail Chargers had been ranked first all season but after competing in the Burlington Invitational last week the Chargers suffered their first two losses of the season giving them fourth place in the tournament and a 9-2 record on the season. With the two losses last week the Chargers have fallen off their perch at number one and moved down to number two in the latest polls. The Holton girls dropped out of the polls last week but after taking fifth at the Basehor-Linwood Invitational with a 2-1 week the lady Wildcats are 6-6 on the season and back in the rankings at number 10 this week.

On the boys side in 4A-DII the Holton Wildcats have hit a slide losing their last three and four of their last five to sit at 7-4 on the season. Wildcats in the polls took a slight fall slipping to number six, down one spot from the previous week, while Royal Valley went 3-0 last week in their Panther Classic and moved to 7-6 on the season and moved up in the polls. The Panthers previously at number 10 in the polls with a sub .500 record, moved to above .500 and moved up three spots on the rankings to number seven.

Class 3A it's the Sabetha Bluejays flying high from the area as both the boys and girls continue to remain ranked this season. The Bluejay boys continue to roll remaining unbeaten on the season by capturing the Burlington Invitational title over the weekend and improving to 12-0 on the season. Sabetha jumped up one spot this week to number three, while the lady Bluejays jumped up two spots after a second place showing at the Burlington Invitational. Lady Bluejays come in at number seven this week with their 10-2 record on the season.

Nemaha Valley Raider boys continue to remain ranked this season also after capturing the 34th annual Raider Classic title with a thrilling overtime win over Falls City in the championship on a game winning shot by Justice McKernan. Raiders remained ranked this week at number seven with an 11-1 record on the season, with their lone loss coming to Sabetha.

Class 2A the girls poll continues to be dominated by the Jefferson County North lady Chargers who sit at 9-0 on the season and remain at number one as they gear up to host their annual tournament this week. The Washington County lady Tigers lost for only the fifth time in the last four years on Saturday as Valley Heights beat them to win the TVL tournament title, stopping the Tigers from a four-peat as tourney champs and sending Washington County to 12-1 on the season. The Tigers with the loss fell to number eight in the polls this week.

On the boys side the Valley Falls Dragons continued climb in the polls moving up two spots to number six this week after claiming the McLouth Invitational crown over the weekend. Dragons with their great performance in the tournament improved to 12-1 on the season.

Five teams all from the TVL continue to be ranked in Class 1A-Division I with some movement in position for three of them this week in the polls. In the boys poll the Hanover Wildcats made a big leap jumping five spots from number seven to number two after winning their fourth TVL tournament title in the last six years and improving to 10-3 on the season. Centralia follows the Wildcats at number three with a 9-3 record taking second in the TVL tournament, as the Panthers fell to Hanover in the title game. Valley Heights previously number two, moved down to number five in the polls after taking third at the TVL tournament, as the Mustangs sit at 10-2 on the season.

For the girls the lady Mustangs of Valley Heights took home the TVL tournament crown over the weekend with a three-point win over the three-time defending champs Washington County and improved to 11-1 on the season. Mustangs also avenged their only loss of the season beating Baileyville-B&B in the tournament, helping them remain number two in the polls. The Linn lady Bulldogs took home fifth at the TVL tournament and sit at 9-3 on the season and remain in the rankings but fell down to number nine this week, down three spots.

Class 1A-Division the B&B lady Falcons took home third place at the TVL tournament over the weekend but did suffer their second loss of the season in the tournament. Falcons despite the loss sit at 10-2 on the season and remain ranked number one in latest poll. While on the boys side the B&B Falcon boys have been in a slide losing three of their last five and took seventh at the TVL tournament to move to 7-5 on the season and slipped to number eight in the latest polls. Axtell boys followed up a TVL tourney title from last year with a fifth place showing this season in the tourney beating Troy in the fifth place game to move to 9-5 on the season. With the solid week the Eagles moved up to number six in the latest rankings.

Area teams continue to have strong seasons and many have sights set on runs in the postseason but have their focus on the remainder of the season ahead of them.