USA Today Releases Top High School Football Rankings; Where Does Ames Rank?

USA Today's rankings of top high schools across the United States has been released.

Ames comes in at No. 43 among Iowa schools in the USA Today Super 25 rankings, and No. 57 in the MaxPreps rankings. 

Ames, a Class 4A school, finished 2012 with an 5-5 record. Coach Bruce Vertanen will lead the black and orange in their season on Aug. 30 against Des Moines East. 

Defending state football champs Ankeny start off the year as the No. 1 team in Iowa in both MaxPreps and USA Today.

USA Today has rankings for all 50 states. The rankings group all school sizes.

Here's the top schools in Iowa, according to USA Today:

1. Ankeny
2: Southeast Polk
3. Dowling Catholic (West Des Moines)
4. Decorah
5. Rock Valley
6. West Des Moines Valley
7. Xavier (Ceda Rapids)
8. Spirit Lake
9. Regina Catholic (Iowa City)
10. Bishop Heelan (Sioux City)
11. Urbandale
12. Mediapolis
13. Emmetsburg 
14. Union
15. Waukee
16. Grinnell
17. West Delaware
18. Sioux City East
19. Johnston
20. Iowa City West