The Jefferson City Lady Jays ended the 2018-19 season ranked No. 2 in Class 5.
Jefferson City will start this season No. 1.
The Lady Jays are among seven area boys and girls basketball teams to appear in the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association preseason poll, which was announced Tuesday.
Jefferson City posted a 29-2 record last season, finishing runner-up to North Kansas City in the state tournament.
The Blair Oaks Falcons begin the season No. 4 in Class 3 after advancing to the state quarterfinals last year.
A pair of Show-Me Conference teams appear in the Class 3 girls state rankings. The South Callaway Lady Bulldogs are No. 7 following a run to last season's quarterfinals, while the Fatima Lady Comets are receiving votes.
The Tipton Lady Cardinals, who won a district championship, are No. 5 in the Class 2 preseason poll.
The St. Elizabeth Hornets, who took third place in Class 1 last season, begin the 2019-20 season at No. 3 in the rankings. Jamestown, a district champion a year ago, is No. 9 in Class 1.
Joining the Lady Jays as top-ranked teams on the girls side are Incarnate Word in Class 4, Strafford in Class 3, Thayer in Class 2 and South Iron in Class 1.
For the boys, the top-ranked teams in the preseason rankings are Chaminade in Class 5, Vashon in Class 4, Cardinal Ritter in Class 3, Greenwood in Class 2 and Jefferson: Conception Junction in Class 1.