Early State Champion Predictions

[jen44]

Here's my picks:
4A: West Des Moines Valley
3A: Cedar Rapids Xavier
2A: North Fayette Valley
1A: Iowa City Regina
A: BGM
8-Man: Glidden-Ralston

 

[mtdew_fever]

Here's my picks:

4A: WDM Dowling
3A: Cedar Rapids Xavier
2A: Dyersville Beckman
1A: Iowa City Regina
A: Council Bluffs St Albert
8M: Don Bosco

 

[PNation]

4A: Valley: The Tigers return the most of the 3 legitimate title contenders from last year, Dowling will still be good and I think that Waukee will reload as well. It'll be interesting if any of the other suburb schools can leap up and challenge these three. I would say that they will face Iowa City West in the final out of the east with the Trojans returning a lot off of a quarterfinal team.

3A: Pella: Pella returns more than other contenders from this year including the best player in the state and possibly the 2nd best player, Xavier was really Senior heavy although with Schulte back they will be good, along with Waverly on the east side. On the west side (possibly Pella depending on which way they send them) I see Heelan returning to form along with Carrol, my guess is that it is a Pella vs. Heelan final or Pella vs. Xavier.

2A: Beckman: The Blazers were young and grew up a lot during the year, they do have a meat grinder of a district which can be beneficial or hurtful depending on how they get through it, I also see Albia, Union, South Tama, Spirit Lake, and Clarinda as contenders with talent returning in many areas.

1A: Dike New Hartford: Yes I know that Regina won't fall off and I expect the Regals to be there, but I figured choose someone new here, and DNH returns quite a bit from a team that got better as the season went on, and also have a great coaching staff. West Branch will also be good on the eastern side. On the west side St. Ed's with O'Tool back will be good, but have many pieces to fill in around him, same with West Lyon and IKM.

A: Denver: Denver was a team that got better through out the year, and return quite a bit, I see them playing Pekin for the East side semi final, in the west I think it will be LoMa vs. Mount Ayr again to go to the Championship. I'll take Mount Ayr this time.

8: Newell Fonda: The Mustangs return almost their entire defense and 2 of their top 3 rushers off a state championship team. Don Bosco will be there again as will Fremont Mills, HLV and MMC.

 

[cypower1]

I don't think Aplington Parkersburg will win the state title, but I could see them making noise next year with who they have returning.

 

[PNation]

Agreed, but Union and South Tama who finished ahead of them return a ton of talent as well.

 

[Goose2013]

Xavier must have a lot of exceptional sophomores? There does not look to be a lot of physicality in the large jr class roster and many key seniors are lost. I do know that having great numbers helps, but who will be Xavier's senior leaders next fall?

 

[SICL Cares]

Class 4A: Valley, West Des Moines
Class 3A: Pella
Class 2A: North Fayette Valley
Class 1A: Regina, Iowa City
Class A: Pekin
8-man: HLV

 

[cidhawkeye]

I know that Regina and Xavier had a soph/jv game that went back and forth and was a one score game when it was all said and done.

 

[Pinehawk]

Originally posted by cidhawkeye:
I know that Regina and Xavier had a soph/jv game that went back and forth and was a one score game when it was all said and done.

It was one of the more entertaining games I watched all of last year. Xavier had a running back that was big, fast and very tough to bring down.

 

[Rose bowl or bust]

I don't know much about the larger classes, but it's nice to see 8-man with some parity. We've got 4 answers already, and all four are different. If this poll would have taken place in the past, it was always pretty easy to tell who the champion was going to be. The last two years, with DB beating E/EHK 14-12 or something like that and then last year with N-F beating FM 39-33 or something…its about time these are good close games. The early days had games of 74-6 and such…not much fun.