CIML Central[/URL]
Here is a look at how all the teams in
the CIML Central did during the 2005 season:
Team
District Record
Regular Season Record
West Des Moines
Dowling *
5-0
8-1
Ankeny *
4-1
6-3
Southeast Polk
2-3
5-4
Johnston
2-3
4-5
Indianola
2-3
4-5
Urbandale
0-5
2-7
*Denotes playoff berth
How
did CIML Central teams do in the playoffs?
Ankeny
Defeated Des Moines Lincoln in the first round (35-14)
Lost to West Des Moines Dowling in the quarterfinals (35-14)
West Des Moines Dowling
Defeated Ames in the first round (31-24)
Defeated Ankeny in the quarterfinals (35-14)
Lost to West Des Moines Valley in the semifinals (20-17)
2005 Review:
Despite having a new coach, West Des Moines Dowling eventually ended the entire
season ranked by IowaPreps.com as the #2 team in Iowa. The Maroons only
two losses were to the eventual champions from Valley but that didn't take away
from their impressive season. Ankeny started the season off very slow but
eventually bounced back and made the postseason. Although they didn't make
it to the semifinals, the Hawks made it to the second round. Southeast
Polk had to battle injuries before falling short in the postseason.
Johnston had some great athletes but couldn't put anything con
Graduated All State Players:
Aaron Jarosh - Ankeny - Ath
Matt Hulbert - Ankeny - OL
Spenser Jeshani - Dowling - OL
Warren Batiste - Dowling - RB
Sam Pieczynski - Dowling - DL
Jimmy Swift - Dowling - DB
Adam Dutcher - Southeast Polk - OL
Joe Cason - Southeast Polk - LB
Jake Wilson - Southeast Polk - RB
Joel Quick - Johnston - WR
Cole Amos - Indianola - DL
Returning All State Players:
Ryan Katch - Dowling - OL
2006 Preview:
The team with the most question marks may be West Des Moines Dowling, They proved that they can win with an outstanding senior class but the majority
of those players are now graduated. The question is can they reload?
Ryan Katch returns along the offensive line and was one of the top linemen in
Iowa last year. Defensively, the Maroons bring back end Charlie Bognanno
and back John Boesen. Both proved that they can play in the CIML but need
to step it up if the team can avoid rebuilding. Three transfers will also
help bolster Dowling's lineup. First team All Conference lineman Jeremy
Schuck, kicker Ryan McMahon, and athlete Grant Mayfield all
could see time with their new team.
Ankeny saw eight first team All Conference
players graduate and those included athletes headed to Iowa State, Nebraska, and
Northern Iowa to play sports. As for what the team has returning, junior
linebacker Andrew Foley had an outstanding sophomore year and created a lot of
havoc on the defensive side of things. All conference lineman Edward McCoy
has some big shoes to fill but he learned from some very talented players last
fall. The Hawks started last year with two straight losses but bounced
back and made it to the quarterfinals during the playoffs. They did fall
short of making it back to the Dome but don't expect this Ankeny team to be down
for long. There is too much talent and the program is one of the strongest
in the state.
If any team has the most to prove, it could be
Southeast Polk. Nate Snead, in his second year behind center, did
not put up the numbers many expected. However, look for him to have a big
senior year as he also will be spending time on the defensive side of the ball.
He likely will convert to defense in college so this year is important for him
as well as the college coaches keeping an eye on him. What will really
help Snead offensively is the return of All Conference wide receiver Brett
Wilkin and lineman Tony Burrows. That experience will be huge
heading into the 2006 season. Someone will need to step up in the running
game for the Rams.
Johnston will have seven huge holes to fill
with the number of All Conference players have graduated. They had a solid
year last year but what really stood out was the passing and catching of
quarterback Danny Cahill and wide receiver Joel Quick. But with Quick now
playing in college, Cahill must find a go to wide receiver that will help
utilize his arm. That will really determine what type of season the
Dragons can have.
Although he flew under the radar until Signing
Day, lineman Austin Zlab of Urbandale eventually signed with Northern Iowa.
But despite having him on the team, they were still unable to be successful on
the field. Jeremy Schuck, who was named All Conference last year, has
transferred to Dowling so there will be even more holes to fill.
The defensive side of things for Indianola has
a chance to be better this fall. First team all conference linebacker Chad Onstot has proven he can play. Onstot has worked hard this off-season and
will be better this year as a senior. Athlete Myles Easter is back and
could play an important role on both sides of the ball. Junior quarterback
John Teigland started as a sophomore and that really could pay dividends this
time around. He put up over 1,500 yards last year but will need to find a
new go-to wide receiver. This team has a chance to surprise some people.
Quotes:
"Probably Dowling and Ankeny will be the toughest teams, which they are year in
and year out. Against Ankeny last year, it was a close game at the end and we
could have had them. Our team has a lot of confident going into this year."
-John Teigland, Indianola quarterback, on conference play this season.
Preseason Conference MVP: Ryan Katch of West
Des Moines Dowling
If the Maroons want to repeat as conference champions, Katch must dominate on
both sides of the ball and improve from last fall.
Sleeper Team: Indianola
The talent is there for the Indians to make a serious run at the playoffs.
Sleeper Player: Chad Onstot of Indianola
This talented linebacker earned first team All Conference honors and is getting
some serious looks by colleges.
Conference Champion: West Des Moines Dowling
With the time and effort that they have put in this off-season, the Maroons
will avoid rebuilding and instead make a run at the conference title.
IowaPreps.com Predictions for the CIML Central in
2006
Team
West Des Moines
Dowling *
Ankeny *
Indianola *
Southeast Polk
Johnston
Urbandale
*Denotes playoff berth
Agree/disagree? Post your thoughts now!
CIML Iowa[/URL]
Here is a look at how all the teams in
the CIML Iowa did during the 2005 season:
Team
District Record
Regular Season Record
West Des Moines
Valley *
5-0
9-0
Ames *
4-1
8-1
Fort Dodge *
2-3
6-3
Newton
3-2
5-4
Marshalltown
1-4
3-6
Mason City
0-5
1-8
*Denotes playoff berth
How
did CIML Iowa teams do in the playoffs?
Ames
Lost to West Des Moines Dowling in the first round (31-24)
West Des Moines Valley
Defeated Fort Dodge in the first round (45-18)
Defeated Sioux City Heelan in the quarterfinals (30-7)
Defeated West Des Moines Dowling in the semifinals (20-17)
Defeated Cedar Falls in the championship (24-21)
Fort Dodge
Lost to West Des Moines Valley in the first round (45-18)
2005 Review:
The two biggest themes of the season were Valley winning their third State title
in four years and Fort Dodge making a surprising run to the postseason.
The Dodgers had an outstanding year overall and was easily among the biggest
shockers in Class 4A. But also don't forget about the year Ames had.
The Little Cyclones only lost two games and that was against the West Des Moines
teams (Valley and Dowling). Austen Arnaud helped the team back to the
postseason and proved his worth as the number one recruit in the Class of 2006.
Graduated All State Players:
Jake Williams - Valley - WR
Dan Upchurch - Valley - OL
Zac Sandvig - Valley - RB
Mike Trueblood - Valley - DL
Brian Carlson - Valley - DB
Patrick Neal - Valley - DE
Austen Arnaud - Ames - QB
Nate Greving - Ames - RB
Daniel Klinker - Ames - LB
Matt Halverson - Fort Dodge - TE
Returning All State Players:
Anthony Pritchard - Valley - LB
M.J. Kang - Ames - OL
2006 Preview:
The one thing that I have learned in covering prep sports in Iowa is never to
bet against West Des Moines Valley. The Tigers reload on a yearly basis
and every time I expect them to be down, they shock me with younger talent.
So instead of waiting for this down year (It may eventually happen), I have come
to the conclusion that Valley will have success every year unless something
changes soon (Why hasn't Gary Swenson been pulled to Iowa State ala Reese Morgan
to Iowa?). And even if that happens, I don't expect the Tigers to be down
for long. Anyways, as for the team itself. All State linebacker
Anthony Pritchard, wide receiver Alex Sandvig, and quarterback Bobby Noyce
are
the headlining returners. But don't sleep on juniors Joe Johnson and
Jake
McDonough. Both saw time last year and will use that to their advantage
this season. This Tiger team will start the year very strong on offense as
they only return three starters on the defensive side of things. But as
the season wears on, the younger players on the defensive side of things will
grow accustomed to varsity football and bring a lot to the team.
Ames, who narrowly lost their playoff game
against Dowling, will have a ton of holes to fill. The Little Cyclones had
to say goodbye to All Stater Austen Arnaud. This three-year starter has
been posing problems for the CIML opposition and will be missed. As for
the returners, tight end Ben Cotton is a junior and has already committed to
Iowa State. It doesn't hurt matters when you have good bloodlines and a Cyclone
coach for a dad. Offensive lineman M.J. Kang may be a bit undersized for
the next level but he has proven that he has the motor and desire to be very
successful. The questions with the running game will also need to be
answered as Nate Greving has moved on to play baseball at the University of
Iowa. But considering that Ames produces athlete every year, don't be
surprised to see them have a solid year.
Like any team, Fort Dodge has some question
marks but
they could easily surprise some people. Running back Brandon Moeller,
offensive lineman Morgan O'Connor, and linebacker Reid Branderhorst
all return after All Conference seasons. Those three will be relied on
heavily early in the season as a number of inexperienced players get accustomed
to the varsity level. But this year they may not be able to surprise
people early on. The Dodgers must replace a huge hole at quarterback as
well as along the lines.
Marshalltown was a young team last year but
will that help them much this fall? Tyler Peschong returns at quarterback
with one year of starting experience under his belt. He will need to find
some sure hands in the wide receiver core but he proved he can make plays.
Defensively, the team is bolstered by the return of Alex Kloberdanz and
John Kersbergen. Both had big years and proved to be a pain to the other CIML
teams.
Waukee is making the big jump up to Class 4A
and has some momentum going into the transition. The Warriors made their
first two playoff appearances ever over the last two years but will miss Tim
Getting at quarterback as well as Aaron Wies at running back. But despite
their departures, Waukee has some talented younger athletes. Tim's younger
brother, Jeff Getting was named All District in Class 3A and will be a junior this fall.
Also don't sleep on lineman Zach Davison. As a sophomore, Davison
totaled five sacks and put a lot of pressure on the quarterback. There are a number of question
marks in making the leap up to the CIML conference but expect the Warriors to
come and play every week.
The team with the biggest improvement needed is
Mason City. They lost a handful of All Conference players and only return
David Asche. The question is can he step up in his junior year and be a
team leader?
Quotes:
“Any time Valley is in the conference you have to have them at number one. Until
someone beats them, you have to put them at the top. And then to be honest with
you, I don’t know the other teams too well. I know a lot of teams had
quarterbacks like Austen Arnaud and Zach Edwards but where are they going to go?
I am sure Fort Dodge will be good and Ames is always good. In eighth grade we
played Waukee and they beat us good so they will be a good team as well.”
-Tyler Peschong, Marshalltown quarterback, on the CIML Iowa conference.
"In our conference, Fort Dodge and Ames like
always will be good and will give us a tough run. I think one of our
toughest non-conference games will be against Indianola. They have about
eighteen returning starters from last year so that will be a really good game."
-Alex Sandvig, West Des Moines Valley wide receiver, on their toughest tests
in conference.
"I am very excited and have a feeling we will
do good. Hopefully we can come out of that with a win."
-Michael Klacik, West Des Moines Valley running back, on opening the season
against Dowing.
Preseason Conference MVP: Bobby Noyce of West
Des Moines Valley
Noyce will be starting behind center for the second straight year and is among
the hardest workers on the Valley team.
Sleeper Team: Ames
With Arnaud gone, many will overlook them but they always produce athletes.
Sleeper Player: M.J. Kang
This All State lineman earned All State honors as a junior and will be better
this year in his third year starting.
Conference Champion: West Des Moines Valley
On paper, Valley is clearly the leader of this division. There are a
lot more question marks around the other teams.
IowaPreps.com Predictions for the CIML Iowa in
2006
Team
West Des Moines
Valley *
Fort Dodge *
Ames
Marshalltown
Waukee
Mason City
*Denotes playoff berth
Agree/disagree? Post your thoughts now!
CIML Metro[/URL]
Here is a look at how all the current teams in
the CIML Metro did during the 2005 season:
Team
District Record
Regular Season Record
Des Moines Lincoln
*
5-0
8-1
Ottumwa
4-1
6-3
Des Moines East
3-2
3-6
Des Moines
Roosevelt
2-3
4-5
Des Moines North
1-4
1-8
Des Moines Hoover
0-5
0-9
*Denotes playoff berth
How
did CIML Metro teams do in the playoffs?
Des Moines
Lincoln
Lost to Ankeny in the first round (35-14)
2005 Review:
It had to happen some time or another and Ottumwa finally went down last season
to a Metro opponent. Taking care of this talented team was Des Moines Lincoln.
Many had questions about the team but Jordan Bernstine proved that they were for
real. And as this senior continues to see recruiting heat up, it is no
wonder why they will likely be the early team to beat in this conference.
Graduated All State Players:
Larry Gamblin - Lincoln - OL
Shayne Shade - Roosevelt - DL
Returning All State Players:
Jordan Bernstine - Des Moines Lincoln - Ath
2006 Preview:
Compared to the other CIML leagues, there were not many All State players on
these teams. That may have something to do with the lack of respect that
this league gets. Don't forget that the INA did not name Jordan Bernstine
All State. Please take a look at his highlight film and tell me if you
think he is All State. The kid is special and that is why so many major
college programs have offered scholarships. And I can guarantee that even if
his senior year is worse than his junior year (Which I don't expect but I am
trying to make a point), he will get the honor on politics alone.
So now is about the time that I should actually
focus on the teams. Des Moines Lincoln has a lot of question marks along
both sides of the line. That will be crucial this year because if teams
can get pressure in the backfield, that will help them limit Bernstine.
But with the different things the Railsplitters do to get him the ball, he is a
tough player to limit. There are a lot of holes that will have to be filled quickly because only one other players was
named to an All Conference team (Basically not honorable mention); defensive end
Matt Poortinga. But look for juniors Adam Robinson and LJ Gamblin
to step up and make a
name for himself this fall. With Bernstine in the fold, this team will be
tough to slow down every week.
Ottumwa missed out on the postseason and will
have to see new players step up at the varsity level. What I feel has
caught up with this team is the limited numbers of athletes participating in the
program. It didn't matter the last few years but eventually it catches up
with you. The team does bring back one of the best athletes in the
conference in Jon Rusch. This kid is just talented and will be a very
important part to the team's success. Defensively, the team could be
strong with Rusch, Ryan Schooley, and Kip Stuart. Also keep an eye on
Mitch Houk. If he can prove his ability this fall, I would be willing to
bet he will add at least one scholarship offer. His size, speed, and
strength are off the charts but he has to show it on the field. But his
experience at offensive line has hurt him.
Des Moines East has some solid pieces returning
in their top receiver (Brandon Brown) and top running back (Elija Seymour) back
for their senior years. But last year they had a problem competing with
the top dogs in the division and that is always tough when Lincoln and Ottumwa
are having good years. If they can stay consistent and take down a good
Lincoln team, East could be tough to stop the rest of the fall.
Roosevelt has the pieces to be this years
version of Des Moines Lincoln. They have an excellent senior class and
this could finally be the year they break through and get a piece of the Metro
title. Wide receiver Ben Fuller, running back Jeremy Batiste, and
linebacker Fabian Brown all return after first team All Conference seasons.
And considering Brown proved at the recent Iowa State camp that he has what it
takes to play major college football, he should be primed for an excellent
season. Also don't forget about Kameron Middlebrooks if he can stay
healthy during the year. This team has all the pieces but they must put it
together on the field every week. Someone will need to step up at
quarterback early in camp to prepare himself for the coming season.
Newton has recently had down years on the
football field and will miss athlete Curt Greeley. This basketball stand
out made a number of plays on the field and that will be missed. The team
does have a number of younger players with potential but they must have made
major strides this summer if the team can make a run at the postseason.
The plus is that Fort Dodge proved it was possible last year. Running back
Matt Coen rushed for over 800 yards last year while averaging 6.2 yards
per carry. With him back, the Cardinal rushing attack will be in good
hands. Plus with Eli Shipley and Brooks Skaggs blocking for
him, he has a chance to go over the 1,000 yard mark as a senior.
The Des Moines Hoover vs. Des Moines North
battles have not been exactly stellar in recent memory. Both teams have
had some solid athletes come through their program but haven't been able to put
anything together. Can they change things?
Quotes:
“I think it will probably be Lincoln or East. I think Lincoln lost a lot but
they still have Jordan (Bernstine). When we play East, those are games that are
always close.”
-Kameron Middlebrooks, Des Moines Roosevelt athlete, on the toughest
competition in-conference.
Preseason Conference MVP: Jordan Bernstine of
Des Moines Lincoln
Just by watching Bernstine on tape, it is obvious how talented he is. This
senior is a freak athlete.
Sleeper Team: Ottumwa
On paper, they appear that they will be down but I wouldn't be surprised to see
them shock people this fall.
Sleeper Player: Fabian Brown of Des Moines
Roosevelt
Even though he has already committed to Iowa State, I still feel Brown is under
the radar.
Conference Champion: Des Moines Lincoln
There are some holes that Lincoln must fill early but with Bernstine back,
they are going to be a tough team to slow down.
IowaPreps.com Predictions for the CIML Metro in
2006
Team
Des Moines Lincoln
*
Des Moines
Roosevelt *
Ottumwa
Newton
Des Moines East
Des Moines North
Des Moines Hoover
*Denotes playoff berth
Agree/disagree? Post your thoughts now!
MAC Conference[/URL]
Here is a look at how all the teams in
the MAC did during the 2005 season:
Team
District Record
Regular Season Record
Davenport
Assumption *
9-0
9-0
Bettendorf *
8-1
8-1
North Scott *
7-2
7-2
Clinton
6-3
6-4
Pleasant Valley
4-5
4-5
Davenport West
4-5
4-5
Davenport Central
3-6
3-6
Muscatine
3-6
3-6
Davenport North
1-8
1-8
Burlington
0-9
0-9
*Denotes playoff berth
How
did MAC teams do in the playoffs?
Bettendorf
Lost to Iowa City High in the first round (17-13)
Davenport Assumption
Defeated North Scott in the first round (24-7)
Defeated Iowa City High in the quarterfinals (23-6)
Lost to Cedar Falls in the semifinals (31-21)
North Scott
Lost to Davenport Assumption in the first round (24-7)
2005 Review:
As an alum of Davenport Assumption, I was very proud to finally see the Knights
break through and beat Bettendorf during the regular season and finally (Let me
stress that finally) made it to the UNI Dome. This was their first
appearance in the Class 4A semifinals and it really says a lot about a school
that is 2A in almost every other sport. But once they got into the
semifinals against Cedar Falls, they were up 14-0 but eventually the atmosphere
and the play wore down the two-way players for the Knights. Bettendorf had
a solid year before falling to Iowa City High on a late pass in the first round
of the playoffs. North Scott
finally broke through and got into the playoffs. Clinton made a very
impressive turn around but fell one game short of the postseason. Muscatine and Pleasant Valley let me down as I
picked them both to make the playoffs.
Graduated All State Players:
Mike Hayward - Bettendorf - QB
Mike Gealy - Bettendorf - DL
Mike Manternach - Assumption - DL
Jeff Schebler - Assumption - K
Tyler Hoyt - Assumption - DB
Fritz Bentler - Assumption - DL
Brett Greenwood - Pleasant Valley - DB
Alex Boer - North Scott - WR
Mike Sosnowski - North Scott - QB
Nate Frere - Muscatine - DL
Justin Brauer - Davenport West - RB
Spencer Policha - Clinton - DB
Returning All State Players:
Colin Sandeman - Bettendorf - WR
Josh Gabelmann - Bettendorf - DL
Willie Argo - Assumption - RB
2006 Preview:
I don't want to compare the 2006 Bettendorf team to the 2004 Bettendorf team
because I don't feel that it is fair but there are a lot of things very, very
similar. Both teams had to play a lot of their seniors the year before and
that helped them add a lot of varsity experience. And in both cases, there
was a weak class ahead of them that allowed this. But what will set this
Bulldog team apart is that their junior class will also be loaded. Time
will tell but the pieces for this Bettendorf team are in place. Starting
with athlete Colin Sandeman, the Bulldogs will be tough to stop offensively.
The quarterback position is in question but don't be surprised if a talented
junior steps up and fills the role well. Defensively, Josh Gabelmann
returns after an All State year and will be better with experience. Greg
Stroh, who fought injuries for most of the season, has added a lot of weight
this spring and could be very hard to block. He will have to prove he can
avoid the injury bug or he will experience the same problems. This Bulldog
team will start the season as my top ranked team in Class 4A and has a chance to
make another deep run in the postseason.
Davenport Assumption has a lot of holes to fill
from their impressive run but a number of skilled athletes are back. Willie
Argo blew up last season as a sophomore and quickly the state knew about him.
He will see an even greater role on offense and defense. And considering
how well he has done in wrestling and baseball, he will be even better this time
around. Kyle Steinbrecher
has proven he can play a number of positions and will likely step in at
quarterback. But if need be, he can also shift to wide receiver. He
also had a huge presence on the defensive side of the ball as well. Matt Bentler, the youngest of three brothers, is another top player in Iowa and
has offers from Stanford and Army. That list of offers could grow and the
in-state schools are keeping a close eye on him. The biggest question
marks about the Knights if their play along the line. Outside of Bentler,
there are a number of holes that must be filled for the offense to have as much
success as they had last season.
Finally they got past 6-3. That appeared
to be the magic number that North Scott was stuck on and that cost them a number of
berths to the postseason. But last year was the year that they returned to
the playoffs. The problems was that they matched up against Assumption in
the first round and it was a short lived trip. Returning for the Lancers
is a very talented player in Shawn Gerard. This talented athlete
currently holds a scholarship offer from Wyoming and has the attention of
schools across the Midwest. Defensive lineman Travis Childs will also help
anchor the defense. The quarterback position is up for grabs for the first
time in three years and that will be an important spot to fill.
Although they had a small senior class,
Muscatine seemed to pack it in early as they were blown out in the season finale
against Davenport West. If the current class of seniors wanted a bitter
taste in their mouths, this would be a great example of it. That class is
loaded with talent but they must prove they can play hard every down. The
Muskies have a chance for a special year but first they must come to play every
game. Evan Tecklenburg and Ben Pohl are two All Conference
players who have a chance for an outstanding year. But again, they must
come to play every game night.
Pleasant Valley was a school that just didn't
have the numbers to compete. One thing the Spartans proved last year is
that Brett Greenwood was the best player in the MAC. And although the team
missed the playoffs, he still was named All Conference on the field. There
will be a lot of holes to fill but Tim Hintze is back and has two years of
starting experience under his belt. The biggest question mark will be
numbers early in the year.
Clinton may not have made the playoffs but they
pulled off one of the biggest turnarounds in quite sometime. After losing
the season opener to Class 3A opponent Dewitt, the River Kings turned things
around and nearly made the playoffs. They shocked opponent after opponent
and gave the opposition huge problems. Ben Boothby and Tony Bassett
both were named first team All Conference and will be back with another year
of experience. With the talent coming back, expect the River Kings to
finally break through and get into the postseason. And considering where
this program was two years ago, that is saying a lot about what they have done.
Davenport Central had a lot of hype last summer
but did not come through. Injuries, suspensions, and other problems causes
the Blue Devils to struggle against a number of teams. And with All
Conference linebacker Adam Maher moving to Missouri, Central has a huge number
of question marks. Can the new coach help matters?
At times, Davenport West played some
outstanding football. But at others (End of the North Scott game comes to
mind), the Falcons wilted under the pressure and was unable to do anything.
And now West has a new coach and they will have to adjust to his style of play.
Can they do it quickly? The numbers are there but the team has not been
able to really play well over the last few years.
Burlington will finally get a chance to
showcase this junior class that everyone has been talking about. Although
they lost the head-to-head battle with Bettendorf late in the year, the team
must adjust quickly to the varsity level. They have zero returning players
who were named to an All Conference team (Non-honorable mention).
Davenport North has running back Jason White
back in the fold but the Wildcats rarely are able to put together a full
game. There are a lot of question marks that need answered.
Quotes:
"You always have Assumption and I think Muscatine will be good. PV and North
Scott were solid when we played them in the passing league. It is not a down
year in the MAC."
-Colin Sandeman, Bettendorf athlete, on their toughest tests in the MAC.
Preseason Conference MVP: Colin Sandeman of
Bettendorf
Sandeman scored an absurd amount of times last season and it should come as no
surprise that he will likely be the MVP for the coming season.
Sleeper Team: Pleasant Valley
The Spartans missed out on the playoffs last year but won't stay down for long.
Sleeper Player: Shawn Gerard of North Scott
Although he was an All State selection and has a scholarship offer from Wyoming,
he was only a second team All Conference selection.
Conference Champion: Bettendorf
The seniors for the Bulldogs all saw a lot of playing time last fall and
that will pay off in 2006.
IowaPreps.com Predictions for the MAC in
2006
Team
Bettendorf *
Davenport
Assumption *
Clinton *
Muscatine *
North Scott
Pleasant Valley
Burlington
Davenport West
Davenport Central
Davenport North
*Denotes playoff berth
Agree/disagree? Post your thoughts now!
MRC Conference[/URL]
Here is a look at how all the teams in
the MRC did during the 2005 season:
Team
Conference
Record
Regular Season Record
Sioux City Heelan *
5-0
6-3
Sioux City East *
4-1
8-1
CB Abraham Lincoln
3-2
5-4
Sioux City North
2-3
3-6
Sioux City West
1-4
3-6
CB Thomas Jefferson
0-5
0-9
*Denotes playoff berth
How
did MRC teams do in the playoffs?
Sioux City
East
Lost to Sioux City Heelan in the first round (37-0)
Sioux City Heelan
Defeated Sioux City East in the first round (37-0)
Lost to West Des Moines Valley in the quarterfinals (30-7)
2005 Review:
Sioux City East rolled out to a great start by taking advantage of a weak
schedule. The Black Raiders kept winning but they just could not get past
their rivals from Heelan. And as the season wore on, East lost both games
against Heelan. The Crusaders on the other hand started the year extremely
slow and had to win the conference to make the postseason. They fell short
against Valley but the problem is they will now be playing 3A. This will
make for a very interesting conference race.
Graduated All State Players:
Ryan Lessman - East - OL
Alex Tomes - East - OL
Anthony Ellis - North - LB
Brian Shannon - Lincoln - WR
Returning All State Players:
Tre-Darrius Canady - East - RB
Josh Collins - West - DB
2006 Preview:
The MRC will be taking a completely different look without Sioux City Heelan.
The Crusaders had no problem competing every year in-conference but couldn't do
much damage on a State wide basis. With them moving to Class 3A, they may
be able to give Harlan a run year after year.
As for the teams returning, Sioux City East
returns one of the top running backs in Iowa with Tre-Darrius Canady. He
had an outstanding year but had trouble doing damage against Heelan. This
senior must prove he can put up big yards against every team, not just some of
the bottom feeders. John Kirwan will be back blocking for him and has some
major size. East can be considered the early favorite with Canady in the
backfield. If he can say healthy (Which sometimes is a problem for backs),
his numbers will be off the charts this season. Also keep an eye on
quarterback Steve Johnston and linebacker Marshall Tuttle.
Both have the talent to compete for All Conference honors. Outside of
Canady, Tuttle is the leading returning rusher and receiver on the Black
Raiders.
Sioux City West also brings back an All State
player in Josh Collins. This fantastic athlete spent much of the season at
quarterback but will be moved to running back to showcase his skills
offensively. The question that remains is who will step up at quarterback?
And on top of that, the line play needs to be improved for Collins to utilize
his skills. But with him on your team, the Wolverines have a chance
against anyone.
Sioux City North used the 2005 football season
to get better. And although 3-6 is nothing to write home about, they still
were able to win some games. All Conference athlete Mike Wilson is
back and will be even better with another year of experience under his belt.
Will North be able to add to that win total this fall? The pieces are in
place but they must beat the top tier teams. This team appears headed in
the right direction and that will be evident once again this fall. Also
keep an eye on athlete Robert Kellogg. This standout is an
outstanding wrestler but will be one of the leaders this fall for the Stars.
One school with a lot of question marks is
Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson? Lineman Jordan Elbert is back but who
else will prove that they can play at an All Conference level? They were
unable to win a game against anyone and that doesn't help with the big M (aka
momentum) heading into the new year. There are lots of holes to fills but
the positive is that it leaves the door open for younger athletes to get a shot.
Logan Hudspeath proved he was a solid
linebacker for Abraham Lincoln and will be better with another year of
improvement. And like Thomas Jefferson, this team will need others to step
up their play. AL must show that they can knock off the top dogs in
conference if they want to be postseason bound. Their only two losses in
the MRC came to the two teams who eventually made the playoffs. This team
will start the season very strong on the defensive side of the ball. If
they can prove throughout the course of the year that they can score, they could
easily make a run at Sioux City East.
Quotes:
"I would say probably Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln and Sioux City North."
-John Kirwan, Sioux City East lineman, on their toughest tests in the MRC
this year.
Preseason Conference MVP: Tre-Darrius Canady
If Canady can stay healthy and productive, he may be able to put up 2,000 yards.
Sleeper Team: Sioux City North
The Stars continue to make the move in the right direction.
Sleeper Player: Josh Collins
People may continue to say he plays on a bad team but Collins is extremely
talented.
Conference Champion: Sioux City East
With Heelan gone, the Black Raiders are primed for a big year in the MRC.
IowaPreps.com Predictions for the MRC in
2006
Team
Sioux City East *
CB Abraham Lincoln
Sioux City North
Sioux City West
CB Thomas Jefferson
*Denotes playoff berth
Agree/disagree? Post your thoughts now!
MVC Valley [/URL]
Here is a look at how all the teams in
the MVC Valley did during the 2005 season:
Team
Conference
Record
Regular Season Record
Cedar Rapids Jefferson
1-8
1-8
Cedar Rapids Kennedy *
7-2
7-2
Cedar Rapids Washington *
6-3
6-3
Cedar Rapids Xavier
6-3
6-3
Dubuque Senior
4-5
4-5
Waterloo East
0-9
0-9
Waterloo West
3-6
3-6
*Denotes playoff berth
How
did MVC Valley teams do in the playoffs?
Cedar
Rapids Kennedy
Defeated Cedar Rapids Prairie in the first round (27-26, OT)
Lost to Cedar Falls in the quarterfinals (52-20)
Cedar Rapids Washington
Lost to Cedar Falls in the first round (51-7)
2005 Review:
Coming into the season, everyone expected big things out of Cedar Rapids Kennedy
and they didn't disappoint as they made it to the quarterfinals.
Washington was one of the biggest shockers in Class 4A as Paki O'Meara continued
the Warriors string of All State running backs. Cedar Rapids Xavier just
missed out on the postseason but has a number of athletes back this fall.
Dubuque Senior said goodbye to Jayme Murphy and never was really able to fight
for a postseason berth with him on the team. Cedar Rapids Jefferson had
one of Iowa's top linemen in Kaleb Admire but they still could only win one
game. Waterloo West finished with three wins but never was able to create
much momentum. And Waterloo East continued their struggles with nine more
losses.
Graduated All State Players:
Ben Lamaak - Kennedy
Mike Morio - Kennedy
Luke Dolan - Kennedy
Brad Schleder - Kennedy
Paki O'Meara - Washington
Adam Pinckney - Washington
Jayme Murphy - Senior
Shane Peterson - Waterloo West
Returning All State Players:
Josh Lorenson - Xavier - DL
Joe Bedard - Xavier - LB
Zach Schulte - Xavier - DB
2006 Preview:
With three All Staters returning for the 2006 season, Cedar Rapids Xavier is the
obvious favorite. The Saints are loaded with a variety of athletes as well
as linemen, which is the perfect combination that coaches want back. A
number of these players will be heading into their third season on varsity and
that experience will only help. And as they saw how Kennedy won games with
a senior laden team, I expect the exact thing out of Xavier this fall. On
paper, the talent is definitely but they must prove it on the field. All
Staters returning include lineman Josh Lorenson, linebacker Joe Bedard,
and defensive back Zach Schulte.
Cedar Rapids Washington will have to adjust to
a lot of things. The first thing is a new coach. And in some cases
(Dowling), that coach is able to win immediately with a talented senior class.
But the other question mark is who will be the new All State running back for
Washington? After four straight seasons of All State running backs, there
is an opening that will need to be filled early in the year. But as with
every Warrior team, they will be athletic and talented. This version of
the Warriors will be young and inexperienced but if they buy into the new coach,
good things could happen.
With Kaleb Admire, Cedar Rapids Jefferson has
one of the top linemen returning in Iowa. The only problem is that they
had very little around him last year and that resulted in just one win on the
football field. The J-Hawks have a lot of holes to fill but easily could
double their win total this year. Admire was a first team All Conference
selection but teammates around him must perform this year.
Cedar Rapids Kennedy had a senior dominated
team last year that helped them finally make it to the postseason. And on
top of that, they won one of the most dramatic games of the 2005 football season
by pulling out an overtime thrilled over their rivals from Cedar Rapids Prairie.
But a number of players on both side of the ball are graduated. The
Cougars lost four first team All Conference players but do have back a very
talented kicker in Jordan Grimm as well as running back Herve Cantrell.
However, those two players won't be enough to secure a playoff spot. This
conference does help the Cougars with a favorable schedule but getting into the
postseason again will not be an easy task.
Although he was plagued by injuries as a
senior, Dubuque Senior had to say goodbye to do everything athlete Jayme Murphy.
This standout should go down as one of the top football players every in their
program. But instead of looking at the past, the Rams will need to have a
number of players step up and help take over for his production.
Waterloo West was able to win three games last
year in conference and will be hoping to build upon that success. The
problem is that there are a lot of players gone now who made an impact at the
varsity level. Those holes need to be filled by quality players during
camp next month.
Will this finally be the year for Waterloo East
to break the streak? There have been so many talented athletes (Milan
Moses, Travis Ferguson) that have gone through the system and have been unable
to win any games. So can they finally do it? The Trojans have been
successful at the younger levels recently and deep down, I think that success
will pay off at the varsity level this fall.
Quotes:
“Maybe a little target just because we did have a winning record last year but
no more than any team that would have made the playoffs. Any team will want to
beat us whether we were good last year or not.”
-Jay Teply, Cedar Rapids Xavier lineman, on having a target on their back
this year.
"The two teams that I am nervous for are Prarie
in the second game and Xavier in our second to last game. Those are two good
teams."
-Kaleb Admire, Cedar Rapids Jefferson lineman, on their toughest tests this
fall.
"It is looking really strong so far. There is
Prairie, who will be a really good team. Iowa City High, West, and Wash will be
good. I think everyone has a lot of players and everyone should be good this
year."
-Domingo Vega, Cedar Rapids Xavier linebacker, on their toughest opponents
this year.
Preseason Conference MVP: Josh Lorenson of
Cedar Rapids Xavier
Lineman are usually overlooked but Lorenson will need to give it his all if he
can help get the Saints back to the playoffs.
Sleeper Team: Cedar Rapids Washington
With a new coach and a ton of athletes, the Warriors are always a scary team.
Sleeper Player: Kaleb Admire
Admire is a good player on a bad team.
Conference Champion: Cedar Rapids Xavier
On paper, Xavier is by far the favorite in this conference. But
obviously, games are not played on paper.
IowaPreps.com Predictions for the MVC Valley in
2006
Team
Cedar Rapids Xavier *
Cedar Rapids Washington *
Cedar Rapids Kennedy
Cedar Rapids Jefferson
Waterloo East
Dubuque Senior
Waterloo West
*Denotes playoff berth
Agree/disagree? Post your thoughts now!
MVC Mississippi[/URL]
Here is a look at how all the teams in
the MVC Mississippi did during the 2005 season:
Team
Conference
Record
Regular Season Record
Cedar Falls *
8-1
8-1
Cedar Rapids Prairie *
7-2
7-2
Dubuque Hempstead
4-5
4-5
Dubuque Wahlert
2-7
2-7
Iowa City High *
9-0
9-0
Iowa City West
3-6
3-6
Linn-Mar
3-6
3-6
*Denotes playoff berth
How
did MVC Mississippi teams do in the playoffs?
Cedar
Rapids Prairie
Lost to Cedar Rapids Kennedy in the first round (27-26, OT)
Iowa City High
Beat Bettendorf in the first round (17-13)
Lost to Davenport Assumption in the quarterfinals (23-6)
Cedar Falls
Beat Cedar Rapids Washington in the first round (51-7)
Beat Cedar Rapids Kennedy in the quarterfinals (52-30
Beat Davenport Assumption in the semifinals (31-21)
Lost to West Des Moines Valley in the championship (24-21)
2005 Review:
Cedar Falls lived up to expectations of the year before with an eventual
appearance in the championship game. And in that contest, they gave Valley
all they could handle before falling late. Prairie surprised many
(Including me) throughout the state and made the playoffs. Iowa City High
went undefeated and then was forced to play against the top two teams in the MAC
conference in the playoffs; Bettendorf and Davenport Assumption. They
deserved a better fate from the boys in Boone. Iowa City West struggled
through the season and eventually changed their coach this spring.
Linn-Mar won three games but struggled against top competition. Dubuque
Wahlert went from making the playoffs to falling among the bottom teams in one
year. Dubuque Hempstead was a solid team but couldn't get over the .500
mark.
Graduated All State Players:
Christian Albrecht - Cedar Falls
Taylor Brookins - Cedar Falls
Jordan Borcherding - Cedar Falls
Nate Curran - Cedar Falls
Ben Curran - Cedar Falls
Colin Dietrich - Prairie
Matt Trosky - Prairie
Robbie Kramer - Prairie
Ben Evans - Iowa City High
Josh Koeppel - Iowa City High
Andrew Schutt - Iowa City High
Dorian Davis - Iowa City High
Returning All State Players:
Jamie Klith - Prairie - RB
Travis Gobush - Iowa City High - RB
2006 Preview:
Depending on how you look at this conference, early on it appears that it could
come down to a three team race with Cedar Rapids Prairie, Iowa City High, and
Cedar Falls. But there are a number of other teams with the potential to
make a serious run at the postseason.
Starting with Cedar Falls, they have the most
holes to fill out of the three teams to be considered the early favorites.
The Tigers had one of the best senior classes in recent memory and made it all
the way to the title game before being stopped by West Des Moines Valley.
That was a classic game but didn't turn out as Cedar Falls would have hoped.
Pat Mitchell and his staff will have to fill a number of holes if the Tigers can
make another run at the playoffs. The Tigers only return five starters
from last year and will have to field a team without much experience. But
in usual Cedar Falls fashion, they will be ready to play. The defensive
back field should be strong with John Landau, D.J. Deery, and
Bryce Duchman all returning for their senior seasons.
Iowa City High finished the 2005 regular with a
better record than Cedar Falls but was plagued by their playoff pairing.
Their first game was at home against 8-1 Bettendorf (Which they won) and the
next contest was playing Davenport Assumption at Brady Street Stadium. And
with the Little Hawks beaten up from a long season, they just couldn't put
anything together in that game against the Knights. But as for this team,
there will some spots to replace but also a lot of quality returns.
Quarterback Jon Gilmore and running back Travis Gobush made a name for
themselves and will likely fight for All State honors. Also keep an eye on
lineman James Ferentz, who will be even better this fall as a junior.
There are some positions that are up for grabs but with the tradition of the
Little Hawks, don't be shocked to see those filled early.
On paper, Cedar Rapids Prairie may be the
favorite to win the conference with the amount of talent that they have
returning. Jamie Klith will be leading the way and is one of the hardest
workers in the state of Iowa. But there is also a bulk of other talented
players across the board for Prairie that it may be tough to beat them.
The Hawks do bring back their starting quarterback as well as one of the top
lines in Iowa. The spot that is probably most in question this season is
along the defensive line. The size will be there but these big guys must
prove they have the tenacity to play in the trenches defensively.
The defense of Dubuque Hempstead will be led by
senior linebacker Eric Meyer. This talented athlete does a good job
covering ground and is able to make a lot of plays. In the last two years,
this team has been down from their normal playoff standards. They went 5-4
in 2004 and 4-5 in 2005. Will this group of guys be able to put it
together and make a run at the postseason? They could but they must first
prove they can compete with the big boys in conference.
Dubuque Wahlert had one of the biggest changes
from season to season. In 2004, the Golden Eagles fought for a conference
title and ended up making it to the playoffs with a senior dominated team.
Even though a lot of those players graduated, Wahlert went from the playoffs to
2-7 and they struggled to get those wins. It could be interesting to see
what direction this team goes in but given their past history, expect things to
go better this time around.
Iowa City West will be heading in a new
direction as they recently named Mike Cooper head coach of the football team.
This job was opened for a very long time and even when Cooper was hired, there
was still question marks about if he was headed to coach the Trojans. Last
year, West only managed three wins and struggled through most of the year.
This time around, there is talent but the players must quickly buy into the new
coaching system in-order for the team to have success.
Linn-Mar is another team who will be hoping to
make a serious run at the postseason. They were close a few years back and
they still haven't dropped to the bottom of the conference. The biggest
question facing the Lions is will they be a middle of the pack team yet again
this year? Time will tell.
Quotes:
"I think we are going to both be ranked in the top ten during our first game
with Cedar Rapids Xavier. Other than that, I think the biggest competition will
be Iowa City High."
-Jamie Klith, Cedar Rapids Prairie running back, on their toughest
competition this fall.
"I definitely think Prairie will be up there
like always. West has a lot of people coming back with the juniors that they
started last year. Cedar Falls is always tough and it isn't easy going to the
Dome. There is no team that will be a big break. I think that Prairie and West
will be our biggest games that we have."
-Travis Gobush, Iowa City High running back, on who the top teams in
conference are.
Preseason Conference MVP: Jamie Klith of Cedar
Rapids Prairie
If Prairie is able to run the table and win conference, Klith will have to have
a huge year.
Sleeper Team: Cedar Falls
Would you ever overlook the Tigers and what they have accomplished recently?
Sleeper Player: Eric Meyer of Dubuque Hempstead
This talented athlete will have to do a lot for his team this fall.
Conference Champion: Cedar Rapids Prairie
In the end, I see Prairie and City High fighting for the championship and
Prairie eventually coming out on top.
IowaPreps.com Predictions for the MVC
Mississippi in
2006
Team
Cedar Rapids Prairie *
Iowa City High *
Cedar Falls
Iowa City West
Dubuque Hempstead
Dubuque Wahlert
Linn-Mar
*Denotes playoff berth
Agree/disagree? Post your thoughts now!
Preseason All State Offense[/URL]
As we
continue our count-down to the start of the 2006 football season, IowaPreps.com
continues breaking down every angle of the upcoming season. After
previewing every conference in Class 4A as well as coming out with our pre-pre-season
rankings, it is now time to bring premium users our preseason Class 4A All State
Offense.
QB
Danny Cahill
Johnston
Cahill put up big numbers last fall but will
need to find a new go-to wide receiver this season.
QB
Jon Gilmore
Iowa City High
Gilmore may be the top returning baseball
player in Iowa but has proven that his athleticism carries over to the
football field.
QB
Bobby Noyce
West Des Moines Valley
As a junior, Noyce stepped up and won the
quarterback battle in the fall. He finished the season as a State
champion.
RB
Tony Bassett
Clinton
Bassett was a difficult runner to bring down
and a major reason why Clinton nearly made it into the playoffs.
RB
Tre-Darrius Canady
Sioux City East
After rushing for 1,800 last fall as a junior,
Canady will have to do it with most of his line graduated.
RB
Travis Gobush
Iowa City High
Gobush was another integral part of the Little
Hawks offense that stepped up and finished the regular season undefeated.
RB
Jamie Klith
Cedar Rapids Prairie
Recently named the preseason offensive MVP for
the Cedar Rapids area, Klith is primed for a big year.
RB
Brandon Moeller
Fort Dodge
Moeller was named first team All Conference
while helping the Dodgers make a somewhat surprising run to the playoffs.
WR
Colin Sandeman
Bettendorf
This future Iowa Hawkeye was a scoring machine
last fall and it should continue into his senior year.
WR
Alex Sandvig
West Des Moines Valley
Sandvig helped the Tigers take home the 2005
State title and will be hoping to repeat as a senior.
TE
Ben Cotton
Ames
Only a junior, Cotton has great bloodlines and
has already committed to be a Cyclone after high school.
OL
Kaleb Admire
Cedar Rapids Jefferson
Admire has been a good player on a bad team.
Will this be the year the J-Hawks turn things around?
OL
Matt Bentler
Davenport Assumption
Bentler is not only one of the most dominant
linemen in Class 4A, he is also one of the most recruited.
OL
Ben Boothby
Clinton
Boothby dominated both sides of the line as a
junior and will be even better this fall as a senior.
OL
M.J. Kang
Ames
Kang will be starting for the third straight
year at the varsity level and is a dominant blocker.
OL
Ryan Katch
West Des Moines Dowling
Katch finished his junior year with All State
honors but will need to help lead an inexperienced team.
OL
John Kirwan
Sioux City East
Kirwan has been moving to a variety of
positions on the field but his blocking will be vital to the success of
Canady.
OL
Ryan Lamparek
Cedar Rapids Prairie
Lamparek will be one of the top lineman in the
MVC and needs to pave some holes to let Klith run.
OL
Adam McElederry
West Des Moines Valley
West Des Moines Valley has a strong returning
offensive line and a big part of that is McElderry.
ATH
Jordan Bernstine
Des Moines Lincoln
Bernstine gets the athlete label just because
he does so much for his team. And as a senior, he will be even more
valuable.
ATH
Nate Snead
Southeast Polk
Snead will finally get a chance to play on
both sides of the ball and his play will determine the success of Southeast
Polk.
K
Jordan Grimm
Cedar Rapids Kennedy
Grimm has an extremely strong leg and will
show it off against this year as a senior.
Agree/disagree? Talk about it now!
Preseason All State Defense[/URL]
As we
continue our count-down to the start of the 2006 football season, IowaPreps.com
continues breaking down every angle of the upcoming season. After
previewing every conference in Class 4A as well as coming out with our pre-pre-season
rankings, it is now time to bring premium users our preseason Class 4A All State
Defense.
DL
James Ferentz
Iowa City High
With his dad head coach at the University of
Iowa, it is obvious that Ferentz will be following him to the Hawkeyes once
he graduates.
DL
Josh Gablemann
Bettendorf
Gablemann will be a dominant force along the
line for the Bulldogs and lead one of the toughest defenses in Iowa.
DL
Josh Lorenson
Cedar Rapids Xavier
Lorenson is one of three returning All Staters
for the Saints and his experience will show this fall.
DL
Jeremy Schuck
West Des Moines Dowling
If Schuck can be named first team All
Conference at Urbandale, think of what he will be able to do at Dowling.
DL
Evan Tecklenburg
Muscatine
Tecklenburg received All Conference honors on
both sides of the ball as a junior and will be hoping to get the Muskies
into the playoffs.
LB
Willie Argo
Davenport Assumption
Argo is one of the top athletes in the Class
of 2008 and his ability will once again shine this fall.
LB
Joe Bedard
Cedar Rapids Xavier
The Cedar Rapids Xavier defense is primed for
big things and Bedard is expected to have another All State season.
LB
Fabian Brown
Des Moines Roosevelt
Brown was named first team All Conference last
fall but made a name for himself when he earned a scholarship from Iowa
State at camp.
LB
Andrew Foley
Ankeny
Foley may be only a junior but he must step up
his overall game if Ankeny wants to continue their success on the field.
LB
Shawn Gerard
North Scott
Gerard is an outstanding linebacker who will
likely end up with well over 150 tackles this year as a senior.
LB
Tony Gripp
Davenport Assumption
Gripp was a first team All Conference
linebacker for the Knights after helping them to the UNI-Dome.
LB
Logan Hudspeath
Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln
Hudspeath is one of the top returning players
in the MRC and will be ready for a monster season.
LB
Chad Onstot
Indianola
Onstot continues to fly under the radar and
will be looking to help Indianola play the underdog all year.
LB
Anthony Pritchard
West Des Moines Valley
Pritchard stepped into his role on the varsity
rather nicely and finished the year with All State honors.
DB
Josh Collins
Sioux City West
Collins does just about everything from Sioux
City West and will need to this fall if they want to improve their win
total.
DB
Matt Hartman
Iowa City West
Iowa City West will have a new coach and a ton
of question marks but Hartman will be their glue on both sides of the ball.
DB
Jon Rusch
Ottumwa
Don't expect Ottumwa to be down very long in
the Metro conference and a lot of that has to do with Rusch.
DB
Zach Schulte
Cedar Rapids Xavier
Schulte has been named by his coach as one of
the hardest hitters in Iowa and is primed for a great senior year.
DB
Kyle Steinbrecher
Davenport Assumption
Steinbrecher will be busy playing both sides
of the ball but has proven to be one of the best athletes in the Class of
2007.
ATH
Jeremy Batiste
Des Moines Roosevelt
Batiste makes the list because of his overall
contributions to Roosevelt on both sides of the ball.
Agree/disagree? Talk about it now!
This post was edited on 8/31 8:47 PM by LukeFeddersenif(GetAdminCookie() != 0) {document.write(' (Revisions[/URL])');}
Here is a look at how all the teams in
the CIML Central did during the 2005 season:
Team
District Record
Regular Season Record
West Des Moines
Dowling *
5-0
8-1
Ankeny *
4-1
6-3
Southeast Polk
2-3
5-4
Johnston
2-3
4-5
Indianola
2-3
4-5
Urbandale
0-5
2-7
*Denotes playoff berth
How
did CIML Central teams do in the playoffs?
Ankeny
Defeated Des Moines Lincoln in the first round (35-14)
Lost to West Des Moines Dowling in the quarterfinals (35-14)
West Des Moines Dowling
Defeated Ames in the first round (31-24)
Defeated Ankeny in the quarterfinals (35-14)
Lost to West Des Moines Valley in the semifinals (20-17)
2005 Review:
Despite having a new coach, West Des Moines Dowling eventually ended the entire
season ranked by IowaPreps.com as the #2 team in Iowa. The Maroons only
two losses were to the eventual champions from Valley but that didn't take away
from their impressive season. Ankeny started the season off very slow but
eventually bounced back and made the postseason. Although they didn't make
it to the semifinals, the Hawks made it to the second round. Southeast
Polk had to battle injuries before falling short in the postseason.
Johnston had some great athletes but couldn't put anything con
Graduated All State Players:
Aaron Jarosh - Ankeny - Ath
Matt Hulbert - Ankeny - OL
Spenser Jeshani - Dowling - OL
Warren Batiste - Dowling - RB
Sam Pieczynski - Dowling - DL
Jimmy Swift - Dowling - DB
Adam Dutcher - Southeast Polk - OL
Joe Cason - Southeast Polk - LB
Jake Wilson - Southeast Polk - RB
Joel Quick - Johnston - WR
Cole Amos - Indianola - DL
Returning All State Players:
Ryan Katch - Dowling - OL
2006 Preview:
of those players are now graduated. The question is can they reload?
Ryan Katch returns along the offensive line and was one of the top linemen in
Iowa last year. Defensively, the Maroons bring back end Charlie Bognanno
and back John Boesen. Both proved that they can play in the CIML but need
to step it up if the team can avoid rebuilding. Three transfers will also
help bolster Dowling's lineup. First team All Conference lineman Jeremy
Schuck, kicker Ryan McMahon, and athlete Grant Mayfield all
could see time with their new team.
Ankeny saw eight first team All Conference
players graduate and those included athletes headed to Iowa State, Nebraska, and
Northern Iowa to play sports. As for what the team has returning, junior
linebacker Andrew Foley had an outstanding sophomore year and created a lot of
havoc on the defensive side of things. All conference lineman Edward McCoy
has some big shoes to fill but he learned from some very talented players last
fall. The Hawks started last year with two straight losses but bounced
back and made it to the quarterfinals during the playoffs. They did fall
short of making it back to the Dome but don't expect this Ankeny team to be down
for long. There is too much talent and the program is one of the strongest
in the state.
If any team has the most to prove, it could be
Southeast Polk. Nate Snead, in his second year behind center, did
not put up the numbers many expected. However, look for him to have a big
senior year as he also will be spending time on the defensive side of the ball.
He likely will convert to defense in college so this year is important for him
as well as the college coaches keeping an eye on him. What will really
help Snead offensively is the return of All Conference wide receiver Brett
Wilkin and lineman Tony Burrows. That experience will be huge
heading into the 2006 season. Someone will need to step up in the running
game for the Rams.
Johnston will have seven huge holes to fill
with the number of All Conference players have graduated. They had a solid
year last year but what really stood out was the passing and catching of
quarterback Danny Cahill and wide receiver Joel Quick. But with Quick now
playing in college, Cahill must find a go to wide receiver that will help
utilize his arm. That will really determine what type of season the
Dragons can have.
Although he flew under the radar until Signing
Day, lineman Austin Zlab of Urbandale eventually signed with Northern Iowa.
But despite having him on the team, they were still unable to be successful on
the field. Jeremy Schuck, who was named All Conference last year, has
transferred to Dowling so there will be even more holes to fill.
The defensive side of things for Indianola has
a chance to be better this fall. First team all conference linebacker Chad Onstot has proven he can play. Onstot has worked hard this off-season and
will be better this year as a senior. Athlete Myles Easter is back and
could play an important role on both sides of the ball. Junior quarterback
John Teigland started as a sophomore and that really could pay dividends this
time around. He put up over 1,500 yards last year but will need to find a
new go-to wide receiver. This team has a chance to surprise some people.
Quotes:
and year out. Against Ankeny last year, it was a close game at the end and we
could have had them. Our team has a lot of confident going into this year."
-John Teigland, Indianola quarterback, on conference play this season.
Preseason Conference MVP: Ryan Katch of West
Des Moines Dowling
If the Maroons want to repeat as conference champions, Katch must dominate on
both sides of the ball and improve from last fall.
Sleeper Team: Indianola
The talent is there for the Indians to make a serious run at the playoffs.
Sleeper Player: Chad Onstot of Indianola
This talented linebacker earned first team All Conference honors and is getting
some serious looks by colleges.
Conference Champion: West Des Moines Dowling
With the time and effort that they have put in this off-season, the Maroons
will avoid rebuilding and instead make a run at the conference title.
IowaPreps.com Predictions for the CIML Central in
2006
Team
West Des Moines
Dowling *
Ankeny *
Indianola *
Southeast Polk
Johnston
Urbandale
*Denotes playoff berth
Agree/disagree? Post your thoughts now!
CIML Iowa[/URL]
Here is a look at how all the teams in
the CIML Iowa did during the 2005 season:
Team
District Record
Regular Season Record
West Des Moines
Valley *
5-0
9-0
Ames *
4-1
8-1
Fort Dodge *
2-3
6-3
Newton
3-2
5-4
Marshalltown
1-4
3-6
Mason City
0-5
1-8
*Denotes playoff berth
How
did CIML Iowa teams do in the playoffs?
Ames
Lost to West Des Moines Dowling in the first round (31-24)
West Des Moines Valley
Defeated Fort Dodge in the first round (45-18)
Defeated Sioux City Heelan in the quarterfinals (30-7)
Defeated West Des Moines Dowling in the semifinals (20-17)
Defeated Cedar Falls in the championship (24-21)
Fort Dodge
Lost to West Des Moines Valley in the first round (45-18)
2005 Review:
The two biggest themes of the season were Valley winning their third State title
in four years and Fort Dodge making a surprising run to the postseason.
The Dodgers had an outstanding year overall and was easily among the biggest
shockers in Class 4A. But also don't forget about the year Ames had.
The Little Cyclones only lost two games and that was against the West Des Moines
teams (Valley and Dowling). Austen Arnaud helped the team back to the
postseason and proved his worth as the number one recruit in the Class of 2006.
Graduated All State Players:
Jake Williams - Valley - WR
Dan Upchurch - Valley - OL
Zac Sandvig - Valley - RB
Mike Trueblood - Valley - DL
Brian Carlson - Valley - DB
Patrick Neal - Valley - DE
Austen Arnaud - Ames - QB
Nate Greving - Ames - RB
Daniel Klinker - Ames - LB
Matt Halverson - Fort Dodge - TE
Returning All State Players:
Anthony Pritchard - Valley - LB
M.J. Kang - Ames - OL
2006 Preview:
bet against West Des Moines Valley. The Tigers reload on a yearly basis
and every time I expect them to be down, they shock me with younger talent.
So instead of waiting for this down year (It may eventually happen), I have come
to the conclusion that Valley will have success every year unless something
changes soon (Why hasn't Gary Swenson been pulled to Iowa State ala Reese Morgan
to Iowa?). And even if that happens, I don't expect the Tigers to be down
for long. Anyways, as for the team itself. All State linebacker
Anthony Pritchard, wide receiver Alex Sandvig, and quarterback Bobby Noyce
are
the headlining returners. But don't sleep on juniors Joe Johnson and
Jake
McDonough. Both saw time last year and will use that to their advantage
this season. This Tiger team will start the year very strong on offense as
they only return three starters on the defensive side of things. But as
the season wears on, the younger players on the defensive side of things will
grow accustomed to varsity football and bring a lot to the team.
Ames, who narrowly lost their playoff game
against Dowling, will have a ton of holes to fill. The Little Cyclones had
to say goodbye to All Stater Austen Arnaud. This three-year starter has
been posing problems for the CIML opposition and will be missed. As for
the returners, tight end Ben Cotton is a junior and has already committed to
Iowa State. It doesn't hurt matters when you have good bloodlines and a Cyclone
coach for a dad. Offensive lineman M.J. Kang may be a bit undersized for
the next level but he has proven that he has the motor and desire to be very
successful. The questions with the running game will also need to be
answered as Nate Greving has moved on to play baseball at the University of
Iowa. But considering that Ames produces athlete every year, don't be
surprised to see them have a solid year.
Like any team, Fort Dodge has some question
marks but
they could easily surprise some people. Running back Brandon Moeller,
offensive lineman Morgan O'Connor, and linebacker Reid Branderhorst
all return after All Conference seasons. Those three will be relied on
heavily early in the season as a number of inexperienced players get accustomed
to the varsity level. But this year they may not be able to surprise
people early on. The Dodgers must replace a huge hole at quarterback as
well as along the lines.
Marshalltown was a young team last year but
will that help them much this fall? Tyler Peschong returns at quarterback
with one year of starting experience under his belt. He will need to find
some sure hands in the wide receiver core but he proved he can make plays.
Defensively, the team is bolstered by the return of Alex Kloberdanz and
John Kersbergen. Both had big years and proved to be a pain to the other CIML
teams.
Waukee is making the big jump up to Class 4A
and has some momentum going into the transition. The Warriors made their
first two playoff appearances ever over the last two years but will miss Tim
Getting at quarterback as well as Aaron Wies at running back. But despite
their departures, Waukee has some talented younger athletes. Tim's younger
brother, Jeff Getting was named All District in Class 3A and will be a junior this fall.
Also don't sleep on lineman Zach Davison. As a sophomore, Davison
totaled five sacks and put a lot of pressure on the quarterback. There are a number of question
marks in making the leap up to the CIML conference but expect the Warriors to
come and play every week.
The team with the biggest improvement needed is
Mason City. They lost a handful of All Conference players and only return
David Asche. The question is can he step up in his junior year and be a
team leader?
Quotes:
someone beats them, you have to put them at the top. And then to be honest with
you, I don’t know the other teams too well. I know a lot of teams had
quarterbacks like Austen Arnaud and Zach Edwards but where are they going to go?
I am sure Fort Dodge will be good and Ames is always good. In eighth grade we
played Waukee and they beat us good so they will be a good team as well.”
-Tyler Peschong, Marshalltown quarterback, on the CIML Iowa conference.
"In our conference, Fort Dodge and Ames like
always will be good and will give us a tough run. I think one of our
toughest non-conference games will be against Indianola. They have about
eighteen returning starters from last year so that will be a really good game."
-Alex Sandvig, West Des Moines Valley wide receiver, on their toughest tests
in conference.
"I am very excited and have a feeling we will
do good. Hopefully we can come out of that with a win."
-Michael Klacik, West Des Moines Valley running back, on opening the season
against Dowing.
Preseason Conference MVP: Bobby Noyce of West
Des Moines Valley
Noyce will be starting behind center for the second straight year and is among
the hardest workers on the Valley team.
Sleeper Team: Ames
With Arnaud gone, many will overlook them but they always produce athletes.
Sleeper Player: M.J. Kang
This All State lineman earned All State honors as a junior and will be better
this year in his third year starting.
Conference Champion: West Des Moines Valley
On paper, Valley is clearly the leader of this division. There are a
lot more question marks around the other teams.
IowaPreps.com Predictions for the CIML Iowa in
2006
Team
West Des Moines
Valley *
Fort Dodge *
Ames
Marshalltown
Waukee
Mason City
*Denotes playoff berth
Agree/disagree? Post your thoughts now!
CIML Metro[/URL]
Here is a look at how all the current teams in
the CIML Metro did during the 2005 season:
Team
District Record
Regular Season Record
Des Moines Lincoln
*
5-0
8-1
Ottumwa
4-1
6-3
Des Moines East
3-2
3-6
Des Moines
Roosevelt
2-3
4-5
Des Moines North
1-4
1-8
Des Moines Hoover
0-5
0-9
*Denotes playoff berth
How
did CIML Metro teams do in the playoffs?
Des Moines
Lincoln
Lost to Ankeny in the first round (35-14)
2005 Review:
It had to happen some time or another and Ottumwa finally went down last season
to a Metro opponent. Taking care of this talented team was Des Moines Lincoln.
Many had questions about the team but Jordan Bernstine proved that they were for
real. And as this senior continues to see recruiting heat up, it is no
wonder why they will likely be the early team to beat in this conference.
Graduated All State Players:
Larry Gamblin - Lincoln - OL
Shayne Shade - Roosevelt - DL
Returning All State Players:
Jordan Bernstine - Des Moines Lincoln - Ath
2006 Preview:
these teams. That may have something to do with the lack of respect that
this league gets. Don't forget that the INA did not name Jordan Bernstine
All State. Please take a look at his highlight film and tell me if you
think he is All State. The kid is special and that is why so many major
college programs have offered scholarships. And I can guarantee that even if
his senior year is worse than his junior year (Which I don't expect but I am
trying to make a point), he will get the honor on politics alone.
So now is about the time that I should actually
focus on the teams. Des Moines Lincoln has a lot of question marks along
both sides of the line. That will be crucial this year because if teams
can get pressure in the backfield, that will help them limit Bernstine.
But with the different things the Railsplitters do to get him the ball, he is a
tough player to limit. There are a lot of holes that will have to be filled quickly because only one other players was
named to an All Conference team (Basically not honorable mention); defensive end
Matt Poortinga. But look for juniors Adam Robinson and LJ Gamblin
to step up and make a
name for himself this fall. With Bernstine in the fold, this team will be
tough to slow down every week.
Ottumwa missed out on the postseason and will
have to see new players step up at the varsity level. What I feel has
caught up with this team is the limited numbers of athletes participating in the
program. It didn't matter the last few years but eventually it catches up
with you. The team does bring back one of the best athletes in the
conference in Jon Rusch. This kid is just talented and will be a very
important part to the team's success. Defensively, the team could be
strong with Rusch, Ryan Schooley, and Kip Stuart. Also keep an eye on
Mitch Houk. If he can prove his ability this fall, I would be willing to
bet he will add at least one scholarship offer. His size, speed, and
strength are off the charts but he has to show it on the field. But his
experience at offensive line has hurt him.
Des Moines East has some solid pieces returning
in their top receiver (Brandon Brown) and top running back (Elija Seymour) back
for their senior years. But last year they had a problem competing with
the top dogs in the division and that is always tough when Lincoln and Ottumwa
are having good years. If they can stay consistent and take down a good
Lincoln team, East could be tough to stop the rest of the fall.
Roosevelt has the pieces to be this years
version of Des Moines Lincoln. They have an excellent senior class and
this could finally be the year they break through and get a piece of the Metro
title. Wide receiver Ben Fuller, running back Jeremy Batiste, and
linebacker Fabian Brown all return after first team All Conference seasons.
And considering Brown proved at the recent Iowa State camp that he has what it
takes to play major college football, he should be primed for an excellent
season. Also don't forget about Kameron Middlebrooks if he can stay
healthy during the year. This team has all the pieces but they must put it
together on the field every week. Someone will need to step up at
quarterback early in camp to prepare himself for the coming season.
Newton has recently had down years on the
football field and will miss athlete Curt Greeley. This basketball stand
out made a number of plays on the field and that will be missed. The team
does have a number of younger players with potential but they must have made
major strides this summer if the team can make a run at the postseason.
The plus is that Fort Dodge proved it was possible last year. Running back
Matt Coen rushed for over 800 yards last year while averaging 6.2 yards
per carry. With him back, the Cardinal rushing attack will be in good
hands. Plus with Eli Shipley and Brooks Skaggs blocking for
him, he has a chance to go over the 1,000 yard mark as a senior.
The Des Moines Hoover vs. Des Moines North
battles have not been exactly stellar in recent memory. Both teams have
had some solid athletes come through their program but haven't been able to put
anything together. Can they change things?
Quotes:
“I think it will probably be Lincoln or East. I think Lincoln lost a lot but
they still have Jordan (Bernstine). When we play East, those are games that are
always close.”
-Kameron Middlebrooks, Des Moines Roosevelt athlete, on the toughest
competition in-conference.
Preseason Conference MVP: Jordan Bernstine of
Des Moines Lincoln
Just by watching Bernstine on tape, it is obvious how talented he is. This
senior is a freak athlete.
Sleeper Team: Ottumwa
On paper, they appear that they will be down but I wouldn't be surprised to see
them shock people this fall.
Sleeper Player: Fabian Brown of Des Moines
Roosevelt
Even though he has already committed to Iowa State, I still feel Brown is under
the radar.
Conference Champion: Des Moines Lincoln
There are some holes that Lincoln must fill early but with Bernstine back,
they are going to be a tough team to slow down.
IowaPreps.com Predictions for the CIML Metro in
2006
Team
Des Moines Lincoln
*
Des Moines
Roosevelt *
Ottumwa
Newton
Des Moines East
Des Moines North
Des Moines Hoover
*Denotes playoff berth
Agree/disagree? Post your thoughts now!
MAC Conference[/URL]
Here is a look at how all the teams in
the MAC did during the 2005 season:
Team
District Record
Regular Season Record
Davenport
Assumption *
9-0
9-0
Bettendorf *
8-1
8-1
North Scott *
7-2
7-2
Clinton
6-3
6-4
Pleasant Valley
4-5
4-5
Davenport West
4-5
4-5
Davenport Central
3-6
3-6
Muscatine
3-6
3-6
Davenport North
1-8
1-8
Burlington
0-9
0-9
*Denotes playoff berth
How
did MAC teams do in the playoffs?
Bettendorf
Lost to Iowa City High in the first round (17-13)
Davenport Assumption
Defeated North Scott in the first round (24-7)
Defeated Iowa City High in the quarterfinals (23-6)
Lost to Cedar Falls in the semifinals (31-21)
North Scott
Lost to Davenport Assumption in the first round (24-7)
2005 Review:
As an alum of Davenport Assumption, I was very proud to finally see the Knights
break through and beat Bettendorf during the regular season and finally (Let me
stress that finally) made it to the UNI Dome. This was their first
appearance in the Class 4A semifinals and it really says a lot about a school
that is 2A in almost every other sport. But once they got into the
semifinals against Cedar Falls, they were up 14-0 but eventually the atmosphere
and the play wore down the two-way players for the Knights. Bettendorf had
a solid year before falling to Iowa City High on a late pass in the first round
of the playoffs. North Scott
finally broke through and got into the playoffs. Clinton made a very
impressive turn around but fell one game short of the postseason. Muscatine and Pleasant Valley let me down as I
picked them both to make the playoffs.
Graduated All State Players:
Mike Hayward - Bettendorf - QB
Mike Gealy - Bettendorf - DL
Mike Manternach - Assumption - DL
Jeff Schebler - Assumption - K
Tyler Hoyt - Assumption - DB
Fritz Bentler - Assumption - DL
Brett Greenwood - Pleasant Valley - DB
Alex Boer - North Scott - WR
Mike Sosnowski - North Scott - QB
Nate Frere - Muscatine - DL
Justin Brauer - Davenport West - RB
Spencer Policha - Clinton - DB
Returning All State Players:
Colin Sandeman - Bettendorf - WR
Josh Gabelmann - Bettendorf - DL
Willie Argo - Assumption - RB
2006 Preview:
because I don't feel that it is fair but there are a lot of things very, very
similar. Both teams had to play a lot of their seniors the year before and
that helped them add a lot of varsity experience. And in both cases, there
was a weak class ahead of them that allowed this. But what will set this
Bulldog team apart is that their junior class will also be loaded. Time
will tell but the pieces for this Bettendorf team are in place. Starting
with athlete Colin Sandeman, the Bulldogs will be tough to stop offensively.
The quarterback position is in question but don't be surprised if a talented
junior steps up and fills the role well. Defensively, Josh Gabelmann
returns after an All State year and will be better with experience. Greg
Stroh, who fought injuries for most of the season, has added a lot of weight
this spring and could be very hard to block. He will have to prove he can
avoid the injury bug or he will experience the same problems. This Bulldog
team will start the season as my top ranked team in Class 4A and has a chance to
make another deep run in the postseason.
Davenport Assumption has a lot of holes to fill
from their impressive run but a number of skilled athletes are back. Willie
Argo blew up last season as a sophomore and quickly the state knew about him.
He will see an even greater role on offense and defense. And considering
how well he has done in wrestling and baseball, he will be even better this time
around. Kyle Steinbrecher
has proven he can play a number of positions and will likely step in at
quarterback. But if need be, he can also shift to wide receiver. He
also had a huge presence on the defensive side of the ball as well. Matt Bentler, the youngest of three brothers, is another top player in Iowa and
has offers from Stanford and Army. That list of offers could grow and the
in-state schools are keeping a close eye on him. The biggest question
marks about the Knights if their play along the line. Outside of Bentler,
there are a number of holes that must be filled for the offense to have as much
success as they had last season.
Finally they got past 6-3. That appeared
to be the magic number that North Scott was stuck on and that cost them a number of
berths to the postseason. But last year was the year that they returned to
the playoffs. The problems was that they matched up against Assumption in
the first round and it was a short lived trip. Returning for the Lancers
is a very talented player in Shawn Gerard. This talented athlete
currently holds a scholarship offer from Wyoming and has the attention of
schools across the Midwest. Defensive lineman Travis Childs will also help
anchor the defense. The quarterback position is up for grabs for the first
time in three years and that will be an important spot to fill.
Although they had a small senior class,
Muscatine seemed to pack it in early as they were blown out in the season finale
against Davenport West. If the current class of seniors wanted a bitter
taste in their mouths, this would be a great example of it. That class is
loaded with talent but they must prove they can play hard every down. The
Muskies have a chance for a special year but first they must come to play every
game. Evan Tecklenburg and Ben Pohl are two All Conference
players who have a chance for an outstanding year. But again, they must
come to play every game night.
Pleasant Valley was a school that just didn't
have the numbers to compete. One thing the Spartans proved last year is
that Brett Greenwood was the best player in the MAC. And although the team
missed the playoffs, he still was named All Conference on the field. There
will be a lot of holes to fill but Tim Hintze is back and has two years of
starting experience under his belt. The biggest question mark will be
numbers early in the year.
Clinton may not have made the playoffs but they
pulled off one of the biggest turnarounds in quite sometime. After losing
the season opener to Class 3A opponent Dewitt, the River Kings turned things
around and nearly made the playoffs. They shocked opponent after opponent
and gave the opposition huge problems. Ben Boothby and Tony Bassett
both were named first team All Conference and will be back with another year
of experience. With the talent coming back, expect the River Kings to
finally break through and get into the postseason. And considering where
this program was two years ago, that is saying a lot about what they have done.
Davenport Central had a lot of hype last summer
but did not come through. Injuries, suspensions, and other problems causes
the Blue Devils to struggle against a number of teams. And with All
Conference linebacker Adam Maher moving to Missouri, Central has a huge number
of question marks. Can the new coach help matters?
At times, Davenport West played some
outstanding football. But at others (End of the North Scott game comes to
mind), the Falcons wilted under the pressure and was unable to do anything.
And now West has a new coach and they will have to adjust to his style of play.
Can they do it quickly? The numbers are there but the team has not been
able to really play well over the last few years.
Burlington will finally get a chance to
showcase this junior class that everyone has been talking about. Although
they lost the head-to-head battle with Bettendorf late in the year, the team
must adjust quickly to the varsity level. They have zero returning players
who were named to an All Conference team (Non-honorable mention).
Davenport North has running back Jason White
back in the fold but the Wildcats rarely are able to put together a full
game. There are a lot of question marks that need answered.
"You always have Assumption and I think Muscatine will be good. PV and North
Scott were solid when we played them in the passing league. It is not a down
year in the MAC."
-Colin Sandeman, Bettendorf athlete, on their toughest tests in the MAC.
Preseason Conference MVP: Colin Sandeman of
Bettendorf
Sandeman scored an absurd amount of times last season and it should come as no
surprise that he will likely be the MVP for the coming season.
Sleeper Team: Pleasant Valley
The Spartans missed out on the playoffs last year but won't stay down for long.
Sleeper Player: Shawn Gerard of North Scott
Although he was an All State selection and has a scholarship offer from Wyoming,
he was only a second team All Conference selection.
Conference Champion: Bettendorf
The seniors for the Bulldogs all saw a lot of playing time last fall and
that will pay off in 2006.
IowaPreps.com Predictions for the MAC in
2006
Team
Bettendorf *
Davenport
Assumption *
Clinton *
Muscatine *
North Scott
Pleasant Valley
Burlington
Davenport West
Davenport Central
Davenport North
*Denotes playoff berth
Agree/disagree? Post your thoughts now!
MRC Conference[/URL]
Here is a look at how all the teams in
the MRC did during the 2005 season:
Team
Conference
Record
Regular Season Record
Sioux City Heelan *
5-0
6-3
Sioux City East *
4-1
8-1
CB Abraham Lincoln
3-2
5-4
Sioux City North
2-3
3-6
Sioux City West
1-4
3-6
CB Thomas Jefferson
0-5
0-9
*Denotes playoff berth
How
did MRC teams do in the playoffs?
Sioux City
East
Lost to Sioux City Heelan in the first round (37-0)
Sioux City Heelan
Defeated Sioux City East in the first round (37-0)
Lost to West Des Moines Valley in the quarterfinals (30-7)
2005 Review:
Sioux City East rolled out to a great start by taking advantage of a weak
schedule. The Black Raiders kept winning but they just could not get past
their rivals from Heelan. And as the season wore on, East lost both games
against Heelan. The Crusaders on the other hand started the year extremely
slow and had to win the conference to make the postseason. They fell short
against Valley but the problem is they will now be playing 3A. This will
make for a very interesting conference race.
Graduated All State Players:
Ryan Lessman - East - OL
Alex Tomes - East - OL
Anthony Ellis - North - LB
Brian Shannon - Lincoln - WR
Returning All State Players:
Tre-Darrius Canady - East - RB
Josh Collins - West - DB
2006 Preview:
The Crusaders had no problem competing every year in-conference but couldn't do
much damage on a State wide basis. With them moving to Class 3A, they may
be able to give Harlan a run year after year.
As for the teams returning, Sioux City East
returns one of the top running backs in Iowa with Tre-Darrius Canady. He
had an outstanding year but had trouble doing damage against Heelan. This
senior must prove he can put up big yards against every team, not just some of
the bottom feeders. John Kirwan will be back blocking for him and has some
major size. East can be considered the early favorite with Canady in the
backfield. If he can say healthy (Which sometimes is a problem for backs),
his numbers will be off the charts this season. Also keep an eye on
quarterback Steve Johnston and linebacker Marshall Tuttle.
Both have the talent to compete for All Conference honors. Outside of
Canady, Tuttle is the leading returning rusher and receiver on the Black
Raiders.
Sioux City West also brings back an All State
player in Josh Collins. This fantastic athlete spent much of the season at
quarterback but will be moved to running back to showcase his skills
offensively. The question that remains is who will step up at quarterback?
And on top of that, the line play needs to be improved for Collins to utilize
his skills. But with him on your team, the Wolverines have a chance
against anyone.
Sioux City North used the 2005 football season
to get better. And although 3-6 is nothing to write home about, they still
were able to win some games. All Conference athlete Mike Wilson is
back and will be even better with another year of experience under his belt.
Will North be able to add to that win total this fall? The pieces are in
place but they must beat the top tier teams. This team appears headed in
the right direction and that will be evident once again this fall. Also
keep an eye on athlete Robert Kellogg. This standout is an
outstanding wrestler but will be one of the leaders this fall for the Stars.
One school with a lot of question marks is
Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson? Lineman Jordan Elbert is back but who
else will prove that they can play at an All Conference level? They were
unable to win a game against anyone and that doesn't help with the big M (aka
momentum) heading into the new year. There are lots of holes to fills but
the positive is that it leaves the door open for younger athletes to get a shot.
Logan Hudspeath proved he was a solid
linebacker for Abraham Lincoln and will be better with another year of
improvement. And like Thomas Jefferson, this team will need others to step
up their play. AL must show that they can knock off the top dogs in
conference if they want to be postseason bound. Their only two losses in
the MRC came to the two teams who eventually made the playoffs. This team
will start the season very strong on the defensive side of the ball. If
they can prove throughout the course of the year that they can score, they could
easily make a run at Sioux City East.
Quotes:
"I would say probably Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln and Sioux City North."
-John Kirwan, Sioux City East lineman, on their toughest tests in the MRC
this year.
Preseason Conference MVP: Tre-Darrius Canady
If Canady can stay healthy and productive, he may be able to put up 2,000 yards.
Sleeper Team: Sioux City North
The Stars continue to make the move in the right direction.
Sleeper Player: Josh Collins
People may continue to say he plays on a bad team but Collins is extremely
talented.
Conference Champion: Sioux City East
With Heelan gone, the Black Raiders are primed for a big year in the MRC.
IowaPreps.com Predictions for the MRC in
2006
Team
Sioux City East *
CB Abraham Lincoln
Sioux City North
Sioux City West
CB Thomas Jefferson
*Denotes playoff berth
Agree/disagree? Post your thoughts now!
MVC Valley [/URL]
Here is a look at how all the teams in
the MVC Valley did during the 2005 season:
Team
Conference
Record
Regular Season Record
Cedar Rapids Jefferson
1-8
1-8
Cedar Rapids Kennedy *
7-2
7-2
Cedar Rapids Washington *
6-3
6-3
Cedar Rapids Xavier
6-3
6-3
Dubuque Senior
4-5
4-5
Waterloo East
0-9
0-9
Waterloo West
3-6
3-6
*Denotes playoff berth
How
did MVC Valley teams do in the playoffs?
Cedar
Rapids Kennedy
Defeated Cedar Rapids Prairie in the first round (27-26, OT)
Lost to Cedar Falls in the quarterfinals (52-20)
Cedar Rapids Washington
Lost to Cedar Falls in the first round (51-7)
2005 Review:
Coming into the season, everyone expected big things out of Cedar Rapids Kennedy
and they didn't disappoint as they made it to the quarterfinals.
Washington was one of the biggest shockers in Class 4A as Paki O'Meara continued
the Warriors string of All State running backs. Cedar Rapids Xavier just
missed out on the postseason but has a number of athletes back this fall.
Dubuque Senior said goodbye to Jayme Murphy and never was really able to fight
for a postseason berth with him on the team. Cedar Rapids Jefferson had
one of Iowa's top linemen in Kaleb Admire but they still could only win one
game. Waterloo West finished with three wins but never was able to create
much momentum. And Waterloo East continued their struggles with nine more
losses.
Graduated All State Players:
Ben Lamaak - Kennedy
Mike Morio - Kennedy
Luke Dolan - Kennedy
Brad Schleder - Kennedy
Paki O'Meara - Washington
Adam Pinckney - Washington
Jayme Murphy - Senior
Shane Peterson - Waterloo West
Returning All State Players:
Josh Lorenson - Xavier - DL
Joe Bedard - Xavier - LB
Zach Schulte - Xavier - DB
2006 Preview:
obvious favorite. The Saints are loaded with a variety of athletes as well
as linemen, which is the perfect combination that coaches want back. A
number of these players will be heading into their third season on varsity and
that experience will only help. And as they saw how Kennedy won games with
a senior laden team, I expect the exact thing out of Xavier this fall. On
paper, the talent is definitely but they must prove it on the field. All
Staters returning include lineman Josh Lorenson, linebacker Joe Bedard,
and defensive back Zach Schulte.
Cedar Rapids Washington will have to adjust to
a lot of things. The first thing is a new coach. And in some cases
(Dowling), that coach is able to win immediately with a talented senior class.
But the other question mark is who will be the new All State running back for
Washington? After four straight seasons of All State running backs, there
is an opening that will need to be filled early in the year. But as with
every Warrior team, they will be athletic and talented. This version of
the Warriors will be young and inexperienced but if they buy into the new coach,
good things could happen.
With Kaleb Admire, Cedar Rapids Jefferson has
one of the top linemen returning in Iowa. The only problem is that they
had very little around him last year and that resulted in just one win on the
football field. The J-Hawks have a lot of holes to fill but easily could
double their win total this year. Admire was a first team All Conference
selection but teammates around him must perform this year.
Cedar Rapids Kennedy had a senior dominated
team last year that helped them finally make it to the postseason. And on
top of that, they won one of the most dramatic games of the 2005 football season
by pulling out an overtime thrilled over their rivals from Cedar Rapids Prairie.
But a number of players on both side of the ball are graduated. The
Cougars lost four first team All Conference players but do have back a very
talented kicker in Jordan Grimm as well as running back Herve Cantrell.
However, those two players won't be enough to secure a playoff spot. This
conference does help the Cougars with a favorable schedule but getting into the
postseason again will not be an easy task.
Although he was plagued by injuries as a
senior, Dubuque Senior had to say goodbye to do everything athlete Jayme Murphy.
This standout should go down as one of the top football players every in their
program. But instead of looking at the past, the Rams will need to have a
number of players step up and help take over for his production.
Waterloo West was able to win three games last
year in conference and will be hoping to build upon that success. The
problem is that there are a lot of players gone now who made an impact at the
varsity level. Those holes need to be filled by quality players during
camp next month.
Will this finally be the year for Waterloo East
to break the streak? There have been so many talented athletes (Milan
Moses, Travis Ferguson) that have gone through the system and have been unable
to win any games. So can they finally do it? The Trojans have been
successful at the younger levels recently and deep down, I think that success
will pay off at the varsity level this fall.
Quotes:
no more than any team that would have made the playoffs. Any team will want to
beat us whether we were good last year or not.”
-Jay Teply, Cedar Rapids Xavier lineman, on having a target on their back
this year.
"The two teams that I am nervous for are Prarie
in the second game and Xavier in our second to last game. Those are two good
teams."
-Kaleb Admire, Cedar Rapids Jefferson lineman, on their toughest tests this
fall.
"It is looking really strong so far. There is
Prairie, who will be a really good team. Iowa City High, West, and Wash will be
good. I think everyone has a lot of players and everyone should be good this
year."
-Domingo Vega, Cedar Rapids Xavier linebacker, on their toughest opponents
this year.
Preseason Conference MVP: Josh Lorenson of
Cedar Rapids Xavier
Lineman are usually overlooked but Lorenson will need to give it his all if he
can help get the Saints back to the playoffs.
Sleeper Team: Cedar Rapids Washington
With a new coach and a ton of athletes, the Warriors are always a scary team.
Sleeper Player: Kaleb Admire
Admire is a good player on a bad team.
Conference Champion: Cedar Rapids Xavier
On paper, Xavier is by far the favorite in this conference. But
obviously, games are not played on paper.
IowaPreps.com Predictions for the MVC Valley in
2006
Team
Cedar Rapids Xavier *
Cedar Rapids Washington *
Cedar Rapids Kennedy
Cedar Rapids Jefferson
Waterloo East
Dubuque Senior
Waterloo West
*Denotes playoff berth
Agree/disagree? Post your thoughts now!
MVC Mississippi[/URL]
Here is a look at how all the teams in
the MVC Mississippi did during the 2005 season:
Team
Conference
Record
Regular Season Record
Cedar Falls *
8-1
8-1
Cedar Rapids Prairie *
7-2
7-2
Dubuque Hempstead
4-5
4-5
Dubuque Wahlert
2-7
2-7
Iowa City High *
9-0
9-0
Iowa City West
3-6
3-6
Linn-Mar
3-6
3-6
*Denotes playoff berth
How
did MVC Mississippi teams do in the playoffs?
Cedar
Rapids Prairie
Lost to Cedar Rapids Kennedy in the first round (27-26, OT)
Iowa City High
Beat Bettendorf in the first round (17-13)
Lost to Davenport Assumption in the quarterfinals (23-6)
Cedar Falls
Beat Cedar Rapids Washington in the first round (51-7)
Beat Cedar Rapids Kennedy in the quarterfinals (52-30
Beat Davenport Assumption in the semifinals (31-21)
Lost to West Des Moines Valley in the championship (24-21)
2005 Review:
Cedar Falls lived up to expectations of the year before with an eventual
appearance in the championship game. And in that contest, they gave Valley
all they could handle before falling late. Prairie surprised many
(Including me) throughout the state and made the playoffs. Iowa City High
went undefeated and then was forced to play against the top two teams in the MAC
conference in the playoffs; Bettendorf and Davenport Assumption. They
deserved a better fate from the boys in Boone. Iowa City West struggled
through the season and eventually changed their coach this spring.
Linn-Mar won three games but struggled against top competition. Dubuque
Wahlert went from making the playoffs to falling among the bottom teams in one
year. Dubuque Hempstead was a solid team but couldn't get over the .500
mark.
Graduated All State Players:
Christian Albrecht - Cedar Falls
Taylor Brookins - Cedar Falls
Jordan Borcherding - Cedar Falls
Nate Curran - Cedar Falls
Ben Curran - Cedar Falls
Colin Dietrich - Prairie
Matt Trosky - Prairie
Robbie Kramer - Prairie
Ben Evans - Iowa City High
Josh Koeppel - Iowa City High
Andrew Schutt - Iowa City High
Dorian Davis - Iowa City High
Returning All State Players:
Jamie Klith - Prairie - RB
Travis Gobush - Iowa City High - RB
2006 Preview:
come down to a three team race with Cedar Rapids Prairie, Iowa City High, and
Cedar Falls. But there are a number of other teams with the potential to
make a serious run at the postseason.
Starting with Cedar Falls, they have the most
holes to fill out of the three teams to be considered the early favorites.
The Tigers had one of the best senior classes in recent memory and made it all
the way to the title game before being stopped by West Des Moines Valley.
That was a classic game but didn't turn out as Cedar Falls would have hoped.
Pat Mitchell and his staff will have to fill a number of holes if the Tigers can
make another run at the playoffs. The Tigers only return five starters
from last year and will have to field a team without much experience. But
in usual Cedar Falls fashion, they will be ready to play. The defensive
back field should be strong with John Landau, D.J. Deery, and
Bryce Duchman all returning for their senior seasons.
Iowa City High finished the 2005 regular with a
better record than Cedar Falls but was plagued by their playoff pairing.
Their first game was at home against 8-1 Bettendorf (Which they won) and the
next contest was playing Davenport Assumption at Brady Street Stadium. And
with the Little Hawks beaten up from a long season, they just couldn't put
anything together in that game against the Knights. But as for this team,
there will some spots to replace but also a lot of quality returns.
Quarterback Jon Gilmore and running back Travis Gobush made a name for
themselves and will likely fight for All State honors. Also keep an eye on
lineman James Ferentz, who will be even better this fall as a junior.
There are some positions that are up for grabs but with the tradition of the
Little Hawks, don't be shocked to see those filled early.
On paper, Cedar Rapids Prairie may be the
favorite to win the conference with the amount of talent that they have
returning. Jamie Klith will be leading the way and is one of the hardest
workers in the state of Iowa. But there is also a bulk of other talented
players across the board for Prairie that it may be tough to beat them.
The Hawks do bring back their starting quarterback as well as one of the top
lines in Iowa. The spot that is probably most in question this season is
along the defensive line. The size will be there but these big guys must
prove they have the tenacity to play in the trenches defensively.
The defense of Dubuque Hempstead will be led by
senior linebacker Eric Meyer. This talented athlete does a good job
covering ground and is able to make a lot of plays. In the last two years,
this team has been down from their normal playoff standards. They went 5-4
in 2004 and 4-5 in 2005. Will this group of guys be able to put it
together and make a run at the postseason? They could but they must first
prove they can compete with the big boys in conference.
Dubuque Wahlert had one of the biggest changes
from season to season. In 2004, the Golden Eagles fought for a conference
title and ended up making it to the playoffs with a senior dominated team.
Even though a lot of those players graduated, Wahlert went from the playoffs to
2-7 and they struggled to get those wins. It could be interesting to see
what direction this team goes in but given their past history, expect things to
go better this time around.
Iowa City West will be heading in a new
direction as they recently named Mike Cooper head coach of the football team.
This job was opened for a very long time and even when Cooper was hired, there
was still question marks about if he was headed to coach the Trojans. Last
year, West only managed three wins and struggled through most of the year.
This time around, there is talent but the players must quickly buy into the new
coaching system in-order for the team to have success.
Linn-Mar is another team who will be hoping to
make a serious run at the postseason. They were close a few years back and
they still haven't dropped to the bottom of the conference. The biggest
question facing the Lions is will they be a middle of the pack team yet again
this year? Time will tell.
Quotes:
with Cedar Rapids Xavier. Other than that, I think the biggest competition will
be Iowa City High."
-Jamie Klith, Cedar Rapids Prairie running back, on their toughest
competition this fall.
"I definitely think Prairie will be up there
like always. West has a lot of people coming back with the juniors that they
started last year. Cedar Falls is always tough and it isn't easy going to the
Dome. There is no team that will be a big break. I think that Prairie and West
will be our biggest games that we have."
-Travis Gobush, Iowa City High running back, on who the top teams in
conference are.
Preseason Conference MVP: Jamie Klith of Cedar
Rapids Prairie
If Prairie is able to run the table and win conference, Klith will have to have
a huge year.
Sleeper Team: Cedar Falls
Would you ever overlook the Tigers and what they have accomplished recently?
Sleeper Player: Eric Meyer of Dubuque Hempstead
This talented athlete will have to do a lot for his team this fall.
Conference Champion: Cedar Rapids Prairie
In the end, I see Prairie and City High fighting for the championship and
Prairie eventually coming out on top.
IowaPreps.com Predictions for the MVC
Mississippi in
2006
Team
Cedar Rapids Prairie *
Iowa City High *
Cedar Falls
Iowa City West
Dubuque Hempstead
Dubuque Wahlert
Linn-Mar
*Denotes playoff berth
Agree/disagree? Post your thoughts now!
Preseason All State Offense[/URL]
As we
continue our count-down to the start of the 2006 football season, IowaPreps.com
continues breaking down every angle of the upcoming season. After
previewing every conference in Class 4A as well as coming out with our pre-pre-season
rankings, it is now time to bring premium users our preseason Class 4A All State
Offense.
QB
Danny Cahill
Johnston
Cahill put up big numbers last fall but will
need to find a new go-to wide receiver this season.
QB
Jon Gilmore
Iowa City High
Gilmore may be the top returning baseball
player in Iowa but has proven that his athleticism carries over to the
football field.
QB
Bobby Noyce
West Des Moines Valley
As a junior, Noyce stepped up and won the
quarterback battle in the fall. He finished the season as a State
champion.
RB
Tony Bassett
Clinton
Bassett was a difficult runner to bring down
and a major reason why Clinton nearly made it into the playoffs.
RB
Tre-Darrius Canady
Sioux City East
After rushing for 1,800 last fall as a junior,
Canady will have to do it with most of his line graduated.
RB
Travis Gobush
Iowa City High
Gobush was another integral part of the Little
Hawks offense that stepped up and finished the regular season undefeated.
RB
Jamie Klith
Cedar Rapids Prairie
Recently named the preseason offensive MVP for
the Cedar Rapids area, Klith is primed for a big year.
RB
Brandon Moeller
Fort Dodge
Moeller was named first team All Conference
while helping the Dodgers make a somewhat surprising run to the playoffs.
WR
Colin Sandeman
Bettendorf
This future Iowa Hawkeye was a scoring machine
last fall and it should continue into his senior year.
WR
Alex Sandvig
West Des Moines Valley
Sandvig helped the Tigers take home the 2005
State title and will be hoping to repeat as a senior.
TE
Ben Cotton
Ames
Only a junior, Cotton has great bloodlines and
has already committed to be a Cyclone after high school.
OL
Kaleb Admire
Cedar Rapids Jefferson
Admire has been a good player on a bad team.
Will this be the year the J-Hawks turn things around?
OL
Matt Bentler
Davenport Assumption
Bentler is not only one of the most dominant
linemen in Class 4A, he is also one of the most recruited.
OL
Ben Boothby
Clinton
Boothby dominated both sides of the line as a
junior and will be even better this fall as a senior.
OL
M.J. Kang
Ames
Kang will be starting for the third straight
year at the varsity level and is a dominant blocker.
OL
Ryan Katch
West Des Moines Dowling
Katch finished his junior year with All State
honors but will need to help lead an inexperienced team.
OL
John Kirwan
Sioux City East
Kirwan has been moving to a variety of
positions on the field but his blocking will be vital to the success of
Canady.
OL
Ryan Lamparek
Cedar Rapids Prairie
Lamparek will be one of the top lineman in the
MVC and needs to pave some holes to let Klith run.
OL
Adam McElederry
West Des Moines Valley
West Des Moines Valley has a strong returning
offensive line and a big part of that is McElderry.
ATH
Jordan Bernstine
Des Moines Lincoln
Bernstine gets the athlete label just because
he does so much for his team. And as a senior, he will be even more
valuable.
ATH
Nate Snead
Southeast Polk
Snead will finally get a chance to play on
both sides of the ball and his play will determine the success of Southeast
Polk.
K
Jordan Grimm
Cedar Rapids Kennedy
Grimm has an extremely strong leg and will
show it off against this year as a senior.
Agree/disagree? Talk about it now!
Preseason All State Defense[/URL]
As we
continue our count-down to the start of the 2006 football season, IowaPreps.com
continues breaking down every angle of the upcoming season. After
previewing every conference in Class 4A as well as coming out with our pre-pre-season
rankings, it is now time to bring premium users our preseason Class 4A All State
Defense.
DL
James Ferentz
Iowa City High
With his dad head coach at the University of
Iowa, it is obvious that Ferentz will be following him to the Hawkeyes once
he graduates.
DL
Josh Gablemann
Bettendorf
Gablemann will be a dominant force along the
line for the Bulldogs and lead one of the toughest defenses in Iowa.
DL
Josh Lorenson
Cedar Rapids Xavier
Lorenson is one of three returning All Staters
for the Saints and his experience will show this fall.
DL
Jeremy Schuck
West Des Moines Dowling
If Schuck can be named first team All
Conference at Urbandale, think of what he will be able to do at Dowling.
DL
Evan Tecklenburg
Muscatine
Tecklenburg received All Conference honors on
both sides of the ball as a junior and will be hoping to get the Muskies
into the playoffs.
LB
Willie Argo
Davenport Assumption
Argo is one of the top athletes in the Class
of 2008 and his ability will once again shine this fall.
LB
Joe Bedard
Cedar Rapids Xavier
The Cedar Rapids Xavier defense is primed for
big things and Bedard is expected to have another All State season.
LB
Fabian Brown
Des Moines Roosevelt
Brown was named first team All Conference last
fall but made a name for himself when he earned a scholarship from Iowa
State at camp.
LB
Andrew Foley
Ankeny
Foley may be only a junior but he must step up
his overall game if Ankeny wants to continue their success on the field.
LB
Shawn Gerard
North Scott
Gerard is an outstanding linebacker who will
likely end up with well over 150 tackles this year as a senior.
LB
Tony Gripp
Davenport Assumption
Gripp was a first team All Conference
linebacker for the Knights after helping them to the UNI-Dome.
LB
Logan Hudspeath
Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln
Hudspeath is one of the top returning players
in the MRC and will be ready for a monster season.
LB
Chad Onstot
Indianola
Onstot continues to fly under the radar and
will be looking to help Indianola play the underdog all year.
LB
Anthony Pritchard
West Des Moines Valley
Pritchard stepped into his role on the varsity
rather nicely and finished the year with All State honors.
DB
Josh Collins
Sioux City West
Collins does just about everything from Sioux
City West and will need to this fall if they want to improve their win
total.
DB
Matt Hartman
Iowa City West
Iowa City West will have a new coach and a ton
of question marks but Hartman will be their glue on both sides of the ball.
DB
Jon Rusch
Ottumwa
Don't expect Ottumwa to be down very long in
the Metro conference and a lot of that has to do with Rusch.
DB
Zach Schulte
Cedar Rapids Xavier
Schulte has been named by his coach as one of
the hardest hitters in Iowa and is primed for a great senior year.
DB
Kyle Steinbrecher
Davenport Assumption
Steinbrecher will be busy playing both sides
of the ball but has proven to be one of the best athletes in the Class of
2007.
ATH
Jeremy Batiste
Des Moines Roosevelt
Batiste makes the list because of his overall
contributions to Roosevelt on both sides of the ball.
Agree/disagree? Talk about it now!
This post was edited on 8/31 8:47 PM by LukeFeddersenif(GetAdminCookie() != 0) {document.write(' (Revisions[/URL])');}
