Class A - District 1[/URL]
Here is a look at how all the current teams in
District One did during the 2005 season:
Team
District Record
Regular Season Record
Galva-Holstein *
7-2
7-2
Gehlen Catholic *
8-1
8-1
Kingsley-Pierson
6-3
6-3
Lawton-Bronson
2-7
2-7
Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn (1A)
1-6
2-7
River Valley
1-8
1-9
Westwood Sloan
0-9
0-9
West Monona (1A)
0-7
0-9
Woodbury Central
5-4
5-4
*Denotes playoff berth
How
did District 1 do in the playoffs?
Galva-Holstein
Lost to West Bend-Mallard in the first round (39-0)
Gehlen Catholic
Lost to Newell-Fonda in the first round (35-34, OT)
Thoughts on District 1 for 2006:
When looking at the 2005 records, this district is easily separated into the
top and the bottom teams. Four squads (Galva-Holstein, Gehlen Catholic,
Kingsley-Pierson, and Woodbury Central) all won five or more games and fought
for a playoff berth. And then the other five teams combined to win four
contests throughout the year. The question that is will that gap between
the teams remain this season or will there be more competitive balance in the
district? Gehlen Catholic ended last year with an impressive 8-1 record
and nearly moved on to the second round of the playoffs. In that first
round game, they were beaten in overtime by one point against a very solid
Newell-Fonda team. The Jays graduated three All State seniors and will
have a ton of holes to fill. And although there are question marks, one
player to keep an eye on is Alex Loutsch. This senior was the second
leading rusher on the team and tied for the lead in interceptions.
Loutch's presence on both sides of the ball could be a great help for the new
varsity players. Galva-Holstein
was blown out in their first round playoff game and few expected them to make it
that far. Back from that team was there only All State selection, Daniel Borchers. This talented senior is undersized but has a great motor and a
nose for the ball. He will definitely make an impact in this district
during the fall. The team was had a powerful rushing attack last year and
will likely employ the same strategy. The question now is who will get the
bulk of the carries? Kingsley-Pierson has produced some talented players over
the past few years but will that talent be coming back? Athlete Nick Kuchel won a lot of ball games for this team and he will be walking-on at the
University of Iowa in the fall. Leading the defense this year will likely
be Chase Koskovich. As a sophomore, this standout totaled over 100 tackles
and has a chance to chase school records if he continues at that pace. And
although they did not throw the ball often, quarterback Kirby Washburn and
leading wide receiver Isaiah Corbin return for another year. Woodbury Central improved as the season
wore on and finished much stronger than they did during the 2004 season.
They must prove that they can stay consistent during the season and beat some of
the big boys ahead of them in the standings. But with the athletes they
have returning, don't be shocked to see the Wildcats make a run at the playoff
berth. Quarterback Jeremy Rodgers put up some impressive numbers last fall
as a sophomore. As for other skill players, Brett Rose is back at running back
as well as Landon Wright at wide receiver. If they can improve their play
along the line, this team could sneak up on some people. Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn
is making the jump down from 1A and that should help them improve on their 2-7
finish from last fall. The question is how much their drop in class add to
their win total? Leading rusher Kevin Leavitt returns but there are a lot
of question marks surrounding this team. Lawton-Bronson has been in the
middle of the pack when it comes to district play and still finished that way
last year. One player to keep an eye on in the future is Dakota Miller.
This sophomore is an outstanding athlete. River Valley, Westwood Sloan, and West
Monona (Another 1A team) combined to finish last year at 1-27. They will
really need to turn things around if they want to hit the four or five win mark
for next year.
Preseason District MVP: Daniel Borchers
After an All State year as a junior, Borchers must be better this season if he
wants to lead his team to the district title.
Sleeper Team: Woodbury Central
I might be going out on a limb and picking them as one of the top teams in this
district but with the amount of talent they have back, it is hard to argue with.
Sleeper Player: Alex Loutsch
The senior class last year overshadowed Loutsch but don't be surprised to see
him shine this season.
District Champion: Galva-Holstein
They have done some serious damage in district play over the past few years.
Although that has not helped during the playoffs, I expect their success to
continue.
IowaPreps.com Predictions for District 1 in
2006
Team
Galva-Holstein *
Gehlen Catholic *
Woodbury Central
Kingsley-Pierson
Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn
Lawton-Bronson
West Monona
River Valley
Westwood Sloan
*Denotes playoff predictions
Agree/disagree? Talk about it right now!
Class A - District 2[/URL]
Here is a look at how all the current teams in
District Two did during the 2005 season:
Team
District Record
Regular Season Record
Guthrie Center *
8-1
8-1
West Harrison
1-8
1-8
IKM Manilla
4-5
4-5
Boyer Valley
3-6
3-6
Woodbine
7-2
7-2
A-H-S-T *
9-0
9-0
Treynor
6-3
6-3
Bedford (1A)
1-6
1-8
Manning
5-4
5-4
*Denotes playoff berth
How
did District 2 do in the playoffs?
Guthrie Center
Lost to Madrid in the first round (56-20)
A-H-S-T
Defeated Martensdale St. Mary's in the first round (37-0)
Defeated Madrid in the quarterfinals (35-29)
Lost to West Bend-Mallard in the semifinals (37-34)
T
houghts on District 2 for 2006:
When watching AHST play West Bend-Mallard in the semifinals, that was one of
the most exciting football games I had ever seen. There was no doubt
in-mind that they had every chance in the world to be playing in the Class A
title game. I thought they were the better team but what does that matter?
The Vikings must focus on replacing three All Staters, including Don Bladt.
Bladt did just about everything for this team and made some amazing catches at
wide receiver. Keep an eye on All District selection Alan Bladt. He
may only be a junior but has varsity experience under his belt. Danny
Pattee saw time behind center as a sophomore and that will help him transition
to a bigger role on the team. The Vikings are a pass-first offense and
will need some receivers to step up their game. Guthrie
Center returns after another playoff appearance last year and I expect them to
have a longer run in the postseason this time around. All Stater Andrew Meier returns as
well as a very talented junior in Spencer Railsback. This one-two punch
will easily be among the best in the district and will give opponents fits
trying to stop them. If they can show steady play on both sides of the
line, don't be surprised to see the Tigers taking control in this district. Woodbine missed out on the postseason
last fall but has a load of players back. Their only two losses all year
were to the two eventual playoff teams and those games were not very close.
But with all district selections Jake
Roberts, Cory Dickinson, and Tyler Kuhlman back this team could be better after
another year of off-season workouts. The Tigers must prove they can play
with the big boys before any serious runs at the playoffs can be made. Treynor
had to say goodbye to Austin Frain, who will be playing at South Dakota State
this year. But the Frain family has yet another brother to dominate the
football field in junior Tanner. He made an immediate impact at the
varsity level but will need to step up his leadership to help replace the senior
class. There are some solid players on this team but the Cardinals have to
prove it on Friday nights. That will include playing Treynor football,
which is led by a stingy defense. That mentality needs to return if the
Cardinals can make a run at the postseason. Manning was able to finish over .500 after
losing a solid senior class and has athlete Brad Renze returning. This
senior is also among the top basketball players in Iowa and has a chance for a
big senior year on the football field. Nolan Potthoff also returns and
will help anchor the offense that struggled at times against good defenses last
season. Boyer Valley has two key players back with Cory Donscheski and
Ryan Oppold but what about the rest of the team? There are obviously a lot
of holes to fill, especially when considering they only managed three wins last
year. Donscheski rushed for over 1,000 yards last year and will get
another chance to repeat the feat this fall. West Harrison managed only
one win in their district. But with better competition, it may be tough to
improve much on that. There are a lot of questions they will have to
answer at the skill player positions. IKM Manilla brings back six All
District players from a team that finished at 4-5. And the majority of
their losses were tight games that seemed to be lost down the stretch. If
they can stay consistent and finish games, the talent is there for the Hawks to
shock some people. And last but not least, Bedford is making the climb
down from Class 1A where they only managed one win. Ryan Hughes will
likely take over as the lead rusher but the line must step up this year.
Quotes:
"I think our district is very strong again. The past three years have been very
hard and it will be tough again. The tenth game against I-35 will make it a
really tough season ahead of us."
-Andrew Meier, Guthrie Center athlete, on District 2 this fall.
Preseason District MVP: Andrew Meier
If Meier can stay healthy, he could easily be one of the few in-state athletes
to be named All State three straight years on the football field.
Sleeper Team: Woodbine
With the amount of players that Woodbine has coming back, don't be shocked to
see them make a run at the district title.
Sleeper Player: Tanner Frain
Most people in this district know the Frain name but the younger version will
show the State what he has this year.
District Champion: Guthrie Center
Unless someone proves that they can stop Meier and Railsback, the Tigers are
the early favorite.
IowaPreps.com Predictions for District 2 in
2006
Team
Guthrie Center *
A-H-S-T *
Woodbine
Treynor
IKM Manilla
Manning
Bedford
Boyer Valley
West Harrison
*Denotes playoff predictions
Agree/disagree? Talk about it right now!
Class A - District 3[/URL]
Here is a look at how all the current teams in
District Three did during the 2005 season:
Team
District Record
Regular Season Record
Alta (1A)
4-3
5-4
Clay Central-Everly
1-8
1-8
Laurens-Marathon
1-8
1-8
Newell-Fonda *
8-1
8-1
Odebolt-Arthur
6-3
6-3
Rockwell City-Lytton
6-3
6-3
Schaller-Crestland
4-5
4-5
Southeast Webster
2-7
2-7
*Denotes playoff berth
How
did District 3 do in the playoffs?
Newell-Fonda
Defeated Gehlen Catholic in the first round (35-34, OT)
Lost to West Bend-Mallard in the quarterfinals (34-21)
Thoughts on District 3 for 2006:
When the district pairings came out, Newell-Fonda had to be happy they were
no longer in the same district as West Bend-Mallard. That was the only
team that beat them during the 2005 season and were basically their Achilles
heal. The Mustangs bring back first team All District selection David
Hopper. This senior is an outstanding talent at running back and rushed
for over 1,200 yards. He proved last year that he was tough
but he will be even better this fall. There will be a lot of holes to fill
with the seniors graduated but look for Austin Vanderhoff to anchor the
offensive line and as he blocks for Hopper. Rockwell City-Lytton has
proved over the past few years that although the school is small, it continues
to produce fine athletes. The team missed out on the playoffs but with a
number of athletes back, it may be tough to keep them out of the top two in this
district. Defensive lineman/running back Dave Sexton returns and was a
first team All District selection. Also back on defense is athlete Trevor
Richardson. Richardson is also a very talented basketball player. If
the Wildcats can find a solid replacement for Brent Miller at quarterback and
get play out of their line, don't be surprised to see this team in the playoffs. Odebolt-Arthur finished
last year at 6-3 and saw their only All State player, Mark Fertig, graduate.
The teams that they will be playing will be new to them, which could be an
interesting twist on the year. The Trojans use a number of running backs
in the offense and Bryan Leonard will likely be taking over as the top back. Alta is making the jump down from Class 1A
after finishing 5-4 last year. As shown in their run to the basketball
State tournament, this school can produce talented athletes. Running back
Chris Schmitz led the team in rushing as a sophomore and should be ready for a
breakout season this fall. If the line can step up, watch out for some
impressive players in the Class of 2008. Schaller-Crestland
graduated two-time All State linebacker Brian Bode. He was an outstanding
high school athlete who made an impact whenever he was on the field. The
Wildcats bring back a good portion of their offensive line in Jon Grundmeier and
Lucas Severson. Both were All District selections one year ago and will be
blocking for Justin Ronk. The Wildcats ended last season with four
straight victories so that momentum should propel them into the 2006 season.
But if they start the year slow once again, it will be tough to turn the ship
around. Southeast Webster, Laurens-Marathon, and Clay Central Everly combined for
four wins last year. But in this district, anything could happen and that may
include a team going from one win to fighting for a playoff berth. But
in-order to do that, these teams must prove they can play with the likes of
Newell-Fonda, Rockwell City-Lytton, and others.
Preseason District MVP: Trevor Richardson
This award could have easily been handed to Dave Sexton but Richardson does so
many things for his team on both sides of the ball.
Sleeper Team: Alta
I may have them predicted third but don't be shocked if they sneak up and make a
run at the playoffs.
Sleeper Player: Justin Ronk
Ronk rushed for over 800 yards in a secondary role last season but that should
greatly improve.
District Champion: Rockwell City-Lytton
The quarterback spot must be filled by a talented athlete but the rest of
the pieces are there.
IowaPreps.com Predictions for District 3 in
2006
Team
Rockwell City-Lytton
*
Newell-Fonda *
Alta
Schaller-Crestland
Odebolt-Arthur
Southeast Webster
Clay Central-Everly
Laurens-Marathon
*Denotes playoff predictions
Agree/disagree? Talk about it right now!
Class A - District 4[/URL]
Here is a look at how all the current teams in
District Four did during the 2005 season:
Team
District Record
Regular Season Record
Belmond-Klemme
(1A)
2-5
2-7
Algona Garrigan
(1A) *
6-1
7-2
Graettinger/Terril
3-6
3-6
Northwood-Kensett
6-2
6-3
North Central
Manly
0-8
0-9
SCMT
5-3
6-3
West Bend-Mallard
*
9-0
9-0
West Hancock *
8-0
8-1
*Denotes playoff berth
How
did District 4 do in the playoffs?
West Hancock
Defeated Postville in the first round (35-0)
Lost to Elgin Valley in the quarterfinals (21-6)
West Bend-Mallard
Defeated Galva-Holstein in the first round (35-0)
Defeated Newell-Fonda in the quarterfinals (34-21)
Defeated AHST in the semifinals (37-34)
Lost to North Mahaska in the championship game (21-6)
Algona Garrigan
Defeated AGWSR in the first round (22-14)
Defeated Pocahontas Area in the quarterfinals (21-6)
Defeated Council Bluffs St. Albert in the semifinals (13-0)
Lost to Iowa City Regina in the championship game (19-8)
Thoughts on District 4 for 2006:
It is scary just looking at the playoff resumes of the teams in this
district. Two eventually played in the State title game and one made it to
the quarterfinals. That is a combined ten playoff games between those
teams. And considering that Algona Garrigan did their damage in Class 1A,
it makes it that much more impressive. West Bend-Mallard is definitely a
team that is tough to beat. The last time they lost was a regular season
game was during the 2002 season. Again, let me repeat that. The last
time West Bend-Mallard lost a regular season game was during the 2002 season.
That is going on four years. Obviously the Wolverines have a football
factory but with the players that they graduate, don't be shocked to see them
get knocked off in-district play. Adam Jergens returns at running back and
will be hoping to help the team's success continue. He was the second
leading rusher behind Brad Ruppert and will get a chance to shine more often
this year. Overall there are a lot spots open so if the younger, more
inexperienced athletes are good enough, they will get their chance. As for Algona-Garrigan, they had a great
year at the Class 1A level before seeing their run end against Iowa City Regina
in the title game. Few expected them to return to the postseason, let
alone nearly win the State title. Defensive lineman Dustin Tindall was an
All State selection last year and he will be back. This senior is
undersized but makes up for it with his ability to make plays all over the
field. Overall this team will be tough to beat at the Class A level. The two teams mentioned above will likely get all the attention but
many forget that West Hancock was able to finish district play undefeated. The Eagles were
hit very hard by graduation but they do return a talented running back in John Mallen.
He was a first team All District selection after putting up some big numbers on
the ground. Northwood Kensett missed out on the playoffs but they have proven that they are among the
top small schools in Iowa. They continually produce talented classes of
athletes every year and I expect that to continue this fall. Keep an eye
on Matt Hengesteg and Cody Hanson leading this team to a number of wins.
Hanson is also a very talented basketball player and is among the top athletes
on the team. Hengesteg rushed for over 1,300 yards and is a tough runner
to stop. SCMT brings back one of the biggest lineman in Class A in Andy Ubben. This
second team All State selection is a load to handle on both sides of the line
and just makes plays with his size and skills. Other players to watch for
the Spartans are Jordan Mondt and Kalem Hanig. Mondt will likely be the
featured running back after scoring 19 touchdowns and rushing for just over
1,300 yards last fall. Alex Pals also returns and after leading the team
in receiving yards.Belmond-Klemme is yet
another team moving down from Class A and they will be hoping that helps them
add to their win total from last fall. Junior linebacker Tyler Christensen
made a name for himself and should be better this time around. Graettinger/Terril
won three games last year overall. That may not be much but considering
they went defeated
in 2004, that is a step in the right direction. Speaking of defeated, North Central
Manly went winless last fall. The Falcons have won a total of three
games since 2002 (And two of those wins were during the 2002 season). Both
teams needs to really work hard and come to play every week to bolster those win
totals.
Quotes:
“West Bend is going to be a tough one and I know Bishop Garrigan has been
talking about as being one of the tough teams. I think that we will give them a
run for their money if we put our minds to it.”
-Andy Ubben, SCMT lineman, on toughest competition within the district.
Preseason District MVP: Dustin Tindall
This All State lineman will need to step up his game if he can help the Golden
Bears back to the State title game.
Sleeper Team: SCMT/Northwood Kensett
These two teams have what it takes to play for a district title.
Sleeper Player: Matt Hengesteg
Although slightly undersized, don't be surprised to see him go over 1,500 yards
this season.
District Champion: Algona Garrigan
Calling this district stacked is an under statement. There are five
legitimate teams that have a chance at making the postseason but it is
unfortunate that only two will move on. And with their move down from
Class 1A, I see Algona Garrigan knocking West Bend-Mallard off from the top of
the perch and winning a district title.
IowaPreps.com Predictions for District 4 in
2006
Team
Algona Garrigan *
West Bend-Mallard
*
Northwood-Kensett
SCMT
West Hancock
Belmond-Klemme
Graettinger/Terril
North Central
Manly
*Denotes playoff predictions
Agree/disagree? Talk about it right now!
Class A - District 5[/URL]
Here is a look at how all the current teams in
District Five did during the 2005 season:
Team
District Record
Regular Season Record
Elgin Valley *
8-0
9-0
Kee Lansing
4-4
4-5
Tripoli
1-7
1-8
East Buchanan
4-4
5-4
Wapsie Valley (1A)
3-4
3-6
Riceville *
7-1
7-2
Postville *
7-1
8-1
Dunkerton
3-4
3-5
West Central Maynard
6-2
8-2
*Denotes playoff berth
How
did District 5 do in the playoffs?
Elgin Valley
Defeated Riceville in the first round (23-20)
Defeated West Hancock in the quarterfinals (21-6)
Lost to North Mahaska in the semifinals (35-7)
Riceville
Lost to Elgin Valley in the first
round (23-20)
Postville
Lost to West Hancock in the first
round (35-0)
Thoughts on District 5 for 2006:
Elgin Valley has been one of the most consistent football programs over the
past few years in Class 1A. They continue to play at a high level and are
always fighting for a postseason berth. And that happened once again
during the 2005 season as they made it all the way to the semifinals before
falling to the eventual champions, North Mahaska. And like most Tiger
teams, they were senior dominated so there are a lot of open spots. But
don't be shocked to see younger players step up and not miss a beat this year.
Quarterback Jared Torkelson is back as well as two-way starters Jacob Larson and
Keith Amundson. Riceville will be competing to return to the playoffs after a 7-2 regular season
finish. Back from that team are two talented All District selections in
Jordan Oulman and Adam Haacke. Haacke is a bit undersized along the line
but he outworks his opposition and can make plays. Nick Crawford returns
behind center as well as the third leading rusher, Luke Pickar. And
considering this team rushes the ball a lot, he still went for over 700 yards. Postville has really
been able to play at a high level over the last two years and their only regular
season loss has been to Elgin Valley. Many wonder if the team will go back
to the middle of the pack but I feel that will not be the case. With two
All District linemen back as well as two talented running backs, the Pirates may
make another run at extending their season. Quarterback Blaine Grinna is
one of the top small school athletes in Iowa and will make an impact after being
named All State last fall. West Central Maynard played a
great season but could not get past the top two teams in district play, Elgin
Valley and Postville. On paper, this team looks scary with seven All
District selections back on the team. Plus with the motivation of missing
out on the postseason last year, this team could be ready to make a run at the
Dome. The Blue Devils are tough to stop because of their rushing attack.
So with the duo of Darin Lockard and Lucas McSweeney, this team will be tough to
stop. However, they must come up huge in the big games that they struggled
in last year. East Buchanan and Kee Lansing were only able to muster 4-4 records
during district play. And if they want to increase their win total, both
teams must come to play every Friday and not just beat up on the teams below
them in the standings. The Buccaneers will see Jared Grover taking over as
the main running back this season. And now that he is a senior, he should
be ready. Wapsie Valley has had some talented players over
the past few years but have yet to put anything together in-terms of a playoff
run. But with their move down from 1A, don't be shocked if the Warriors
can surprise some people. Senior Corey Kerns has been making an impact on
both sides of the ball and a lot will be expected out of him this year. Dunkerton only won three games last year and
said goodbye to a number of seniors but has Jacob Eades returning. Eades
is a junior who was named first team All District last fall. Keep an eye
on him because he will be one of the top defenders in the district.
Eades also will likely be the Raiders top running back. Tripoli has a solid defense returning but they must prove they can score if they
want any chance on improving.
Quotes:
"With Wapsie Valley coming and with new teams coming in, it is different from
last year. We are excited but also nervous because we don't know what everyone
is like. We have three tough teams with Wapsie, West Central, and Elgin Valley.
Hopefully we can get into the top two and go into the next step. It will be
tough because we don't have a non-district game right away. We have to come off
the ball hard and be ready right off the bat."
-Adam Haacke, Riceville lineman, on his thoughts for District 1.
Preseason District MVP: Blaine Grinna
If you can quarterback your team to a district title, you deserve some
publicity.
Sleeper Team: West Central Maynard
Their rushing attack came up big against everyone but the top teams. Can
they correct that this time around?
Sleeper Player: Corey Kerns
Kerns is an athlete flying under the radar but will be tough to stop this year.
District Champion: Postville
It appears that Postville and Riceville are the early favorites but do not
count out Elgin Valley. They have a deep football tradition and I don't
expect them go down easily against either of the teams.
Team
Postville *
Riceville *
Elgin Valley
West Central Maynard
East Buchanan
Wapsie Valley (1A)
Kee Lansing
Tripoli
Dunkerton
*Denotes playoff prediction
Agree/disagree? Talk about it right now!
Class A - District 6[/URL]
Here is a look at how all the current teams in
District Six did during the 2005 season:
Team
District Record
Regular Season Record
Central City
2-6
3-7
Don Bosco
0-8
0-9
GMG Garwin
6-3
7-3
Lisbon *
8-0
9-0
Midland (1A)
1-6
1-8
North Tama
4-5
4-5
NU High
3-5
4-5
Olin
5-3
6-3
Springville
0-8
0-9
*Denotes playoff berth
How
did District 6 do in the playoffs?
Lisbon
Defeated Edgewood-Colesburg in the first round (46-25)
Lost to North Mahaska in the quarterfinals (55-16)
Thoughts on District 6 for 2006:
Lisbon seems to be able to dominate district play and that once again looks
to be the case this year. They have a very underrated football factory
that continues to win games. Since 2002, the Lions have only lost three
regular season games and two of those came during the 2003 season. It was
tough starting a sophomore quarterback but it seemed to pay off for the Lions.
Now that Trent Rasmussen is past being inexperienced, look for him to play a
bigger role in the offense. And with the success of the team, it says a
lot about the skills of Rasmussen to start him that early into his career.
If he can stay healthy and continue working hard, he has a bright future on the
football field. Outside of Lisbon, no other teams qualified for the
postseason last year. And that will make things very interested for
district play this fall. GMG finished
with the best record outside of the Lions and are thrilled that they no longer
get to play North Mahaska in district play. Seven All District players are
gone from last year but Tye Broekermeier and Tim Mooney will be returning.
Both made a name for themselves during the season and will need to step up their
game. One thing that the Wolverines must improve on is their play in big
games. They finished the year losing three games and were dominated in
each contest. If GMG wants to compete for a playoff berth, they must be
able to play with everyone they see. Olin likes to pass the ball a lot but will see a change in their
offense. The Lions graduated an All State quarterback and wide receiver so
there are a lot of spots up for grabs. Justin Smith and Justin Rix return
at wide receiver and both combined to total nearly 1,000 receiving yards.
But the question that needs to be answered is who will throw them the ball? North Tama will be bringing back
four All District skill players but the questions about them will be the size on
the line. Who will be the main blockers for these athletes? If that
question is answered, the Redhawks may have something. Derrick Dengler and
Shawn Beenken both spent time behind center and time will tell if they split
time this year. Running back/athlete Zach Kopriva returns and he led the
team with seven interceptions. Dont' be surprised if this team fights for
the postseason. NU High may return
the most recognized quarterback in Drew Stonewall. This senior is a
fantastic athlete who finished last year with All District honors. He also
returns two of his favorite targets in wide receiver Joe McKenna and tight end
Jay Miller.Central City won only three games last fall but their win total has
improved since 2003. Athlete Dalton Price was the team's leading receiver
and will be a focal part of the offense. Springville, Don Bosco, and Midland have a
great district to make a run in but there are a lot of question marks at each
school.
Preseason District MVP: Trent Rasmussen
Although he is a junior, a year of experience under Rasmussen's belt will come
in very handy this year.
Sleeper Team: NU High
NU High always seems to have athletes. Could this be the year they
capitilize?
Sleeper Player: Zach Kopriva
If you pull down seven interceptions and get no pub, you deserve the sleeper
award.
District Champion: Lisbon
Lisbon seems to be the early favorite but on paper, North Tama may have the
most returning talent. But with the Lions tradition and experience, they
may be tough to beat.
Team
Lisbon *
North Tama *
GMG Garwin
NU High
Olin
Central City
Midland
Springville
Don Bosco
*Denotes playoff prediction
Agree/disagree? Talk about it right now!
Class A - District 7[/URL]
Here is a look at how all the current teams in
District Seven did during the 2005 season:
Team
District Record
Regular Season Record
Cardinal Eldon
(1A)
0-7
0-9
English Valleys
0-9
0-9
Highland Riverside
(With Lone Tree)
2-5
2-7
H-L-V
6-3
6-3
Iowa Valley
2-7
2-8
Lone Tree
(With Highland Riverside)
2-5
2-7
WACO, Wayland *
8-1
8-1
Winfield-Mt. Union
1-8
1-9
*Denotes playoff berth
How
did District 7 do in the playoffs?
WACO
Lost to North Mahaska in the first round (56-6)
Thoughts on District 7 for 2006:
When looking at the districts, one that many will wonder about is this one.
There are two, count them two, teams that won more than two games year.
WACO, who had a very good year, made the playoffs last year and their two losses
were against North Mahaska. And then there is H-L-V, who finished at 6-3.
And the other six teams combined to win seven games last year (Counting two per
team between Lone Tree and Highland). And if there ever was a district
where anything could happen, this would probably be it. As for the teams,
WACO was hit hard by graduation but returns a special athlete in Austin McBeth.
This junior also started on the basketball team that made it to State and was an
All District selection on the football field. He will pose a lot of
problems for the opposition with his arm and running ability. Also keep an
eye on linebacker/running back Chayse Roth. He led the team in rushing and
found the end zone thirteen times. McBeth will need to find a go-to wide
receiver but he has the ability to make players better around him. H-L-V
returns more All District selections (four) than they graduate (three).
They have some very talented players returning so don't be shocked to see them
compete with WACO for the district title. Quarterback Sean Campbell
returns and must reduce his interceptions. If this team wants to be
successful on a weekly basis, he must drop that number to around five at most.
The Warriors have all the pieces to compete for a playoff berth. As for
the rest of the teams, there are more question marks than I could ever write
about. First there is Lone Tree and Highland Riverside. These two
teams were combined last year but decided against it this time around.
That will make for a huge rivalry if anything. I don't know the whole
story about the situation but this could get interesting. Iowa Valley only
won two games last year but they have been competitive recently. They won
a district title in 2002 but obviously the talent has not been there. But
keep an eye on athletes Tyler Olson and Jacob Cobb. The only problem is
that when your quarterback throws 21 interceptions, it is not easy to win games
no matter what the circumstance. Winfield-Mt. Union has won four games
since 2002 and will likely be in a tough situation. They have their hands
full. English Valley has solid over the last few years outside of last
fall. They were drubbed repeatedly and just did not have what it takes to
compete against the opposition. Cardinal Eldon also was defeated last
season but will be making the move down from Class 1A. What that means has
yet to be determined.
Preseason District MVP: Austin McBeth
Although he is a junior, a year of experience under Rasmussen's belt will come
in very handy this year.
Sleeper Team: Everyone outside of WACO and
H-L-V
NU High always seems to have athletes. Could this be the year they
capitalize?
Sleeper Player: Chris Roberts
Roberts did just about everything for H-L-V last year but will need to do more.
District Champion: WACO
On paper, this doesn't look like more than a two team race. I have a
feeling that two team face could be interesting.
Team
WACO, Wayland *
H-L-V *
Iowa Valley
Cardinal Eldon
(1A)
English Valleys
Lone Tree
Highland Riverside
Winfield-Mt. Union
*Denotes playoff predictions
Agree/disagree? Talk about it right now!
Class A - District 8[/URL]
Here is a look at how all the current teams in
District Eight did during the 2005 season:
Team
District Record
Regular Season Record
Colo-Nesco
2-7
2-8
Des Moines
Christian
2-7
2-8
Earlham
5-4
5-4
Lynnville-Sully
0-9
0-9
Madrid *
9-0
9-0
North Mahaska *
9-0
9-0
Southeast Warren
7-2
7-2
Van Meter
5-4
5-4
*Denotes playoff berth
How
did District 8 do in the playoffs?
Madrid
Defeated Guthrie Center in the first round (56-20)
Lost to AHST in the quarterfinals (35-29)
North Mahaska
Defeated WACO in the first round (56-6)
Defeated Lisbon in the quarterfinals (55-16)
Defeated Elgin Valley in the semifinals (35-7)
Defeated West Bend-Mallard in the championship game (21-6)
Thoughts on District 8 for 2006:
North Mahaska and Madrid have been two of the most consistent Class A
programs over the last few years. Since 2002, both teams have combined to
make the postseason seven times and win five district titles. Now that is
pretty impressive. North Mahaska is also coming off of their first State
title in football ever and will be a totally different team. The Levi
Ferguson show will be graduated and the team will have a ton of holes. The
Class of 2006 at North Mahaska should go down as the best class of athletes,
ever. There will be a lot of inexperienced athletes on the field this
season. Time will tell if they rebuild or reload. As for Madrid, the
team loses a number of All State lineman that will be missed. The team
does have some solid athletes back as well as great football tradition.
The Tiger offense should be strong with quarterback Austin Peters as well as
running backs Tony Simmer and Caleb Blattel back for another season.
Southeast Warren finished at 7-2 and nearly made the playoffs. But despite
their success, they only had one player named first team All District.
That is surprising but just shows that you don't need stand out players to win
ball games. You just need a solid team. And with the amount of skill
players this team has returning, expect them to make a run at the top of the
standings. Van Meter has not made the playoffs since the 2002 season and seems to flirt
with the chance to get to the postseason every year since. If not for
three straight losses to end last year, things may have been different. They have yet to
break through but is this year? To do so, the Bulldogs will have to knock off Madrid
or North Mahaska if they want that to happen. Earlham may be one of the most
up and down teams throughout the entire state over the past few years. In
2002 and 2003, they finished 2-17. And then in 2004, the Cardinals came
out of nowhere to finish 8-1 and make the playoffs. Now in 2005, they went
to the middle of the pack at 5-4. Is it up to the playoffs or back down to
bottom of the standings for Earlham? Having Jake Slusher back for another
year will help their case. Colo-Nesco and Des Moines Christian
were unable to really put anything together last year. They combined for
four total wins but could not play consistently for an extended period of time.
And last but not least, Lynnville-Sully went winless last fall. Some major
changes must occur if this team can win games.
Preseason District MVP: Caleb Blattel
Although he is a junior, a year of experience under Rasmussen's belt will come
in very handy this year.
Sleeper Team: Earlham
The Cardinals return some important pieces that could help them make a run
at the postseason.
Sleeper Player: Jake Slusher
For being an All Stater, he hasn't been getting that much early hype.
District Champion: Madrid
The line is a huge question mark but the with the players coming back and
tradition of the team, I see Madrid taking home another district title.
Team
Madrid *
North Mahaska *
Earlham
Southeast Warren
Van Meter
Des Moines
Christian
Colo-Nesco
Lynnville-Sully
*Denotes playoff predictions
Agree/disagree? Talk about it right 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 district in Class A as well as coming out with our pre-pre-season
rankings, it is now time to bring premium users our preseason Class A All State
Offense.
QB
Blaine
Grinna
Postville
Grinna is a fantastic athlete who is a pain to opponents on both sides of
the ball. Now that his senior season is here, watch out.
QB
Austin
McBeth
WACO
McBeth took over behind center last fall for WACO and led them to a playoff
berth in his sophomore year. This kid is a talented athlete.
RB
Darin
Lockard
West
Central
As a sophomore, Lockard rushed for 1,400 yards and 19 touchdowns. Can
he improve on that as a junior?
RB
Spencer Railsback
Guthrie
Center
Another junior, Railsback will be the featured runner on one of the top
teams in Class A this fall.
RB
Dusty
Wilkie
Hubbard-Radcliffe
Wilkie is a powerful runner who gets the job done. And now that he is
a senior, this could be his year.
WR
Wade
McDonough
Sac City
He will need a new quarterback to throw him the ball but McDonough totaled
nearly 1,000 receiving yards in the air.
WR
Trevor
Richardson
Rockwell
City-Lytton
Richardson is a very versatile athlete who does just about everything for
the Wildcats.
TE
Tanner
Frain
Treynor
Following in the long tradition of the Frain brothers, Tanner will shine
again this year at tight end and defensive end.
OL
Casey
Huckins
West
Central
At 6-foot-6, 260 pounds, Huckins is a player the opposition hates to line up
across.
OL
Tim
Mooney
GMG
Mooney does not have the prototypical Division I lineman size but that has
not stopped him from dominating at the high school level.
OL
Andy
Ubben
SCMT
Ubben on the other hand has that size that college coaches are looking for
but he must prove it again this fall.
Ath
Bruce
Dahlhauser
West
Bend-Mallard
Dahlhauser is one of the top returners for the Wolverines and hopes to
continue their good fortunes during the season.
K
Mitch
Kurth
Gehlen
Catholic
Kurth showed he was a very talented athlete this and will be one of the top
returning kickers in Iowa.
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 district in Class A as well as coming out with our pre-pre-season
rankings, it is now time to bring premium users our preseason Class A All State
Defense.
DL
Bryan
Mueller
Postville
Mueller helped Postville to a playoff appearance last year and will be
hoping to take home the district title this fall.
DL
Adam
Haacke
Riceville
Haacke appears to be headed to Wartburg after high school but first he has
to stay focused on his senior season.
DL
Daniel
Borchers
Galva-Holstein
This returning All Stater was a load to block all season and he made
opponents pay throughout the fall.
DL
Alex
Pokorny
North
Tama
At 6-foot and 180 pounds, Pokorny doesn't strike fear in his opponents with
his size but that doesn't stop him from dominating bigger players.
DL
Dustin
Tindall
Algona
Garrigan
Tindall and the Golden Bears made it all the way to the Class 1A State title
last fall and now they are making the move down to Class A.
DL
Steven
Daniels
North
Mahaska
Daniels will really have to improve if he wants to get North Mahaska back
into the postseason.
LB
Alan
Bladt
A-H-S-T
Bladt made an impact at the varsity level as a sophomore on one of the best
teams in Class A.
LB
Caleb
Blattel
Madrid
Blattel could have made preseason All State on either side of the ball but
he will be focusing on continuing the football tradition at Madrid.
DB
Andrew
Meier
Guthrie
Center
Meier is one of the top athletes in this class and has been receiving
Division I recruiting looks. He also is a standout quarterback.
DB
Brad
Renze
Manning
Renze has made a name for himself on the basketball court but also finished
last fall with All State honors because of his play on the football field.
DB
Jake
Slusher
Ealham
Slusher rushed for over 1,000 yards and nearly totaled 100 tackles last
season. With numbers like that, look for this senior to fight for All
State honors once again.
DB
Jacob
Larson
Elgin
Valley
Elgin Valley made it all the way to the semifinals last fall and although
they were hit hard by graduation, Larson is back and hopes to continue
winning ball games.
P
Chayse
Roth
WACO
Roth is a very versatile athlete who showed off his skills as a running back
but gets recognition on this because of his punting skills.
Agree/disagree? Talk about it now!
This post was edited on 8/17 12:16 PM by LukeFeddersenif(GetAdminCookie() != 0) {document.write(' (Revisions[/URL])');}
Here is a look at how all the current teams in
District One did during the 2005 season:
Team
District Record
Regular Season Record
Galva-Holstein *
7-2
7-2
Gehlen Catholic *
8-1
8-1
Kingsley-Pierson
6-3
6-3
Lawton-Bronson
2-7
2-7
Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn (1A)
1-6
2-7
River Valley
1-8
1-9
Westwood Sloan
0-9
0-9
West Monona (1A)
0-7
0-9
Woodbury Central
5-4
5-4
*Denotes playoff berth
How
did District 1 do in the playoffs?
Galva-Holstein
Lost to West Bend-Mallard in the first round (39-0)
Gehlen Catholic
Lost to Newell-Fonda in the first round (35-34, OT)
Thoughts on District 1 for 2006:
When looking at the 2005 records, this district is easily separated into the
top and the bottom teams. Four squads (Galva-Holstein, Gehlen Catholic,
Kingsley-Pierson, and Woodbury Central) all won five or more games and fought
for a playoff berth. And then the other five teams combined to win four
contests throughout the year. The question that is will that gap between
the teams remain this season or will there be more competitive balance in the
district? Gehlen Catholic ended last year with an impressive 8-1 record
and nearly moved on to the second round of the playoffs. In that first
round game, they were beaten in overtime by one point against a very solid
Newell-Fonda team. The Jays graduated three All State seniors and will
have a ton of holes to fill. And although there are question marks, one
player to keep an eye on is Alex Loutsch. This senior was the second
leading rusher on the team and tied for the lead in interceptions.
Loutch's presence on both sides of the ball could be a great help for the new
varsity players. Galva-Holstein
was blown out in their first round playoff game and few expected them to make it
that far. Back from that team was there only All State selection, Daniel Borchers. This talented senior is undersized but has a great motor and a
nose for the ball. He will definitely make an impact in this district
during the fall. The team was had a powerful rushing attack last year and
will likely employ the same strategy. The question now is who will get the
bulk of the carries? Kingsley-Pierson has produced some talented players over
the past few years but will that talent be coming back? Athlete Nick Kuchel won a lot of ball games for this team and he will be walking-on at the
University of Iowa in the fall. Leading the defense this year will likely
be Chase Koskovich. As a sophomore, this standout totaled over 100 tackles
and has a chance to chase school records if he continues at that pace. And
although they did not throw the ball often, quarterback Kirby Washburn and
leading wide receiver Isaiah Corbin return for another year. Woodbury Central improved as the season
wore on and finished much stronger than they did during the 2004 season.
They must prove that they can stay consistent during the season and beat some of
the big boys ahead of them in the standings. But with the athletes they
have returning, don't be shocked to see the Wildcats make a run at the playoff
berth. Quarterback Jeremy Rodgers put up some impressive numbers last fall
as a sophomore. As for other skill players, Brett Rose is back at running back
as well as Landon Wright at wide receiver. If they can improve their play
along the line, this team could sneak up on some people. Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn
is making the jump down from 1A and that should help them improve on their 2-7
finish from last fall. The question is how much their drop in class add to
their win total? Leading rusher Kevin Leavitt returns but there are a lot
of question marks surrounding this team. Lawton-Bronson has been in the
middle of the pack when it comes to district play and still finished that way
last year. One player to keep an eye on in the future is Dakota Miller.
This sophomore is an outstanding athlete. River Valley, Westwood Sloan, and West
Monona (Another 1A team) combined to finish last year at 1-27. They will
really need to turn things around if they want to hit the four or five win mark
for next year.
Preseason District MVP: Daniel Borchers
After an All State year as a junior, Borchers must be better this season if he
wants to lead his team to the district title.
Sleeper Team: Woodbury Central
I might be going out on a limb and picking them as one of the top teams in this
district but with the amount of talent they have back, it is hard to argue with.
Sleeper Player: Alex Loutsch
The senior class last year overshadowed Loutsch but don't be surprised to see
him shine this season.
District Champion: Galva-Holstein
They have done some serious damage in district play over the past few years.
Although that has not helped during the playoffs, I expect their success to
continue.
IowaPreps.com Predictions for District 1 in
2006
Team
Galva-Holstein *
Gehlen Catholic *
Woodbury Central
Kingsley-Pierson
Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn
Lawton-Bronson
West Monona
River Valley
Westwood Sloan
*Denotes playoff predictions
Agree/disagree? Talk about it right now!
Class A - District 2[/URL]
Here is a look at how all the current teams in
District Two did during the 2005 season:
Team
District Record
Regular Season Record
Guthrie Center *
8-1
8-1
West Harrison
1-8
1-8
IKM Manilla
4-5
4-5
Boyer Valley
3-6
3-6
Woodbine
7-2
7-2
A-H-S-T *
9-0
9-0
Treynor
6-3
6-3
Bedford (1A)
1-6
1-8
Manning
5-4
5-4
*Denotes playoff berth
How
did District 2 do in the playoffs?
Guthrie Center
Lost to Madrid in the first round (56-20)
A-H-S-T
Defeated Martensdale St. Mary's in the first round (37-0)
Defeated Madrid in the quarterfinals (35-29)
Lost to West Bend-Mallard in the semifinals (37-34)
T
When watching AHST play West Bend-Mallard in the semifinals, that was one of
the most exciting football games I had ever seen. There was no doubt
in-mind that they had every chance in the world to be playing in the Class A
title game. I thought they were the better team but what does that matter?
The Vikings must focus on replacing three All Staters, including Don Bladt.
Bladt did just about everything for this team and made some amazing catches at
wide receiver. Keep an eye on All District selection Alan Bladt. He
may only be a junior but has varsity experience under his belt. Danny
Pattee saw time behind center as a sophomore and that will help him transition
to a bigger role on the team. The Vikings are a pass-first offense and
will need some receivers to step up their game. Guthrie
Center returns after another playoff appearance last year and I expect them to
have a longer run in the postseason this time around. All Stater Andrew Meier returns as
well as a very talented junior in Spencer Railsback. This one-two punch
will easily be among the best in the district and will give opponents fits
trying to stop them. If they can show steady play on both sides of the
line, don't be surprised to see the Tigers taking control in this district. Woodbine missed out on the postseason
last fall but has a load of players back. Their only two losses all year
were to the two eventual playoff teams and those games were not very close.
But with all district selections Jake
Roberts, Cory Dickinson, and Tyler Kuhlman back this team could be better after
another year of off-season workouts. The Tigers must prove they can play
with the big boys before any serious runs at the playoffs can be made. Treynor
had to say goodbye to Austin Frain, who will be playing at South Dakota State
this year. But the Frain family has yet another brother to dominate the
football field in junior Tanner. He made an immediate impact at the
varsity level but will need to step up his leadership to help replace the senior
class. There are some solid players on this team but the Cardinals have to
prove it on Friday nights. That will include playing Treynor football,
which is led by a stingy defense. That mentality needs to return if the
Cardinals can make a run at the postseason. Manning was able to finish over .500 after
losing a solid senior class and has athlete Brad Renze returning. This
senior is also among the top basketball players in Iowa and has a chance for a
big senior year on the football field. Nolan Potthoff also returns and
will help anchor the offense that struggled at times against good defenses last
season. Boyer Valley has two key players back with Cory Donscheski and
Ryan Oppold but what about the rest of the team? There are obviously a lot
of holes to fill, especially when considering they only managed three wins last
year. Donscheski rushed for over 1,000 yards last year and will get
another chance to repeat the feat this fall. West Harrison managed only
one win in their district. But with better competition, it may be tough to
improve much on that. There are a lot of questions they will have to
answer at the skill player positions. IKM Manilla brings back six All
District players from a team that finished at 4-5. And the majority of
their losses were tight games that seemed to be lost down the stretch. If
they can stay consistent and finish games, the talent is there for the Hawks to
shock some people. And last but not least, Bedford is making the climb
down from Class 1A where they only managed one win. Ryan Hughes will
likely take over as the lead rusher but the line must step up this year.
Quotes:
"I think our district is very strong again. The past three years have been very
hard and it will be tough again. The tenth game against I-35 will make it a
really tough season ahead of us."
-Andrew Meier, Guthrie Center athlete, on District 2 this fall.
Preseason District MVP: Andrew Meier
If Meier can stay healthy, he could easily be one of the few in-state athletes
to be named All State three straight years on the football field.
Sleeper Team: Woodbine
With the amount of players that Woodbine has coming back, don't be shocked to
see them make a run at the district title.
Sleeper Player: Tanner Frain
Most people in this district know the Frain name but the younger version will
show the State what he has this year.
District Champion: Guthrie Center
Unless someone proves that they can stop Meier and Railsback, the Tigers are
the early favorite.
IowaPreps.com Predictions for District 2 in
2006
Team
Guthrie Center *
A-H-S-T *
Woodbine
Treynor
IKM Manilla
Manning
Bedford
Boyer Valley
West Harrison
*Denotes playoff predictions
Agree/disagree? Talk about it right now!
Class A - District 3[/URL]
Here is a look at how all the current teams in
District Three did during the 2005 season:
Team
District Record
Regular Season Record
Alta (1A)
4-3
5-4
Clay Central-Everly
1-8
1-8
Laurens-Marathon
1-8
1-8
Newell-Fonda *
8-1
8-1
Odebolt-Arthur
6-3
6-3
Rockwell City-Lytton
6-3
6-3
Schaller-Crestland
4-5
4-5
Southeast Webster
2-7
2-7
*Denotes playoff berth
How
did District 3 do in the playoffs?
Newell-Fonda
Defeated Gehlen Catholic in the first round (35-34, OT)
Lost to West Bend-Mallard in the quarterfinals (34-21)
Thoughts on District 3 for 2006:
When the district pairings came out, Newell-Fonda had to be happy they were
no longer in the same district as West Bend-Mallard. That was the only
team that beat them during the 2005 season and were basically their Achilles
heal. The Mustangs bring back first team All District selection David
Hopper. This senior is an outstanding talent at running back and rushed
for over 1,200 yards. He proved last year that he was tough
but he will be even better this fall. There will be a lot of holes to fill
with the seniors graduated but look for Austin Vanderhoff to anchor the
offensive line and as he blocks for Hopper. Rockwell City-Lytton has
proved over the past few years that although the school is small, it continues
to produce fine athletes. The team missed out on the playoffs but with a
number of athletes back, it may be tough to keep them out of the top two in this
district. Defensive lineman/running back Dave Sexton returns and was a
first team All District selection. Also back on defense is athlete Trevor
Richardson. Richardson is also a very talented basketball player. If
the Wildcats can find a solid replacement for Brent Miller at quarterback and
get play out of their line, don't be surprised to see this team in the playoffs. Odebolt-Arthur finished
last year at 6-3 and saw their only All State player, Mark Fertig, graduate.
The teams that they will be playing will be new to them, which could be an
interesting twist on the year. The Trojans use a number of running backs
in the offense and Bryan Leonard will likely be taking over as the top back. Alta is making the jump down from Class 1A
after finishing 5-4 last year. As shown in their run to the basketball
State tournament, this school can produce talented athletes. Running back
Chris Schmitz led the team in rushing as a sophomore and should be ready for a
breakout season this fall. If the line can step up, watch out for some
impressive players in the Class of 2008. Schaller-Crestland
graduated two-time All State linebacker Brian Bode. He was an outstanding
high school athlete who made an impact whenever he was on the field. The
Wildcats bring back a good portion of their offensive line in Jon Grundmeier and
Lucas Severson. Both were All District selections one year ago and will be
blocking for Justin Ronk. The Wildcats ended last season with four
straight victories so that momentum should propel them into the 2006 season.
But if they start the year slow once again, it will be tough to turn the ship
around. Southeast Webster, Laurens-Marathon, and Clay Central Everly combined for
four wins last year. But in this district, anything could happen and that may
include a team going from one win to fighting for a playoff berth. But
in-order to do that, these teams must prove they can play with the likes of
Newell-Fonda, Rockwell City-Lytton, and others.
Preseason District MVP: Trevor Richardson
This award could have easily been handed to Dave Sexton but Richardson does so
many things for his team on both sides of the ball.
Sleeper Team: Alta
I may have them predicted third but don't be shocked if they sneak up and make a
run at the playoffs.
Sleeper Player: Justin Ronk
Ronk rushed for over 800 yards in a secondary role last season but that should
greatly improve.
District Champion: Rockwell City-Lytton
The quarterback spot must be filled by a talented athlete but the rest of
the pieces are there.
IowaPreps.com Predictions for District 3 in
2006
Team
Rockwell City-Lytton
*
Newell-Fonda *
Alta
Schaller-Crestland
Odebolt-Arthur
Southeast Webster
Clay Central-Everly
Laurens-Marathon
*Denotes playoff predictions
Agree/disagree? Talk about it right now!
Class A - District 4[/URL]
Here is a look at how all the current teams in
District Four did during the 2005 season:
Team
District Record
Regular Season Record
Belmond-Klemme
(1A)
2-5
2-7
Algona Garrigan
(1A) *
6-1
7-2
Graettinger/Terril
3-6
3-6
Northwood-Kensett
6-2
6-3
North Central
Manly
0-8
0-9
SCMT
5-3
6-3
West Bend-Mallard
*
9-0
9-0
West Hancock *
8-0
8-1
*Denotes playoff berth
How
did District 4 do in the playoffs?
West Hancock
Defeated Postville in the first round (35-0)
Lost to Elgin Valley in the quarterfinals (21-6)
West Bend-Mallard
Defeated Galva-Holstein in the first round (35-0)
Defeated Newell-Fonda in the quarterfinals (34-21)
Defeated AHST in the semifinals (37-34)
Lost to North Mahaska in the championship game (21-6)
Algona Garrigan
Defeated AGWSR in the first round (22-14)
Defeated Pocahontas Area in the quarterfinals (21-6)
Defeated Council Bluffs St. Albert in the semifinals (13-0)
Lost to Iowa City Regina in the championship game (19-8)
Thoughts on District 4 for 2006:
It is scary just looking at the playoff resumes of the teams in this
district. Two eventually played in the State title game and one made it to
the quarterfinals. That is a combined ten playoff games between those
teams. And considering that Algona Garrigan did their damage in Class 1A,
it makes it that much more impressive. West Bend-Mallard is definitely a
team that is tough to beat. The last time they lost was a regular season
game was during the 2002 season. Again, let me repeat that. The last
time West Bend-Mallard lost a regular season game was during the 2002 season.
That is going on four years. Obviously the Wolverines have a football
factory but with the players that they graduate, don't be shocked to see them
get knocked off in-district play. Adam Jergens returns at running back and
will be hoping to help the team's success continue. He was the second
leading rusher behind Brad Ruppert and will get a chance to shine more often
this year. Overall there are a lot spots open so if the younger, more
inexperienced athletes are good enough, they will get their chance. As for Algona-Garrigan, they had a great
year at the Class 1A level before seeing their run end against Iowa City Regina
in the title game. Few expected them to return to the postseason, let
alone nearly win the State title. Defensive lineman Dustin Tindall was an
All State selection last year and he will be back. This senior is
undersized but makes up for it with his ability to make plays all over the
field. Overall this team will be tough to beat at the Class A level. The two teams mentioned above will likely get all the attention but
many forget that West Hancock was able to finish district play undefeated. The Eagles were
hit very hard by graduation but they do return a talented running back in John Mallen.
He was a first team All District selection after putting up some big numbers on
the ground. Northwood Kensett missed out on the playoffs but they have proven that they are among the
top small schools in Iowa. They continually produce talented classes of
athletes every year and I expect that to continue this fall. Keep an eye
on Matt Hengesteg and Cody Hanson leading this team to a number of wins.
Hanson is also a very talented basketball player and is among the top athletes
on the team. Hengesteg rushed for over 1,300 yards and is a tough runner
to stop. SCMT brings back one of the biggest lineman in Class A in Andy Ubben. This
second team All State selection is a load to handle on both sides of the line
and just makes plays with his size and skills. Other players to watch for
the Spartans are Jordan Mondt and Kalem Hanig. Mondt will likely be the
featured running back after scoring 19 touchdowns and rushing for just over
1,300 yards last fall. Alex Pals also returns and after leading the team
in receiving yards.Belmond-Klemme is yet
another team moving down from Class A and they will be hoping that helps them
add to their win total from last fall. Junior linebacker Tyler Christensen
made a name for himself and should be better this time around. Graettinger/Terril
won three games last year overall. That may not be much but considering
they went defeated
in 2004, that is a step in the right direction. Speaking of defeated, North Central
Manly went winless last fall. The Falcons have won a total of three
games since 2002 (And two of those wins were during the 2002 season). Both
teams needs to really work hard and come to play every week to bolster those win
totals.
Quotes:
“West Bend is going to be a tough one and I know Bishop Garrigan has been
talking about as being one of the tough teams. I think that we will give them a
run for their money if we put our minds to it.”
-Andy Ubben, SCMT lineman, on toughest competition within the district.
Preseason District MVP: Dustin Tindall
This All State lineman will need to step up his game if he can help the Golden
Bears back to the State title game.
Sleeper Team: SCMT/Northwood Kensett
These two teams have what it takes to play for a district title.
Sleeper Player: Matt Hengesteg
Although slightly undersized, don't be surprised to see him go over 1,500 yards
this season.
District Champion: Algona Garrigan
Calling this district stacked is an under statement. There are five
legitimate teams that have a chance at making the postseason but it is
unfortunate that only two will move on. And with their move down from
Class 1A, I see Algona Garrigan knocking West Bend-Mallard off from the top of
the perch and winning a district title.
IowaPreps.com Predictions for District 4 in
2006
Team
Algona Garrigan *
West Bend-Mallard
*
Northwood-Kensett
SCMT
West Hancock
Belmond-Klemme
Graettinger/Terril
North Central
Manly
*Denotes playoff predictions
Agree/disagree? Talk about it right now!
Class A - District 5[/URL]
Here is a look at how all the current teams in
District Five did during the 2005 season:
Team
District Record
Regular Season Record
Elgin Valley *
8-0
9-0
Kee Lansing
4-4
4-5
Tripoli
1-7
1-8
East Buchanan
4-4
5-4
Wapsie Valley (1A)
3-4
3-6
Riceville *
7-1
7-2
Postville *
7-1
8-1
Dunkerton
3-4
3-5
West Central Maynard
6-2
8-2
*Denotes playoff berth
How
did District 5 do in the playoffs?
Elgin Valley
Defeated Riceville in the first round (23-20)
Defeated West Hancock in the quarterfinals (21-6)
Lost to North Mahaska in the semifinals (35-7)
Riceville
Lost to Elgin Valley in the first
round (23-20)
Postville
Lost to West Hancock in the first
round (35-0)
Elgin Valley has been one of the most consistent football programs over the
past few years in Class 1A. They continue to play at a high level and are
always fighting for a postseason berth. And that happened once again
during the 2005 season as they made it all the way to the semifinals before
falling to the eventual champions, North Mahaska. And like most Tiger
teams, they were senior dominated so there are a lot of open spots. But
don't be shocked to see younger players step up and not miss a beat this year.
Quarterback Jared Torkelson is back as well as two-way starters Jacob Larson and
Keith Amundson. Riceville will be competing to return to the playoffs after a 7-2 regular season
finish. Back from that team are two talented All District selections in
Jordan Oulman and Adam Haacke. Haacke is a bit undersized along the line
but he outworks his opposition and can make plays. Nick Crawford returns
behind center as well as the third leading rusher, Luke Pickar. And
considering this team rushes the ball a lot, he still went for over 700 yards. Postville has really
been able to play at a high level over the last two years and their only regular
season loss has been to Elgin Valley. Many wonder if the team will go back
to the middle of the pack but I feel that will not be the case. With two
All District linemen back as well as two talented running backs, the Pirates may
make another run at extending their season. Quarterback Blaine Grinna is
one of the top small school athletes in Iowa and will make an impact after being
named All State last fall. West Central Maynard played a
great season but could not get past the top two teams in district play, Elgin
Valley and Postville. On paper, this team looks scary with seven All
District selections back on the team. Plus with the motivation of missing
out on the postseason last year, this team could be ready to make a run at the
Dome. The Blue Devils are tough to stop because of their rushing attack.
So with the duo of Darin Lockard and Lucas McSweeney, this team will be tough to
stop. However, they must come up huge in the big games that they struggled
in last year. East Buchanan and Kee Lansing were only able to muster 4-4 records
during district play. And if they want to increase their win total, both
teams must come to play every Friday and not just beat up on the teams below
them in the standings. The Buccaneers will see Jared Grover taking over as
the main running back this season. And now that he is a senior, he should
be ready. Wapsie Valley has had some talented players over
the past few years but have yet to put anything together in-terms of a playoff
run. But with their move down from 1A, don't be shocked if the Warriors
can surprise some people. Senior Corey Kerns has been making an impact on
both sides of the ball and a lot will be expected out of him this year. Dunkerton only won three games last year and
said goodbye to a number of seniors but has Jacob Eades returning. Eades
is a junior who was named first team All District last fall. Keep an eye
on him because he will be one of the top defenders in the district.
Eades also will likely be the Raiders top running back. Tripoli has a solid defense returning but they must prove they can score if they
want any chance on improving.
Quotes:
"With Wapsie Valley coming and with new teams coming in, it is different from
last year. We are excited but also nervous because we don't know what everyone
is like. We have three tough teams with Wapsie, West Central, and Elgin Valley.
Hopefully we can get into the top two and go into the next step. It will be
tough because we don't have a non-district game right away. We have to come off
the ball hard and be ready right off the bat."
-Adam Haacke, Riceville lineman, on his thoughts for District 1.
Preseason District MVP: Blaine Grinna
If you can quarterback your team to a district title, you deserve some
publicity.
Sleeper Team: West Central Maynard
Their rushing attack came up big against everyone but the top teams. Can
they correct that this time around?
Sleeper Player: Corey Kerns
Kerns is an athlete flying under the radar but will be tough to stop this year.
District Champion: Postville
It appears that Postville and Riceville are the early favorites but do not
count out Elgin Valley. They have a deep football tradition and I don't
expect them go down easily against either of the teams.
Team
Postville *
Riceville *
Elgin Valley
West Central Maynard
East Buchanan
Wapsie Valley (1A)
Kee Lansing
Tripoli
Dunkerton
*Denotes playoff prediction
Agree/disagree? Talk about it right now!
Class A - District 6[/URL]
Here is a look at how all the current teams in
District Six did during the 2005 season:
Team
District Record
Regular Season Record
Central City
2-6
3-7
Don Bosco
0-8
0-9
GMG Garwin
6-3
7-3
Lisbon *
8-0
9-0
Midland (1A)
1-6
1-8
North Tama
4-5
4-5
NU High
3-5
4-5
Olin
5-3
6-3
Springville
0-8
0-9
*Denotes playoff berth
How
did District 6 do in the playoffs?
Lisbon
Defeated Edgewood-Colesburg in the first round (46-25)
Lost to North Mahaska in the quarterfinals (55-16)
Thoughts on District 6 for 2006:
Lisbon seems to be able to dominate district play and that once again looks
to be the case this year. They have a very underrated football factory
that continues to win games. Since 2002, the Lions have only lost three
regular season games and two of those came during the 2003 season. It was
tough starting a sophomore quarterback but it seemed to pay off for the Lions.
Now that Trent Rasmussen is past being inexperienced, look for him to play a
bigger role in the offense. And with the success of the team, it says a
lot about the skills of Rasmussen to start him that early into his career.
If he can stay healthy and continue working hard, he has a bright future on the
football field. Outside of Lisbon, no other teams qualified for the
postseason last year. And that will make things very interested for
district play this fall. GMG finished
with the best record outside of the Lions and are thrilled that they no longer
get to play North Mahaska in district play. Seven All District players are
gone from last year but Tye Broekermeier and Tim Mooney will be returning.
Both made a name for themselves during the season and will need to step up their
game. One thing that the Wolverines must improve on is their play in big
games. They finished the year losing three games and were dominated in
each contest. If GMG wants to compete for a playoff berth, they must be
able to play with everyone they see. Olin likes to pass the ball a lot but will see a change in their
offense. The Lions graduated an All State quarterback and wide receiver so
there are a lot of spots up for grabs. Justin Smith and Justin Rix return
at wide receiver and both combined to total nearly 1,000 receiving yards.
But the question that needs to be answered is who will throw them the ball? North Tama will be bringing back
four All District skill players but the questions about them will be the size on
the line. Who will be the main blockers for these athletes? If that
question is answered, the Redhawks may have something. Derrick Dengler and
Shawn Beenken both spent time behind center and time will tell if they split
time this year. Running back/athlete Zach Kopriva returns and he led the
team with seven interceptions. Dont' be surprised if this team fights for
the postseason. NU High may return
the most recognized quarterback in Drew Stonewall. This senior is a
fantastic athlete who finished last year with All District honors. He also
returns two of his favorite targets in wide receiver Joe McKenna and tight end
Jay Miller.Central City won only three games last fall but their win total has
improved since 2003. Athlete Dalton Price was the team's leading receiver
and will be a focal part of the offense. Springville, Don Bosco, and Midland have a
great district to make a run in but there are a lot of question marks at each
school.
Preseason District MVP: Trent Rasmussen
Although he is a junior, a year of experience under Rasmussen's belt will come
in very handy this year.
Sleeper Team: NU High
NU High always seems to have athletes. Could this be the year they
capitilize?
Sleeper Player: Zach Kopriva
If you pull down seven interceptions and get no pub, you deserve the sleeper
award.
District Champion: Lisbon
Lisbon seems to be the early favorite but on paper, North Tama may have the
most returning talent. But with the Lions tradition and experience, they
may be tough to beat.
Team
Lisbon *
North Tama *
GMG Garwin
NU High
Olin
Central City
Midland
Springville
Don Bosco
*Denotes playoff prediction
Agree/disagree? Talk about it right now!
Class A - District 7[/URL]
Here is a look at how all the current teams in
District Seven did during the 2005 season:
Team
District Record
Regular Season Record
Cardinal Eldon
(1A)
0-7
0-9
English Valleys
0-9
0-9
Highland Riverside
(With Lone Tree)
2-5
2-7
H-L-V
6-3
6-3
Iowa Valley
2-7
2-8
Lone Tree
(With Highland Riverside)
2-5
2-7
WACO, Wayland *
8-1
8-1
Winfield-Mt. Union
1-8
1-9
*Denotes playoff berth
How
did District 7 do in the playoffs?
WACO
Lost to North Mahaska in the first round (56-6)
When looking at the districts, one that many will wonder about is this one.
There are two, count them two, teams that won more than two games year.
WACO, who had a very good year, made the playoffs last year and their two losses
were against North Mahaska. And then there is H-L-V, who finished at 6-3.
And the other six teams combined to win seven games last year (Counting two per
team between Lone Tree and Highland). And if there ever was a district
where anything could happen, this would probably be it. As for the teams,
WACO was hit hard by graduation but returns a special athlete in Austin McBeth.
This junior also started on the basketball team that made it to State and was an
All District selection on the football field. He will pose a lot of
problems for the opposition with his arm and running ability. Also keep an
eye on linebacker/running back Chayse Roth. He led the team in rushing and
found the end zone thirteen times. McBeth will need to find a go-to wide
receiver but he has the ability to make players better around him. H-L-V
returns more All District selections (four) than they graduate (three).
They have some very talented players returning so don't be shocked to see them
compete with WACO for the district title. Quarterback Sean Campbell
returns and must reduce his interceptions. If this team wants to be
successful on a weekly basis, he must drop that number to around five at most.
The Warriors have all the pieces to compete for a playoff berth. As for
the rest of the teams, there are more question marks than I could ever write
about. First there is Lone Tree and Highland Riverside. These two
teams were combined last year but decided against it this time around.
That will make for a huge rivalry if anything. I don't know the whole
story about the situation but this could get interesting. Iowa Valley only
won two games last year but they have been competitive recently. They won
a district title in 2002 but obviously the talent has not been there. But
keep an eye on athletes Tyler Olson and Jacob Cobb. The only problem is
that when your quarterback throws 21 interceptions, it is not easy to win games
no matter what the circumstance. Winfield-Mt. Union has won four games
since 2002 and will likely be in a tough situation. They have their hands
full. English Valley has solid over the last few years outside of last
fall. They were drubbed repeatedly and just did not have what it takes to
compete against the opposition. Cardinal Eldon also was defeated last
season but will be making the move down from Class 1A. What that means has
yet to be determined.
Preseason District MVP: Austin McBeth
Although he is a junior, a year of experience under Rasmussen's belt will come
in very handy this year.
Sleeper Team: Everyone outside of WACO and
H-L-V
NU High always seems to have athletes. Could this be the year they
capitalize?
Sleeper Player: Chris Roberts
Roberts did just about everything for H-L-V last year but will need to do more.
District Champion: WACO
On paper, this doesn't look like more than a two team race. I have a
feeling that two team face could be interesting.
Team
WACO, Wayland *
H-L-V *
Iowa Valley
Cardinal Eldon
(1A)
English Valleys
Lone Tree
Highland Riverside
Winfield-Mt. Union
*Denotes playoff predictions
Agree/disagree? Talk about it right now!
Class A - District 8[/URL]
Here is a look at how all the current teams in
District Eight did during the 2005 season:
Team
District Record
Regular Season Record
Colo-Nesco
2-7
2-8
Des Moines
Christian
2-7
2-8
Earlham
5-4
5-4
Lynnville-Sully
0-9
0-9
Madrid *
9-0
9-0
North Mahaska *
9-0
9-0
Southeast Warren
7-2
7-2
Van Meter
5-4
5-4
*Denotes playoff berth
How
did District 8 do in the playoffs?
Madrid
Defeated Guthrie Center in the first round (56-20)
Lost to AHST in the quarterfinals (35-29)
North Mahaska
Defeated WACO in the first round (56-6)
Defeated Lisbon in the quarterfinals (55-16)
Defeated Elgin Valley in the semifinals (35-7)
Defeated West Bend-Mallard in the championship game (21-6)
Thoughts on District 8 for 2006:
North Mahaska and Madrid have been two of the most consistent Class A
programs over the last few years. Since 2002, both teams have combined to
make the postseason seven times and win five district titles. Now that is
pretty impressive. North Mahaska is also coming off of their first State
title in football ever and will be a totally different team. The Levi
Ferguson show will be graduated and the team will have a ton of holes. The
Class of 2006 at North Mahaska should go down as the best class of athletes,
ever. There will be a lot of inexperienced athletes on the field this
season. Time will tell if they rebuild or reload. As for Madrid, the
team loses a number of All State lineman that will be missed. The team
does have some solid athletes back as well as great football tradition.
The Tiger offense should be strong with quarterback Austin Peters as well as
running backs Tony Simmer and Caleb Blattel back for another season.
Southeast Warren finished at 7-2 and nearly made the playoffs. But despite
their success, they only had one player named first team All District.
That is surprising but just shows that you don't need stand out players to win
ball games. You just need a solid team. And with the amount of skill
players this team has returning, expect them to make a run at the top of the
standings. Van Meter has not made the playoffs since the 2002 season and seems to flirt
with the chance to get to the postseason every year since. If not for
three straight losses to end last year, things may have been different. They have yet to
break through but is this year? To do so, the Bulldogs will have to knock off Madrid
or North Mahaska if they want that to happen. Earlham may be one of the most
up and down teams throughout the entire state over the past few years. In
2002 and 2003, they finished 2-17. And then in 2004, the Cardinals came
out of nowhere to finish 8-1 and make the playoffs. Now in 2005, they went
to the middle of the pack at 5-4. Is it up to the playoffs or back down to
bottom of the standings for Earlham? Having Jake Slusher back for another
year will help their case. Colo-Nesco and Des Moines Christian
were unable to really put anything together last year. They combined for
four total wins but could not play consistently for an extended period of time.
And last but not least, Lynnville-Sully went winless last fall. Some major
changes must occur if this team can win games.
Preseason District MVP: Caleb Blattel
Although he is a junior, a year of experience under Rasmussen's belt will come
in very handy this year.
Sleeper Team: Earlham
The Cardinals return some important pieces that could help them make a run
at the postseason.
Sleeper Player: Jake Slusher
For being an All Stater, he hasn't been getting that much early hype.
District Champion: Madrid
The line is a huge question mark but the with the players coming back and
tradition of the team, I see Madrid taking home another district title.
Team
Madrid *
North Mahaska *
Earlham
Southeast Warren
Van Meter
Des Moines
Christian
Colo-Nesco
Lynnville-Sully
*Denotes playoff predictions
Agree/disagree? Talk about it right 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 district in Class A as well as coming out with our pre-pre-season
rankings, it is now time to bring premium users our preseason Class A All State
Offense.
QB
Blaine
Grinna
Postville
Grinna is a fantastic athlete who is a pain to opponents on both sides of
the ball. Now that his senior season is here, watch out.
QB
Austin
McBeth
WACO
McBeth took over behind center last fall for WACO and led them to a playoff
berth in his sophomore year. This kid is a talented athlete.
RB
Darin
Lockard
West
Central
As a sophomore, Lockard rushed for 1,400 yards and 19 touchdowns. Can
he improve on that as a junior?
RB
Spencer Railsback
Guthrie
Center
Another junior, Railsback will be the featured runner on one of the top
teams in Class A this fall.
RB
Dusty
Wilkie
Hubbard-Radcliffe
Wilkie is a powerful runner who gets the job done. And now that he is
a senior, this could be his year.
WR
Wade
McDonough
Sac City
He will need a new quarterback to throw him the ball but McDonough totaled
nearly 1,000 receiving yards in the air.
WR
Trevor
Richardson
Rockwell
City-Lytton
Richardson is a very versatile athlete who does just about everything for
the Wildcats.
TE
Tanner
Frain
Treynor
Following in the long tradition of the Frain brothers, Tanner will shine
again this year at tight end and defensive end.
OL
Casey
Huckins
West
Central
At 6-foot-6, 260 pounds, Huckins is a player the opposition hates to line up
across.
OL
Tim
Mooney
GMG
Mooney does not have the prototypical Division I lineman size but that has
not stopped him from dominating at the high school level.
OL
Andy
Ubben
SCMT
Ubben on the other hand has that size that college coaches are looking for
but he must prove it again this fall.
Ath
Bruce
Dahlhauser
West
Bend-Mallard
Dahlhauser is one of the top returners for the Wolverines and hopes to
continue their good fortunes during the season.
K
Mitch
Kurth
Gehlen
Catholic
Kurth showed he was a very talented athlete this and will be one of the top
returning kickers in Iowa.
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 district in Class A as well as coming out with our pre-pre-season
rankings, it is now time to bring premium users our preseason Class A All State
Defense.
DL
Bryan
Mueller
Postville
Mueller helped Postville to a playoff appearance last year and will be
hoping to take home the district title this fall.
DL
Adam
Haacke
Riceville
Haacke appears to be headed to Wartburg after high school but first he has
to stay focused on his senior season.
DL
Daniel
Borchers
Galva-Holstein
This returning All Stater was a load to block all season and he made
opponents pay throughout the fall.
DL
Alex
Pokorny
North
Tama
At 6-foot and 180 pounds, Pokorny doesn't strike fear in his opponents with
his size but that doesn't stop him from dominating bigger players.
DL
Dustin
Tindall
Algona
Garrigan
Tindall and the Golden Bears made it all the way to the Class 1A State title
last fall and now they are making the move down to Class A.
DL
Steven
Daniels
North
Mahaska
Daniels will really have to improve if he wants to get North Mahaska back
into the postseason.
LB
Alan
Bladt
A-H-S-T
Bladt made an impact at the varsity level as a sophomore on one of the best
teams in Class A.
LB
Caleb
Blattel
Madrid
Blattel could have made preseason All State on either side of the ball but
he will be focusing on continuing the football tradition at Madrid.
DB
Andrew
Meier
Guthrie
Center
Meier is one of the top athletes in this class and has been receiving
Division I recruiting looks. He also is a standout quarterback.
DB
Brad
Renze
Manning
Renze has made a name for himself on the basketball court but also finished
last fall with All State honors because of his play on the football field.
DB
Jake
Slusher
Ealham
Slusher rushed for over 1,000 yards and nearly totaled 100 tackles last
season. With numbers like that, look for this senior to fight for All
State honors once again.
DB
Jacob
Larson
Elgin
Valley
Elgin Valley made it all the way to the semifinals last fall and although
they were hit hard by graduation, Larson is back and hopes to continue
winning ball games.
P
Chayse
Roth
WACO
Roth is a very versatile athlete who showed off his skills as a running back
but gets recognition on this because of his punting skills.
Agree/disagree? Talk about it now!
This post was edited on 8/17 12:16 PM by LukeFeddersenif(GetAdminCookie() != 0) {document.write(' (Revisions[/URL])');}
