Here are my thoughts for Class 3A, as always these are to get discussion going. I think 3A is wide open this year and there are many teams that we could see in the UNI Dome come November.
District 1
Favorite: MOC-Floyd Valley
Top Challenger: Heelan
This is a district that all of the teams have had some level of success in the last 10 years with many of them getting to the dome. I like what MOC-FV brings back and that is why they are my favorite. After that I don’t know what to do with Heelan and Sioux Center, both lose a lot but most of the other schools do as well. I took Heelan second because of their run to end the year with a new coaching staff, and I think they will build upon that.
District 2
Favorite: Algona
Top Challenger: Clear Lake
This district last year was a blood bath last year with 5 of the 6 teams being in contention for a district title. I took Algona as the favorite with the Manske kid returning as well as many other key contributors. I think Clear Lake returns enough to be in contention for a district title. I also think that Humboldt will be a challenger. I don’t know what to think of Webster City with losing a Hall of Fame coach and a few studs, but they may be as good, as they have been solid for a while now. I think Hampton Dumont takes a step back, and Charles City continues to struggle as a program.
District 3
Favorite: West Delaware
Top Challenger: Independence
I think the top two teams in this district are very close, as both return quite a bit from solid teams from last year. I took West Delaware as they won the matchup last year and really improved as the season went on last year, but either could win the district title. After the top two I think Wahlert is next in line and could be a playoff team if they take care of business in the non-district. I don’t see the other three teams being in contention for the playoffs but at the same time I don’t think any of the teams are terrible either.
District 4
Favorite: Mount Vernon
Top Challenger: Assumption
To me this is a difficult district to predict as all of the teams seem to lose a lot from last year. I took Mount Vernon just based on what they have been able to do as a program the last 10 years or so and really even before that, I don’t think the change at head coach will slow them down at all. I took Assumption for the same reason, they have been solid for a long time. After that I think that Fort Madison has been solid for a few years, but not to the level of the two above them. I am interested to see what Marvin McNutt does at Keokuk as well.
District 5
Favorite: Solon
Top Challenger: Williamsburg
Another very solid district, I am going to take Solon just ahead of Williamsburg but I think it is close, I think that both have some questions but both have been so solid and were pretty far ahead of the rest of the district that I have to put them in the top two spots. After those two I think Benton and Grinnell both are playoff quality teams that might jump up into the top two but I just see them behind Solon and Williamsburg. Fairfield and South Tama should be better but not in contention.
District 6
Favorite: Nevada
Top Challenger: Harlan
To me I like what Nevada returns from a solid, but inconsistent team from last year. I think if they can be more consistent, they could very well be a dome team this year. I took Harlan second because they lose some important pieces but I think Harlan is back in a good place as a program, the second Coach Bladt has it going their again. Creston will still be solid, but they lose so much that I have to put them in third. I don’t see anyone else competing for the playoffs out of this district.
My Top 10
1. Algona
2. West Delaware
3. Solon
4. Independence
5. Nevada
6. Williamsburg
7. Clear Lake
8. MOC-FV
9. Harlan
10. Humboldt
There is a bunch of parity in 3A this year, I don’t want to put a number on how many teams I think could win a title but I will say it is probably higher than in any classification.
District 1
Favorite: MOC-Floyd Valley
Top Challenger: Heelan
This is a district that all of the teams have had some level of success in the last 10 years with many of them getting to the dome. I like what MOC-FV brings back and that is why they are my favorite. After that I don’t know what to do with Heelan and Sioux Center, both lose a lot but most of the other schools do as well. I took Heelan second because of their run to end the year with a new coaching staff, and I think they will build upon that.
District 2
Favorite: Algona
Top Challenger: Clear Lake
This district last year was a blood bath last year with 5 of the 6 teams being in contention for a district title. I took Algona as the favorite with the Manske kid returning as well as many other key contributors. I think Clear Lake returns enough to be in contention for a district title. I also think that Humboldt will be a challenger. I don’t know what to think of Webster City with losing a Hall of Fame coach and a few studs, but they may be as good, as they have been solid for a while now. I think Hampton Dumont takes a step back, and Charles City continues to struggle as a program.
District 3
Favorite: West Delaware
Top Challenger: Independence
I think the top two teams in this district are very close, as both return quite a bit from solid teams from last year. I took West Delaware as they won the matchup last year and really improved as the season went on last year, but either could win the district title. After the top two I think Wahlert is next in line and could be a playoff team if they take care of business in the non-district. I don’t see the other three teams being in contention for the playoffs but at the same time I don’t think any of the teams are terrible either.
District 4
Favorite: Mount Vernon
Top Challenger: Assumption
To me this is a difficult district to predict as all of the teams seem to lose a lot from last year. I took Mount Vernon just based on what they have been able to do as a program the last 10 years or so and really even before that, I don’t think the change at head coach will slow them down at all. I took Assumption for the same reason, they have been solid for a long time. After that I think that Fort Madison has been solid for a few years, but not to the level of the two above them. I am interested to see what Marvin McNutt does at Keokuk as well.
District 5
Favorite: Solon
Top Challenger: Williamsburg
Another very solid district, I am going to take Solon just ahead of Williamsburg but I think it is close, I think that both have some questions but both have been so solid and were pretty far ahead of the rest of the district that I have to put them in the top two spots. After those two I think Benton and Grinnell both are playoff quality teams that might jump up into the top two but I just see them behind Solon and Williamsburg. Fairfield and South Tama should be better but not in contention.
District 6
Favorite: Nevada
Top Challenger: Harlan
To me I like what Nevada returns from a solid, but inconsistent team from last year. I think if they can be more consistent, they could very well be a dome team this year. I took Harlan second because they lose some important pieces but I think Harlan is back in a good place as a program, the second Coach Bladt has it going their again. Creston will still be solid, but they lose so much that I have to put them in third. I don’t see anyone else competing for the playoffs out of this district.
My Top 10
1. Algona
2. West Delaware
3. Solon
4. Independence
5. Nevada
6. Williamsburg
7. Clear Lake
8. MOC-FV
9. Harlan
10. Humboldt
There is a bunch of parity in 3A this year, I don’t want to put a number on how many teams I think could win a title but I will say it is probably higher than in any classification.
