I figured that with less then a month until practice starts I would make some predictions about the upcoming season. There are a lot of variables that could effect these and are just for discussion.
District 1
1. Dowling
2. Ankeny
3. Sioux City East
4. DSM Hoover
5. DSM Lincoln
6. Sioux City North
Dowling will be the favorite in 4A until Coach Wilson decides to retire, I really don’t see a program truly challenging them year in and year, there will be good teams, but no one can sustain what they have. I see Ankeny as a improving program that should easily finish 2nd. After that Sioux City East should take a step forward in year two of Webb’s tenure. I see Hoover having the most potential with young talent returning, but the bottom 3 are a tossup.
District 2
1. Centennial
2. Fort Dodge
3. Des Moines Roosevelt
4. Southeast Polk
5. Marshalltown
6. Sioux City West
Centennial is the dominate program in this district and while they have some holes, I think they return enough to easily win this district and make a run in the playoffs. If Fort Dodge can replace their QB they have the talent returning to have another really good season. I am not 100% on Roosevelt finishing ahead of SEP but they return a ton and I think they made a good hire, SEP has to replace just about everything. Marshalltown is just in a better place then Sioux City West right now, but also have to replace a lot.
District 3
1. Cedar Falls
2. Dubuque Senior
3. Dubuque Hempstead
4. Prairie
5. Waterloo West
6. CR Jeffereson
This is really a tough district to truly predict I think CF should be the favorite as the do have some pieces returning off of last years runner up team but they do also have some questions to answer. I went with the two Dubuque teams next as I think they have enough talent to get to the playoffs and I think Senior is just a bit better, but I am in no way 100% sold on them, Prairie has a ton of questions that I think need to be answered, and their have been rumors of internal problems. I think Waterloo West should compete just about every week but I don’t know if they have enough to move up. Jefferson is really similar to West in that they should be more competitive just not sure what to do with them, all in all this district is a true toss up.
District 4
1. Iowa City West
2. Davenport North
3. Muscatine
4. Pleasant Valley
5. Linn-Mar
6. City High
I think West is the clear cut favorite here, they have been one of the top 5 programs in 4A for the last 5 years or so and I think that continues. I am not sure Davenport North will be able to get past Muscatine and PV but if there is a year for them to make the playoffs this is the year, Muscatine has a strong possibility of finishing 2nd as they bring back a nice core. PV has the tradition of a quality program but have a lot of questions. Linn-Mar is a school that should be more competitive but they can never seem to figure it out. Finally City High I think is not blessed with the talent pool they had in the 90s and 2000s.
District 5
1. CR Kennedy
2. Bettendorf
3. CR Washington
4. Davenport Central
5. Davenport West
6. Burlington
This is a case of the top 2 then everyone else, Kennedy is bringing back so much off of a playoff team, Bettendorf will reload and I think that it is close, but I will take Kennedy. After that I just went with overall strength of program but I don’t see any one else challenging the top 2.
District 6
1. Waukee
2. Johnston
3. Indianola
4. DSM East
5. Ottumwa
6. Mason City
I think Waukee could have a chance to challenge for a state title this year with what they return. I put Johnston in 2nd because I think they have a large talent pool that I think they can fill in the holes that they have. Indianola and East are close both with holes to fill. Ottumwa and Mason City are sort of the sisters of the poor in 4A and I just don’t see them competing in 4A.
District 7
1. Valley
2. Urbandale
3. Ames
4. CB Jefferson
5. CB Lincoln
6. DSM North
Valley is Valley and they will reload, and they do have some young players return this year that I think could have big seasons. Urbandale and Ames I think are both playoff teams, I give Urbandale the edge with what they return. CB Jeff is in the best place program wise although they have to replace the Baker kid, Lincoln and North are not in good places.
Playoff Teams
District Champs
1. Dowling
2. Centennial
3. Cedar Falls
4. Iowa City West
5. CR Kennedy
6. Waukee
7. Valley
At Large
1. Ankeny
2. Fort Dodge
3. Senior
4. Davenport North
5. Bettendorf
6. Johnston
7. Urbandale
8. Ames
9. Muscatine
Dome Teams
Dowling
Waukee
Iowa City West
CR Kennedy
Final
Dowling over Waukee
District 1
1. Dowling
2. Ankeny
3. Sioux City East
4. DSM Hoover
5. DSM Lincoln
6. Sioux City North
Dowling will be the favorite in 4A until Coach Wilson decides to retire, I really don’t see a program truly challenging them year in and year, there will be good teams, but no one can sustain what they have. I see Ankeny as a improving program that should easily finish 2nd. After that Sioux City East should take a step forward in year two of Webb’s tenure. I see Hoover having the most potential with young talent returning, but the bottom 3 are a tossup.
District 2
1. Centennial
2. Fort Dodge
3. Des Moines Roosevelt
4. Southeast Polk
5. Marshalltown
6. Sioux City West
Centennial is the dominate program in this district and while they have some holes, I think they return enough to easily win this district and make a run in the playoffs. If Fort Dodge can replace their QB they have the talent returning to have another really good season. I am not 100% on Roosevelt finishing ahead of SEP but they return a ton and I think they made a good hire, SEP has to replace just about everything. Marshalltown is just in a better place then Sioux City West right now, but also have to replace a lot.
District 3
1. Cedar Falls
2. Dubuque Senior
3. Dubuque Hempstead
4. Prairie
5. Waterloo West
6. CR Jeffereson
This is really a tough district to truly predict I think CF should be the favorite as the do have some pieces returning off of last years runner up team but they do also have some questions to answer. I went with the two Dubuque teams next as I think they have enough talent to get to the playoffs and I think Senior is just a bit better, but I am in no way 100% sold on them, Prairie has a ton of questions that I think need to be answered, and their have been rumors of internal problems. I think Waterloo West should compete just about every week but I don’t know if they have enough to move up. Jefferson is really similar to West in that they should be more competitive just not sure what to do with them, all in all this district is a true toss up.
District 4
1. Iowa City West
2. Davenport North
3. Muscatine
4. Pleasant Valley
5. Linn-Mar
6. City High
I think West is the clear cut favorite here, they have been one of the top 5 programs in 4A for the last 5 years or so and I think that continues. I am not sure Davenport North will be able to get past Muscatine and PV but if there is a year for them to make the playoffs this is the year, Muscatine has a strong possibility of finishing 2nd as they bring back a nice core. PV has the tradition of a quality program but have a lot of questions. Linn-Mar is a school that should be more competitive but they can never seem to figure it out. Finally City High I think is not blessed with the talent pool they had in the 90s and 2000s.
District 5
1. CR Kennedy
2. Bettendorf
3. CR Washington
4. Davenport Central
5. Davenport West
6. Burlington
This is a case of the top 2 then everyone else, Kennedy is bringing back so much off of a playoff team, Bettendorf will reload and I think that it is close, but I will take Kennedy. After that I just went with overall strength of program but I don’t see any one else challenging the top 2.
District 6
1. Waukee
2. Johnston
3. Indianola
4. DSM East
5. Ottumwa
6. Mason City
I think Waukee could have a chance to challenge for a state title this year with what they return. I put Johnston in 2nd because I think they have a large talent pool that I think they can fill in the holes that they have. Indianola and East are close both with holes to fill. Ottumwa and Mason City are sort of the sisters of the poor in 4A and I just don’t see them competing in 4A.
District 7
1. Valley
2. Urbandale
3. Ames
4. CB Jefferson
5. CB Lincoln
6. DSM North
Valley is Valley and they will reload, and they do have some young players return this year that I think could have big seasons. Urbandale and Ames I think are both playoff teams, I give Urbandale the edge with what they return. CB Jeff is in the best place program wise although they have to replace the Baker kid, Lincoln and North are not in good places.
Playoff Teams
District Champs
1. Dowling
2. Centennial
3. Cedar Falls
4. Iowa City West
5. CR Kennedy
6. Waukee
7. Valley
At Large
1. Ankeny
2. Fort Dodge
3. Senior
4. Davenport North
5. Bettendorf
6. Johnston
7. Urbandale
8. Ames
9. Muscatine
Dome Teams
Dowling
Waukee
Iowa City West
CR Kennedy
Final
Dowling over Waukee
