Really early pre-season rankings-

[Anonymous4212]

Here is my look on how the season will go next year————

1.West Hancock- Starting only 4 Seniors last year, this team is gonna be near impossible to stop. Tate Hagen and Josef Smith are the best duo of backs in the state. Also, they have a great line with Redienus and Cox. This will be the team to be beat... and I doubt it happens.

2.Wapsie Valley- Went out and watched this team play this past year and they were really impressive. Their running back is a big dude who is very shifty. Have a very nice qb/wr duo that is returning and have a hell of a young line. They lose their best lineman but they return the other four.

3.St. Ansgar- They lose a decent number of starters but return a very talented running back in Sievert and return a couple lineman. Also they lose Kramer at QB. This team has high hopes and with Newman losing so much, they won’t have a very tough district either.

4.Hudson- This is a little tricky. I wanted to but this team higher, but I think losing Seres is just gonna be too much. I think they will still be a very good team with Fulcher coming back and most of a very solid line returning too. But they won’t be at the elite level they were this past year.

5.Garrigan- With a very dissapointing end to this past season, Garrigan will be hungry for the dome. They only return two starters, but those two starters were IMO Garrigans best players this past season in Mammen and Winkel. They have a huge upcoming Junior class, I hear. Their biggest problem this past year was they didn’t have even a decent running back. If they can find someone to step up, this team will be just as dangerous as anyone in the state.

6.Ed-Co- This team shocked everybody and made it to the dome. They were out sized against BG and played much harder and pulled it out. Even though they lost quite a bit, if this team comes out with that mentality every game next year. They will be tough. Not to mention, I guarantee Parker Rochford will rush for 1500+ yards.

7.North Tama- NT is losing their very talented running back but is returning their QB and almost all of their line. For how well they played in a very tough district this year, I bet they will do the same next year.

8.Highland, Riverside- This team had a pretty impressive year last year. They are losing the older Lasek kid but the younger one is an absolute beast. They also return another starting lineman. They lose most of their skill players so if they can replace them, they will, again, be a very, very good team.

9.West Fork- Now this is my dark horse team and I know 6 of these teams are from 2 districts but I think it’s rightfully so. WF only started 3 seniors last year and were very, very athletic. They just got out powered by the likes of Garrigan and West Hancock. With Latham and Janssen returning... be ready for a shock.

10.St. Albert- This is a football school. They didn’t have a very great season last year, but they had all underclassmen skill players and I think they will come back strong next year. Besides Kuemper, I bet they dominate their schedule.

On the bubble teams(in order)- Avoca, Alburnett, Sioux Central, Hinton, Belmond, Grundy Center, St. Edmond, BGM

 

[Anonymous111]

Great list. I agree west Hancock is pretty much unbeatable next year. The only team I disagree with is garrigan. Even though they return two 1st team all state caliber players I don’t think that will be enough. I’d have them on the bubble or number 10. I also believe Ed-Co will take a step back as well. Parker is going to be better then Preston but they lose a lot and there schedule is a little tougher next season with those teams improving. I would replace edco with Grundy

 

[troutstamp1]

Good start to the list but althou I think Wapsie will be good I think they are to high. Yes they do return starting QB and receiver but they also lose almost 1000 yds in receptions from Sauerbrie, Franzen and Budzinkski. They lose their best lineman and since they run a lot of TE sets I consider Budzinski a lineman also in running downs. They are a top 10 team, I just don't think they are #2 to start off with. Edco I think will take a step back but still be in the hunt for that district as its not extremely tough. They lose by far best player in Rochford and starting QB in Streicher who passed for over a 1000 yds plus a few good lineman. The qustion will be where do they play the young Rochford next year, QB, RB, WR ? He was a big weapon last yr at WR because you had to account for his older brother all the time, next year that takes that away. I think he plays QB with more run pass option but he will need recievers to throw to. I look at them like say an Alburnette a couple years ago with Sloan who was 90% of their offense then struggled last year because they didnt have him, I think EDCO might be in the same boat.

 

[Anonymous4212]

With the arm of wapsies Qb and how good the Sauerbrei kid is and they return four starting lineman. This will team will be top 3. I almost guarantee it. I watched them against Garrigan last year and their best players were by far the QB, RB, and 2-3 of their lineman. That quarterback made the wide receivers have good stats. They dropped some wide open passes which could have gave them momentum to win. Yes they lost their best lineman. But the Juniors they had that were starting are gonna be just as good. 6’7 235, 6’3 260, 6’1 255... I mean these guys are big kids and will have experience

 

[Anonymous4212]

And btw.. wapsie runs mostly spread.

 

[troutstamp1]

so you watched 1 game against Garrigan and the QB is great ?

 

[Anonymous111]

Anon4212 I agree with you that wapsie is a top 3 team but I disagree with you on the QB. He’s pretty good but he had some REALLY athletic WR’s that went up and made plays for him. South O’Brien could be a team that surprises some people. Won 4 games in a competitive district and Graduate only 4 seniors and have one of the better running backs in the state returning. And there district gets much worse.

 

[Anonymous4212]

I’ve watched his highlights and yes he played “bad” against Garrigan and still made some amazing throws.

 

[Anonymous4212]

He threw three pics against Garrigan. But if I remember right.. two of them were good throws but tipped either by his own wide receiver or by chance. And then intercepted

 

[Anonymous4212]

The kids gonna be really good when he puts some weight on. And I think you can ask anyone who has watched class A football. You don’t have to be pass dominant to be good. Most teams in class A are about 75% run and 25% pass. And Britt made the dome running 98% of the time. So the fact your saying they are losing three decent receivers is irrelevant. It’s much more important to have a good coach, line, and running back/game

 

[Anonymous111]

The real question is who’s going to be offensive and defensive players of the year?

 

[Anonymous4212]

I think offensive player of the year will very easily be either Hagen from Britt or Sievert from St Ansgar. Defensive player of the year is more of a toss up. I’d say front runners are Winkel or Mammen from Bishop Garrigan, Fulcher from Hudson, Blaylock from Wapsie, or Sevening from Alburnett. But like I said, it could be anybody. Those are just the names that stuck out throughout the season.

 

[Anonymous111]

I agree with all those names. Defensive stats are really hard to keep track of but going off quick stats Tate Kounkel could be in the conversation. Had 6 six solo sacks and a bunch of tackles

 

[GOPANTHERS23]

Wapsie will plug different receivers in lol that will definitely not be an issue. Losing Sauerbrei and Buzynski at DE is a bigger issue than losing them on offense.

 

[Football211]

Highland will end up at around .500 at best. Younger Lasek is very talented, but there is only so much you can do for your team when on the line. The older one was the reason they made the playoffs. They also lose their RB who also had 90 tackles, along with key pieces of their line.

 

[Zowwy21]

Just to put things in perspective, at least for District 7. WV has 5 returning 1st Team All-District players, 3 returning 2nd Team All-District and 1 returning Honorable Mention in arguably one of the top 2 or 3 toughest districts. Grundy Center has 2 returning 1st teamers, 4 returning 2nd teamers and 1 honorable mention. North Tama has 4 returning 1st teamers, 1 2nd teamer and 1 HM. East Buc has 1 returning 1st teamer and 2 returning 2nd teamers. Hudson has 2 returning 2nd teamers and 2 HM.

 

[Anonymous2002]

ED-CO will be just as good, if not better this year!! They lose Preston, but I think Parker and the rest of that incoming junior class is LOADED!! Highland will be a 5-4/4-5 team. They lose a ton!! They have the OL/DL Lasek back and their MLB/FB is a stud too.

Wapsie Valley will be improved. Hudson will take a step back... still be good but will not make it to the Dome. Wapsie will get in from NE Iowa.

Wapsie, Britt, CBSA & Bishop Algona head to Dome.

Teams to watch: Grundy, ED-CO, Alburnett, St. A

 

[falconfanx3]

actually agree with your take @Anonymous2002

 

[Sev393]

Does anyone know much about Alta-Aurelia? they werent talked about much last year, so no idea about them and what they might have coming back. But they probably played one the games of the year (based on score and OT drama) with AHSTW in the early rounds of playoffs last fall. So, yeah, western IA folks, could they be mix this year again?

 

[falconfanx3]

The Season is almost here.....