Which Poll is Right?

[UnionFootballFan]

Des Moines Register
CLASS 2A

1. ALBIA

11-2

With 14 starters back, this team is loaded with experience, talent.

2. NORTH FAYETTE VALLEY

13-1

State champions seek repeat. Big line led by Juan Harris, Ethan Lape.

3. BECKMAN (DYERSVILLE)

10-3

All-state linebacker Tyler Hirsch leds talented group.

4. SOUTH TAMA

8-3

Twelve returning starters look for a breakthrough season.

5. SPIRIT LAKE

11-1

Program has been one of the state's best in recent years.

6. CLEAR LAKE

10-1

Won 10 straight to start last year.

7. HAMPTON-DUMONT

10-2

Balanced offense needs to replace quarterback.

8. WEST BURLINGTON N.D.

4-6

State track champions want success in football, too.

9. MEDIAPOLIS

8-2

Quarterback Arthur Brown leads experienced squad.

10. APLINGTON-PARKERSBURG

6-4

Traditional program looking stronger than a year ago.

------------------------------------------------

Radio Iowa

1. North Fayette Valley @ Decorah
2. Union (LaPorte City) vs A-#1 Gladbrook-Reinbeck
3. Central Lyon/GLR vs 1A-#9 West Lyon
4. Albia @ A-#8 Mount Ayr
5. Mediapolis @ Camanche
6. Dyersville Beckman @ Monticello
7. CMB (Maxwell) @ West Marshall
8. Clear Lake vs Mason City
9. South Tama vs Grinnell
10.Spirit Lake @ Estherville-Lincoln Central

--------------------------
Quad City Times

1-Union
2-Spirit Lake
3-Beckman
4-NFV
5-Central Lyon
6-Hampton Dumont
7-Albia
8-CMB
9-Sioux Center
10-South Tama

 

[RoundMound1]

I'll go with the QC Times simply because they didn't pick a d5 team not named Williamsburg. Granted they didn't take any d5 teams but having WB or Mepo ranked and not Williamsburg seems rather uninformed.

 

[ORSKY1]

I would agree. WB has a ton of speed but will have to have line play to be better than last year. I would project them at 5-4 maybe 6-3. Mepo is a toss up to me. Lost a lot of their strength but an outstanding wrestiling program and kids that have grown up with excellance can go a long way. I suspect 7-2 or 6-3 will be about where they land. The first 3 weeks will tell the story for them.

 

[fmclonefan]

Here is another poll, from the CR Gazette, for your viewing pleasure.

Gazette/KCRG/KGYM Preseason Rankings
Rank Team 2014 W-L Points
1. North Fayette Valley (3) 13-1 59
2. Central Lyon-GLR (1) 6-4 49
3. Spirit Lake (2) 11-1 46
4. Albia (1) 11-2 42
5. Dyersville Beckman 10-3 38
6. Sioux Center 12-2 33
7. South Tama 8-3 31
8. Clear Lake 10-1 30
9. Baxter CMB (1) 10-1 18
10. Anamosa 7-3 17

First place votes in parenthesesOthers receiving votes: Williamsburg 16, Hampton-Dumont 15, Center Point-Urbana 8, New Hampton 7, Waukon 7, Clarinda 6, Mount Vernon 6, Aplington-Parkersburg 5, Cascade 4, Union 3

 

[maxstabs13]

I never trust DMR polls... They favor Central Iowa teams and know little to nothing about anything below 3A.

 

[fmclonefan]

Huh. Union is #1 in QC Times, #2 in Radio Iowa, unranked in DSM Register and essentially #20 in CR Gazette. That is some weird stuff.

 

[UnionFootballFan]

Yeah, I think the DMR and CR Gazette didn't care to reach beyond a few miles of their local areas to learn enough to make accurate rankings. We will all learn soon enough...there are always surprises.

 

[MepoDawg#]

I wouldn't put Mepo or W. Burlington in, they're both in the prove it camp. If any team in the district is ranked it should be Williamsburg.

 

[BRANDONJ8]

how good is mid-prarie going to be this year

 

[HuskerPower78]

Regardless of the poll, Sioux Center should not be ranked period, and, both CLGLR and Spirit Lake should be in the top 5 of any poll.

 

[UnionFootballFan]

Huh. Union is #1 in QC Times, #2 in Radio Iowa, unranked in DSM Register and essentially #20 in CR Gazette. That is some weird stuff.

Homer post, with merit...

Let's review the Cedar Rapids Gazette district predictions and rankings for D6.

D6 Ranked Team: South Tama (7)
D6 Predicted Finish: South Tama (1), A-P (2), Iowa Falls (3), Union (4)

In 2014, Union...

• Started 6 Sophomores in 2014 including key positions like QB, RB, K, plus three on OL/DL/Def.
• Won the district.
• Beat South Tama 35-30
• Beat A-P 37-0
• Beat Iowa Falls 51-0
• Union hasn't finished worse than 3rd in their district (both 2A and 3A) for over 7-years.
  • 2014 (2A), 9-3: 1st in District, Quarterfinals
  • 2013 (2A), 5-5: 3rd in District behind state Runner-Up and Quarterfinal Teams, 1st Round Playoffs
  • 2012 (2A), 9-2: 1st in District, 2nd Round Playoffs
  • 2011 (3A), 12-2: 2nd in District, State Champions
  • 2010 (3A), 9-1: 1st in District, 1st Round Playoffs
  • 2009 (3A), 8-3: 2nd in District, 2nd Round Playoffs
  • 2008 (3A), 7-3: 3rd in District, 1st Round Playoffs

I can't quite see how they see Union finishing 4th in the district this year.

 

[PNation]

I agree with you Union, I might give South Tama a slight edge in the district, as I think they return a little bit more, but I don't see any way that South Tama and Union aren't 1 and 2, AP will be better, and could even be a borderline top 10 team but I don't see them passing the top two teams. The #4 spot comes down to Iowa Falls and South Hardin, and I would say that Iowa Falls might have a slight advantage.

 

[Hawksince73]

Yeah, I think the DMR and CR Gazette didn't care to reach beyond a few miles of their local areas to learn enough to make accurate rankings. We will all learn soon enough...there are always surprises.

The Gazette and KCRG are under the same corporate umbrella and the Waterloo area, thus Union, is well within their coverage area. Why they have Union so low? Don't know. Didn't read the preview that recently came out in the paper.

 

[UnionFootballFan]

The Gazette and KCRG are under the same corporate umbrella and the Waterloo area, thus Union, is well within their coverage area. Why they have Union so low? Don't know. Didn't read the preview that recently came out in the paper.

TV coverage area and the teams they take the time to focus on based on distance from their main area (Cedar Rapids) are two different approaches. They appeal to their largest and local audience, so I don't blame them for it. I just believe there are more accurate polls with better insight.

 

[zonkeyjerky]

I would say the Des Moines Register didn't do there homework here. There are 2 teams on there that are more like ranking of mid 20's.

 

[tfan12345]

are the bcmoore rankings out? are they more accurate?

 

[UnionFootballFan]

They are out, but this early in the season they are not accurate. Need a few games this season to remove last year's influence.

 

[wamachie]

Union likely a top 10 pick....due to program respect and past history. I like North Fayette for now. Anamosa may surprise.

 

[tigerpride_32]

These are some of the shakiest pre-season polls I've seen. Doesn't look like any thorough research was done. The three number ones are Albia, Union, and NFV. Albia got absolutely obliterated in the dome last year and probably shouldn't have been there to begin with and Union returns a bunch from a good team, but they haven't proved anything to deserve anywhere close to #1 and just dropped a game to Class A GR, while NFV graduated around 8 starters that played both ways for last years state championship team.

 

[MepoDawg#]

These are some of the shakiest pre-season polls I've seen. Doesn't look like any thorough research was done. The three number ones are Albia, Union, and NFV. Albia got absolutely obliterated in the dome last year and probably shouldn't have been there to begin with and Union returns a bunch from a good team, but they haven't proved anything to deserve anywhere close to #1 and just dropped a game to Class A GR, while NFV graduated around 8 starters that played both ways for last years state championship team.

That's why they will play the games on the field just like last year. It'll sort itself out.