116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Iowa high school preseason football rankings: There's a twist in Class 2A
Aug. 16, 2017 1:00 pm, Updated: Aug. 16, 2017 9:21 pm
Six ballots. Six different No. 1s.
There's not a consensus on the state's top Class 2A football team in the preseason poll released today by The Gazette and KGYM Radio. Not even close.
In an extremely balanced 2A poll, defending-champion Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley raked in the most points and will begin the season ranked No. 1. The Nighthawks are one of two defending champs to start the season on top; Pella (3A) is the other.
The other top-rated teams are Ankeny Centennial (4A), Iowa City Regina (1A), Council Bluffs St. Albert (Class A) and Harris-Lake Park (8-Player).
None of the No. 1 teams are unanimous, and the poll diversity is most striking in 2A.
BHRV (12-1 last year) received one of the No. 1 votes. So did Monroe PCM (9-2) and Mount Vernon (9-3), who are tied for the No. 2 slot. And so did No. 4 Carroll Kuemper (9-2), No. 5 Union (11-2) and No. 7 Williamsburg (8-3). The Nighthawks topped Union, 44-21, for the 2A title last November.
Centennial (10-2) edges three-time defending champion West Des Moines Dowling (12-1) by a 57-54 margin atop the 4A rankings. The Jaguars and the Maroons split the first-place votes, three each. Dowling beat Centennial, 41-17, in the semifinals last year, but the Jaguars return a good share of their top players.
Iowa City West (10-3), which made a run to the finals last year, is No. 4. Cedar Rapids Washington (10-2) is No. 6 and Cedar Rapids Prairie (9-2) is tied for ninth.
Pella (13-0) has captured the last three 3A titles and owns a 41-game win streak. The Dutch are the No. 1 team in that class by a wide margin. Norwalk (8-2) and Cedar Rapids Xavier (11-1) are second and third. Pella edged the Saints, 34-30, in the semifinals.
Regina had a six-year championship run end at the hands of Western Christian, 47-34, in last year's final. But the Regals (11-2) find themselves atop the 1A poll again. They're followed by Van Meter (11-1) and Western Christian (12-1).
A semifinalist last year, St. Albert (11-1) edges two-time defending champ Gladbrook-Reinbeck (13-0) by a 56-54 margin for the top spot in Class A. West Sioux (9-2) is No. 3.
Don Bosco won the 8-Player title last year, 48-21 over Harris-Lake Park. But the Wolves edge the Dons by a 56-53 count to start this season. Both teams were 12-1 in 2016.
This year's panel consists of Jeff Johnson, K.J. Pilcher, Jeff Linder, Nathan Ford and Douglas Miles of The Gazette and Scott Unash of KGYM-AM.
Class 4A
1.
Ankeny Centennial
57 points (3 first-place votes)57 points (3 first-place votes)
Last year: 10-2, State semifinalist
Week 1: vs. Johnston
2.
West Des Moines Dowling
54 points (3 first-place votes)54 points (3 first-place votes)
Last year: 12-1, State champion
Week 1: vs. No. 8 Ankeny
3.
West Des Moines Valley
47 points47 points
Last year: 10-1, State quarterfinalist
Week 1: at No. 9 Bettendorf
4.
Iowa City West
43 points43 points
Last year: 10-3, State runner-up
Week 1: at Southeast Polk
5.
Waukee
38 points38 points
Last year: 8-3, State quarterfinalist
Week 1: vs. Urbandale
6.
Cedar Rapids Washington
18 points18 points
Last year: 10-2, State semifinalist
Week 1: vs. No. 9 Cedar Rapids Prairie
7.
Lewis Central
13 points13 points
Last year: 6-3, State first round
Week 1: at 3A No. 10 Harlan
8.
Ankeny
12 points12 points
Last year: 6-4, State first round
Week 1: at No. 2 West Des Moines Dowling
9.
Bettendorf
10 points10 points
Last year: 7-3, State first round
Week 1: vs. No. 3 West Des Moines Valley
9.
Cedar Rapids Prairie
10 points10 points
Last year: 9-2, State quarterfinalist
Week 1: at No. 6 Cedar Rapids Washington
Others receiving votes: Johnston 9, Ames 6, Southeast Polk 6, Cedar Rapids Kennedy 3, Pleasant Valley 3, Cedar Falls 1.
Class 3A
1.
Pella
59 points (5 first-place votes)59 points (5 first-place votes)
Last year: 13-0, State champion
Week 1: at Oskaloosa
2.
Norwalk
37 points37 points
Last year: 8-2, State first round
Week 1: vs. Indianola
3.
Cedar Rapids Xavier
32 points32 points
Last year: 11-1, State semifinalist
Week 1: at 1A No. 1 Iowa City Regina
4.
Sioux City Heelan
24 points (1 first-place vote)24 points (1 first-place vote)
Last year: 6-3
Week 1: at Sioux City East
4.
West Delaware
24 points24 points
Last year: 8-2, State first round
Week 1: vs. Independence
6.
Creston/O-M
21 points21 points
Last year: 8-2, State first round
Week 1: at Boone
6.
Dallas Center-Grimes
21 points21 points
Last year: 6-3
Week 1: at Adel ADM
8.
Storm Lake
17 points17 points
Last year: 9-1, State first round
Week 1: at Cherokee
9.
Webster City
15 points15 points
Last year: 11-2, State runner-up
Week 1: at Humboldt
10.
Harlan
13 points13 points
Last year: 4-5
Week 1: vs. 4A No. 7 Lewis Central
Others receiving votes: Solon 12, Carroll 11, Washington 10, Carlisle 9, Davenport Assumption 9, Bondurant-Farrar 6, Sergeant Bluff-Luton 6, Glenwood 3, Benton Community 1, Marion 1.
Class 2A
1.
Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley
45 points (1 first-place vote)45 points (1 first-place vote)
Last year: 12-1, State champion
Week 1: vs. 1A No. 3 Western Christian
2.
Monroe PCM
42 points (1 first-place vote)42 points (1 first-place vote)
Last year: 9-2, State quarterfinalist
Week 1: at 1A No. 7 Pella Christian
2.
Mount Vernon
42 points (1 first-place vote)42 points (1 first-place vote)
Last year: 9-3, State semifinalist
Week 1: vs. Solon
4.
Carroll Kuemper
37 points (1 first-place vote)37 points (1 first-place vote)
Last year: 9-2, State quarterfinalist
Week 1: at Greene County
5.
Union Community
34 points (1 first-place vote)34 points (1 first-place vote)
Last year: 11-2, State runner-up
Week 1: at Marion
6.
Waukon
26 points26 points
Last year: 6-3
Week 1: vs. MFL MarMac
7.
Williamsburg
23 points (1 first-place vote)23 points (1 first-place vote)
Last year: 8-3, State quarterfinalist
Week 1: at Fairfield
8.
South Central Calhoun
15 points15 points
Last year: 7-3, State first round
Week 1: at Carroll
9.
Dike-New Hartford
12 points12 points
Last year: 9-3, State semifinalist
Week 0: at Independence
10.
Sheldon
9 points9 points
Last year: 4-5
Week 1: at Sibley-Ocheyedan
Others receiving votes: Central Lee 7, North Fayette Valley 7, New Hampton 6, Central Lyon-GLR 5, Garner GHV 5, Roland-Story 5, Sioux Center 5, Saydel 4, West Marshall 1.
Class 1A
1.
Iowa City Regina
58 points (5 first-place votes)58 points (5 first-place votes)
Last year: 11-2, State runner-up
Week 1: vs. 3A No. 3 Cedar Rapids Xavier
2.
Van Meter
52 points52 points
Last year: 11-1, State semifinalist
Last week: at Earlham
3.
Western Christian
41 points41 points
Last year: 12-1, State champion
Week 1: at 2A No. 1 Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley
4.
West Lyon
40 points (1 first-place vote)40 points (1 first-place vote)
Last year: 7-3, State first round
Week 1: at Central Lyon
5.
Denver
37 points37 points
Last year: 11-1, State semifinalist
Week 1: at 2A No. 9 Dike-New Hartford
6.
Pleasantville
16 points16 points
Last year: 8-2, State first round
Week 1: vs. Eddyville EBF
7.
Pella Christian
13 points13 points
Last year: 10-1, State quarterfinalist
Week 1: at 2A No. 2 Monroe PCM
8.
Bellevue
10 points10 points
Last year: 10-1, State quarterfinalist
Week 1: vs. Camanche
8.
South Winneshiek
10 points10 points
Last year: 7-3, State first round
Week 1: at Wapsie Valley
10.
Logan-Magnolia
9 points9 points
Last year: 8-2, State first round
Week 1: vs. A No. 1 Council Bluffs St. Albert
10.
Panorama
9 points9 points
Last year: 7-2
Week 1: vs. Des Moines Christian
Others receiving votes: Avoca AHSTW 8, Wilton 6, Interstate 35 5, Mount Ayr 4, Hinton 3, Madrid 3, Missouri Valley 3, Clayton Ridge 2, West Branch 1.
Class A
1.
Council Bluffs St. Albert
56 points (4 first-place votes)56 points (4 first-place votes)
Last year: 11-1, State semifinalist
Week 1: at 1A No. 10 Logan-Magnolia
2.
Gladbrook-Reinbeck
54 points (2 first-place votes)54 points (2 first-place votes)
Last year: 13-0, State champion
Week 1: at Grundy Center
3.
West Sioux
38 points38 points
Last year: 9-2, State quarterfinalist
Week 1: vs. Unity Christian (at Sioux City)
4.
Lynnville-Sully
29 points29 points
Last year: 8-2, State first round
Week 1: at Colfax-Mingo
5.
Algona Garrigan
26 points26 points
Last year: 12-1, State runner-up
Week 1: at Pocahontas Area/L-M
5.
West Hancock
26 points26 points
Last year: 8-3, State quarterfinalist
Week 1: at Garner GHV
7.
Lisbon
23 points23 points
Last year: 9-2, State quarterfinalist
Week 1: at Winfield-Mount Union
8.
Hudson
21 points21 points
Last year: 8-2, State first round
Week 1: vs. East Marshall
8.
Saint Ansgar
21 points21 points
Last year: 11-1, State semifinalist
Week 1: at Osage
10.
Le Mars Gehlen
11 points11 points
Last year: 5-4
Week 1: vs. MMCRU
Others receiving votes: Wapsie Valley 8, Southwest Valley 5, Fort Dodge St. Edmond 3, North Linn 3, East Buchanan 2, Pekin 2, Belle Plaine 1, Nashua-Plainfield 1.
8-Player
1.
Harris-Lake Park
56 points (2 first-place votes)56 points (2 first-place votes)
Last year: 12-1, State runner-up
Week 1: at North Iowa
2.
Don Bosco
53 points (3 first-place votes)53 points (3 first-place votes)
Last year: 12-1, State champion
Week 1: vs. Midland
3.
Audubon
45 points (1 first-place vote)45 points (1 first-place vote)
Last year: 8-2, State first round
Week 1: vs. Exira-EHK
4.
Fremont-Mills
40 points40 points
Last year: 11-1, State quarterfinalist
Week 1: vs. Lenox
5.
Ruthven GTRA
30 points30 points
Last year: 7-2
Week 1: at Glidden-Ralston
6.
Newell-Fonda
18 points18 points
Last year: 7-3, State first round
Week 1: at Coon Rapids-Bayard
7.
Twin Cedars
17 points17 points
Last year: 10-1, State quarterfinalist
Week 1: vs. WACO
8.
Remsen St. Mary's
14 points14 points
Last year: 6-3
Week 1: at Ar-We-Va
9.
Turkey Valley
8 points8 points
Last year: 9-1, State first round
Week 1: at Lansing Kee
10.
HLV
6 points6 points
Last year: 7-4, State first round
Week 0: at WACO
10.
Lone Tree
6 points6 points
Last year: 8-1
Week 0: at Central City
10.
West Bend-Mallard
6 points6 points
Last year: 5-4
Week 1: at Northwood-Kensett
Others receiving votes: Exira-EHK 5, Lenox 5, Midland 5, Bedford 4, Elkader Central 4, East Union 3, Anita CAM 2, Coon Rapids-Bayard 1, Lamoni 1, Tripoli 1.
l Comments: (319) 368-8857; jeff.linder@thegazette.com
Iowa City Regina's Isaac Vollstedt gives a stiff-arm to Western Christian's Ben Granstra on his way to scoring a touchdown during last year's Class 1A football championship game. The Regals are the top-ranked team in The Gazette/KGYM preseason football rankings. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)
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