2010 Iowa high school football playoffs: Our picks

SourceMedia Group's so-called "experts" weigh in on how the 2010 high school playoffs will unfold:

Picker

Jeff Johnson

Jeff Linder

K.J. Pilcher

4A Semifinalist

West Des Moines Dowling

West Des Moines Dowling

West Des Moines Dowling

4A Semifinalist

Council Bluffs Lincoln

Fort Dodge

Southeast Polk

4A Semifinalist

Cedar Rapids Xavier

Cedar Rapids Xavier

Cedar Rapids Xavier

4A Semifinalist

Iowa City High

Iowa City High

Iowa City High

4A Final

City High over Dowling

Dowling over City High

Dowling over City High

3A Semi D1/D2

Harlan

Harlan

Harlan

3A Semi D3/D4

Webster City

Clear Lake

Clear Lake

3A Semi D5/D6

Solon

Solon

Union Community

3A Semi D7/D8

Pella

Pella

Pella

3A Final

Pella over Harlan

Harlan over Solon

Harlan over Pella

2A Semi D1/D2

Carroll Kuemper

Carroll Kuemper

South Central Calhoun

2A Semi D3/D4

Pella Christian

West Marshall

West Marshall

2A Semi D5/D6

Waterloo Columbus

North Fayette

North Fayette

2A Semi D7/D8

Iowa City Regina

Iowa City Regina

Iowa City Regina

2A Final

Regina over Kuemper

Regina over Kuemper

Regina over SCC

1A Semi D1/D2

Emmetsburg

Emmetsburg

Emmetsburg

1A Semi D3/D4

Council Bluffs St. Albert

Council Bluffs St. Albert

Council Bluffs St. Albert

1A Semi D5/D6

Aplington-Parkersburg

Saint Ansgar

Aplington-Parkersburg

1A Semi D7/D8

Starmont

West Branch

West Branch

1A Final

Emmetsburg over Starmont

St. Albert over Saint Ansgar

St. Albert over West Branch

A Semi D1/D2

Algona Garrigan

LeMars Gehlen

LeMars Gehlen

A Semi D3/D4

Bedford

Madrid

Madrid

A Semi D5/D6

North Tama

Mason City Newman

North Tama

A Semi D7/D8

BGM

BGM

BGM

A Final

North Tama over Bedford

Madrid over Newman

Madrid over North Tama

8M Semi D1/D2

Armstrong-Ringsted

Armstrong-Ringsted

Armstrong-Ringsted

8M Semi D3/D4

Fremont-Mills

Glidden-Ralston

Glidden-Ralston

8M Semi D5/D6

Preston

Preston

Northeast Hamilton

8M Semi D7/D8

Lenox

Lenox

Lenox

8-Man Final

Lenox over Arm.-Ringsted

Arm.-Ringsted over Lenox

Lenox over Arm.-Ringsted

Johnson: Everyone seems to be doubting Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln, but Linn-Mar Coach Bob Forsyth told me they're for real. Good enough for me to pick them for the final four. Just got a feeling about City High, though. Picking Harlan in 3A is just SO cliche. Regina in 2A is my "lock" of the entire postseason. Since I've got relatives in the Starmont district, I'll pick them for the final four in 1A. In A, this is finally North Tama's year. Who knows about 8-man?

Linder: My darkhorse pick is Saint Ansgar, and I have no idea why. I see we have three different teams coming out of the bottom half of the 4A West bracket, and I don't think any of them are bad picks. It's a shame that Regina and North Fayette are in the same semifinal and that Mason City Newman and North Tama are in the same quarterfinal.

Pilcher: If SE Polk has to avenge a regular-season loss to Johnston to start a playoff run. I'm not sold on Council Bluffs teams, despite Abe Lincoln having one of the state's top backs in Ebertowski. I think the Rams have ability to be a playoff surprise and make a run. Torn between Pella and Union coming out of the East in 3A. Pella was a surprise finalist a year ago. That experience could tilt the advantage Pella's way, ending in a second straight loss in the finals to Harlan. In 2A, Regina is a huge favorite, Emmetsburg and St. Albert winner comes away with the 1A title, and likely at the expense of West Branch, and like North Tama reaching finals in A, but losing to Madrid.