Iowa high school football 2023: Picking the Gazette area Class A districts

This is the second in a series diving into the area Iowa high school football districts for the 2023 season. Today, we examine Class A.

Fifty-eight teams will play Class A football this season, with 32 advancing to the playoffs. The top four teams in each of eight districts advance automatically.

The Class A regular season will be eight games, with five rounds of playoffs. Teams not making the playoffs will be permitted to play a ninth regular-season contest if they choose.

A closer look at area districts:

District 4

OVERVIEW

East Buchanan (9-2) made it to the quarterfinals last season before falling 20-6 to eventual champion Grundy Center. The Buccaneers did it with a punishing ground attack that averaged 392 rushing yards per game and produced three 1,000-yard rushers. Two of them are back — seniors Tanner Thurn (1,474 yards, 21 touchdowns) and Hunter Bowers (1,098 and 11). They’ll run behind lineman Cody Fox, a University of Iowa recruit. With the majority of their defensive standouts back as well, the Bucs are a legitimate state-title threat. North Linn (9-2) will field another quality squad, and Maquoketa Valley (5-4) should continue to climb behind Lance McShane (1,297 rushing yards, 19 TDs in 2022).

PREDICTIONS (*playoff qualifier)

1. *East Buchanan

2. *Maquoketa Valley

3. *North Linn

4. *Bellevue

5. Starmont

6. North Cedar

7. Clayton Ridge

8. Postville

District 5

OVERVIEW

Columbus Community enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2022; the Wildcats’ 8-2 record marked their first winning campaign in well over a decade. It may have been a springboard for far bigger things to come this fall. As was evident at the state track meet in May, the Wildcats are laden with speed. Kaden Amigon is back for his senior season after rushing for 1,872 yards and 26 TDs as a junior. Speaking of speed, Lisbon (5-4) has a burner in Baylor Speidel, who rushed for 11 yards per carry, and the Lions are Columbus’ most legitimate threat. Highland should be ready for a big push forward after going winless last year, and is projected here to make the playoffs.

PREDICTIONS (*playoff qualifier)

1. *Columbus Community

2. *Lisbon

3. *Highland

4. *Wapello

5. Pekin

6. Van Buren County

7. Louisa-Muscatine

8. Danville

Other area districts

DISTRICT 3

1. *Nashua-Plainfield

2. *Wapsie Valley

3. *South Winneshiek

4. *Ackley AGWSR

5. North Tama

6. North Butler

7. Conrad BCLUW

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com