116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Iowa high school football 2023 preseason rankings: The Gazette’s Class 3A poll
Mount Vernon starts at No. 1
Two teams that came up painfully short of state football championships last fall are set to be among the Class 3A contenders in 2023.
Mount Vernon saw a 16-point fourth-quarter lead slip away in a 30-23 loss to Harlan in the Class 3A final. In the Class 2A title game, Williamsburg just couldn’t get the ball away from Central Lyon/George-Little Rock (35:53) in a 10-6 defeat.
Will either get another chance to claim the top spot in November?
Meet the Class 3A No. 1 team: Mount Vernon
Backed by the return of all-state quarterback Joey Rhomberg (2,543 yards, 25 touchdowns) — who was injured and didn’t play in last year’s title game — top-ranked Mount Vernon earned four of six first-place votes from Gazette pollsters.
Jackson Jaspers gives the Mustangs a pair of first-teamers returning. Rhomberg’s top target, second-team all-stater Evan Brase is also back.
Last year’s close call against the heavily-favored, top-ranked Cyclones was Mount Vernon’s fourth runner-up finish since claiming back-to-back 2A state titles in 1993 and 1994.
Which 2022 Dome teams are in the Class 3A rankings?
Williamsburg makes the jump to Class 3A and is ranked No. 2 with one voter tabbing it first. Iowa commit Derek Weisskopf is 247Sports’ third-ranked prospect in the state who excels on both sides of the ball (628 yards and 12 touchdowns receiving, six interceptions), for the Raiders.
Two-time defending state champion Harlan will have to replace 10 all-state players (South Dakota State receiver commit Cade Sears does return), but with 14 titles the program certainly has the pedigree that enlists a certain amount of confidence regardless. The Cyclones picked up a first-place vote and are ranked third.
Humboldt, which fell to Williamsburg in last year’s semis, is in the middle of the next pack of teams at No. 6. (Adel ADM moved up to Class 4A.)
Who are the ranked Gazette area Class 3A teams?
Along with the top two, traditional power Solon comes in at No. 7. Two of the Spartans’ three losses last season were to rival Mount Vernon.
Independence is tied for the ninth spot with Clear Lake and Creston.
What are some key Week 1 Class 3A games to watch?
Games kick off at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 25, unless otherwise noted.
- No. 3 Harlan at (4A) Council Bluffs Lewis Central, 7 p.m.
- (2A No. 7) Monticello at No. 1 Mount Vernon, 7:15 p.m.
- (1A No. 9) West Branch at No. 2 Williamsburg
- No. 5 Nevada at (2A No. 10) West Marshall
- No. 7 Solon at Davenport Assumption
The Gazette’s Iowa high school football Class 3A preseason rankings
| Ranking | School | 2022 season | Poll points |
| 1 | Mount Vernon | 12-1, state runner-up | 56 (4 first-place) |
| 2 | Williamsburg | 12-1, Class 2A state runner-up | 52 (1) |
| 3 | Harlan | 12-1, state champion | 49 (1) |
| 4 | Webster City | 6-4, Class 4A playoff qualifier | 25 |
| 5 | Nevada | 8-3, state quarterfinalist | 23 |
| 6 | Humboldt | 10-2, state semifinalist | 22 |
| 7 | Solon | 8-3, state quarterfinalist | 18 |
| 8 | Hampton-Dumont-CAL | 6-4, playoff qualifier | 10 |
| T-9 | Clear Lake | 5-5, Class 2A second-round playoff qualifier | 9 |
| T-9 | Creston | 6-4, playoff qualifier | 9 |
| T-9 | Independence | 10-2, state quarterfinalist | 9 |
Others receiving votes: Fort Madison 7, Sioux Center 7, Carroll 6, Davenport Assumption 6, DeWitt Central 5, MOC-Floyd Valley 4, West Delaware 4, Algona 3, Benton Community 3, Sioux City Heelan 3
Find the full rankings here if you’re having trouble seeing them on this post.
Comments: nathan.ford@thegazette.com
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