Iowa high school football playoffs 2019: Our predictions

The Gazette's sportswriters pick the semifinalists and championship game winner for the Iowa high school football playoffs.

Class 4A

 

JEFF JOHNSON

Bracket A: West Des Moines Valley

Bracket B: Cedar Falls

Bracket C: Cedar Rapids Kennedy

Bracket D: West Des Moines Dowling

Semifinals: West Des Moines Valley over Cedar Rapids Kennedy; West Des Moines Dowling over Cedar Falls

Championship: West Des Moines Dowling over West Des Moines Valley

K.J. PILCHER

Bracket A: West Des Moines Valley

Bracket B: Cedar Falls

Bracket C: Cedar Rapids Kennedy

Bracket D: West Des Moines Dowling

Semifinals: West Des Moines Valley over Cedar Rapids Kennedy; West Des Moines Dowling over Cedar Falls

Championship: West Des Moines Valley over West Des Moines Dowling

JEFF LINDER

Bracket A: West Des Moines Valley

Bracket B: Cedar Falls

Bracket C: Ankeny Centennial

Bracket D: West Des Moines Dowling

Semifinals: West Des Moines Valley over Ankeny Centennial; West Des Moines Dowling over Cedar Falls

Championship: West Des Moines Dowling over West Des Moines Valley

DOUGLAS MILES

Bracket A: West Des Moines Valley

Bracket B: Cedar Falls

Bracket C: Cedar Rapids Kennedy

Bracket D: West Des Moines Dowling

Semifinals: West Des Moines Valley over Cedar Rapids Kennedy; West Des Moines Dowling over Cedar Falls

Championship: West Des Moines Valley over West Des Moines Dowling

Class 3A

 

JEFF JOHNSON

Bracket A: Solon

Bracket B: Western Dubuque

Bracket C: Norwalk

Bracket D: Lewis Central

Semifinals: Solon over Norwalk; Western Dubuque over Lewis Central

Championship: Western Dubuque over Solon

K.J. PILCHER

Bracket A: Solon

Bracket B: Western Dubuque

Bracket C: Norwalk

Bracket D: Lewis Central

Semifinals: Solon over Norwalk; Western Dubuque over Lewis Central

Championship: Western Dubuque over Solon

JEFF LINDER

Bracket A: Independence

Bracket B: Western Dubuque

Bracket C: Sergeant Bluff-Luton

Bracket D: Lewis Central

Semifinals: Western Dubuque over Independence; Lewis Central over Sergeant Bluff-Luton

Championship: Western Dubuque over Lewis Central

DOUGLAS MILES

Bracket A: Solon

Bracket B: Cedar Rapids Xavier

Bracket C: Norwalk

Bracket D: Lewis Central

Semifinals: Cedar Rapids Xavier over Solon; Lewis Central over Norwalk

Championship: Cedar Rapids Xavier over Lewis Central

Class 2A

 

JEFF JOHNSON

Bracket A: Waukon

Bracket B: Clear Lake

Bracket C: Algona

Bracket D: Ida Grove OABCIG

Semifinals: Waukon over Ida Grove OABCIG; Clear Lake over Algona

Championship: Waukon over Clear Lake

K.J. PILCHER

Bracket A: Waukon

Bracket B: Williamsburg

Bracket C: Algona

Bracket D: Benton Community

Semifinals: Waukon over Williamsburg; Algona over Benton Community

Championship: Waukon over Algona

JEFF LINDER

Bracket A: Waukon

Bracket B: Clear Lake

Bracket C: Algona

Bracket D: Ida Grove OABCIG

Semifinals: Waukon over Ida Grove OABCIG; Clear Lake over Algona

Championship: Waukon over Clear Lake

DOUGLAS MILES

Bracket A: Waukon

Bracket B: Clear Lake

Bracket C: Algona

Bracket D: Ida Grove OABCIG

Semifinals: Waukon over Ida Grove OABCIG; Clear Lake over Algona

Championship: Waukon over Clear Lake

Class 1A

 

Jeff Johnson

Bracket A: Van Meter

Bracket B: West Branch

Bracket C: Dike-New Hartford

Bracket D: West Sioux

Semifinals: Dike-New Hartford over Van Meter; West Sioux over West Branch

Championship: Dike-New Hartford over West Sioux

K.J. PILCHER

Bracket A: Van Meter

Bracket B: West Branch

Bracket C: Dike-New Hartford

Bracket D: Western Christian

Semifinals: Van Meter over Western Christian; Dike-New Hartford over West Branch

Championship: Dike-New Hartford over Van Meter

JEFF LINDER

Bracket A: Van Meter

Bracket B: West Branch

Bracket C: West Lyon

Bracket D: West Sioux

Semifinals: West Lyon over Van Meter; West Sioux over West Branch

Championship: West Lyon over West Sioux

DOUGLAS MILES

Bracket A: South Central Calhoun

Bracket B: West Branch

Bracket C: Dike-New Hartford

Bracket D: Western Christian

Semifinals: West Branch over Western Christian; Dike-New Hartford over South Central Calhoun

Championship: West Branch over Dike-New Hartford

Class A

 

JEFF JOHNSON

Bracket A: West Hancock

Bracket B: MFL MarMac

Bracket C: Woodbury Central

Bracket D: Saint Ansgar

Semifinals: West Hancock over Woodbury Central; Saint Ansgar over MFL MarMac

Championship: Saint Ansgar over West Hancock

K.J. PILCHER

Bracket A: West Hancock

Bracket B: Grundy Center

Bracket C: North Tama

Bracket D: Saint Ansgar

Semifinals: West Hancock over Grundy Center; Saint Ansgar over North Tama

Championship: Saint Ansgar over West Hancock

JEFF LINDER

Bracket A: West Hancock

Bracket B: Grundy Center

Bracket C: North Tama

Bracket D: Saint Ansgar

Semifinals: West Hancock over Grundy Center; Saint Ansgar over North Tama

Championship: West Hancock over Saint Ansgar

DOUGLAS MILES

Bracket A: West Hancock

Bracket B: Grundy Center

Bracket C: North Tama

Bracket D: Saint Ansgar

Semifinals: West Hancock over Grundy Center; North Tama over Saint Ansgar

Championship: West Hancock over North Tama

8-Player

 

JEFF JOHNSON

Bracket A: Audubon

Bracket B: Turkey Valley

Bracket C: Remsen St. Mary's

Bracket D: Don Bosco

Semifinals: Audubon over Remsen St. Mary's; Don Bosco over Turkey Valley

Championship: Don Bosco over Audubon

K.J. PILCHER

Bracket A: Audubon

Bracket B: Turkey Valley

Bracket C: Remsen St. Mary's

Bracket D: Don Bosco

Semifinals: Remsen St. Mary's over Audubon; Don Bosco over Turkey Valley

Championship: Don Bosco over Remsen St. Mary's

JEFF LINDER

Bracket A: Audubon

Bracket B: Turkey Valley

Bracket C: Remsen St. Mary's

Bracket D: Don Bosco

Semifinals: Audubon over Remsen St. Mary's; Don Bosco over Turkey Valley

Championship: Audubon over Don Bosco

DOUGLAS MILES

Bracket A: Audubon

Bracket B: Turkey Valley

Bracket C: Remsen St. Mary's

Bracket D: Don Bosco

Semifinals: Remsen St. Mary's over Audubon; Don Bosco over Turkey Valley

Championship: Don Bosco over Remsen St. Mary's

» Complete first-round playoff pairings for all 6 classes