4 Downs: Gazette staff answers questions on the Iowa high school football playoffs

The hay is in the barn and all classes have reached the postseason. The Gazette’s Iowa sports staff and contributors are making our final drives. See what Jeff Linder, Jeff Johnson, K.J. Pilcher and Scott Unash have to say about high school football in our last 4 Downs:

1ST & 10: What was the most notable or attention-getting result involving Gazette area teams?

Jeff Linder: Turkey Valley’s 60-15 win over Springville in an 8-Player first-round playoff certainly was eye-opening. Springville came in with five straight wins and (at least to me) was the favorite to win that game.

Jeff Johnson: Nothing playoff wise surprised me. Mount Vernon beating up Davenport Assumption, 42-6, to secure a Class 3A playoff berth was eyebrow-raising. Not the result, but the spread. Williamsburg not making the playoffs in 2A was attention-getting because the Raiders are playoff quality and didn’t make it via a tiebreaker. Williamsburg was hurt by a daunting non-district schedule. One of the few flaws in this playoff system.

K.J. Pilcher: Waukon’s win over Bellevue was a surprise. Bellevue opened the season 7-0 and lost to West Branch in the regular-season finale. Waukon (6-3) beat the Comets handily, 34-13. Now, the Indians travel to No. 8 Alburnett (7-2). The Pirates lost to Bellevue earlier this season. The biggest domino to fall was Class A No. 2 West Hancock, falling to LeMars Gehlen, 34-18. I didn’t expect that, nor did I foresee a 3-5 Unity Christian beating 2A No. 6 Okoboji, 28-13.

Scott Unash: I'm going way back to Sept. 5 and Week 2. Iowa City Liberty going to the Des Moines suburbs and thoroughly beating the multi-time Class 5A Champions from Southeast Polk, 38-20. The Bolts actually had the continuous clock going during that win. Even though Liberty fell two weeks later at Johnston, getting one win in enemy territory showed that the Lightning are a serious threat to compete for a title with the suburban powers.

2ND & LONG: Pick your “POD OF DEATH” from the Round of 16 groupings.

Jeff Linder: I’m going to select Pod B of Class 4A. You’ve got an unbeaten in Gilbert, a pair of very good 8-1 teams in Newton and Fort Dodge, plus a dangerous perennial power in Lewis Central.

Jeff Johnson: Gonna say Class 4A, Pod B. I think you could realistically make a case for all four of those teams to get through. That’s one 9-0 team (Gilbert), two 8-1 teams (Newton and Fort Dodge) and a 5-4 team that has closes losses this season and tradition (Council Bluffs Lewis Central).

K.J. Pilcher: Look to Pod B in Class A. The grouping consists of three ranked teams with a combined record of 33-3. No. 1 Saint Ansgar (9-0) opens with West Fork (7-2), while No. 10 North Linn travels to No. 9 Pekin (9-0). North Linn’s lone loss is to No. 6 Wapsie Valley. One of West Fork’s losses were to No. 2 West Hancock. Sure, Saint Ansgar is heavily-favored but those are four strong resumes batting it out for the Dome.

Scott Unash: This is a tough one. And that is a compliment to the IHSAA, which put together, in my opinion, very balanced pods in each of the eight classes. If I had to choose one though, it would be Pod D in Class A which includes unbeaten Wapsie Valley, preseason top-rated Maquoketa Valley, along with a one-loss Lynnville-Sully team and BGM, which has one of the State's most dynamic players in Beau Burns.

3RD & SHORT: What team is most capable of avenging a regular-season loss in the Round of 16?

Jeff Linder: I saw the first Benton Community-Solon matchup and Van Horne, and the Bobcats were every bit the Spartans’ equal for much of the game (other than five turnovers). The Bobcats are capable, but it will be a difficult ask on the road.

Jeff Johnson: Not too many rematches out there, but I will give you a couple I spied that could reverse. That’d be DeWitt Central over Dubuque Wahlert in 3A (Wahlert won in regular season, 17-12) and Cherokee over Orange City Unity Christian in 2A (Unity Christian won in regular season at home, 33-6, but this game’s at Cherokee).

K.J. Pilcher: Actually, there are 20 rematches from regular-season games, including seven games with 10 Gazette area teams. Maquoketa Valley fell to Wapsie Valley, 27-16, earlier. The Wildcats (7-2) are healthy and could be a tough out in the postseason. They were considered a contender to start the season. In the same pod, BGM (7-2) fell to Lynnville-Sully. If the Bears can free up Beau Burns, they could avenge a loss. Dubuque Wahlert might be the safest bet, reversing a loss to Central DeWitt.

Scott Unash: I'm really looking forward to following what could be the top game in any Class this Friday night in Epworth between Decorah and Western Dubuque. They met in Week 4 with the Bobcats winning, 35-17. These are two strong teams with individual standouts. Western Dubuque gave top-rated Xavier their closest competition of the season and I believe are flying a little under the radar, but Decorah has a terrific group of skill-position guys that could possibly result in turning the tables. This is going to be a great one.

4TH & GOAL: Who are your state champion predictions in each class?

Jeff Linder: Waukee Northwest, Cedar Rapids Xavier, Clear Lake, Carroll Kuemper, West Lyon, Marcus MMCRU and Woodbine.

Jeff Johnson: Pilchy hates predictions as much as I do! LOL! At any rate, here you go: West Des Moines Dowling (5A), Cedar Rapids Xavier (4A), Clear Lake (3A), Carroll Kuemper (2A), West Lyon (1A), Maquoketa Valley (A), Algona Garrigan (Eight-Player). Notice that Class A pick. Just a hunch. Brady Wall is back at QB for the Wildcats.

K.J. Pilcher: Predictions are futile and only prove what you don’t know. Alas, despite the blip with Waukee, give me Waukee Northwest in 5A. I’ll go with the homer pick and Xavier in 4A. Clear Lake (3A), Kuemper (2A), Iowa City Regina (1A), Saint Ansgar in A and Algona Garrigan in 8-Player.

Scott Unash: I always want to make people happy! And picks are the surest way to sour many people. But the assignment has been asked of me so here are my predictions: 5A – Dowling, 4A - Xavier, 3A – Clear Lake, 2A – Kuemper, 1A – West Lyon, A – AC/GC, and in 8-Player it will be Gladbrook-Reinbeck.