4 Downs: Gazette staff hits the keyboard to answer Iowa high school football questions

The Gazette’s Iowa high school football staff poses answers to questions about the current season and more. Jeff Linder, Jeff Johnson, K.J. Pilcher and Nathan Ford provide their points of view:

1st & 10: What teams’ stocks are rising and what teams need a boost going forward?

Linder: The easy answer for the stock-rising question would be the three teams (Cedar Rapids Kennedy, West Delaware and West Branch) that have won four in a row after starting 0-2. I’m going to go off the grid a bit and send a sonnet to Jesup, which is 3-3, has two winnable games left and has a very good shot at its first winning season since 2015. Also, Waukon (3-3) has won two in a row and might have the inside track to a district title. Who needs a boost? Cedar Rapids Jefferson seems to have hit a wall after starting 4-0, and we’ll see if the J-Hawks can rediscover their mojo.

Johnson: West Branch lost its first two games to really good teams (3A top-ranked Williamsburg and Dike-New Hartford), but has come back to win four straight, including that huge win this past Friday night against Iowa City Regina. The arrow is definitely pointing up for the Bears. As far as teams needing a boost, that’s tough. I look statewide at West Des Moines Valley. A 1-5 record for the Tigers playing an incredibly tough schedule that includes five teams that are or have been ranked in Class 5A. The thing is, though, Valley hasn’t won any of those games.

Pilcher: Solon has been on a roll and its stock is on the rise. The Spartans rebounded from a 34-7 season-opening route by Davenport Assumption. They have posted five straight wins, beating Mount Vernon and Benton Community. The best gauge yet comes this week with a home game against Williamsburg. Cedar Rapids Kennedy has outscored foes, 174-55, in four straight wins. Consider Wapsie Valley as well. The Warriors have won four in a row with four shutouts and posted five shutouts overall around a 39-18 loss to Denver in Week 2. Aplington-Parkersburg and Dike-New Hartford need a boost. Both are 3-3. They play each other this week, so one will springboard into the final regular-season game.

Ford: West Branch has regrouped after graduation losses and a difficult early schedule, proving it’s a worthy Class 1A top-10 team with wins over Waterloo Columbus and Iowa City Regina. Next up is 6-0 Wilton. Injuries led to a three-game losing streak for Linn-Mar, but the Lions should improve to 4-3 this week going into big games against Iowa City High and Pleasant Valley.

2nd & long: What is the toughest district: Class A District 4, 1A-3 or another?

Linder: In terms of area districts, those two are the best, without a doubt. I will give an edge to 1A-3 because of its four teams (DSumner-Fredericksburg, MFL MarMac, Denver and Dike-New Hartford) in the Gazette top 10 (though A-4 has four under heavy consideration). Also, the bottom of A-4 is quite weak. Though it’s not in our area, have to give a mention to 2A-1 which is headlined by the Lyon County schools.

Johnson: It’s gotta be Class 1A, District 3. Denver, Sumner-Fredericksburg, Dike-New Hartford and MFL MarMac have taken turns beating each other. Those are four really good football teams. Aplington-Parkersburg also is in the district and is no joke. Tough, tough, tough district here.

Pilcher: The toughest is likely Class 1A District 3 but Class A-4 is just as competitive. 1A-3 has four ranked teams and an Aplington-Parkersburg that was rankable at the start. Four teams have just one district loss. Maquoketa Valley, North Linn, East Buchanan and Starmont each have one district loss and they still cross paths, including the Lynx at Wildcats this week.

Ford: I could be proven wrong in the postseason, but I think the obvious state championship contenders (namely Central Lyon-GLR and West Lyon) put Class 2A District 1, which also has Top-10 caliber Western Christian and Cherokee, at the top. I’ll take the strength of Class 1A District 3 as a close second.

3rd & short: Which Gazette area coach would you like to have mic’d up for an entire game and why?

Linder: Why not hear from the best in the area in Duane Schulte of Cedar Rapids Xavier? He is always measured in his words to the media … is he that way on the sideline, too?

Johnson: All of them? LOL. Guys like Maurice Blue at Cedar Rapids Washington have a personality that I’d love to hear during a game. I’d love to hear Duane Schulte at Cedar Rapids Xavier as well.

Pilcher: I wish we would have done this with former coaches like Solon’s Kevin Miller, Regina’s Marv Cook and Cedar Rapids Prairie’s Mark Bliss. Could have been fun. As for current coaches, Iowa City West’s Garrett Hartwig doesn’t get the attention he deserves and would like to hear his in-game thoughts. Williamsburg’s Curt Ritchie is another that would be interesting.

Ford: I’d like to hear from Ed Miles at Cedar Rapids Jefferson. His work this year has demonstrated his ability to motivate and his strong football mind.

4th & goal: With live streams, webcasts and social media, how has technology impacted prep football, programs and their fans?

Linder: It certainly makes the whole experience different that we grew up with. Hudl, obviously, is a huge resource. Social media has its place, but is abused in a lot of cases (i.e., school Barstool accounts).

Johnson: Every week, I get a question either email or on Twitter (OK, X) about if a certain game has a video livestream available online. I wonder if that takes away from gates at some schools. But with the internet and Twitter and everything else (including our live scores steam online at TheGazette.com), you can keep up to date to the minute on just about any game. I remember back in the day, you’d have to wait for the 10 p.m. TV news to learn a particular score.

Pilcher: Fans have more opportunities to follow their teams in real time. It’s more convenient than grandma and grandpa sitting by a radio to listen to road games or home games with bad weather. They have access to school members calling games and video. Even if it’s just social media messages with updated scores. Fans can feel like they’re there when they aren’t there.

Ford: I know there are a million other things to worry about before this stuff, but to me, the programs that embrace it have a chance to better engage their communities in a time when our entertainment interests are fragmented. It’s not easy to do without the support staffs that college teams count on, but I think the programs that are active with promotion on social media become more top of mind for their fans and potential future players and families. Plus, the players want to have highlights and photos to share and take pride in.