Iowa high school football 2023: Picking the Gazette area Class 1A districts

This is the third in a series diving into the area Iowa high school football districts for the 2023 season. Today, we examine Class 1A.

Forty-eight teams will play Class 1A football this season, with 32 advancing to the playoffs. The top four teams in each of eight districts advance automatically.

The Class 1A 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

Reigning Class A state champion Grundy Center (13-0) moves up a class and faces new challenges, and the Spartans have the talent to meet them head-on. The top four tacklers return from a defense that yielded only 5.8 points per game in 2022. Quarterback Colin Gordon is back after a 2,000-yard junior season, and so is top rusher Justin Knaack (890 yards, 19 TDs). There’s a strong challenger in this district, though, in Waterloo Columbus (6-4), which gained momentum in a late-season five-game winning streak and returns most of its nucleus. Hudson (4-5) and Alburnett (8-2) both are up a class, and appear to be postseason-worthy.

PREDICTIONS (*playoff qualifier)

1. *Grundy Center

2. *Waterloo Columbus

3. *Hudson

4. *Alburnett

5. South Hardin

6. East Marshall

District 5

OVERVIEW

This is the most competitive, balanced district in 1A. There’s not a clear frontrunner here, and five teams will battle weekly for the four playoff berths. Going to go with Wilton (4-4) as a slight and somewhat surprising favorite. The Beavers were laden with sophomores last year, and another year of maturity should make a big difference. Cascade (5-4) joins traditional powers West Branch (11-1) and Iowa City Regina (5-4) as other title contenders, and Durant (5-4) can’t be overlooked. After making the 1A semifinals last season, West Branch will be a mystery in its first year after the loss of Coach Butch Pedersen.

PREDICTIONS (*playoff qualifier)

1. *Wilton

2. *Cascade

3. *West Branch

4. *Iowa City Regina

5. Durant

6. Dyersville Beckman

Other area districts

DISTRICT 3

1. *MFL MarMac

2. *Sumner-Fredericksburg

3. *Denver

4. *Dike-New Hartford

5. Aplington-Parkersburg

6. Central Springs

DISTRICT 6

1. *Sigourney-Keota

2. *Pleasantville

3. *Pella Christian

4. *Colfax-Mingo

5. Cardinal

6. Eddyville EBF

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com