Iowa high school football 2023: Picking the Gazette area Class 2A districts

This is the fourth in a series diving into the area Iowa high school football districts for the 2023 season. Today, we examine Class 2A.

Forty-eight teams will play Class 2A football this season, with 32 advancing to the playoffs. The top four teams in each of eight districts advance automatically.

The Class 2A 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 3

OVERVIEW

A district champion last year, Osage (7-3) is a significant favorite after the reshuffling of districts. Max Knudsen is back to pilot the offense after passing for 21 touchdowns last season, and junior Jake Krebsbach (82 tackles) leads a stalwart defense. North Fayette Valley (6-3) appears to have the inside track on second place, with the other four teams battling for the final two playoff spots. Ayden Burrow is a strong two-way guy for NFV, netting 857 rushing yards and 37 tackles.

PREDICTIONS (*playoff qualifier)

1. *Osage

2. *North Fayette Valley

3. *New Hampton

4. *Crestwood

5. Waukon

6. Oelwein

District 4

OVERVIEW

Monticello, probably, enters 2023 as the area’s best 2A team. The Panthers (7-3) advanced to the second round of the playoffs before dropping a one-point decision to Centerville, and return Preston Ries, one of the area’s top all-around senior athletes. Ries completed 69 percent of his passes last season, for 2,543 yards and 24 touchdowns, and also ran for 1,421 yards and 17 TDs. Northeast and Camanche (both 4-5) comprise Monticello’s chase group, and Tipton might make a playoff push despite an 0-8 2022.

PREDICTIONS (*playoff qualifier)

1. *Monticello

2. *Northeast

3. *Camanche

4. *Tipton

5. West Liberty

6. Anamosa

District 6

OVERVIEW

A pair of perennially strong programs, Monroe PCM (5-4) and West Marshall (9-1) enter as co-favorites. Both teams bring much motivation into the new season: PCM lost its first-round playoff game last year by a point; West Marshall was unbeaten until losing a 21-14 verdict to Dubuque Wahlert. Area teams Union Community and Vinton-Shellsburg (both 2-7 in 2022) are projected here to make the postseason.

PREDICTIONS (*playoff qualifier)

1. *Monroe PCM

2. *West Marshall

3. *Union Community

4. *Vinton-Shellsburg

5. Jesup

6. Iowa Falls-Alden

Other area districts

DISTRICT 5

1. *Mediapolis

2. *Central Lee

3. *Mid-Prairie

4. *West Burlington-Notre Dame

5. Davis County

6. Albia

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com