Iowa high school football 2023: Picking the Gazette area Class 4A districts

This is the sixth in a series diving into the area Iowa high school football districts for the 2023 season. Today, we examine Class 4A.

Thirty-six teams will play Class 4A football this season, with 16 advancing to the playoffs. The top two teams in each of six districts advance automatically, plus four at-large teams (based on RPI).

The Class 4A regular season will be nine games.

A closer look at area districts:

District 2

OVERVIEW

Western Dubuque is going to be a tough nut to crack offensively. The Bobcats (6-4 in 2022) return one of the top RBs in 4A in Grant Glausser (1,564 yards, 7.6 ypc, 19 TDs), and Brett Harris passed for more than 1,000 yards as a freshman. The Bobcats enter the season as a slight favorite over Waverly-Shell Rock (10-1), a quarterfinalist last year. QB Cole Marsh is back for the Go-Hawks, but graduation hit the program hard. Marion (5-4) ended last season on a three-game winning streak and has the boost of playing in a new on-campus stadium. Kaleb Diers returns for his junior season at QB, and Trey Franck led the Wolves in tackles.

PREDICTIONS (*playoff qualifier)

1. *Western Dubuque

2. *Waverly-Shell Rock

3. *Marion

4. Mason City

5. Decorah

6. Waterloo East

District 3

OVERVIEW

Defending champion Cedar Rapids Xavier (13-0) is the favorite, and not just on name alone. Whenever the Saints are hit by significant losses, they regularly reload. They should be prolific again behind the return of quarterback Ronan Thomas (1,598 passing yards, 21 TDs). He’ll be joined in the backfield by capable RBs Coleton Beasler-Weber and Grant Helmle. Xavier faces a challenging non-district schedule, (Waverly-Shell Rock, Williamsburg, Western Dubuque and Pella) then plays its most meaningful district game in Week 6 at home against North Scott. Lancers QB Kyler Gerardy racked up 2,682 yards of total offense, and 34 touchdowns. Xavier beat North Scott twice last year, 17-0 and 38-10.

PREDICTIONS (*playoff qualifier)

1. *Cedar Rapids Xavier

2. *North Scott

3. Oskaloosa

4. Burlington

5. Clear Creek Amana

6. Clinton

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com