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Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Iowa high school football 2023 preseason rankings: The Gazette’s Class A poll
West Hancock starts at No. 1
Spots in the Class A Iowa high school football state championship game were mostly exclusive during the last four-year cycle.
One for Grundy Center, one for West Hancock, with extra room only for the 2020 Iowa City Regina team that claimed the title.
That club will have a little more access this year. Grundy Center has moved up to Class 1A after following up three consecutive runner-up finishes with a Class A championship last season.
Meet the Class A No. 1 team: West Hancock
West Hancock beat Grundy Center to win the 2019 and 2021 state championships before settling for runner-up status last season with a 27-0 defeat. With the Spartans up a class, the Eagles open the season atop The Gazette’s Class A poll.
West Hancock received four of six first-place votes and opens at No. 1 for the second consecutive fall.
Quarterback Mitchell Smith is one of the headline returnees after grabbing a first-team all-state utility spot for running for 1,047 yards and 11 touchdowns and throwing for 780 and another 11 scores. One of the top defenders, David Smith was a second-team all-state pick who tallied a team-high 14 1/2 tackles for loss and 5 1/2 sacks as a junior.
West Hancock is 47-3 over the last four seasons.
Which 2022 Dome teams are in the Class A rankings?
Woodbury Central picked up the other two first-place votes following a run to the state semifinals a year ago. Second-team all-state QB Drew Kluender threw for 3,419 yards and 37 TDs as a junior.
Lynnville-Sully has high expectations again, too, following its semifinal run. First-team all-stater Corder Noun Harder returns to the fourth-ranked Hawks after approaching 2,000 yards rushing (1,896 with 27 touchdowns).
Who are the ranked Gazette area Class A teams?
Grundy Center stopped East Buchanan from making back-to-back trips to the UNI-Dome, but the third-ranked Buccaneers return plenty of talent to make another deep postseason run this fall.
Maquoketa Valley is the first team out.
What are some key Week 1 Class A games to watch?
Games kick off at 7 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 25, unless otherwise noted.
- (1A) Lawton-Bronson at No. 2 Woodbury Central
- (1A) Sumner-Fredericksburg at No. 3 East Buchanan, 7:30 p.m.
- No. 5 Columbus Community at (2A) Mediapolis
- (2A) Osage at No. 10 Saint Ansgar
- (2A) Garner GHV at No. 1 West Hancock
The Gazette’s Iowa high school football Class A preseason rankings
| Ranking | School | 2022 season | Poll points |
| 1 | West Hancock | 12-1, state runner-up | 58 (4 first-place) |
| 2 | Woodbury Central | 11-1, state semifinalist | 50 (2) |
| 3 | East Buchanan | 9-2, state quarterfinalist | 48 |
| 4 | Lynnville-Sully | 11-1, state semifinalist | 41 |
| 5 | Columbus Community | 8-2, second-round playoff qualifier | 36 |
| 6 | Southwest Valley | 7-3, second-round playoff qualifier | 18 |
| 7 | Madrid | 6-3, playoff qualifier | 13 |
| 8 | Nashua-Plainfield | 5-4, playoff qualifier | 12 |
| 9 | Le Mars Gehlen | 8-2, second-round playoff qualifier | 9 |
| 10 | Saint Ansgar | 5-4, playoff qualifier | 8 |
Others receiving votes: Maquoketa Valley 6, South Central Calhoun 6, Bellevue 5, Logan-Magnolia 5, Mason City Newman 5, Hartley HMS 3, Mount Ayr 3, Wapsie Valley 2, Lake Mills 1, North Linn 1
Find the full rankings here if you’re having trouble seeing them on this post.
Comments: nathan.ford@thegazette.com
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