Iowa high school football 2024: The Gazette’s 3A preseason rankings

Close your eyes for a moment and recall life before district football. For you youngsters, that was about 30 years ago.

Now, imagine how stacked the Wamac Conference would be this fall.

You’d have four Class 3A highly ranked teams (second-ranked Solon, No. 3 West Delaware, No. 5 Mount Vernon and No. 6 Independence) duking it out each week in the East Division.

In the West, you’d have reigning 3A state champion Williamsburg.

As it is, those five teams — who combine for nine returning all-state selections — are split into three districts: Williamsburg (12-1 last year) and Solon (10-2) are together in District 5, and their showdown is Oct. 11. The Spartans won the regular-season battle last year, then the Raiders settled a score in the state semifinals, 45-14.

Williamsburg received four of six No. 1 votes from The Gazette panel and accumulated 57 poll points. Solon (42 points) and West Delaware (7-4, 39 points) garnered one apiece.

West Delaware and Independence (7-3) are together in District 3, and square off Oct. 18 at Indee.

Mount Vernon (9-2) is a solid favorite in District 4.

Clear Lake is the only non-area team in the top six. The Lions (8-2) are No. 4.

Capsules on the Class 3A contenders:

1. Williamsburg

Poll points: 57 (4 first-place votes)

2023 record: 12-1 overall, 4-1 Class 3A District 5 (2nd)

2023 postseason: 3A champion

Returning all-staters: LB Rayce Heitman, sr. (1st team)

Key games: Cedar Rapids Xavier, Sept. 6; Solon, Oct. 11; at Benton Community; Oct. 25

2. Solon

Poll points: 42 (1 first-place vote)

2023 record: 10-2 overall, 5-0 Class 3A District 5 (1st)

2023 postseason: 3A semifinalist

Returning all-staters: OL Grant Wilson, sr. (2nd team), DB Cole Carney, sr. (2nd team)

Key games: Davenport Assumption, Aug. 30; Mount Vernon, Sept. 20; at Benton Community, Oct. 4; at Williamsburg, Oct. 11

3. West Delaware

Poll points: 39 (1 first-place vote)

2023 record: 7-4 overall, 4-1 Class 3A District 3 (T-1st)

2023 postseason: 3A quarterfinalist

Returning all-staters: OL Jeryn Funke, sr. (2nd team), OFF-UT Brent Yonkovic, sr. (2nd team)

Key games: At Western Dubuque, Aug. 30; Decorah, Sept. 6; Dubuque Wahlert, Oct. 11; at Independence, Oct. 18

4. Clear Lake

Poll points: 34

2023 record: 8-2 overall, 4-1 Class 3A District 2 (T-1st)

2023 postseason: 3A first round

Returning all-staters: DL Thomas Meyer, sr. (1st team), RB Titan Schmit, sr. (2nd team)

Key games: Webster City, Sept. 27; at Algona, Oct. 4; Humboldt, Oct. 18

5. Mount Vernon

Poll points: 33

2023 record: 9-2 overall, 5-0 Class 3A District 4 (1st)

2023 postseason: 3A quarterfinalist

Returning all-staters: DL Ethan Wood, sr. (1st team), KR Jase Jaspers, jr. (1st team), DL Tyler Williams, sr. (2nd team)

Key games: At Benton Community, Sept. 13; at Solon, Sept. 20; at Davenport Assumption, Oct. 4

6. Independence

Poll points: 30

2023 record: 7-3 overall, 4-1 Class 3A District 3 (T-1st)

2023 postseason: 3A first round

Returning all-staters: D-UT Tate Wood, sr. (1st team)

Key games: North Fayette Valley, Aug. 30; at Decorah, Sept. 20; West Delaware, Oct. 18

7. Algona

Poll points: 26

2023 record: 6-4 overall, 3-2 Class 3A District 2 (3rd)

2023 postseason: 3A first round

Returning all-staters: OFF-UT Alex Manske, sr. (1st team), DL Jack Limbaugh, sr. (2nd team)

Key games: At Spirit Lake, Aug. 30; Clear Lake, Oct. 4; at Humboldt, Oct. 11; Webster City, Oct. 18

8. Nevada

Poll points: 20

2023 record: 7-3 overall, 4-1 Class 3A District 6 (2nd)

2023 postseason: 3A first round

Returning all-staters: OL Garrett Stringer, sr. (1st team), D-UT Jackson Burlage, sr. (2nd team)

Key games: At Monroe PCM, Sept. 13; at Harlan, Oct. 11; Creston, Oct. 18

9. Harlan

Poll points: 14

2023 record: 6-4 overall, 3-2 Class 3A District 6 (3rd)

2023 postseason: 3A first round

Returning all-staters: OL Hayden Soma, sr. (2nd team),

Key games: Lewis Central, Aug. 30; Creston, Sept. 27; Nevada, Oct. 11

10. MOC-Floyd Valley

Poll points: 12

2023 record: 5-4 overall, 3-2 Class 3A District 1 (3rd)

2023 postseason: Did not qualify

Returning all-staters: OFF-UT Ahman Langton, sr. (2nd team)

Key games: At Central Lyon-GLR, Sept. 6; at Sergeant Bluff-Luton, Oct. 4; at Sioux City Heelan, Oct. 25

Others receiving votes

Humboldt 9, Creston 7, Dubuque Wahlert 6, Sioux City Heelan 1.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com