Iowa high school football preseason rankings 2021: 8-Player

Anita CAM receives no first-place votes, but gets the cumulative nod as our No. 1

Aug. 18, 2021 8:20 am, Updated: Aug. 19, 2021 7:50 am

Montezuma quarterback Eddie Burgess (17) leaps over the Remsen St. Mary's defense for a touchdown in an 8-Player state football semifinal game at the UNI-Dome last season. The Braves are ranked No. 3 in The Gazette’s 2021 preseason rankings. (Liz Martin/The Gazette)

The CAM Cougars didn’t receive any intense love from the Gazette/KGYM voting panel.

But they did receive a lot of consistent like and loyalty. And that’s enough to vault them to the top, for now.

A state quarterfinalist last season with three returning Iowa Print Sports Writers all-state selections, Cumberland-Anita-Massena opens the 2021 campaign as The Gazette’s preseason 8-Player No. 1.

The Cougars (9-1 in 2020) were No. 2 on one ballot, No. 3 on three others and No. 4 on one.

They can solidify their standing immediately; they face No. 5 Fremont-Mills in a Week 1 showdown at Tabor.

Lane Spieker, who rushed for 1,753 yards and 33 touchdowns last year as a junior, was a first-team all-stater. Colby Rich earned second-team honors and Joe Kauffman was a third-teamer.

Audubon was the only team to receive multiple first-place votes from the five-person Gazette/KGYM panel; the Wheelers earned top billing from two balloters and are rated No. 2. Audubon hosts CAM on Sept. 24.

Montezuma, led by touchdown machine Eddie Burgess — the 2020 Gazette area player of the year — is No. 3, followed by Don Bosco and Fremont-Mills.

Burgess was responsible for nearly 5,000 yards as a junior and scored 89 offensive touchdowns.

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Last year’s champion, Remsen St. Mary’s opens at No. 6.

St. Mary’s topped Montezuma 108-94 in an unforgettable semifinal in the UNI-Dome.

Montezuma, Don Bosco and Easton Valley each received a first-place vote.

Capsules on the 8-Player contenders:

1. Anita CAM

Poll points: 40

2020 record: 9-1

2020 postseason: 8-Player quarterfinalist

Key returners: RB/LB Lane Spieker, sr. (1,753 rushing yards, 33 rushing TDs, 408 passing yards, 51 tackles, 1st-team all-state), TE/DE Colby Rich, sr. (25 tackles, 2nd-team all-state), RB/LB Cade Ticknor, sr. (68 tackles, 3 fumble recoveries, 3rd-team all-state), TE/LB Joe Kauffman, sr. (88 tackles, 4 INTs, 3rd-team all-state)

Key games: At Fremont-Mills, Aug. 27; at Audubon, Sept. 24; Coon Rapids-Bayard, Oct. 8

2. Audubon

Poll points: 39 (2 first-place votes)

2020 record: 8-1

2020 postseason: 8-Player quarterfinalist

Key returners: OL/DE Joey Schramm, sr. (35 tackles, 1st-team all-state), QB/DB Gavin Smith, sr. (1,002 passing yards, 1,357 rushing yards, 47 rush/pass TDs, 28 tackles, 4 INTs), OL/LB Gavin Larsen, jr. (34 tackles)

Key games: Fremont-Mills, Sept. 10; Anita CAM, Sept. 24; at Coon Rapids-Bayard, Oct. 1

3. Montezuma

Poll points: 36 (1 first-place vote)

2020 record: 10-1

2020 postseason: 8-Player semifinalist

Key returners: QB/LB Eddie Burgess, sr. (3,803 passing yards, 1,148 rushing yards, 89 total TDs, 91 tackles, 1st-team all-state), WR/CB Connor Van Zee, sr. (65 tackles, 2 INTs)

Key games: At HLV, Aug. 27; BGM, Sept. 10; Southeast Warren, Sept. 24

4. Don Bosco

Poll points: 32 (1 first-place vote)

2020 record: 9-1

2020 postseason: 8-Player semifinalist

Key returners: Cade Tenold, sr. (324 rushing yards, 193 receiving yards, 9 offensive TDs, 61 tackles, 1st-team all-state), Carson Tenold, sr. (462 rushing yards, 11 TDs, 271 receiving yards, 3 TDs, 91 tackles, 3 fumble recoveries, 2nd-team all-state)

Key games: At Easton Valley, Aug. 27; at Gladbrook-Reinbeck, Oct. 8

5. Fremont-Mills

Poll points: 27

2020 record: 8-2

2020 postseason: 8-Player runner-up

Key returners: Jake Malcom, sr. (1,324 total offense yards, 23 offensive TDs, 25.5 tackles, 9 INTs), Taylor Reed, sr. (236 rushing yards, 3 TDs, 20 tackles)

Key games: Anita CAM, Aug. 27; at Audubon, Sept. 10

6. Remsen St. Mary’s

Poll points: 20

2020 record: 12-0

2020 postseason: 8-Player champion

Key returners: QB/LB Jaxon Bunkers, jr. (1,092 offensive yards and 21 TDs), 71 tackles, 4 fumble recoveries, 2nd-team all-state), TE/DE Austin Jensen, sr. (26 catches for 443 yards, 7 TDs), RB/LB Alex Schroeder, jr. (59.5 tackles, 6 INTs)

Key games: Harris-Lake Park, Aug. 27; at Kingsley-Pierson, Sept. 17; Newell-Fonda, Oct. 1

7. Kingsley-Pierson

Poll points: 15

2020 record: 4-5

2020 postseason: 8-Player Round of 32

Key returners: QB/CB Jackson Howe, sr. (756 passing yards, 8 TDs, also 7 rughing TDs), RB/S Josh Harvey, jr. (1,066 rushing yards, 9 TDs, 49 tackles), RB/S Damon Schmid, sr. (27 receptions, 325 yards, 3 TDs)

Key games: At Harris-Lake Park, Sept. 10; Remsen St. Mary’s, Sept. 17; at Newell-Fonda, Sept. 24

8. Janesville

Poll points: 13

2020 record: 9-2

2020 postseason: 8-Player quarterfinalist

Key returners: TE/DE Wylie Sherburne, sr. (27 receptions, 538 yards, 7 TDs, 61.5 tackles, 5 fumble recoveries, 3rd-team all-state), OL/DT Conner Clubine, sr. (3rd-team all-state), QB/S Leo Dodd, sr. (1,501 passing yards, 584 rushing yards, 33 total offensive TDs, 3rd-team all-state), TE/DE Jared Hoodjer, sr. (10 offensive TDs, 134 tackles, 3rd-team all-state)

Key games: Tripoli, Sept. 10; Turkey Valley, Sept. 24

9. New London

Poll points: 12

2020 record: 7-2

2020 postseason: 8-Player Round of 16

Key returners: OL/DT Carter Allen, sr. (55 tackles, 2 fumble recoveries, 1st-team all-state), QB/LB Blaise Porter, jr. (1,340 rushing yards, 424 passing yards, 31 offensive TDs, 38 tackles, 9 INT, 3 for TDs), RB/LB Boden Pickle, jr. (438 rushing yards, 9 TDs, 44 tackles, 3 fumble recoveries)

Key games: At English Valleys, Sept. 17; at Lone Tree, Oct. 8

T-10. BGM

Poll points: 11

2020 record: 8-2

2020 postseason: 8-Player Round of 16

Key returners: QB/S Jacob Maurer, jr. (Passed for 1,535 yards, ran for 1,642, 33 offensive TDs), WR/CB Jacob Moel, sr. (56 receptions, 790 yards, 9 TDs, 46.5 tackles, 3 INTs)

Key games: At Montezuma, Sept. 10; at Baxter, Sept. 24

T-10. Easton Valley

Poll points: 11 (1 first-place vote)

2020 record: 9-2

2020 postseason: 8-Player quarterfinals

Key returners: QB/S Conor Gruver, sr. (2,292 passing yards, 37 passing TDs); WR/CB Carson Fuegen, sr. (47 catches, 643 yards, 8 TDs, 3 INTs), WR/LB Andin Farrell, sr. (82 tackles, 3 fumble recoveries)

Key games: Don Bosco, Aug. 27; at Midland, Sept. 10; at Lansing Kee, Oct. 15