Iowa high school football preseason rankings 2022: 8-Player

The Gazette’s football panel is in agreement: Remsen St. Mary’s and Easton Valley are the class of 8-Player football heading into the 2022 season.

The 2020 champion, St. Mary’s edges 2021 runner-up Easton Valley by a 59-55 margin in poll points, 5-1 in first-place votes.

Easton Valley topped St. Mary’s 42-36 in the semifinals last year, then dropped a 42-40 verdict to Anita CAM in the championship game.

St. Mary’s is led by quarterback Cael Ortmann, who accumulated nearly 4,000 yards of total offense last year and accounted for 62 touchdowns.

Three highly productive all-state players are back for Easton Valley, including first-team receivers Carson Fuegen and Hayden Felkey, who combined for 135 catches, 2,126 receiving yards and 35 TDs.

The River Hawks have a challenge immediately, traveling to No. 7 Don Bosco in their opener. For St. Mary’s, the big showdown comes late -- in Week 6, a District 1 battle at Newell-Fonda, which opens the season at No. 3.

WACO and Lenox round out the top five. Last year’s state champion, CAM opens at No. 6.

No. 8 Turkey Valley is the lone area team in the 8-Player list.

Capsules on the 8-Player contenders:

1. Remsen St. Mary’s

Poll points: 59 (5 first-place votes)

2021 record: 11-1 overall, 6-0 8-Player District 1 (1st)

2021 postseason: 8-Player semifinalist

Key returners: QB/LB Cael Ortmann, sr. (1,768 passing yards, 32 TDs; 1,198 rushing yards, 30 TDs; 42 tackles; 2nd-team all-state); RB/LB Brenden Fisch, sr. (825 rushing yards, 14 TDs; 71 tackles); WR/CB Ryan Willman, sr. (24 catches, 770 yards, 15 TDs; 59 tackles; 6 INTs)

Key games: At Harris-Lake Park, Aug. 26; Kingsley-Pierson, Sept. 16; at Newell-Fonda, Sept. 30

2. Easton Valley

Poll points: 55 (1 first-place vote)

2021 record: 12-1 overall, 7-0 8-Player District 5 (1st)

2021 postseason: 8-Player runner-up

Key returners: WR/CB Carson Fuegen, sr. (88 receptions, 1,091 yards, 16 TDs; 75.5 tackles; 8 INTs; 1st-team all-state); TE/DE Hayden Felkey, sr. (47 receptions, 1,035 yards, 19 TDs; 135 tackles; 1st-team all-state); RB/LB Charlie Simpson, sr., 1,310 rushing yards, 29 TDs; 52 tackles; 3nd-team all-state)

Key games: At Don Bosco, Aug. 26; at Central City, Sept. 23; at Edgewood-Colesburg, Oct. 7

3. Newell-Fonda

Poll points: 34

2021 record: 9-2 overall, 5-1 8-Player District 1 (2nd)

2021 postseason: 8-Player quarterfinalist

Key returners: QB/CB Mason Dicks, sr. (1,643 passing yards, 20 TDs; 1,443 rushing yards, 26 TDs; 49.5 tackles; 3 INTs; 3rd-team all-state); RB/LB Wyatt Kreft, sr. (824 rushing yards, 14 TDs); RB/LB Ryan Greenfield, sr. (55 tackles)

Key games: At West Bend-Mallard, Aug. 26; Algona Garrigan, Sept. 16; Remsen St. Mary’s, Sept. 30

4. WACO

Poll points: 32

2021 record: 10-1 overall, 6-0 8-Player District 6 (1st)

2021 postseason: 8-Player quarterfinalist

Key returners: QB/LB Simeon Reichenbach, sr. (1,413 rushing yards, 23 TDs; 11 catches, 176 yards; 3 INTs; 1st-team all-state); WR/CB Mason Miller, sr. (9 INTs, 2nd-team all-state); QB/S Isaac Oswald, sr. (827 passing yards, 10 TDs)

Key games: New London, Sept. 23; Winfield-Mount Union, Oct. 7

5. Lenox

Poll points: 30

2021 record: 9-1 overall, 6-0 8-Player District 9 (1st)

2021 postseason: 8-Player second round

Key returners: RB/DB Isaac Grundman, sr. (1,669 rushing yards, 32 TDs; 3rd-team all-state); QB/DB Gabe Funk, soph. (534 passing yards, 9 TDs); RB/LB Keigan Kitzman, sr. (631 rushing yards, 11 TDs; 44.5 tackles)

Key games: At East Mills, Sept. 2; Fremont-Mills, Oct. 14

6. Anita CAM

Poll points: 21

2021 record: 13-0 overall, 6-0 8-Player District 10 (1st)

2021 postseason: 8-Player champion

Key returners: TE/LB Sam Foreman, sr. (9 receptions, 225 yards, 3 TDs); LB Jack Follman, jr. (80.5 tackles); LB Austin Williams, jr. (56.5 tackles; 3 fumble recoveries; 4 INTs)

Key games: Fremont-Mills, Aug. 26; West Harrison, Sept. 9; at Exira-EHK, Sept 30.

7. Don Bosco

Poll points: 18

2021 record: 8-3 overall, 6-0 8-Player District 4 (1st)

2021 postseason: 8-Player quarterfinalist

Key returners: OL/DL Jared Thiry, sr. (44 tackles; 3 fumble recoveries; 2nd-team all-state); QB Ty Purdy, sr. (1,068 passing yards, 15 TDs); RB Myles McMahon, sr. (972 rushing yards, 15 TDs; 44 tackles)

Key games: Easton Valley, Aug. 26; at Turkey Valley, Sept. 2; Gladbrook-Reinbeck, Oct. 7

8. Turkey Valley

Poll points: 13

2021 record: 9-1 overall, 6-0 8-Player District 3 (1st)

2021 postseason: 8-Player second round

Key returners: QB/CB Noah Hanson, sr. (498 rushing yards, 7 TDs; 751 passing yards, 13 TDs); FB/LB Oliver Schmitt, jr. (34.5 tackles); RB/CB Calvin Bodensteiner, sr. (31.5 tackles, 4 INTs)

Key games: Don Bosco, Sept. 2; at Tripoli, Oct. 7

9. Gladbrook-Reinbeck

Poll points: 12

2021 record: 7-2 overall, 5-1 8-Player District 4 (2nd)

2021 postseason: 8-Player qualifier

Key returners: QB/DB Isaac Clark, jr. (1,281 passing yards, 21 TDs); WR/DB Luke Riffey, sr. (33 receptions, 437 yards, 7 TDs; 4 fumble recoveries); WR/CB Caleb Egesdal, sr. (31 receptions, 587 yards, 6 TDs)

Key games: At Dunkerton, Sept. 9; at Don Bosco, Oct. 7

10. Ruthven GTRA

Poll points: 11

2021 record: 8-2 overall, 5-1 8-Player District 2 (T-1st)

2021 postseason: 8-Player second round

Key returners: QB/LB Max Hough, sr. (1,255 passing yards, 23 TDs; 1,521 rushing yards, 17 TDs; 81.5 tackles; 2nd-team all-state); RB/S Drew Schnell, sr. (20 receptions, 297 yards, 5 TDs; 48.5 tackles; 3 INTs); OG/DT Jordan Saul, sr. (63.5 tackles)

Key games: Kingsley-Pierson, Aug. 26; West Bend-Mallard, Sept. 23; Algona Garrigan, Oct. 7

Others receiving votes

West Bend-Mallard 9, BGM 8, Audubon 7, Fremont-Mills 6, Harris-Lake Park 5, West Harrison 4, Winfield-Mount Union 4, Exira-EHK 2.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com