Iowa high school football preseason rankings 2022: Class 2A

Another DeJean is poised to lift Ida Grove OABCIG to the Class 2A football summit.

Senior Beckett DeJean, younger brother of former do-everything OABCIG star Cooper DeJean (now at the University of Iowa) is one of three returning all-staters for the Falcons, who open the season as 2A’s top-ranked team in The Gazette’s rankings.

OABCIG — 9-2 and a 2A quarterfinalist last year — also welcomes back 2021 first-team pick Griffin Diersen, who rushed for nearly 1,000 yards last year. DeJean and Luke Swanger were second-team selections.

The Falcons received five of six first-place ballots by The Gazette’s pollsters, and tallied 58 poll points. Another 2021 quarterfinalist, Central Lyon/George-Little Rock received the other first-place vote and scored 51 poll points.

OABCIG won the 2A title in 2019, the 1A crown in 2020.

Northwest Iowa was the center of 2A power last year, and expect the same this fall; five of the top eight teams hail from District 1 and District 2.

At No. 3, Williamsburg is the top team from eastern Iowa. All-staters Owen Douglas and Derek Weisskopf are the Raiders’ top attractions.

West Marshall and West Lyon complete the top five.

Monticello is No. 6; North Fayette Valley is No. 9.

Capsules on the Class 2A contenders:

1. Ida Grove OABCIG

Poll points: 58 (5 first-place votes)

2021 record: 9-2 overall, 4-1 Class 2A District 2 (T-1st)

2021 postseason: Class 2A quarterfinalist

Key returners: RB/LB Griffin Diersen, sr. (964 rushing yards, 8 TDs; 23 receptions, 242 yards, 2 TDs; 88 tackles; 1st-team all-state); OT/DT Luke Swanger, sr. (2nd-team all-state); QB/CB Beckett DeJean, sr. (2,955 passing yards, 30 TDs; 423 rushing yards, 8 TDs; 6 INTs; 2nd-team all-state)

Key games: Southeast Valley, Sept. 16; at Spirit Lake, Sept. 23; at Estherville, Oct. 7

2. Central Lyon/George-Little Rock

Poll points: 51 (1 first-place vote)

2021 record: 7-4 overall, 4-1 Class 2A District 1 (2nd)

2021 postseason: Class 2A quarterfinalist

Key returners: QB/S Zach Lutmer, sr. (1,016 passing yards, 8 TDs; 1,246 rushing yards, 22 TDs; 46.5 tackles; 4 INTs; 1st-team all-state); RB/S Graham Eben, jr. (321 rushing yards, 4 TDs; 11 receptions, 200 yards, 3 TDs; 3rd-team all-state); WR/LB Gable Van Beek, sr. (50.5 tackles)

Key games: At Sergeant Bluff-Luton, Sept. 2; West Sioux, Sept. 9; West Lyon, Sept. 16

3. Williamsburg

Poll points: 43

2021 record: 8-4 overall, 5-0 Class 2A District 6 (1st)

2021 postseason: Class 2A semifinalist

Key returners: RB/DL Owen Douglas, sr. (316 rushing yards, 6 TDs; 50 tackles; 1st-team all-state); TE/S Derek Weisskopf, jr. (23 receptions, 372 yards, 5 TDs; 80 tackles; 3 INTs; 2nd-team all-state); RB/LB Gable Douglas, sr. (832 rushing yards, 8 TDs; 68 tackles)

Key games: Iowa City Regina, Aug. 26; at Van Meter, Sept. 2; Solon, Sept. 9

4. West Marshall

Poll points: 35

2021 record: 9-2 overall, 5-0 Class 2A District 7 (1st)

2021 postseason: Class 2A quarterfinalist

Key returners: OL/DL Sam Schaper, sr. (30.5 tackles; 1st-team all-state); OL/DL Austin Pfantz, sr. (56.5 tackles; 3 fumble recoveries; 1st-team all-state); QB/LB Peyton Hart, sr. (794 passing yards, 5 TDs; 1,020 rushing yards, 21 TDs; 1st-team all-state); OL/DL Zach Chaplin, sr. (2nd-team all-state); RB/LB Caden Vallinga, sr. (61.5 tackles; 3rd-team all-state)

Key games: At Nevada, Sept. 2; at South Hamilton, Sept. 9; Chariton, Sept. 16

5. West Lyon

Poll points: 28

2021 record: 10-3 overall, 5-0 Class 2A District 1 (1st)

2021 postseason: Class 2A runner-up

Key returners: RB/LB Jude Moser, sr. (606 rushing yards, 12 TDs); RB/LB Gunner Grems, sr. (48 tackles); WR/S Camden Kruse, sr. (3 INTs)

Key games: Estherville ELC, Sept. 2; at Central Lyon-GLR, Sept. 16; at Unity Christian, Oct. 7

6. Monticello

Poll points: 24

2021 record: 7-3 overall, 4-1 Class 2A District 5 (T-1st)

2021 postseason: Class 2A second round

Key returners: K/DE Christian Castillo, sr. (37-41 PAT, 6-7 FG; 1st-team all-state); QB/LB Preston Ries, jr. (2,594 passing yards, 20 TDs; 1,343 rushing yards, 14 TDs; 2nd-team all-state); WR/CB Tate Petersen, sr. (60 receptions, 810 yards, 4 TDs; 64.5 tackles; 6 INTs; 3rd-team all-state

Key games: At Cascade, Aug. 26; at Dyersville Beckman, Sept. 9; West Liberty, Sept. 23

7. Southeast Valley

Poll points: 16

2021 record: 12-1 overall, 4-1 Class 2A District 2 (T-1st)

2021 postseason: Class 2A state champion

Key returners: OL.LB Justin Loseke, sr. (82.5 tackles; 2nd-team all-state); WR/S Eli Johnson, sr. (32 receptions, 755 yards, 10 TDs)

Key games: at Ida Grove OABCIG, Sept. 16; Estherville ELC, Sept. 23; Spirit Lake, Oct. 14

8. Unity Christian

Poll points: 15

2021 record: 5-4 overall, 3-2 Class 2A District 1 (3rd)

2021 postseason: Class 2A qualifier

Key returners: QB Braeden Bosma, soph. (1,162 passing yards, 13 TDs); RB Trevor Wieringa, sr. (735 rushing yards, 4 TDs); WR Jacob Van Donge, sr. (34 receptions, 510 yards, 5 TDs; 3 INTs)

Key games: At Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley, Sept. 9; Central Lyon-GLR, Sept. 30; West Lyon, Oct. 7

9. North Fayette Valley

Poll points: 14

2021 record: 9-2 overall, 4-1 Class 2A District 4 (2nd)

2021 postseason: Class 2A quarterfinalist

Key returners: QB/LB Kaleb White, sr. (371 rushing yards, 5 TDs; 936 passing yards, 13 TDs; 62.5 tackles; 2nd-team all-state); FB/DE Blake Reichter, sr. (734 rushing yards, 10 TDs; 41.5 tackles); OG/LB Tyler Menne, sr. (50.5 tackles)

Key games: At Sumner-Fredericksburg, Sept. 2; Waukon, Sept. 16; at Dubuque Wahlert, Sept. 23

10. New Hampton

Poll points: 10

2021 record: 5-4 overall, 4-1 District 3 (T-1st)

2021 postseason: Class 2A qualifier

Key returners: RB/LB Braden McShane, jr. (1,248 rushing yards, 13 TDs; 57 tackles; 2nd-team all-state); RB/LB Ben Tenge, sr. (52.5 tackles); FB/LB Isaac Howe, sr. (47 tackles)

Key games: MFL MarMac, Aug. 26; at Crestwood, Sept. 23; at Osage, Sept. 30

Others receiving votes

Estherville ELC 8, Waukon 8, Spirit Lake 6, Osage 5, Clarion CGD 4, Dubuque Wahlert 3, Greene County 1

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com