2012 playoff picks

Sportswriters for The Gazette/KCRG project the 2012 high school football playoffs.

View full playoff brackets here.

Mike BonnerFirst-round upset: Cedar Rapids Prarie over Dubuque SeniorThe final 8: West Des Moines, Ankeny, Des Moines Dowling, Marshalltown, Pleasant Valley, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids Xavier, Iowa City WestSemifinals: Ankeny over West Des Moines Dowling; Cedar Rapids Xavier over Cedar Falls.Championship: Cedar Rapids Xavier over Ankeny.

Jeff Johnson First-round upset: Cedar Rapids Prairie over Dubuque SeniorThe final 8: Pleasant Valley, Muscatine, Cedar Rapids Xavier, Iowa City West, West Des Moines Valley, Ankeny, West Des Moines Dowling, Southeast PolkSemifinals: West Des Moines Dowling over Ankeny; Cedar Rapids Xavier over Pleasant Valley.Championship: Xavier over Dowling

Jeff LinderFirst-round upset: Ames over Sioux City EastThe final 8: West Des Moines Valley, Ankeny, West Des Moines Dowling, Southeast Polk, Pleasant Valley, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids Xavier, Iowa City WestSemifinals: West Des Moines Dowling over Ankeny; Cedar Rapids Xavier over Pleasant ValleyChampionship: Cedar Rapids Xavier over West Des Moines Dowling

K.J. Pilcher First-round upset: Cedar Rapids Kennedy over MuscatineThe final 8: Pleasant Valley, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids Xavier, Iowa City West, West Des Moines Valley, Ankeny, West Des Moines Dowling, Southeast PolkSemifinals: Pleasant Valley over Iowa City West; Ankeny over West Des Moines DowlingChampionship: Ankeny over Pleasant Valley

Mike BonnerFirst-round upset:  Newton over HumboldtThe final 8:  Harlan, Bishop Heelan Catholic, Newton, Grinnell, Decorah, West Delaware, Williamsburg, Norwalk,Semifinals: Bishop Heelan Catholic over Grinnell; Decorah over WilliamsburgChampionship: Decorah over Bishop Heelan Catholic

Jeff Johnson First-round upset: Western Dubuque over MarionThe final 8: Decorah, West Delaware, Williamsburg, Norwalk, Harlan, Sioux City Heelan, Humboldt, GrinnellSemifinals: Bishop Heelan over Grinnell; Decorah over Williamsburg.Championship: Decorah over Heelan

Jeff LinderFirst-round upset: Waverly-Shell Rock over South TamaThe final 8: Lewis Central, Sioux City Heelan, Humboldt, Grinnell, Decorah, West Delaware, Williamsburg, NorwalkSemifinals: Lewis Central over Grinnell; Decorah over NorwalkChampionship: Decorah over Lewis Central

K.J. Pilcher First-round upset: Boone over Clear LakeThe final 8: Decorah, West Delaware, Williamsburg, Norwalk, Harlan, Sioux City Heelan, Newton, GrinnellSemifinals: Harlan over Grinnell; Decorah over NorwalkChampionship: Decorah over Harlan

Mike BonnerFirst-round upset: Forest City over SheldonThe final 8: Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley, Spirit Lake, West Marshall, Carroll Kuemper, Union, Dyersville Beckman, Mediapolis, Mid-PrairieSemifinals: Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley over Carroll Kuemper; Union over MediapolisChampionship: Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley over Union

Jeff Johnson First-round upset: Waukon over Center Point-UrbanaThe final 8: LaPorte City Union, New Hampton, Mediapolis, Bondurant-Farrar, Carroll Kuemper, West Marshall, Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley, Spirit LakeSemifinals: Union over Mediapolis; West Marshall over Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley.Championship: Union over West Marshall

Jeff LinderFirst-round upset: West Liberty over AlbiaThe final 8: Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley, Spirit Lake, West Marshall, Carroll Kuemper, Union, Dyersville Beckman, Mediapolis, Mid-PrairieSemifinals: Spirit Lake over Carroll Kuemper; Mediapolis over UnionChampionship: Spirit Lake over Mediapolis

K.J. Pilcher First-round upset: Nevada over OA-BCIGThe final 8: Union, Dyersville Beckman, Mediapolis, Mid-Prairie, Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley, Spirit Lake, West Marshall, Carroll KuemperSemifinals: Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley over Carroll Kuemper; Union over MediapolisChampionship:  Union over Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley

Mike BonnerFirst-round upset: Alburnett over WiltonThe final 8: Fort Dodge St. Edmond, IKM-Manning, Mount Ayr, Concil Bluff St. Alber, Dike-New Hartford, Applington-Parkersburg, Maquoketa Valley, Regina.Semifinals: Council Bluffs over IKM-Manning; Regina over Dike-New Hartford.Championship: Regina over Council Bluffs.

Jeff Johnson First-round upset: Alburnett over WiltonThe final 8: Dike-New Hartford, Aplington-Parkersburg, Maquoketa Valley, Iowa City Regina, Council Bluffs St. Albert, Tri-Center, Emmetsburg, Manilla IKM.Semifinals: Regina over Dike-New Hartford; Emmetsburg over St. AlbertChampionship: Regina over Emmetsburg

Jeff LinderFirst-round upset: Manson-NW Webster over South O'BrienThe final 8: Fort Dodge St. Edmond, IKM-Manning, Tri-Center, Council Bluffs St. Albert, Dike-New Hartford, Aplington-Parkersburg, Wilton, Iowa City ReginaSemifinals: Council Bluffs St. Albert over Fort Dodge St. Edmond, Iowa City Regina over Aplington-ParkersburgChampionship: Iowa City Regina over Council Bluffs St. Albert

K.J. Pilcher First-round upset: Alburnett over WiltonThe final 8: Dike-New Hartford, Aplington-Parkersburg, Maquoketa Valley, West Branch, Council Bluffs St. Albert, Tri-Center, IKM-Manning, Fort Dodge St. EdmondSemifinals: Aplington-Parkersburg over West Branch; IKM-Manning over Council Bluffs St. AlbertChampionship: Aplington-Parkersburg over IKM-Manning

Mike BonnerFirst-round upset: Woodbury Central over West HancockThe final 8: West Lyon, Akron-Westfield, Woodward-Granger, Logan-Manolia, Wapsie Valley, North Tama, Lisbon, Lynnville-Sully.Semifinals: West Lyon over Woodward-Granger; Lynnville-Sully over Wapsie ValleyChampionship: Lynnville-Sully over West Lyon

Jeff Johnson First-round upset: Belle Plaine over StarmontThe final 8: Wapsie Valley, North Tama, Lisbon, Lone Tree, Woodward-Granger, Logan-Magnolia, West Lyon, West Hancock.Semifinals: Lisbon over North Tama; West Lyon over Logan-MagnoliaChampionship: West Lyon over Lisbon

Jeff LinderFirst-round upset: Woodbury Central over West HancockThe final 8: West Lyon, Akron-Westfield, Woodward-Granger, Logan-Magnolia, Wapsie Valley, North Tama, Lisbon, Lynnville-SullySemifinals: West Lyon over Woodward-Granger; Wapsie Valley over Lynnville-SullyChampionship: West Lyon over Wapsie Valley

K.J. Pilcher First-round upset: Highland over BGMThe final 8: Wapsie Valley, North Tama, Lisbon, Lynnville-Sully, West Lyon, West Lyon, West Hancock, Woodward-Granger, Logan-MagnolaSemifinals: North Tama over Lisbon; West Hancock over Woodward-GrangerChampionship: West Hancock over North Tama

Mike BonnerFirst-round upset: Kee over ClarksvilleThe final 8: Marcus MMC, Newell-Fonda, Exira-EHK, Sidney, Don Bosco, Kee, Adair-Casey, MurraySemifinals: Marcus MMC over Sidney; Murray over Don BoscoChampionship: Marcus MMC over Murray

Jeff Johnson First-round upset: Colo-NESCO over Melcher-DallasThe final 8: Don Bosco, Preston, Adair-Casey, Murray, Glidden-Ralston, Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton, Newell-Fonda, Marcus-Meriden, CleghornSemifinals: Murray over Preston; Exira/EHK over Newell-FondaChampionship: Murray over Exira/EHK

Jeff LinderFirst-round upset: West Bend-Mallard over Marcus MMCThe final 8: West Bend-Mallard, Newell-Fonda, Exira-EHK, Sidney, Don Bosco, Clarksville, Adair-Casey, MurraySemifinals: Newell-Fonda over Sidney, Murray over Don BoscoChampionship: Newell-Fonda over Murray

K.J. Pilcher First-round upset: Colo-Nesco over Melcher-DallasThe final 8: Don Bosco, Preston, HLV, Murray, Exira-Elk Horn/Kimballton, Glidden-Ralston, Marcus MMC, Newell-FondaSemifinals: Exira-Elk Horn/Kimballton over Newell Fonda; Murray over Don BoscoChampionship: Murray over Exira-Elk Horn/Kimballton