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Preseason Iowa high school football rankings: Defending champion Xavier leads the pack in 3A
Jeff Linder
Aug. 16, 2018 1:00 pm, Updated: Aug. 20, 2018 8:48 pm
It's a new season. And the Xavier Saints start it the same way they finished the last one.
As the top team in Class 3A.
The defending state champion, Xavier opens 2018 at No. 1 in the preseason football poll conducted by The Gazette and KGYM-AM radio.
Xavier went 13-0 last season, defeating Pella, 31-13, in the state final at the UNI-Dome.
'We're on to 2018,' Xavier Coach Duane Schulte said for a season preview story. 'We haven't really talked about last year, to be honest with you. We celebrated it last year when it happened, but we haven't really talked about it (since).'
Joining Xavier as the preseason No. 1 choices are five-time defending champion West Des Moines Dowling (4A), Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley (2A), West Sioux (1A), Hudson (A) and Don Bosco (8-Player).
Xavier returns quarterback Quinn Schulte, running back/special-teams ace Braden Stovie and elite lineman Josh Volk, among others, in its bid to repeat.
The Saints received five of six first-place votes and are followed in 3A by Lewis Central (9-2), Sergeant Bluff-Luton (10-1) and North Scott (9-2).
Lewis Central, which upset West Des Moines Valley in the first round of the 4A playoffs last year, is down a class this season. So is North Scott.
Led by Dowling (12-1), the top three teams in 4A hail from Central Iowa. Johnston (9-2) and Valley (8-2) are second and third. Cedar Rapids Prairie (8-2) is sixth, Iowa City West (12-1) — the runner-up in 2016 and 2017 — is No. 7.
A 2A semifinalist last year, Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley was 10-2 last season. The Nighthawks' top challengers are Monroe PCM (8-2) and Williamsburg (10-3), the 2017 runner-up which brings back Gage Hazen-Fabor, the state's leading rusher with 2,388 yards and 24 touchdowns.
Last year's Class A champion, West Sioux (13-0) is up a class and leads a strong 1A field. Dike-New Hartford (6-4) is down from 2A and holds the second spot, then it's perennial powers Iowa City Regina (10-3) and West Branch (9-1), which lead a list of five River Valley Conference schools in the 1A top 10.
Hudson (12-1) reached last year's Class A final and is projected as the heir apparent. North central Iowa squads Algona Garrigan (9-1), Saint Ansgar (11-1) and West Hancock (7-4) are the next three teams.
Don Bosco (13-0) is the two-time defending 8-Player champion. The Dons have compiled an 84-7 record since 2011, including 21 consecutive wins. Fremont-Mills (9-3) is No. 2.
Gazette staffers Jeff Johnson, K.J. Pilcher, Jeff Linder, Douglas Miles and Nathan Ford vote in the poll, as does Scott Unash of KGYM.
Class 4A
1.
West Des Moines Dowling
58 points (4 first-place votes)58 points (4 first-place votes)
Last year: 12-1, Class 4A champion
Week 1: at No. 10 Waukee
2.
Johnston
49 points (2 first-place votes)49 points (2 first-place votes)
Last year: 9-2, Class 4A quarterfinalist
Week 1: at Urbandale
3.
West Des Moines Valley
45 points45 points
Last year: 8-2, Class 4A playoff qualifier
Week 1: vs. No. 8 Southeast Polk
4.
Bettendorf
39 points39 points
Last year: 10-2, Class 4A semifinalist
Week 1: vs. No. 10 Pleasant Valley
5.
Cedar Falls
36 points36 points
Last year: 9-2, Class 4A quarterfinalist
Week 1: at Ames
6.
Cedar Rapids Prairie
30 points30 points
Last year: 8-2, Class 4A playoff qualifier
Week 1: at Cedar Rapids Washington
7.
Iowa City West
22 points22 points
Last year: 12-1, Class 4A runner-up
Week 1: vs. 3A No. 4 North Scott
8.
Southeast Polk
13 points13 points
Last year: 6-4, Class 4A playoff qualifier
Week 1: at No. 3 West Des Moines Valley
9.
Ankeny Centennial
10 points10 points
Last year: 9-3, Class 4A semifinalist
Week 1: at Ankeny
10.
Pleasant Valley
7 points7 points
Last year: 7-3, Class 4A playoff qualifier
Week 1: at No. 4 Bettendorf
10.
Waukee
7 points7 points
Last year: 6-4, Class 4A playoff qualifier
Week 1: vs. No. 1 West Des Moines Dowling
Others receiving votes: Cedar Rapids Kennedy 5, Ankeny 4, Council Bluffs Jefferson 3, Indianola 2
Class 3A
1.
Cedar Rapids Xavier
59 points (5 first-place votes)59 points (5 first-place votes)
Last year: 13-0, Class 3A champion
Week 1: at 1A No. 3 Iowa City Regina
2.
Lewis Central
49 points49 points
Last year: 9-2, Class 4A quarterfinalist
Week 1: vs. No. 3 Sergeant Bluff-Luton
3.
Sergeant Bluff-Luton
44 points (1 first-place vote)44 points (1 first-place vote)
Last year: 10-1, Class 3A quarterfinalist
Week 1: at No. 2 Lewis Central
4.
North Scott
35 points35 points
Last year: 9-2, Class 4A quarterfinalist
Week 1: at 4A No. 7 Iowa City West
5.
Pella
31 points31 points
Last year: 11-2, Class 3A runner-up
Week 1: at Dallas Center-Grimes
5.
Solon
31 points31 points
Last year: 11-1, Class 3A semifinalist
Week 1: vs. 2A No. 5 Mount Vernon
7.
West Delaware
22 points22 points
Last year: 8-3, Class 3A quarterfinalist
Week 1: vs. Dubuque Wahlert
8.
Waverly-Shell Rock
19 points19 points
Last year: 8-2, Class 3A playoff qualifier
Week 1: vs. North Fayette Valley
9.
Harlan
16 points16 points
Last year: 10-2, Class 3A semifinalist
Week 1: vs. Denison-Schleswig
10.
Glenwood
7 points7 points
Last year: 8-2, Class 3A playoff qualifier
Week 1: at Carroll
Others receiving votes: Sioux City Heelan 5, Dallas Center-Grimes 4, Newton 3, Western Dubuque 3, Davenport Assumption 1, Washington 1
Class 2A
1.
Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley
57 points (3 first-place votes)57 points (3 first-place votes)
Last year: 10-2, Class 2A semifinalist
Week 1: vs. 1A No. 1 West Sioux
2.
Monroe PCM
48 points (2 first-place votes)48 points (2 first-place votes)
Last year: 8-2, Class 2A playoff qualifier
Week 1: at Newton
3.
Williamsburg
38 points38 points
Last year: 10-3, Class 2A runner-up
Week 1: vs. No. 10 West Marshall
4.
Union Community
35 points35 points
Last year: 8-4, Class 2A semifinalist
Week 1: vs. Dyersville Beckman
5.
Clear Lake
29 points29 points
Last year: 7-3, Class 2A playoff qualifier
Week 1: at Osage
5.
Mount Vernon
29 points29 points
Last year: 9-2, Class 2A quarterfinalist
Week 1: at 3A No. 5 Solon
5.
Sioux Center
29 points29 points
Last year: 8-2, Class 2A playoff qualifier
Week 1: vs. Le Mars
8.
Waukon
23 points (1 first-place vote)23 points (1 first-place vote)
Last year: 12-1, Class 2A champion
Week 1: at Decorah
9.
Carroll Kuemper
8 points8 points
Last year: 7-3, Class 2A playoff qualifier
Week 1: at A No. 7 Council Bluffs St. Albert
10.
West Marshall
7 points7 points
Last year: 6-3
Week 1: at No. 3 Williamsburg
Others receiving votes: Spirit Lake 6, North Fayette Valley 3, Roland-Story 3, Sheldon 3, Southeast Valley 3, West Liberty 3, Centerville 2, New Hampton 2, Algona 1, Garner GHV 1
Class 1A
1.
West Sioux
56 points (4 first-place votes)56 points (4 first-place votes)
Last year: 13-0, Class A state champion
Week 1: at 2A No. 1 Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley
2.
Dike-New Hartford
45 points (1 first-place vote)45 points (1 first-place vote)
Last year: 6-4, Class 2A playoff qualifier
Week 1: at Denver
3.
Iowa City Regina
42 points (1 first-place vote)42 points (1 first-place vote)
Last year: 10-3, Class 1A runner-up
Week 1: vs. 3A No. 1 Cedar Rapids Xavier
4.
West Branch
40 points40 points
Last year: 9-1, Class 1A playoff qualifier
Week 1: vs. West Liberty
5.
Pella Christian
31 points31 points
Last year: 11-1, Class 1A semifinalist
Week 1: vs. Oskaloosa
6.
Cascade
24 points24 points
Last year: 10-1, Class 2A quarterfinalist
Week 1: vs. Monticello
6.
Wilton
24 points24 points
Last year: 9-2, Class 1A quarterfinalist
Week 1: at Durant
8.
Bellevue
21 points21 points
Last year: 8-2, Class 1A playoff qualifier
Week 1: at Edgewood-Colesburg
9.
West Lyon
15 points15 points
Last year: 11-1, Class 1A semifinalist
Week 1: at Central Lyon
10.
Aplington-Parkersburg
11 points11 points
Last year: 8-2, Class 2A playoff qualifier
Week 1: at New Hampton
Others receiving votes: Emmetsburg 6, Interstate 35 4, Western Christian 4, Denver 2, Van Meter 2, Dyersville Beckman 1, Sigourney-Keota 1, South Central Calhoun 1
Class A
1.
Hudson
55 points (4 first-place votes)55 points (4 first-place votes)
Last year: 12-1, Class A runner-up
Week 1: at Jesup
2.
Algona Garrigan
40 points (1 first-place vote)40 points (1 first-place vote)
Last year: 9-1, Class A playoff qualifier
Week 1: at Emmetsburg
3.
Saint Ansgar
37 points37 points
Last year: 11-1, Class A semifinalist
Week 1: at West Fork
4.
West Hancock
32 points32 points
Last year: 7-4, Class A quarterfinalist
Week 1: vs. Garner GHV
5.
Avoca AHSTW
26 points26 points
Last year: 8-2, Class 1A playoff qualifier
Week 1: at Underwood
6.
Lynnville-Sully
19 points19 points
Last year: 9-1, Class A quarterfinalist
Week 1: at Pleasantville
7.
Council Bluffs St. Albert
16 points (1 first-place vote)16 points (1 first-place vote)
Last year: 10-2, Class A semifinalist
Week 1: vs. 2A No. 9 Carroll Kuemper
8.
Belle Plaine
14 points14 points
Last year: 6-3
Week 1: at Grundy Center
8.
Belmond-Klemme
14 points14 points
Last year: 7-3, Class 1A playoff qualifier
Week 1: vs. Eagle Grove
10.
Sioux Central
11 points11 points
Last year: 7-3, Class A playoff qualifier
Week 1: at Pocahontas Area
Others receiving votes: Le Mars Gehlen 10, Earlham 8, Hinton 8, Wapsie Valley 8, Mason City Newman 7, Southwest Valley 7, Logan-Magnolia 5, Ridge View 5, East Buchanan 4, Alburnett 3, Hartley HMS 1
8-Player
1.
Don Bosco
60 points (6 first-place votes)60 points (6 first-place votes)
Last year: 13-0, 8-player champion
Week 1: vs. No. 3 Gladbrook-Reinbeck
2.
Fremont-Mills
48 points48 points
Last year: 9-3, 8-player semifinalist
Week 1: at No. 5 Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton
3.
Ar-We-Va
22 points22 points
Last year: 7-3
Week 1: vs. Boyer Valley
3.
Gladbrook-Reinbeck
22 points22 points
Last year: 9-2, Class A quarterfinalist
Week 1: at No. 1 Don Bosco
5.
Exira/Elk Horn-Kimballton
17 points17 points
Last year: 5-4
Week 1: vs. No. 2 Fremont-Mills
5.
Lone Tree
17 points17 points
Last year: 8-3, 8-player playoff qualifier
Week 0: at Midland
Week 1: at Montezuma
5.
Stanton
17 points17 points
Last year: 8-2, 8-player playoff qualifier
Week 1: vs. Lamoni
8.
New London
16 points16 points
Last year: 6-3, Class A playoff qualifier
Week 1: vs. HLV
9.
Iowa Valley
15 points15 points
Last year: 6-3
Week 0: at Collins-Maxwell
Week 1: vs. WACO
9.
Remsen St. Mary's
15 points15 points
Last year: 11-1, 8-player runner-up
Week 1: at Audubon
Others receiving votes: Newell-Fonda 13, Moravia 11, HLV 9, Audubon 8, Harris-Lake Park 7, Midland 7, Southeast Warren 7, Anita CAM 5, Montezuma 5, Sidney 5, Tripoli 2, Baxter 1, Kingsley-Pierson 1