The 4A Club Conference Preview: CIML-Central

Because of the pandemic, the Iowa High School Athletic Association has let Class 4A schools and conferences make their own schedules, essentially bringing back conference play in Class 4A football for the first time since 2013. So here's a preview of every school in the Central Conference of the Central Iowa Metro League. &nbsp; Dowling My Preseason Ranking: 3rd My Team Rating: 43.4615 (A) Head Coach: Tom Wilson Offensive Coordinator: Tom Wilson Defensive Coordinator: Grant Bousum Base Offense: Multiple (2-1, 1-0, 3-1, 1-1, 1-2) Base Defense: 4-2-5 &nbsp; Watchlist Players: WR Louis Brooks, SR TE [player_tooltip player_id="23850" first="Andrew" last="Lentsch"], SR K Jake Calvert, SR &nbsp; Returning Starters: FB Zach Schwager, SR DE Russell Pearson, SR DT Jaylen Pettus, JR CB Austin Klein, SR S Jack Meyer, SR &nbsp; Risers/Arrivals: QB Jake Steingreaber, SR QB Jaxon Smolik, SO WR Mack Anderson, SR C Domenic Virelli, SR (from Nazareth Academy in LaGrange Park, IL) DT Chase Patton, JR S Carson Boyle, SR S Blake Anderson, JR &nbsp; A quick word: Dowling might’ve lost a ton of key players from last year, but as history shows, you can’t count Dowling out of the championship hunt yet. They’ve lost most of their offense and the majority of their defense, but the Maroons didn’t get seven-straight state titles with the same people all those years. &nbsp; &nbsp; Johnston My Preseason Ranking: 12th My Team Rating: 38.1111 (B-) &nbsp; Head Coach: Brian Woodley Offensive Coordinator: Brett Becker Defensive Coordinator: Jeff Helgeson Base Offense: Spread (1-0, 2-1, 1-1) Base Defense: 4-3 &nbsp; Watchlist Players: TE [player_tooltip player_id="23819" first="Tyler" last="Moore"], SR DT [player_tooltip player_id="23883" first="Cade" last="Kuennen"], SR OLB Aidan Moore, SR &nbsp; Returning Starters: QB [player_tooltip player_id="23998" first="Jack" last="Rutz"], JR QB/DE/P [player_tooltip player_id="23968" first="Noah" last="Storts"], JR OT Leighton Tanke, SR DE Tyler Kronlage, SR CB Trey Walker, SR S Caleb Helgeson, SR &nbsp; Risers/Arrivals: WR Vinnie Cresta, SR MLB Christian Bovin, SR (from Traverse City, MI) CB [player_tooltip player_id="24021" first="Cade" last="Godwin"], JR CB Cade Caffery, JR &nbsp; A quick word: The Dragons missed the playoffs for the first time in a while last year but could make a deep run in the postseason this year. Led by future ISU TE [player_tooltip player_id="23819" first="Tyler" last="Moore"], Johnston could make some noise with a couple of upsets in 2020. &nbsp; &nbsp; Southeast Polk My Preseason Ranking: T-9th My Team Rating: 39 (B) &nbsp; Head Coach: Brad Zelenovich Offensive Coordinator: Brad Zelenovich Defensive Coordinator: Pug Starcevich Base Offense: Multiple (1-1, 2-1, 2-0, 1-2) Base Defense: 4-2-5 &nbsp; Watchlist Players: QB [player_tooltip player_id="23947" first="Jaxon" last="Dailey"], JR OT [player_tooltip player_id="24023" first="Kadyn" last="Proctor"], SO DE Dominic Caggiano, SR S [player_tooltip player_id="23942" first="Xavier" last="Nwankpa"], JR &nbsp; Returning Starters: TE [player_tooltip player_id="23918" first="Caleb" last="Daniels"], SR OT [player_tooltip player_id="23986" first="Cade" last="Borud"], JR G Jake Vore, SR C Kalob Runyon, SR &nbsp; Risers/Arrivals: RB [player_tooltip player_id="23983" first="Titus" last="Christiansen"], SR WR Boone Bain, SR WR Isaiah Emanuel, SR (from Nazareth Academy in LaGrange Park, IL OT Reese Steele, SR G Sean O’Hara, SR (from Nazareth Academy in LaGrange Park, IL &nbsp; A quick word: To have two generational prospects (for Iowa standards) on one team in [player_tooltip player_id="23942" first="Xavier" last="Nwankpa"] and [player_tooltip player_id="24023" first="Kadyn" last="Proctor"], plus future D-1 level QB [player_tooltip player_id="23947" first="Jaxon" last="Dailey"], and it should come to no surprise that SEP is a preseason contender in the state title hunt in 2020. &nbsp; &nbsp; Urbandale My Preseason Ranking: 6th My Team Rating: 40.7273 (B+) &nbsp; Head Coach: Sam Anderson Offensive Coordinator: Tyler Perry Defensive Coordinator: Ryan Williams Base Offense: Spread (2-0, 1-0) Base Defense: 3-4 &nbsp; Watchlist Players: C Joe Bream, SR DE/TE [player_tooltip player_id="23809" first="Max" last="Llewellyn"], SR OLB/FB [player_tooltip player_id="23823" first="Tucker" last="Langenberg"], SR MLB/P [player_tooltip player_id="23811" first="Jaden" last="Harrell"], SR &nbsp; Returning Starters: WR Kai Black, SO WR [player_tooltip player_id="23992" first="Graham" last="Friedrichsen"], JR WR Nolan Baethke DE August Herbold, SR DT/G Adnan Ikeljic, SR MLB Mason Sherwood, SR CB Henry Dweth, JR S Caleb Hoyt, SR S [player_tooltip player_id="23974" first="Jack" last="Wattier"], JR &nbsp; Risers/Arrivals: QB Peyton Rottinghaus, SO MLB Dawson Roberts, JR &nbsp; A quick word: A bruising defense led by future Iowa Hawkeyes Harrell and Llewellyn look to lead the J-Hawks to dome glory in 2020. &nbsp; &nbsp; Valley My Preseason Ranking: 1st My Team Rating: 45.4615 (S-) &nbsp; Head Coach: Gary Swenson Offensive Coordinator: Gary Swenson Defensive Coordinator: Randy Ripperger Base Offense: Multiple (2-1, 1-1) Base Defense: 4-3 &nbsp; Watchlist Players: QB Jake Rubley, SR RB [player_tooltip player_id="23814" first="Jayden" last="Williams"], SR WR [player_tooltip player_id="23818" first="Matthew" last="Mahoney"], SR TE Eli Raridon, JR DE [player_tooltip player_id="23829" first="Nasir" last="Washington"], SR CB Landon Nelson, SR &nbsp; Returning Starters: N/A &nbsp; Risers/Arrivals: QB Jake Rubley, SR (from Highlands Ranch, CO) WR Cael Neisheim, SR (from Johnston) OT Quinn Clair, SR G Brevin Ayres, JR G Gabe Kopaska, SR G Scott Thomas, SR C Hank Lucas, JR (from Johnston) DE Drew Larick, SR DT Bryan Jurado, SR LB/QB Drew Dunnwald, SR CB Landon Nelson, SR (from San Luis Obispo, CA) S Ethan Saskowski, SR S Mason DouBrava, SR &nbsp; A quick word: With potentially four future D-1 players, the Tigers already looked like the state title favorites before the pandemic forced some states to postpone high school football to spring, but adding not only Landon Nelson, a DB who made over 100 tackles last season playing against some of the best Central California has to offer, but 4-star QB Jake Rubley, Colorado’s top prospect for 2021? There should be no doubt Valley is the favorite heading into the 2020 season.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span> &nbsp; &nbsp; Waukee My Preseason Ranking: 16th My Team Rating: 37.7273 (B-) &nbsp; Head Coach: Scott Carlson Offensive Coordinator: Brent Heitland Co-Defensive Coordinators: Corey Kopatich &amp; Nate Bailey Base Offense: Spread (1-0, 1-1, 1-2) Base Defense: 4-2-5, 4-3 &nbsp; Watchlist Players: TE [player_tooltip player_id="23908" first="Eddie" last="Saidat"] Jr, SR MLB [player_tooltip player_id="23930" first="Chase" last="Evanson"], SR CB/WR [player_tooltip player_id="23824" first="Aaron" last="Smith"], SR S [player_tooltip player_id="23834" first="Joe" last="Morrison"], SR &nbsp; Returning Starters: RB [player_tooltip player_id="23879" first="Alex" last="Linquist"], SR WR [player_tooltip player_id="24008" first="Hayden" last="Huntley"], JR DE [player_tooltip player_id="23910" first="Caleb" last="Paulus"], SR CB Bill Mukhtar, SR &nbsp; Risers/Arrivals: QB Garrett Morris, SR (from Dallas Center-Grimes) WR Tristan Grubb, JR TE/DE Braden Menz, SR OT Matt Kapustka, SR DE Ben Reiland, JR (from Shakopee, MN) OLB Colin Evers, SR OLB Luke Vera, SR &nbsp; A quick word: They might not be as stacked as they were last season, but the Warriors look like they can still make a deep playoff run in 2020. Waukee has a solid returning class on both sides of the ball, including the stellar secondary duo of Smith and Morrison.