The 4A Club Conference Preview: CIML-Metro

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 Metro Conference of the Central Iowa Metro League. <strong>Disclaimer: </strong>Des Moines Hoover is also apart of the Metro Conference, but since they were brought down to 3A as apart of the new football realignment and I’m only covering 4A schools, I won’t be covering them this season. And also since Indianola is the only 4A football team from the Little Hawkeye Conference, I’m covering them here since when they were in the CIML, they were grouped in with the DSM city schools and Ottumwa.   Des Moines East My Preseason Ranking: 38th My Team Rating: 27.4444 (E)   Head Coach: Greg Schoon Offensive Coordinator: Carlos James Defensive Coordinator: Ben Hurley Base Offense: Spread (1-0, 2-0) Base Defense: 4-2-5   Watchlist Players: N/A Returning Starters: QB Trent Brown, JR WR/QB Sean Head, SR WR/CB/P Brayton Hannan, SR WR Aaron Pollard, JR OT Dominic Morris, SR OT DJ Schultz, SR G Trenton Robbins, JR DE Grae Anderson, SR DT Taylor Schwartzman, SR MLB/G/TE Zach Truitt, SR CB Tyson Woodyard, SR S Jaydan Hazelbaker, SR K Alex Lovan, SR   Risers/Arrivals: WR/CB Dominic Byers, SR WR/CB Sey’Veon Haley, SR G Kanye Wright, SO C Saddig Elamin, JR DE Daveyon Shumpert, SO OLB/WR Quentin McDonald, SO   A quick word: After a rough season where the majority of key players from 2018 graduated, combined with the tragic midseason passing of junior teammate Dominic Reidburn, the East Scarlets would probably want to make the 2019 season one to forget. Looking into 2020, East should be able to be competitive against its city rivals and likely win a couple of games against them.     Des Moines Lincoln My Preseason Ranking: 31st My Team Rating: 29.6667 (D-)   Head Coach: OJ Sinclair Offensive Coordinator: Blake Bernstrom Defensive Coordinator: Dolan Saxon Base Offense: Wing-T (3-1) Base Defense: 3-4   Watchlist Players: N/A   Returning Starters: RB/CB Josh Jenkins, JR OT Alex King, SR OT Trent Tipton, SR G Joseph Bartley, JR C Colin Lahvic, SR OLB Marcus Cross, SR MLB Izik Grohe, SR   Risers/Arrivals: QB Zander Kehoe, JR WR Daeshawn Prince, JR DE Caiden Elsberry, JR OLB Luckyboy Kpan, JR OLB Connor Julius, JR CB Isaiah Henderson, SR S Anthony Crowder, JR   A quick word: After about 5 seasons, it looks like Derek Summy has left his post as head coach of the Rails, and former Grand View assistant and DSM North Athletic Director OJ Sinclair has taken his place. The Southsiders are going to see some changes on offense, as now they’re going to move their base offense from a Spread to a Wing-T. It shouldn’t be too much of a change to their offense as their whole passing game has graduated anyway.     Des Moines North My Preseason Ranking: 40th My Team Rating: 23.8889 (F+)   Head Coach: Eric Addy Offensive Coordinator: Eric Addy Defensive Coordinator: Theo Evans Base Offense: Flexbone Base Defense: 4-3   Watchlist Players: N/A   Returning Starters: QB Nick Goergen, SR RB/MLB Tan Nguyen, SR G Elijah Stoker, JR G Orlando Fuentes, SR C Alejandro Aleman, JR DE Michael Galloway, SR OLB Deavin Hilson, SR CB/WR/K/P Kevon Bickham, SR S/SB [player_tooltip player_id="23852" first="Mohamed" last="Bass"], SR S Stanley Ross, SR   Risers/Arrivals: QB Nick Crispin, SO OT Kevin Quayee, SO DT Calvin Quach, SR CB/WR Tharon Locure, SR CB Douglas Lee, JR S/SB Israel Kelai, JR   A quick word: The last time the Polar Bears won a game was Week 2 of the 2016 season, that’s a now 34-game losing streak for North. But with a nice core coming back and some of their inner-city rivals on the decline, that steak has a good chance of getting broken in 2020.     Des Moines Roosevelt My Preseason Ranking: T-13th My Team Rating: 38 (B-)   Head Coach: Mitchell Moore Offensive Coordinator: Evan Groepper Defensive Coordinator: Todd McGhghy Base Offense: 11 Personnel (1-1, 2-0, 1-0) Base Defense: 3-3-5   Watchlist Players: RB [player_tooltip player_id="23832" first="Jaden" last="Koger"], SR OLB [player_tooltip player_id="23858" first="Thomaj" last="Davis"], SR   Returning Starters: OT Erik Smiley, SR G Matty McGee, JR G Braedan Hartwig, SR DT/C [player_tooltip player_id="23920" first="Finn" last="Claypool"], SR CB/WR Yona Abdullahi, SR S/QB [player_tooltip player_id="24030" first="Jamison" last="Patton"], SO   Risers/Arrivals: WR/CB Jakari Bradley, SR WR Cole Norris, JR TE George Williams, SO MLB Skyler James, JR OLB Nico Brooks, SR S/WR Daviere Jones, JR S/WR Asante Scott, SR   A quick word: The breakout team of 2019, Roosevelt is looking for some second helpings with a deep playoff run in 2020. The Roughriders have a strong core coming back on both sides of the ball, and some up-and-comers ready to live up to last season’s standards.     Indianola My Preseason Ranking: 18th My Team Rating: 36.5 (C+)   Head Coach: Eric Kluver Offensive Coordinator: Mitch Curtis Defensive Coordinator: Josh Lullman Base Offense: Multiple (2-1, 1-1) Base Defense: 3-4   Watchlist Players: RB [player_tooltip player_id="23991" first="Kael" last="Kolarik"], JR Returning Starters: WR Mark Pepper, SR WR Tryce Kirgan, SR C Jaylin Smith, SR DE Walker Whalen, JR DE Ben Moffitt, SR DT Christian Forget, SR OLB Carter Erickson, JR OLB Jacob Darr, SR MLB Sam Hildreth, SR CB CJ Kuehl, SR   Risers/Arrivals: OLB Wes Weatherall, SR MLB Sean Cunningham, SR MLB Chase Ricketts, SR CB John McGinnis, SR S Noah Johnston, JR S Dagan Martin, SR   A quick word: The Indians are a borderline good team that just needs a few holes to be filled before they can be called totally great. RB [player_tooltip player_id="23991" first="Kael" last="Kolarik"] is looking to build off of a strong sophomore campaign, and most of their defense is coming back, so expect Indy to be very competitive this season.     Ottumwa My Preseason Ranking: 35th My Team Rating: 28.3333 (E+)   Head Coach: Brian Goodvin Offensive Coordinator: Brian Goodvin Defensive Coordinator: Joe Curran Base Offense: Flexbone (2-1, 3-1) Base Defense: 4-3   Watchlist Players: N/A   Returning Starters: QB Adam Denniston, SR HB Colton McKinnon, SR WB/MLB Kie Glosser, SR WR Blaze Rominger, SR TE [player_tooltip player_id="23927" first="Trae" last="Swartz"], SR TE/S Matt Graeve, SR T Rion Slack, SR G/MLB Zach Ross, SR DE Gabe Jacobs, SR DT/P Jesus Jaime, SR OLB Mitch Wood, SR CB Josh Johnson, SR S Isaac Eaton, SR   Risers/Arrivals: C Christian Lopez, SR OLB Austin Fountain, JR CB Tanner Schark, SO   A quick word: The Bulldogs return a bunch of key players from last season that can help them reach some success in 2020. Keep an eye on TE [player_tooltip player_id="23927" first="Trae" last="Swartz"] and LB Mitch Wood, as both are looking to take it to the next level in different sports, with Wood taking a scholarship at Iowa for baseball, and while Swartz’s only offers come for football, he’s also excellent in basketball and could see some offers come that way too.