2025 Season Preview: Class 4A District 1

Get 30% off your first billing cycle with code: howe30 in the coupon code area   <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2025/07/2025-season-preview-class-5a-group-6/">Links to capsules on all 36 teams in 5A </a>   No need to squint anymore when looking to the start of the Iowa high school football season. A new campaign kicks off on Aug. 29 with teams from across the state pursuing that magical run to a November appearance in the UNI-Dome.   Prep Redzone Iowa is getting readers ready for the action with group and district previews. You can find capsules on all 36 teams in Class 5A linked above. Here's a breakdown of programs in 4A District 1:   FORT DODGE   2024 Record: 7-3 (4A Playoff Qualifier)   Top Returnees: [player_tooltip player_id='1644900' first='Tru' last='McBride'], QB; [player_tooltip player_id='1619976' first='Noah' last='Daniel'], ATH; Ezrah Barkhaus, RB; Dalton Eckley, WR; [player_tooltip player_id='1619907' first='Tytrell' last='Mosley'], WR; [player_tooltip player_id='1620020' first='Jesse' last='Egli'], DB; Sam Moser, DB; [player_tooltip player_id='1640080' first='Jayce' last='Skow'], LB; [player_tooltip player_id='1620084' first='Taevon' last='Feeley'], DB: William McElroy, LB; Caiden Fraher, LB; [player_tooltip player_id='1620077' first='John' last='Hughes'], LB; [player_tooltip player_id='1654030' first='Jayon' last='Preston-Grady'], DL; Amarie Pettigrew, DB; [player_tooltip player_id='1698650' first='Luke' last='Fierke'], OL/DL.   Notable Losses: Jamarius Green; Royce Pederson; Jonathan Brown; Hunter Richardson; Jesus Gutierrez; Gavin Pederson.   Key Games: Aug. 29 vs Mason City; Oct. 3 at Spencer; Oct. 10 at Storm Lake   Outlook: The Dodgers reached the postseason in 2024 despite being without star linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='856075' first='DreShaun' last='Ross']. The Oklahoma State wrestling commitment missed the year after having shoulder surgery. He'd earned all-state honors on the gridiron the previous campaign. He and other playmakers returning should have Fort Dodge back in the playoff hunt with the potential for a run there. Daniel is a two-way standout committed to Iowa as a preferred walk-on. McBride is a dual-threat signal caller that could really take off in 2025. Barkhaus, Eckley, and Mosley are dangerous skill players with the potential for greater production. The defense should be stout, especially the back seven with Egli, Moser, Skow, Feeley, McElroy, Hughes, and Pettigrew back in the fold. Preston-Grady and Fierke are anchors in the trenches. Kyree Rochon, Tayven Altman and other less experienced players will be pushing for game reps.   SERGEANT BLUFF-LUTON   2024 Record: 11-1 (3A State Semifinalist)   Top Returnees: [player_tooltip player_id='1692983' first='Isaiah' last='Jervik'], QB; Bo Koedam, RB/DB; [player_tooltip player_id='1529036' first='Ryan' last='Husen'], RB; [player_tooltip player_id='1370736' first='Joey' last='Hardy'], LB/TE; [player_tooltip player_id='1421471' first='Gavin' last='Warren'], WR/DB; Abram Keokenchanh, LB; Xavier Jones, LB.   Notable Losses: Zayvion Ellington; Kellan Benson; Collin Bliven; Brayden Kerr; Kaleb Pendergast; Logan Dunn; Blake Dunagan; Roman Muston; Alex Wilson.   Key Games: Sept. 26 at Fort Dodge; Oct. 3 vs Storm Lake; Oct. 24 at Spencer   Outlook: One of last year's best in 3A makes the jump up a class for 2025. The Warriors have some big shoes to fill with graduation losses, but they also bring back a strong core from the group that reached the UNI-Dome. Hardy is committed to South Dakota as a linebacker and is one of the state's better athletes. Koedam and Warren deliver key contributions on both sides of the ball. Husen rushed for more than 1,000 yards and 14 touchdowns in '25. Keokenchanh and Jones are a dynamic duo at linebacker. Sergeant Bluff-Luton will need student-athletes from a group that includes Emmet Kneifl, Beckett Verros, Carson Jager, Gavin Merrill, Beckett Verros, [player_tooltip player_id='1529005' first='Justin' last='Ehlers'], Kennik Buschmann, Jack Zeleny and Ayden Dather to step up if it hopes to reach the heights it did a year ago, however.   STORM LAKE   2024 Record: 4-5   Top Returnees: Marco Cortes-Oropeza, RB; [player_tooltip player_id='1242964' first='Rylan' last='Richardson'], WR/DB; [player_tooltip player_id='1092694' first='Cam' last='Boyd'], WR/DB; [player_tooltip player_id='1197479' first='David' last='William'], WR/DB; Sitah Chaiyawong, DB; Vilah Chaiyawong, DB; Bryan Oropeza, LB; Miguel Cerventes-Lewis, DL; Ta Eh Soe, LB.   Notable Losses: Charlie Dvergsten; Ramon Rodriguez; David Santos; Brian Brown.   Key Games: Oct. 3 at Sergeant Bluff-Luton; Oct. 10 vs Fort Dodge; Oct. 24 at LeMars   Outlook: Dvergsten will tough to replace as an accomplished dual-threat quarterback and punter. The good news for whomever steps in behind center is that he'll have an excellent trio of receivers on the other end of his passes. Richardson, Boyd and William also are among the top two-way players around. Cortes-Oropeza flashed potential as a ball carrier and could shine with a bigger workload. The Tornadoes return a lot of proven production on all three levels of the defense. Cerventes-Lewis anchors the front, Ta Eh Soe and Oropeza are active linebackers, and Sitah and Vilah Chaiyawong are playmakers in the secondary. Storm Lake is a team to watch this fall if guys like Bobby Boeckman, Kale Miller, Edgar Saldana, Eh Poh, Michael Nunez, Josh Shed, Marshaun Jackson and Jorge Reyes take opportunities and run with them.   LEMARS   2024 Record: 6-3   Top Returnees: [player_tooltip player_id='1240466' first='Jami' last='Sitzmann'], QB; [player_tooltip player_id='1240438' first='Andrew' last='Grant'], RB/LB; [player_tooltip player_id='1619967' first='Tycen' last='Augustine'], TE/DL; Degi Kabongo, DB; [player_tooltip player_id='1620090' first='Tegan' last='Bogh'], DB; [player_tooltip player_id='1588106' first='Hudson' last='Kass'], OL/DL; [player_tooltip player_id='1674573' first='Josh' last='Adol'], OL/DL;   Notable Losses: Jovany Kabongo; Jude Dougherty; Sy Bixenman; Wichieng Hosnyang; Levi Schnetzer; Jayden Nelson; [player_tooltip player_id='1620090' first='Tegan' last='Bogh']; Christian Cook;   Key Games: Sept. 26 vs Spencer; Oct. 10 vs Sergeant Bluff-Luton; Oct. 24 vs Storm Lake   Outlook: The Bulldogs will be replacing plenty of production lost to graduation, but that's often the case in prep football. They can take comfort in knowing some star power returns. Sitzmann can do damage with his arm and legs. Grant and Augustine are impact players on both sides of the ball. Bogh intercepted six passes last year, and Drgi Kabongo picked off three. Adol and Kass are difference makers up front. Kent Westhoff, Kougar Sargisson, Colin Murphy, Xavian Craft and [player_tooltip player_id='1271039' first='Cristofer' last='Sanchez'] are in a group of inexperienced guys competing to win jobs this preseason.   SPENCER   2024 Record: 6-4 (4A Playoff Qualifier)   Top Returnees: [player_tooltip player_id='1242951' first='Kamden' last='Young'], RB/LB; Foster Roos, DB; [player_tooltip player_id='1644925' first='Brody' last='Johnson'], LB; [player_tooltip player_id='1242950' first='Cristian' last='Mendez'], OL.   Notable Losses: Cael Bruning; Miles Robbins; Jack Berends; Ryan Matthiesen; Brady Vreeman; Brody Jordan; Preston Pitts; Kahne Wyman; Drestin Steelman.   Key Games: Oct. 3 vs Fort Dodge; Oct. 17 at Storm Lake; Oct. 24 vs Sergeant Bluff-Luton   Outlook: Spencer is a consistently solid program that develops student-athletes to replace the ones that graduate. Sounds simple, right? Just keep doing that. It's not easy. The Tigers' development will be tested in 2025 after big losses following last season. The good news is that Young, Roos, Johnson and Mendez will rank among the top players in the district at their respective positions. Drew Piercy, Temi Otaniyi, [player_tooltip player_id='1242949' first='Dylan' last='Timmer'], [player_tooltip player_id='1717437' first='Cole' last='Ferrell'] and others will be presented with opportunities for important roles around them.   SIOUX CITY WEST   2024 Record: 0-9   Top Returnees: Turner Joy, QB; Koda Tyndall, RB; Adrian Hilden, WR; Abraham Gonzalez, ATH; [player_tooltip player_id='1620075' first='Jackson' last='DeBondt'], DB.   Notable Losses: Sincere Douglas; Tavien Manning; Nathan Case; Christian Lane; Alonso Cota-Bustillos; Arath Pinedo; Xander Hernandez; Logan Carrell; Carlos Martinez Ponce; Chris Lugo; Jessi Thompson.   Key Games: Sept. 12 vs Sioux City North, Sept. 19 at Sioux City East; Oct. 24 vs Fort Dodge   Outlook: There's nowhere to go but up for West. The good news is there's enough talent to get the rise started. Joy, Tyndall, Hilden and Abraham Gonzalez are weapons on offense with the latter standing defensively, too. A group of guys including Micah Prokop, Jareth Cota, Devareyai Craft, [player_tooltip player_id='1204469' first='Tyson' last='Beldin'] and Nolen Hardgraves are competing to help the cause.

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