Iowa A Way-Too-Early Title Contenders: West Hancock

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>An early look at some of the top teams in each class, now to Class A. We'll profile several programs that look to return the talent necessary to compete for a state championship in 2026.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="http://iowa%20a%20way-too-early%20title%20contenders:%20MMCRU/">Iowa A Way-Too-Early Title Contenders: MMCRU</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/01/iowa-a-way-too-early-title-contenders-wapsie-valley/">Iowa A Way-Too-Early Title Contenders: Wapsie Valley</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prepredzone.com/2026/01/iowa-a-way-too-early-title-contenders-west-sioux/">Iowa A Way-Too-Early Title Contenders: West Sioux</a></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Offense:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>One of, if not the top-ranked team in the state before the playoffs, previously West Hancock fell in a shocking, first-round upset to 4-5 Gehlen Catholic by a final score of 34-18. One has to think that, though they lose some of their top playmakers from 2025, the Eagles will be back with a vengeance in 2026.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Offensively, it'll start their work horse running back, [player_tooltip player_id='2114083' first='Nathan' last='Bixel'], a 1,000-yard rusher in just nine games last season. Taking 162 carries for 1,008 yards (6.2 yards per carry) and 12 touchdowns and adding five catches for 96 yards and a score, the 6-foot, 165-pound junior will have an offseason to add weight and strength to prepare for the longhaul of a senior campaign he'll face. In addition to their bellcow back, the Eagles return Jacoby Subject, who took 51 carries for 386 yards and six scores to take some of the burden off his classmate.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Quarterback Coen Witte is also set to return, and though West Hancock didn't do much through the air in 2025, getting a senior QB to return along with the big time runner is huge.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Defense:</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On the other side of the ball, two of the top five tacklers are back, as Bixel and Caiden Squier combined for 80.5 tackles, five tackles-for-loss (TFLs) and a sack last season. Squier and Subject each added an interception. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Michael Gretillat, the Eagles' sack and TFL leader with three sacks and seven TFLs is back in 2026, too. <br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->