March 28, 2024

New prep football districts set

BOONE — Newton’s Cardinals play four new opponents during the 2014 football season.

There were a few shifts among area high school football teams when the Iowa High School Athletic Association released the district alignments for the 2014 and 2015 seasons Thursday. Newton stays in Class 3A with four teams, all of which moved up from Class 2A. Colfax-Mingo has moved from Class 1A to Class A.

The Cardinals are in Class 3A District 6 with Ballard and Grinnell, which they played against the past two years. Joining those three are Benton Community of Van Horne, Bondurant-Farrar, Gilbert and Nevada.

Newton lost to Ballard in the regular-season finale last October. The win sent Ballard (5-5) to the 3A playoffs and Newton was done for the season at 4-5. Grinnell (8-4) reached the 3A quarterfinals of the playoffs. Benton went 2-7 not reaching the 3A postseason.

Gilbert (8-4) reached the 2A quarterfinals last fall while Bondurant-Farrar (8-3) advanced to the second round in 2A. Nevada went 4-6 and did not make the 2A playoffs.

Prairie City-Monroe and Collins-Maxwell/Baxter are still together in a Class 2A district The Mustangs and Raiders along with Albia, Davis County of Bloomfield and Clarke of Osceola moved into District 7. These teams played in District 6 last year. Joining them for the next two years are North Polk of Alleman and Centerville.

Albia (12-1) lost in the 2A semifinals and North Polk (9-2) lost in the second round to Gilbert, which moved up to 3A. PCM (4-6) and Davis County (5-5) lost in the first round of the 2A playoffs. CMB (4-5), Centerville (4-6) and Clarke (1-9) did not make the playoffs.

Pella Christian (4-6), which lost in the first round of the 1A playoffs last fall, is in Class 1A District 6 with six new district opponents. Regina Catholic of Iowa City was the 2013 Class 1A state champion at 13-0 and West Marshall of State Center (9-2) reached the second round of Class 2A.

Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont (6-4) made the 1A playoffs last year. Sigourney-Keota (5-4) played Pella Christian in a non-district game last year. Highland (4-5) of Riverside and Columbus Community (1-8) of Columbus Junction did not make the playoffs.

Lynnville-Sully and three other teams from Class A District 7 to District 6 for 2014 and 2015. Lynnville-Sully (6-5), Montezuma (6-4) made the playoffs with the Hawks losing to  B-G-M of Brooklyn (13-1) in the second round of the playoffs. B-G-M was the Class A state runner-up. North Mahaska of New Sharon went 3-7.

Colfax-Mingo (2-7) moves into Class A competition from Class 1A. Also new to the group are Belle Plaine (4-6), which made the A playoffs, GMG of Garwin (4-5) and Iowa Valley of Marengo (1-8).

Area Football Districts for 2014 and 2015

Class 3A District 6

Newton, Ballard of Huxley, Benton Community of Van Horne, Bondurant-Farrar, Gilbert, Grinnell, Nevada.

Class 2A District 7

Collins-Maxwell/Baxter, Prairie City-Monroe, Albia, Centerville, Clarke of Osceola, Davis County of Bloomfield, North Polk of Alleman.

Class 1A District 6

Pella Christian, Columbus Community of Columbus Junction, Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont, Highland of Riverside, Regina Catholic of Iowa City, Sigourney-Keota, West Marshall of State Center.

Class A District 7

Colfax-Mingo, Lynnville-Sully, Belle Plaine, BGM of Brooklyn, GMG of Garwin, Iowa Valley of Marengo, Montezuma, North Mahaska of New Sharon.