July 12, 2012

Dallas Jackson
Senior Analyst

Dallas Jackson is the High School Football analyst for Rivals.com. Email him your question, comment or story ideas to DallasJ@Yahoo-Inc.com and follow him on Twitter.

One of the most difficult aspects in high school sports is dealing with success.

In Iowa, West Des Moines Valley High is again facing that problem. As one of the most successful programs in the state, Valley has captured state titles, only to struggle the next season.

That inconsistency, combined with Iowa not being among the power states nationally, leaves Valley outside the preseason RivalsHigh 100 -- despite winning the 2011 Class 4A title.

It is the first time the state of Iowa has not started a season with a team in the preseason RivalsHigh 100 since the poll's inception in 2007.

Luke Feddersen, who has covered Iowa athletics for IowaPreps.com since 2000, said that if there was a team for early consideration, it would still be Valley.

"This club is headlined by defensive tackle Sam Raridon (committed to Wisconsin) and offensive tackle Jake Campos (committed to Missouri)," he said. "The Tigers also saw 6-foot-5 wide receiver Clint Boffeli land a FCS/Division I-AA scholarship offer from the coaches at North Dakota."

Iowa Preseason Top 10

While it seems as though there is a prevailing thought that West Des Moines Valley is again the team to beat it is placed on a wait-and-see list before the season. The depth in the state this year may help keep Valley on the rails without as many tough games in its path.

No. 1 West Des Moines Valley

No. 2 Ankeny High

No. 3 Iowa City West

No. 4 Bettendorf High

No. 5 Runnels Southeast Polk

No. 6 Cedar Falls High

No. 7 Marshalltown High

No. 8 West Des Moines Dowling

No. 9 Cedar Rapids Kennedy

No. 10 Eldridge North Scott

But Feddersen still expressed some hesitation.

"I think more than anything, it is based on graduation," he said. "A lot of talented players have moved on to the college level.

"West Des Moines Valley dominated during (its) title run a season ago, but this powerhouse has struggled in recent years."

Valley has spaced out its recent state titles, winning in 2005, 2008, and 2011. But the title hangover has gotten progressively worse.

Following their 2005 title, the Tigers advanced to the quarterfinals in subsequent seasons. After the 2008 title, the next two seasons the Tigers went only 13-9 combined, and did not advance beyond the second round.

Being able to perform at a consistently high level has been a problem that the team hopes it is over.

"Winning the title in 2011 and bringing back a strong nucleus makes them dangerous this year," Feddersen said. "It is a football factory that has the athleticism, size, and coaching to win a second straight championship."

If there is a team that could unseat Valley, it is the team that will start the season just behind the Tigers in the state preseason poll, Ankeny (Iowa) High.

Ankeny finished the 2011 season at No. 3 in the final state rankings and lost to Valley, 14-3, in the state semifinals.

For Ankeny, the time for success may be drawing to a close. It's Ankeny's final season as the lone team in town, as Ankeny (Iowa) Centennial will open its doors next season.

"Quarterback Joel Lanning is an elite athlete and will be teamed with a lot of talent to help the Hawks to a deep run," Feddersen said.

Despite these successes, the national perception of Iowa is that the state could not hold its own against many of the top teams in the nation.

Its highest ranking team in the final RivalsHigh 100 was No. 60 by the 2009 Iowa City High team. In 2008, West Des Moines Valley finished No. 92. In 2010, West Des Moines (Iowa) Dowling ended the year No. 82.

The perception of the state could be helped by facing out-of-state competition, but those games have been halted, at least for now, by the state athletic association.

According to Feddersen, not having the ability to showcase talent has held the state back.

"A few years back, one of the best teams in the state tried to get a top-notch, out-of-state opponent that would be televised nationally. The Iowa High School Association denied them the opportunity," Feddersen said. "In order to prove experts wrong, battling out-of-state programs and winning would be a step in the right direction."

Without that movement -- and without a consistent team -- Iowa's perceived best will be lumped with the pack of states that will have to prove their way into the national rankings.

PRESEASON RIVALSHIGH 100 COUNTDOWN: The official schedule of release dates