Over the last few weeks, I've spoken with high school football coaches, players and media from around the state, trying to put together a solid set of football preseason state rankings.
Do preseason rankings mean anything? Not really, but they're fun and useful as a rough guide for what to expect this season. For example, take our 2010 preseason rankings. Of the 24 semifinalists in all six classifications, 12 were ranked among the top four. Digging further into the numbers, here's how many of our 2010 preseason Top-10 teams were ranked in our final rankings of the 2010 season: Class 4A four (ouch); Class 3A nine; Class 2A seven; Class 1A eight.
That's not perfect, but not totally off-base, either. So, enjoy and hopefully these will spark some interest and lively debate.
The News Tribune’s 2011 Preseason Football State Rankings
Class 4A
1. Skyline (12-2)
2. Chiawana (10-1)
3. Eastlake (8-3)
4. Bellarmine Prep (11-2)
5. Skyview (8-3)
6. Ferris (14-0)
7. Olympia (8-2)
8. Union (7-3)
9. Mead (5-5)
10. Kentlake (7-3)
*2010 records in parenthesis
Class 3A
1. Bellevue (13-1)
2. Lakes (11-2)
3. O’Dea (10-2)
4. Mount Spokane (10-2)
5. Kamiakin (13-1)
6. Juanita (9-2)
7. Camas (11-1)
8. Timberline (7-4)
9. Kennedy Catholic (7-2)
10. Ferndale (8-3)
*2010 records in parenthesis
Class 2A
1. Lynden (10-1)
2. Tumwater (12-1)
3. Othello (8-4)
4. Archbishop-Murphy (13-1)
5. Prosser (10-2)
6. Spokane East Valley (7-6)
7. Burlington-Edison (8-4)
8. Sequim (9-2)
9. North Thurston (5-4)
10. Anacortes (8-4)
*2010 records in parenthesis
Class 1A
1. Cascade Christian (13-0)
2. Connell (12-2)
3. Omak (9-4)
4. Meridian (12-1)
5. Montesano (10-1)
6. Colville (9-1)
7. Cashmere (9-3)
8. Royal (7-3)
9. Nooksack Valley (8-4)
10. King’s (10-2)
*2010 records in parenthesis
Class 2B
1. Adna (7-3)
2. Waitsburg-Prescott (10-1)
3. Colfax (12-1)
4. Naselle (7-2)
5. DeSales (7-2)
*2010 records in parenthesis
Class 1B
1. Lummi (13-1)
2. Cusick (12-2)
3. Almira/Coulee-Hartline (11-1)
4. Neah Bay (9-3)
5. St. John-Endicott (7-3)
*2010 records in parenthesis
