Way too early 2022 Teams to Watch

[ChickenNuggets]

I would find it hard to believe that LaMoure/L/M will not be the favorite too repeat for next year. Who are the other teams that have a lot returning and could give them a run?

[Big Blue]

May-Port CG will need to be in the conversation. They return a majority of their team (including all of their yards) and will have two FSHP starters joining the team through the new co-op with Finley-Sharon. There is still plenty for this group to prove, but the potential is there for sure.

[steel]

New Salem will be very solid again

[bison football73]

LLM should be good again. They lose about 6 seniors, but have a boatload of Juniors.

Cavalier will continue to be Cavalier and put out another good team next year.

New Salem should be very solid and in contention for the final four again.

Grant County/Flasher without the older Friesz should still be good and could make a playoff run again.

Two teams that will be interesting to watch in Regions 5 and 6 will be Hettinger and South Border. Two teams which have been punching bags in that area of the state for more than a few years now, but had huge successes this year. Was this year a flash in the pan for them, or was it the start of a turn around for both programs? There is no change in either of these regions for next year, so the schedules will be relatively the same which sets up a rematch of the first round of the playoffs between GCF and SB at some point early next year.

[sportsphenom]

LLM loses 5 seniors, QB- only plays offense, an offensive lineman, WR/DB- only one to play both ways and 2 seniors that didn't play at all. They might not put up big numbers offensively (although they have 2 solid options as the next QB), but will be just as good defensively and we all saw which numbers they didn't give up this year.

[woodchuck10]

Region 4
North Prairie
New Rockford
North Star
Four Winds
Benson Co

Region 7
St. John
WNG
TGU
MLS
Dunseith

In R4 theres 4 teams competing for 3 playoff spots.
In R7 theres probably 5 teams competing for 3 spots. SJ is the region favorite, could see WNG running away with region title with sophomore QB. Could see an improving Dunseith team get in at the third playoff spot.

[ChickenNuggets]

Region 1:
1- LaMoure
2- Wyndmere/Lidgerwood
3- Hankinson
4- Richland
5- Tri-State
LaMoure should be a pre-season favorite. Wyndmere loses a couple good seniors, but should have a strong core of their team back. They will be a very solid team. I think Hankinson is solidly in the top 3 as Richland and Tri-state were not very good this year and I don't see them improving enough in one year to challenge these other three.

Region 2-
1- MayPort CG
2A- Enderlin
2B- Griggs County
2C- Maple River
2D- Hatton/Northwood
MayPort CG brings back a lot from their region runner-up team and they should get some nice additions from the Finley Sharon co-op. They're my pick to win this region hands down. After that, I think the next four teams are a crap-shoot. I don't know what kids were from Enderlin or Maple Valley and now they're split. Maple Valley adds Hope/Page kids. Griggs County was really down this year, but had a lot of under-classmen get some varsity reps which can't hurt. Hatton Northwood had a few nice pieces, but low numbers and they lose Azure which is a big loss for them. I have no idea who to pick for 2 or 3 but my guess is they do not win a playoff game.

Region 3-
1- Cavalier
2- Nelson County
3- North Border
4- Larimore
5- Midway/Minto
Cavalier brings back a solid group of Juniors and some sophomores that contributed at times. Nelson County had a tremendous year, but they lose some really solid seniors as well. They might be the team to push Cavalier a little next year. North Border will have some really good skill position players, but their line will be a huge question mark, even more so after playing 6-man and not really having linemen play. So they're lacking experience and lost a year of reps as well. I think this hurts them a little, but they're still solidly a playoff team in this region. Larimore and Midway Minto round out the region. I don't see them pushing any of the top 3 but they also likely won't be as bad as some of the other 4-5 teams in other regions.

Region 4-
See Woodchuck's Post above- He knows way better than I do about that area of the state.

Region 5-
1- New Salem
2- South Border
3- Napoleon
4- Kidder County
5- Central McLean
New Salem will be really good again next year. They lose some very good seniors but have a strong group returning and have some really talented younger kids that will help them contend for the next few years. I think SB and Napoleon stay in the play-off hunt after having strong seasons this year as well.

Region 6-
1- Hettinger
2- Grant County/Flasher
3- Beach
4- Mott-Regent
5- Richardson Taylor
I think Hettinger holds onto the top spot in this region, but GC/F could push them. It's tough to replace a QB like Freisz and not miss a beat. I think 3-5 could be competitive for that last playoff spot.

Region 7- Again- See Woodchuck's post.

Region 8-
1- Surrey
2- Divide County
3- Lewis & Clark
4- Alexander
5- Tioga
6- Parshall
1 & 2 should be a dog fight. Both teams lose very good seniors, but I think with Surrey's style of play it might be easier to plug different kids into those roles and have success than it will be fore DC. So for that reason I'll take Surrey to win it, DC 2nd, L&C makes the playoffs.

My top 10 preseason picks:
1- LaMoure
2- New Salem
3- Cavalier
4- Surrey
5- Wyndmere/Lidgerwood
6- MayPort CG
7- South Border
8- Hettinger
9- Divide County
10- St. John

[Flip]

Hot take Larimore wins this region.

edit on August 24: this was a bad take.

Region 3-
1- Cavalier
2- Nelson County
3- North Border
4- Larimore
5- Midway/Minto
Cavalier brings back a solid group of Juniors and some sophomores that contributed at times. Nelson County had a tremendous year, but they lose some really solid seniors as well. They might be the team to push Cavalier a little next year. North Border will have some really good skill position players, but their line will be a huge question mark, even more so after playing 6-man and not really having linemen play. So they're lacking experience and lost a year of reps as well. I think this hurts them a little, but they're still solidly a playoff team in this region. Larimore and Midway Minto round out the region. I don't see them pushing any of the top 3 but they also likely won't be as bad as some of the other 4-5 teams in other regions.

[ChickenNuggets]

After 8-9 months since making these "Way too early predictions" I would change a few things:

Region 1:
1- LaMoure
2- Wyndmere/Lidgerwood
3- Hankinson
4- Richland
5- Tri-State
LaMoure should be a pre-season favorite. Wyndmere loses a couple good seniors, but should have a strong core of their team back. They will be a very solid team. I think Hankinson is solidly in the top 3 as Richland and Tri-state were not very good this year and I don't see them improving enough in one year to challenge these other three.

I wouldn't change any picks here

Region 2-
1- MayPort CG
2A- Enderlin
2B- Griggs County
2C- Maple River
2D- Hatton/Northwood
MayPort CG brings back a lot from their region runner-up team and they should get some nice additions from the Finley Sharon co-op. They're my pick to win this region hands down. After that, I think the next four teams are a crap-shoot. I don't know what kids were from Enderlin or Maple Valley and now they're split. Maple Valley adds Hope/Page kids. Griggs County was really down this year, but had a lot of under-classmen get some varsity reps which can't hurt. Hatton Northwood had a few nice pieces, but low numbers and they lose Azure which is a big loss for them. I have no idea who to pick for 2 or 3 but my guess is they do not win a playoff game.

At this point I would take MPCG to win the region, Maple River 2nd and Enderlin 3rd.

Region 3-
1- Cavalier
2- Nelson County
3- North Border
4- Larimore
5- Midway/Minto
Cavalier brings back a solid group of Juniors and some sophomores that contributed at times. Nelson County had a tremendous year, but they lose some really solid seniors as well. They might be the team to push Cavalier a little next year. North Border will have some really good skill position players, but their line will be a huge question mark, even more so after playing 6-man and not really having linemen play. So they're lacking experience and lost a year of reps as well. I think this hurts them a little, but they're still solidly a playoff team in this region. Larimore and Midway Minto round out the region. I don't see them pushing any of the top 3 but they also likely won't be as bad as some of the other 4-5 teams in other regions.

1- Cavalier, 2- North Border, 3- Larimore

Region 4-
See Woodchuck's Post above- He knows way better than I do about that area of the state.

#1- St. John, #2 North Star, #3 NR/S

Region 5-
1- New Salem
2- South Border
3- Napoleon
4- Kidder County
5- Central McLean
New Salem will be really good again next year. They lose some very good seniors but have a strong group returning and have some really talented younger kids that will help them contend for the next few years. I think SB and Napoleon stay in the play-off hunt after having strong seasons this year as well.

Still think the same 3 make playoffs but flip Napoleon to #2 and South Border to #3

Region 6-
1- Hettinger
2- Grant County/Flasher
3- Beach
4- Mott-Regent
5- Richardson Taylor
I think Hettinger holds onto the top spot in this region, but GC/F could push them. It's tough to replace a QB like Freisz and not miss a beat. I think 3-5 could be competitive for that last playoff spot.

I'd move GC/F up to #1, Hettinger to #2, and draw the #3 out of a hat.

Region 7- Again- See Woodchuck's post.

#1 St. John, #2 WNG, #3 TGU

Region 8-
1- Surrey
2- Divide County
3- Lewis & Clark
4- Alexander
5- Tioga
6- Parshall
1 & 2 should be a dog fight. Both teams lose very good seniors, but I think with Surrey's style of play it might be easier to plug different kids into those roles and have success than it will be fore DC. So for that reason I'll take Surrey to win it, DC 2nd, L&C makes the playoffs.

I'd flip my #1 and #2 here. Divide County wins the region and Surrey is 2nd. L&C still 3rd

My top 10 preseason picks:
1- LaMoure
2- New Salem
3- Cavalier
4- Surrey
5- Wyndmere/Lidgerwood
6- MayPort CG
7- South Border
8- Hettinger
9- Divide County
10- St. John

1- Lamoure
2- Cavalier
3- New Salem
4- Wyndmere-Lidgerwood
5- MPCG
6- North Prairie
7- Grant County/Flasher
8- Divide County
9- St. John
10- Surrey

[WalkingStick]

You have St. John winning two regions…I think you meant NP for R4

[WalkingStick]

My Top 10
LaMoure-LM
Cavalier
New Salem-Almont
Grant County-Flasher
May-Port-CG
North Prairie
St. John
Wyndmere-Lidgerwood
North Border
Divide County

[Flip]

We are a few weeks into the season and I'm curious is 2022 just like 2021 where Lamoure is head and shoulders above everyone else?

[Bison-Vikes #1]

We are a few weeks into the season and I'm curious is 2022 just like 2021 where Lamoure is head and shoulders above everyone else?

Seems that way. Cavalier is pretty solid again. North Star lost their starting QB (Dane Hagler) early in first quarter of last week's game against Nelson County. Younger brother (Hunter) came in and did a good job but Dane is a tremendous athlete so that hurts them a bit.

[vikingman]

Is that a season-ending injury for Hagler?