Ipswich has 26 football players on its 2022 varsity roster, but will be missing some very familiar names from last year's play-off qualifying team.

Still the Tigers will have reason to be optimistic about their post-season prospects this year, according to coach Brian Hogie. "I feel if we can keep getting better each week, we will look to make another good run for the playoffs," Hogie explained. "We return some very good seniors and juniors."

That indicates that the Tigers should have some impressive upper-class leadership, led by eight seniors, Ian Beyers, Carter Geditz, Tyler Hettich, Lucas Rowland, Cody Russell, Colby Sylte, Grant Weisser and Darrel Yost. The juniors will be Trevor Heinz, Chet Peterson and Kadyn Weisser.

There are also three sophomores this year and they are Max Kulesa, Rasmus Loken and Justin Rohrbach. Freshmen getting experience (and there are a lot of them) will be Nate Bass, Ty Bauer, Brody Davis, Casey Geditz, Mac Heinz, Kyle Hettich, Jaxon Holt, Joshua Rausch, Kingston Sylte, Kaden Weig, Gunnar Knittel and Matthew Severson.

Hogie will be assisted by Steward Bohle and Matt Pollock.

The Tigers will host LRC rival Faulkton at 7 p.m. in the IHS football complex on August 19. And another of their interesting home match-ups should be on Gala Day, September 9, hosting Northwestern. Yet another highlight of the regular season will be a Leola/Frederick vs. Ipswich LRC clash on September 24 at the NSU stadium in Aberdeen.

This year's post-season playoffs begin on October 20. The Tigers had finished 8-2 last year, after eventually losing to Canistota/ Freeman in the 2021 9AA playoffs.