A 9-week tour of the area’s best high school football games in 2025

Are you ready for a trophy game in Week 1?

On Monday, the Iowa High School Athletic Association released football schedules for the next two-year cycle. That includes a season-opening Battle for the Boot at Bates Field in Iowa City on Aug. 29.

The following is a nine-week tour of top games involving Gazette-area teams.

Through the first eight weeks, no area schools are featured more than once in this tour. Week 9, we’ll call flex-scheduling.

Grab your binoculars. Away we go. Tailgating is optional.

| 5A SCHEDULES |

| 4A SCHEDULES |

| 3A SCHEDULES |

| 2A SCHEDULES |

| 1A SCHEDULES |

| CLASS A SCHEDULES |

| 8-PLAYER SCHEDULES |

Week 1 (Aug. 29)

GAME OF THE WEEK: Iowa City West at Iowa City High

The aerial accomplishments of West’s Jack Wallace and City’s Bobby Bacon will have left the high school scene, so don’t expect another 40-39 offensive showcase (won by the Little Hawks last season). Both teams appear to be 5A playoff-worthy again, and this ought to be another down-to-the-wire endeavor. City is projected to return its top three tacklers, and West figures to be better defensively, too.

FIVE OTHERS TO WATCH

Cedar Falls at Iowa City Liberty

Cedar Rapids Prairie at Linn-Mar

Cedar Rapids Washington vs. Cedar Rapids Jefferson

Cedar Rapids Xavier at North Scott

Don Bosco at Iowa Valley

Week 2 (Sept. 5)

GAME OF THE WEEK: West Branch at Iowa City Regina

There’s no way West Branch goes 3-7 again next fall. No way. The Bears return their top rusher (Cooper Gates), their top three receivers and their top two tacklers. They’ll be well-equipped to handle their ascent to Class 2A. Regina, meanwhile, is poised to make a run at the UNI-Dome after bowing out in the 1A quarterfinals last season. Kyle Tracy threw for 19 touchdowns last fall, eight to Tate Wallace. Both return.

FIVE OTHERS TO WATCH

Benton Community at Mount Vernon

Center Point-Urbana at Marion

Mid-Prairie at Alburnett

Solon at Williamsburg

Western Dubuque at Cedar Rapids Xavier

Week 3 (Sept. 12)

GAME OF THE WEEK: Mount Vernon at Solon

It’s likely that this year’s version of the Highway 1 rivalry will be a Class 3A top-five battle. Mount Vernon will be the preseason No. 1 on at least one Gazette ballot (OK, mine). Solon won last year’s encounter, 7-6, and brings back a stacked defense led by Maddox Kelley (50 tackles, six takeaways). Mount Vernon QB Kellen Haverback threw for 27 touchdowns, and two of his top targets (Jase Jaspers and Michael Ryan) also return.

FIVE OTHERS TO WATCH

Alburnett at Iowa City Regina

Clear Creek Amana at Cedar Rapids Xavier

Edgewood-Colesburg at Springville

Saint Ansgar at South Winneshiek

Waukee Northwest at Iowa City High

Week 4 (Sept. 19)

GAME OF THE WEEK: Iowa City Liberty at Johnston

Liberty enjoyed a breakout season in 2024, advancing all the way to the Class 5A semifinals before a heartbreaking 38-35 loss to eventual champion Southeast Polk. Reece Rettig (2,719 passing yards, 32 TDs, 3 INTs) is one of the state’s top returning quarterbacks, and guys like Landon Bell and Keshawn Wyldon will spearhead the defense. Central Iowa rules big-school football, and Johnston will be salty again after an 8-3 campaign last fall.

FIVE OTHERS TO WATCH

Cedar Rapids Xavier at Williamsburg

Iowa City High at Cedar Falls

Solon at Benton Community

Waukee Northwest at Cedar Rapids Prairie

Western Dubuque at Decorah

Week 5 (Sept. 26)

GAME OF THE WEEK: Wapsie Valley at Maquoketa Valley

With nearly everybody back from a team that went 9-2 and reached the Class A quarterfinals, Maquoketa Valley certainly has the look of a state-title contender. Rogan Heidt ran for 1,580 yards and 25 touchdowns as a sophomore, and Brady Wall spearheads a potent passing game. Seven of the top eight tacklers are back from a defensive unit that posted five shutouts. Wapsie Valley (7-3 in 2024) appears to be the Wildcats’ biggest threat in Class A District 4.

FIVE OTHERS TO WATCH

Clear Lake at Independence

Iowa City Liberty at Iowa City West

Jesup at Union Community

North Linn at East Buchanan

West Branch at Alburnett

Week 6 (Oct. 3)

GAME OF THE WEEK: Independence at West Delaware

The Class 3A District 2 race looks like a four-team jumble, with these two teams — along with Clear Lake and Benton Community — projected as contenders, despite significant graduation losses. Indee (8-3 and a 3A quarterfinalist) recorded a 13-7 win over its Highway 20 rival last season, and receiver Ezekiel Symonds caught 10 touchdown passes as a junior. West Delaware (5-4) narrowly missed the 2024 playoffs; the Hawks were 0-4 in one-score games.

FIVE OTHERS TO WATCH

Don Bosco at Turkey Valley

Dyersville Beckman at Cascade

Iowa City Regina at Sigourney-Keota

Southeast Polk at Iowa City High

Waverly-Shell Rock at Cedar Rapids Xavier

Week 7 (Oct. 10)

GAME OF THE WEEK: Cedar Rapids Prairie at Cedar Falls

Prairie probably will be the best of the Metro 5A teams next fall; the Hawks return their top rusher (BJay Bush Jr.) and their top receiver (David Fason). Despite missing the playoffs at 4-5 in 2024, Prairie hopes to build on some late-season momentum; it knocked off Iowa City West in Week 9. Cedar Falls earned a 35-13 win over the Hawks in last year’s opener and welcomes back the pass/catch combo of Leyton Wolf and Will Remmert.

FIVE OTHERS TO WATCH

Anamosa at West Branch

Benton Community at Independence

Iowa City Liberty at Pleasant Valley

Linn-Mar at Muscatine

Mason City at Cedar Rapids Washington

Week 8 (Oct. 17)

GAME OF THE WEEK: Decorah at Cedar Rapids Xavier

Xavier’s schedule is full of goodies, and this is the one that figures to decide the Class 4A District 2 championship. The Saints were 7-4 last season (3-3 in games decided by seven points or less), and return the majority of their top skill-position guys, including QB Cash Parks, RB Carter Hoffmann and WR Ryan Kelly. Decorah (11-1) got to the 4A quarterfinals, and the Vikings’ Trevor Kuennen (888 rushing yards) and Noah Milburn (25 catches, 427 yards) return.

FIVE OTHERS TO WATCH

Anamosa at Alburnett

Dubuque Wahlert at Mount Vernon

Iowa City High at Iowa City Liberty

Iowa City West at Cedar Rapids Prairie

West Delaware at Benton Community

Week 9 (Oct. 24)

GAME OF THE WEEK: 2A/1A/A/8P first-round playoff games

For the four smallest classes, Week 9 is the Round of 32.

Some area teams that are strong possibilities to be first-round hosts:

Class 2A: Alburnett, Mid-Prairie, North Fayette Valley, West Branch.

Class 1A: Cascade, Dyersville Beckman, Iowa City Regina, Sigourney-Keota.

Class A: Maquoketa Valley, South Winneshiek.

8-Player: Belle Plaine, Edgewood-Colesburg, Iowa Valley, Montezuma, Springville, Turkey Valley,

FIVE OTHERS TO WATCH (5A/4A/3A regular season)

Cedar Rapids Xavier at Mason City

Linn-Mar at Iowa City West

Mount Vernon at Davenport Assumption

Washington at Keokuk

Waverly-Shell Rock at Decorah

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com