Duane Schulte was the first varsity football coach in the history of Cedar Rapids Xavier High School back in 1998. He has built a program that has won five state championships, including this season’s Class 4A title.
Iowa City Liberty quarterback Reece Rettig has been named the Class 5A football player of the year by the Iowa Football Coaches Association. There are 45 players from The Gazette area that are first-team players in their respective classes.
The streak continues. West Des Moines Dowling uses an overpowering running game to beat Iowa City Liberty, 27-10, Friday night in the Class 5A state championship football game at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. A suburban Des Moines school has won the last 16 biggest-school titles.
See photos as the Liberty Lightning took on the Dowling Maroons in the IHSAA Class 5A football playoffs championship game at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls.
Cedar Rapids Xavier’s Carter Hoffmann has come a long way since a nervous sophomore making his first start at Waverly-Shell Rock. In his final game, Hoffmann rushed for 207 and three touchdowns to power the Saints to a 31-6 win over Pella for the Class 4A state football title.
Carter Hoffmann rushed for 207 yards and scored three first-half touchdowns as Cedar Rapids Xavier beat Pella, 31-6, Thursday night in the Class 4A state championship game at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. It’s the fifth state football title for the school.
West Lyon scored on its opening play of overtime and produced a goalline stand to beat Iowa City Regina, 34-27, in the Class 1A state football championship Thursday at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls.
Photos from Iowa High School Football State Championship between Iowa City Regina and West Lyon November 20, 2025.
High school football: Iowa City Liberty chases a 5A state championship Friday, and ‘Dowling’s just another monster in our way.’
Cedar Rapids Xavier and Iowa City Regina play for titles in Class 3A and Class 1A, respectively.
Cedar Rapids Xavier’s offense is one of the best in class 4A, boasting the top passer in the class and a 1,000-yard rusher. An undersized but effective offensive line has helped lead the way to the state title game.
Gazette sports writers Jeff Johnson Jeff Linder and K.J. Pilcher discuss Iowa High School Football championship games on the Triple Option Podcast November 19, 2025
Duane Schulte was the first varsity football coach in the history of Cedar Rapids Xavier High School back in 1998. He has built a program that has won five state championships, including this season’s Class 4A title.
High school volleyball: Iowa City Regina’s Reese Naeve is the area player of the year; Iowa City West’s Jaedynn Evans is honored as the top coach.
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