Iowa high school football 2025: The Gazette’s post-Week 9 poll

Two are undefeated.

And according to The Gazette’s voting panel, all three are undisputed.

West Des Moines Dowling (Class 5A), Cedar Rapids Xavier (4A) and Clear Lake (3A) are unanimous No. 1 choices in The Gazette’s final football poll, released Monday.

Dowling (8-1) is the overall top seed in the 5A playoffs; the Maroons have won eight consecutive games since a 20-19 loss to West Des Moines Valley in Week 1.

Waukee Northwest (8-1), Iowa City Liberty (8-1), Ankeny (7-2) and Sioux City East (8-1) round out the 5A top five.

Cedar Rapids Prairie (6-3) and Iowa City West (7-2) are ninth and 10th.

Xavier has been No. 1 in 4A since the preseason, and the Saints delivered with a dominating regular season. Other than a 21-13 win over Western Dubuque in Week 2, the Saints beat everyone else by at least 21 points.

The only other unbeaten in 4A, Gilbert climbed two spots to No. 2 after smashing North Polk, 49-18, in Week 9.

Sergeant Bluff-Luton, Newton and Pella — all 8-1 — complete the top five. No. 8 Western Dubuque has won seven straight games after starting 0-2.

Clear Lake has been the best team in the best in 3A, and last week’s 28-0 win over West Delaware — in a battle of unbeatens — was further proof of that.

The Lions have blanked their last three opponents, five total, and are allowing just 3.9 points per game while scoring at a 42.8-point clip.

Solon (9-0) is No. 2 and bashed its five district opponents by a 263-8 margin. Sioux Center (8-1) is up two spots to No. 3, followed by Sioux City Heelan (7-2).

Dubuque Wahlert (7-2) and West Delaware (8-1) are tied for fifth. Mount Vernon (6-3) is tied for ninth.

The Gazette’s post-Week 9 football poll

(First-place votes in parentheses)

CLASS 5A W-L Pts. Pvs

1. West Des Moines Dowling (6) 8-1 60 1

2. Waukee Northwest 8-1 52 2

3. Iowa City Liberty 8-1 46 3

4. Ankeny 7-2 39 4

5. Sioux City East 8-1 36 5

6. West Des Moines Valley 7-2 35 6

7. Johnston 7-2 26 7

8. Cedar Falls 7-2 16 8

9. Cedar Rapids Prairie 6-3 12 9

10. Iowa City West 7-2 5 10

Others receiving votes: Dallas Center-Grimes 3.

CLASS 4A (Final) W-L Pts. Pvs

1. Cedar Rapids Xavier (6) 9-0 60 1

2. Gilbert 9-0 52 4

3. Sergeant Bluff-Luton 8-1 48 3

4. Newton 8-1 41 5

5. Pella 8-1 35 6

6. Adel ADM 8-1 29 7

7. North Polk 7-2 28 2

8. Western Dubuque 7-2 19 8

9. Fort Dodge 8-1 12 10

10. North Scott 6-3 4 —

Others receiving votes: Decorah 2.

CLASS 3A (Final) W-L Pts. Pvs

1. Clear Lake (6) 9-0 60 1

2. Solon 9-0 54 2

3. Sioux Center 8-1 41 5

4. Sioux City Heelan 7-2 40 3

T-5. Dubuque Wahlert 7-2 37 6

T-5. West Delaware 8-1 37 4

7. Central DeWitt 7-2 22 7

8. Nevada 7-2 21 8

T-9. Carroll 6-3 8 10

T-9. Mount Vernon 6-3 8 —

Dropped out: Des Moines Christian (9).

Others receiving votes: Winterset 2.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com