Iowa high school football playoffs 2023: First-round pairings for 2A, 1A, A and 8-Player

It’s time for the Iowa high school football playoffs. The Iowa High School Athletic Association on Saturday released the first-round pairings for Class 2A, 1A, A and 8-Player.

Thirty-two teams in each of the smaller four classes qualified for the postseason. First-round games kick off at 7 p.m. Friday (Oct. 20).

The top four teams in 2A, 1A and A districts qualified. In 8-Player, the top three teams in each district qualified automatically and two fourth-place teams (Turkey Valley and Belle Plaine) received at-large bids. Teams that finished higher in their district host.

Don’t think of these first-round games as part of a bracket. The IHSAA will bracket teams in groups of four beginning with the Round of 16; the winners of those pods advance to the state semifinals at the UNI-Dome.

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Class 5A, 4A and 3A still have one week left of the regular season. Their playoffs begin with the Round of 16 on Oct. 27.

Class 2A first-round games

Fourth place at first place

Okoboji (2-6) at Central Lyon/George-Little Rock (8-0)

Cherokee (5-3) vs. Carroll Kuemper (6-2), at Harlan

Anamosa (4-4) at Mediapolis (6-2)

North Fayette Valley (3-5) at Monticello (7-1)

Interstate 35 (3-5) at Monroe PCM (6-2)

Southeast Valley (5-3) at Spirit Lake (7-1)

Albia (4-4) at Van Meter (8-0)

Union Community (2-6) at Waukon (5-3)

Third place at second place

West Burlington/Notre Dame (5-3) at Camanche (4-4)

Des Moines Christian (4-4) at Clarinda (6-2)

Western Christian (6-2) at Estherville-Lincoln Central (5-3)

Crestwood (3-5) at Jesup (5-3)

Northeast (4-4) at Mid-Prairie (4-4)

West Marshall (2-6) at New Hampton (3-5)

Clarke (4-4) at Roland-Story (6-2)

Clarion CGD (3-5) at West Lyon (7-1)

Class 1A first-round games

Fourth place at first place

Ridge View (4-4) at Emmetsburg (6-2)

Cascade (2-6) at Grundy Center (8-0)

Hudson (5-3) at MFL MarMac (7-1)

Shenandoah (3-5) at Ida Grove OABCIG (6-2)

Eddyville EBF (3-5) at Iowa City Regina (7-1)

West Central Valley (3-5) at Sigourney-Keota (7-1)

Denver (5-3) at South Hamilton (7-1)

East Sac County (4-4) at Underwood (7-1)

Third place at second place

Pocahontas Area (4-4) at Waterloo Columbus (6-2)

Avoca AHSTW (5-3) at Hinton (5-3)

Dike-New Hartford (5-3) at Manson-Northwest Webster (3-5)

Ogden (4-4) at Pella Christian (6-2)

South Hardin (4-4) at Sumner-Fredericksburg (7-1)

West Sioux (4-4) at Treynor (7-1)

Pleasantville (5-3) at West Branch (5-3)

Wilton (7-1) at Woodward-Granger (4-4)

Class A first-round games

Fourth place at first place

Mount Ayr (4-4) at Guthrie Center ACGC (8-0)

Tri-Center (3-5) vs. Akron-Westfield (7-1), at Le Mars

North Linn (6-2) at Lisbon (8-0)

IKM-Manning (4-4) at Madrid (8-0)

Sibley-Ocheyedan (2-6) at Saint Ansgar (8-0)

North Butler (6-2) at Starmont (7-1)

Danville (4-4) at Wapsie Valley (7-1)

North Union (5-3) at Woodbury Central (8-0)

Third place at second place

Maquoketa Valley (6-2) at Columbus Community (6-2)

Central Decatur (5-3) at Earlham (5-3)

South Winneshiek (5-3) at East Buchanan (6-2)

South Central Calhoun (5-3) at Logan-Magnolia (7-1)

Pekin (6-2) at Lynnville-Sully (7-1)

Kingsley-Pierson/River Valley (6-2) at Marcus MMCRU (6-2)

Lake Mills (6-2) at Nashua-Plainfield (6-2)

Le Mars Gehlen (4-4) at West Hancock (7-1)

8-Player first-round games

At-large at first place

Turkey Valley (5-3) at Clarksville (9-0)

Belle Plaine (4-4) at Winfield-Mount Union (8-0)

Third place at first place

Boyer Valley (6-3) at Audubon (7-1)

Janesville (6-2) at Algona Garrigan (7-1)

Fremont-Mills (4-4) at Bedford (8-0)

Iowa Valley (6-2) at BGM (5-3)

Southeast Warren (4-4) at Anita CAM (8-0)

Lansing Kee (6-2) at Central City (7-1)

Edgewood-Colesburg (5-3) at Don Bosco (7-1)

Harris-Lake Park (5-3) at Remsen St. Mary’s (8-0)

Third place at second place

Montezuma (5-4) at Gladbrook-Reinbeck (7-1)

Baxter (5-3) at WACO (6-1)

Second place at second place

Glidden-Ralston (6-2) at Exira-EHK (5-3)

Woodbine (5-3) at Lenox (7-1)

Moravia (7-2) at Lone Tree (6-2)

Riceville (6-2) at West Bend-Mallard (6-2)

Comments: nathan.ford@thegazette.com