Countdown to Kickoff: Recapping the 2024 State Championship Games

Here is a look back at the 2024 Iowa high school football state title games

Grundy Center's Judd Jirovsky (12) runs the ball up the middle on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, IA. / Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Seven Iowa high school football state champions were crowned in 2024, and this coming November, seven will be crowned once again from Cedar Falls and the UNI-Dome.

As part of our Countdown to Kickoff series, here is a look back at all seven title games that took place in 2024 in Iowa high school football.

5A: Southeast Polk, Valley put on a classic

Years from now when members of the Southeast Polk and Valley football teams gather at reunions, they are going to talk about the 5A state title game in 2024. The Rams won it, retaining their hold on the crown in the biggest classification as the only school to ever win it.

But this one was maybe the most improbable.

Having lost four games in the regular season, Southeast Polk got hot at the right time. They built a 17-point lead on the Tigers, only to fall behind by 11. But two touchdowns in the final 90 seconds allowed them to win a fourth straight championship, 38-35.

Southeast Polk quarterback Holden Hansen threw for 332 yards and ran for 97 more with five combined touchdowns to overcome a 279-yard, three-TD performance by Valley signal-caller Drake DeGroote. 

Jayden Brown, who will return in 2025 with DeGroote, caught eight passes for 171 and a score while Zay Robinson, now at Iowa State, had six receptions for 77 with two touchdowns.

4A: North Polk raises trophy for first time in school history

North Polk High School has experienced plenty of success in various sports over the years. But in 2024, they were crowned state football champions for the first time ever with a 24-14 victory over Pella.

Leading by a touchdown late in the third, the Comets went on a clock-chewing 14-play, 81-yard drive that ended in a field goal by Liam Triplett and a two-possession lead.

B.J. Tate ran for 152 yards and Nathan Feldmann 117 with three touchdowns to pace a 56-carry, 311-yard performance on the ground. Colin Kerndt for Pella threw for 132 yards and a TD to Harrison Mullens that covered 89 yards.

Bailey Shetterly also had a 39-yard interception return for the other points in the game for the Dutch.

3A: Dubuque Wahlert golden for first gridiron championship

A perfect season ended with a convincing 49-14 victory for Dubuque Wahlert over Humboldt in the 3A title game. Tom Scherr had three total touchdowns, including five receptions for 128 and two of those scores.

Dubuque Wahlert dominated on the ground, piling up 280 yards with four different players scoring touchdowns. Michael Bormann had 124 yards and a TD, Scherr ran for 49 and a score while Drew Reilly had two and Will Weibes one.

J.P. Elbert threw for 131 yards and a TD while Reilly also had a passing touchdown.

Coen Matson, the 3A player of the year, threw for 159 yards in his final game while Cash McIntire ran for 85 with a score. Matson found Valley Davis on a touchdown as Chase Flaherty had four receptions for 64.

2A: For a sixth time, West Lyon takes the prize

West Lyon has turned itself into a dynasty, as they won a sixth championship with a 42-7 victory over Spirit Lake in the 2A finale.

Leading 14-0 at the half, West Lyon scored twice in the third and twice more in the fourth as Tate Hawf and Evan Hildring both ran in two touchdowns.

Hawf had 114 yards on the ground and Hildring 61, as Bryson Childress ran for 55 with a TD and had a passing touchdown to Jorden Meyer and 89 yards.

For Spirit Lake, Dylan Stecker caught five passes for 158 and a touchdown from Caden Lundt, who threw for 196 yards.

1A: Grundy Center keeps win streak intact

Nobody has been able to touch Grundy Center over the last three years, as they have won 39 straight games and three titles. Last year, it was a 28-7 victory over Dike-New Hartford in the 1A championship.

Judd Jirovsky had three rushing touchdowns, including two in the first quarter, as Brody Zinkula put the finishing touches on things with a fourth quarter score.

Jirovsky finished with 121 yards rushing and was 8 of 14 passing for 92, as Zinkula ran for 61. Jacob Hoy had two receptions for 63 yards to lead the aerial attack.

For Dike-New Hartford, Noah Borcherding found the end zone while Colin Meester threw for 222 yards. Devon Lotts caught six passes for 107.

A: Tri-Center gets better of West Hancock in nail-biter

While Tri-Center came into the A finale with a high-profile offense, it was the defense that got them a first state football title with a 14-10 victory over West Hancock.

Just three total points were scored in the second half, as Carter Kunze for Tri-Center had a hand in both touchdowns. He caught a 38-yard pass from A.J. Harder for the first and ran in a 4-yard score in the second quarter.

Kunze finished with 168 yards rushing on 36 carries while Harder was 17-for-24 for 207. Zahc Nelson caught seven passes for 78 yards.

Brady Bixel ran for 100 yards to lead West Hancock while Gustavo Gomez had 87 and a score.

8-Player: Remsen St. Mary’s back on top

Remsen St. Mary’s won its third title in five years, besting Gladbrook-Reinbeck, 51-12, to finish the season unbeaten.

Landon Waldschmitt accounted for seven touchdowns, rushing 33 times for 177 yards with five scores. He did not lose a yard on a single attempt while also throwing for 156 yards and two more scores.

Braxton Kneip had five receptions for 57 yards while Keaton Harpeanu had three for 58 with two going for scores.

For Gladbrook-Reinbeck, Drew Eilers had 118 yards passing and 83 yards rushing with two scores. Hudson Clark caught seven passes for 80 yards.

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