Defending Iowa High School Football State Champions Open 2026 With Rival

Dowling Catholic will begin defense of its 5A state title against Valley.

Dowling head coach Tom Wilson smiles after winning the Class 5A Iowa high school football championship on Nov. 21, 2025, at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. / Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Dowling Catholic High School finally broke through in 2025, capturing the first Class 5A Iowa high school football state championship in program history.

The multi-time 4A state champions ended the run of Southeast Polk atop 5A, the state’s largest classification for football.

Now, the Maroons will be the hunted as they sit atop the perch with all comers looking to knock them off.

That starts right away in Week 1 with long-time rival Valley taking on Dowling Catholic in a meeting of West Des Moines powers. In 2025, the Tigers handed the Maroons their only loss, 20-19.

From there, the challenges continue, as Dowling Catholic heads to Johnston followed by a return home to face Dallas Center-Grimes.

Defending 5A State Champions Will Be Road Warriors In 2026

The meat of the schedule is sure to test the depth of the Maroons, as they play four of five away from home starting with a trip to Runnels to face former 5A king Southeast Polk. 

From there, they head to Waterloo West, return home to host Cedar Rapids Kennedy, and are back on the road at Waukee and Ankeny Centennial. Dowling Catholic concludes the 2026 regular season against Marshalltown.

District games begin with the Dallas Center-Grimes contest and include the rest of the schedule from there outside of Southeast Polk and Ankeny Centennial.

Ethan La Cava Looks To Lead Dowling Catholic Offense In 2026

There will be a new quarterback under center for the Maroons after Joey Nahas graduated. Ethan La Cava attempted 19 passes as a junior and is expected to replace Nahas.

La Cava threw for 130 yards on nine completions with a touchdown, adding 18 yards rushing. Classmate Maxwell Thole had a 72-yard passing touchdown last year.

Also gone is Ian Middleton, who rushed for 1,767 yards with 19 touchdowns. Sophomores Grayton Pennington and Henry Smid will try to pick up the slack, as Pennington rushed for 301 yards and five TDs while Smid added 274 and two.

Beau Williams Could Be Next Big Thing At Wide Receiver For Maroons

Leading receivers Jeffrey Roberts and Sam Drexler have graduated, as Roberts is now at Iowa State and Drexler at Northern Iowa. Preston Hofbauer and Jimmy Nahas both had over 180 yards but have exhausted their eligibility as well.

Leyton Oldfield caught four passes for 53 yards as a sophomore while Beau Williams appears to be the next big threat after catching three passes for 113 with two scores.

The defense will have Carlos Blount Jr., Jeremiah Roberson, Dylan Ducharme, Jimmy Howard, Brady Hagan and Edgar Perez to lead the way. Blount had 68 tackles and Hagan, also a top heavyweight wrestler, recorded 28 with two sacks and five tackles for loss.

Roberson picked off four passes as a junior for Dowling Catholic. 

More Iowa High School Sports Headlines

feed