Defending Iowa State Football Champions Forfeit Second Game

Remsen St. Mary’s won the eight-player crown last year in Iowa

Remsen St. Mary's Landon Waldschmitt (7) prepares to take the field against Gladbrook-Reinbeck ahead of the Iowa high school 8-player championship Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024 at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa. / JULIA HANSEN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

A defending Iowa high school state football champion has forfeited a second game this season.

KLEM Sports is reporting that Remsen St. Mary’s has forfeited its planned Friday night encounter with district foe Kingsley-Pierson. Last week, the Hawks forfeited at halftime in a district loss to St. Edmond.

KLEM Radio has learned that Remsen St. Mary’s football will forfeit this week’s game at Kingsley-Pierson.

There is hope that this will give the Hawks time to heal up before the second half of the season. #iahsfb

— KLEM Sports (@KLEMSports) September 15, 2025

Remsen St. Mary’s captured the Iowa high school football eight-player state title last fall, going unbeaten on the year. They graduated several seniors from that class, which also won a championship in 2022 and advanced to the playoffs in 2023.

But with a roster including just three upperclassmen and several freshmen, it has been tough sledding for the program this year.

Remsen St. Mary’s was blown out in its first two games, suffering several key injuries along the way. After falling behind 36-0 to St. Edmond last Friday night, the Hawks were unable to continue when three players went down.

They started that game with just 13 healthy players on the field.

Remsen St. Mary's Hoping to Finish Out 2025 Season

According to the report, the hope is that Remsen St. Mary’s will be able to complete the second half of the regular season after getting players back off the injury list. 

Up next for the Hawks will be back-to-back home games on Friday, September 26 vs. Harris-Lake Park and Friday, October 3 vs. Newell-Fonda. An October 10 meeting with Siouxland Christian will not take place, as they have already canceled the season.

Remsen St. Mary’s is set to conclude the regular season on Friday, October 17 vs. North Iowa.

Prior to this year, the Hawks had lost just three games since the start of the 2019 season, going 66-3 over that stretch. They have not had a losing season since 2014.

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