For Second Straight Year, Iowa High School Will Not Field Football Team

An Iowa high school football team will not see the field for a second consecutive season.

Rockford High School, which consists of the towns of Rockford, Rudd and Marble Rock in northeast Iowa, has decided to forfeit the entire season. The Warriors did the same prior to the start of the 2025 campaign.

The RRMR School District Facebook page previously posted info about keeping students in the know in regards to a football season, including offseason workouts and scheduling.

Iowa High School Football Team Will Have Not Played A Varsity Game For Two Full Seasons

Overall, Rockford has not won a game since 2021 when they defeated West Central on October 8, 2021, 50-26. The Wildcats finished that season 2-6, as they also topped Clarksville in early September, 52-32.

In making the decision in 2025, Rockford school officials cited low numbers as the main reason for not fielding a varsity football team.

Three Iowa High School Football Teams Have Already Canceled 2026 Season

The Warriors are the third Iowa high school football program to decide before the year begins to cancel their seasons. Exira-EHK previously made the same decision, as did Siouxland Christian. Siouxland Christian, however, has decided to partner with Remsen St. Mary’s.

In 2025, a number of programs around Iowa were forced to cancel and forfeit games, including the defending eight-player state champion Remsen St. Mary’s. Others included Lone Tree, Dunkerton and Mormon Trail.

Rockford Previously Reached State Football Championship Game In 2018

Rockford posted back-to-back strong seasons in 2018 and 2019, going 11-2 in 2018 and 7-3 the following season. Since, though, the Warriors are a combined 4-28, and will now go two while football seasons without playing a varsity game.

That 2018 year included an appearance in an Iowa High School Athletic Association State Football Championship game, as the Warriors lost to New London in the finals inside the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, 55-14.

Rockford earned a 32-26 victory over perennial state contender Don Bosco that season in the playoffs. They downed Southeast Warren in the semifinals, 52-19.

The win over Don Bosco that season saw the Warriors reverse an 80-6 defeat in Week 3 of the regular season. They would reel off nine consecutive wins after that before falling in the title game to New London.

Program Scored Just 60 Points Total In 2024

Rockford was on the receiving end of several blowout defeats the last time they competed on the varsity football field. The Warriors gave up 74 to GTRA in a game where they scored a season-high 24 points.

Overall, Rockford tallied just 60 points that entire season, with 24 of those coming over the final three games. They also had a forfeit during the year to Bishop Garrigan.

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