Iowa High School Football: Class 2A Quarterfinal Predictions

Four games will determine semifinals in 2A

Van Meter's Henry Lounsbury looks to attempt a pass during a first round playoff football game at Van Meter High School on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025, in Van Meter. / Lily Smith/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Two unbeatens, two one-loss teams and a program with multiple state titles comprise the Class 2A quarterfinal field in Iowa high school football.

Set for Friday, November 7, the eight remaining teams will compete for four spots inside the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

Kuemper Catholic, one of those with a perfect 10-0 record, welcomes in Cherokee. The Knights have a potent offense, but have also flexed on defense this year. They will be tested by the run-strong attack led by Jaxon Paulsrud.

The other unbeaten is Osage, as the Green Devils play host to Alburnett. Van Meter, who won three straight state titles from 2021-23, heads to Mid-Prairie while PCM hosts Wilton in the other matchups.

Here are game-by-game predictions and more for the Class 2A Iowa high school football playoffs. Statistics are accurate as of November 3, 2025.

Iowa High School Football Class 2A Playoffs

Pod A

Cherokee (8-2) at Kuemper Catholic (10-0)

• Winner: Kuemper Catholic

• Kuemper Catholic Key Player: Jarin Hoffman might be one of the more complete running backs in the state, as the junior has 1,204 yards rushing and 17 touchdowns on 187 carries. He has also reeled in 143 receiving yards and three more scores.
• Cherokee Key Player: For the Braves, it starts and ends with Jaxon Paulsrud. As a senior, he has rushed for 1,808 yards and 29 touchdowns while completing 70 of 134 for another 809 yards and seven touchdowns.

Pod B

Wilton (8-2) at PCM (9-1)

• Winner: Wilton

• Wilton Key Player: Gunner Edwards was born to a be quarterback, hence his name. And the junior has delivered this year, throwing for 1,487 yards and 14 touchdowns. He has completed 128 of 217 passes, adding another 394 yards and five touchdowns on the ground.
• PCM Key Player: Keegan Fenton will be looking to cause problems for Edwards and the Wilton offense, as the senior has 58 tackles with 18 for loss and nine sacks this year.

Pod C

Van Meter (8-2) at Mid-Prairie (9-1)

• Winner: Van Meter

• Van Meter Key Player: Henry Lounsbury, a senior, stepped into the pivotal role of quarterback for the Bulldogs and has thrived. He has completed 88 of 150 passes this year for 1,294 yards with 16 touchdowns, adding another 489 yards and six scores with his legs.
• Mid-Prairie Key Player: Hudson Ehrenfelt is a true two-way threat out of the backfield for the Hawks. The senior has 171 rushing attempts for 980 yards and 15 trips to the end zone, adding a team-leading 517 yards receiving and six scores on 30 receptions.

Pod D

Alburnett (8-2) at Osage (10-0)

• Winner: Osage
• Osage Key Player: A dual-threat in all aspects of the game of football, Quinn Street has thrown for 1,715 yards and ran for 1,403. He has 24 rushing touchdowns and another 15 in the air, completing 104 of 169 attempts.
• Alburnett Key Player: Laken Caves is just a junior, but he has been turning heads for years now. This season, Caves has 1,774 yards rushing and 22 touchdowns on 207 attempts while catching 26 passes for 359 yards and three more scores.

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