Iowa High School Football: Class 5A Quarterfinal Predictions

Can four-time defending champ Southeast Polk stay alive?

Dowling Catholic wide receiver Jeffrey Roberts (3) carries the ball during a high school football game between Valley and Dowling Catholic on Aug. 29, 2025, at Valley Stadium in West Des Moines, Iowa. Valley defeated Dowling Catholic 20-19. / Ayrton Breckenridge/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Southeast Polk is the only team in Iowa high school football to ever hoist the Class 5A crown, claiming the first and each once since.

The four-time defending state champions once again surprised many by advancing out of the Round of 16. Now, they get Iowa City Liberty in a rematch of an epic semifinal last year won by the Rams.

Dowling Catholic, who dominated the 4A ranks for a number of years before the state added 5A, will play Iowa City West, Waukee Northwest, who was the last unbeaten in 5A, hosts Sioux City East, and defending state runner-up West Des Moines Valley is at Johnston in a meeting of Central Iowa Metro League programs.

Here are game-by-game predictions and more for the Class 5A Iowa high school football playoffs. Statistics are accurate as of November 4, 2025.

Iowa High School Football Class 4A Playoffs

Pod A

Iowa City West (8-2) vs. Dowling Catholic (9-1)

• Winner: Dowling Catholic

• Dowling Catholic Key Player: Part of a wide receiver tandem that rivals any in the state, Jeffrey Roberts has 40 receptions for 733 yards and nine touchdowns. The Iowa State commit transferred to the program following an all-state season at Ames a year ago.
• Iowa City West Key Player: The Trojans have a standout at wide receiver themselves in Ethan Headings, as the senior has caught 47 passes for 1,138 yards with 13 touchdowns this season.

Pod B

Sioux City East (9-1) at Waukee Northwest (9-1)

• Winner: Waukee Northwest

• Waukee Northwest Key Player: Mack Heitland continues to perform at a high-level, directing the Wolves offense as a junior. He has completed 169 of 210 passes with 2,635 yards and 27 touchdowns. He has also rushed for 120 yards and four scores.
• Sioux City East Key Player: Cal Jepsen is a Western Kentucky baseball commit who can sling the football around just as well. The senior has thrown for 2,274 yards and 23 touchdowns on 165 of 242 passing.

Pod C

West Des Moines Valley (8-2) at Johnston (8-2)

• Winner: West Des Moines Valley

• West Des Moines Valley Key Player: Drake DeGroote continues to excel leading the Tiger attack. The senior has hit on 119 of 187 passes for 1,657 yards with 20 passing touchdowns. He has another 404 yards and five TDs on the ground.
• Johnston Key Player: Emri Jones is a junior running back who can both control the tempo of the game and break it open with his speed. He has 757 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns with another 135 and a score in the passing attack.

Pod D

Southeast Polk (6-4) at Iowa City Liberty (8-1)

• Winner: Iowa City Liberty
• Iowa City Liberty Key Player: Not many have been better than Reece Rettig this season, as the senior has completed 174 of 246 passes for 1,901 yards and 16 touchdowns. He also leads the Lightning with 132 carries for 807 yards and 13 more trips to the end zone.
• Southeast Polk Key Player: Stanley Cooper has had a breakout season, rushing for 1,206 yards with 16 touchdowns as a junior on 145 attempts.

More Iowa High School Sports Headlines

feed