High School

Iowa High School Football Playoff Qualifiers Announced

Through RPI, fields for 5A, 4A and 3A are set

Dana Becker

Dallas Center-Grimes Chase Engel (15) throws the ball during the second quarter against Dowling Catholic on Sept. 12, 2025, at Dallas Center-Grimes High School.
Dallas Center-Grimes Chase Engel (15) throws the ball during the second quarter against Dowling Catholic on Sept. 12, 2025, at Dallas Center-Grimes High School. / Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Iowa High School Athletic Association announced the 48 playoff qualifiers in Class 5A, 4A and 3A after the conclusion of Week 9 games Friday night.

On Saturday, the pairings for those three classes along with 2A, 1A, A and eight-player will be revealed.

All seven classes will hit the field next Friday night for postseason action as the road to the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls continues.

Dowling Catholic, Cedar Rapids Xavier, Clear Lake Secure Top Seeds

Playoff action started for 2A, 1A, A and eight-player, as those winners will be regrouped into new round of 16 pairings to join 5A, 4A and 3A by the Iowa High School Athletic Association. Pairings are scheduled to be released Saturday morning at 10 a.m. CT.

Dowling Catholic is the No. 1 seed in 5A, as the Maroons have won eight consecutive games since a Week 1 loss to West Des Moines Valley, who is No. 6. Cedar Rapids Xavier is the top-seed in 4A and Clear Lake holds that spot in 3A.

Here are the Iowa High School Athletic Association playoff qualifiers in 5A, 4A and 3A.

Iowa High School Athletic Association Football Playoff Qualifiers

Class 5A

  1. Dowling Catholic
  2. Waukee Northwest
  3. Johnston
  4. Iowa City Liberty
  5. Ankeny
  6. Valley
  7. Sioux City East
  8. Cedar Falls
  9. Iowa City West
  10. Dallas Center-Grimes
  11. Cedar Rapids Prairie
  12. Southeast Polk
  13. Waukee
  14. Ankeny Centennial
  15. Indianola
  16. Waterloo West

Class 4A

  1. Cedar Rapids Xavier
  2. Gilbert
  3. Sergeant Bluff-Luton
  4. Pella
  5. Western Dubuque
  6. North Polk
  7. Newton
  8. Decorah
  9. ADM
  10. Fort Dodge
  11. Glenwood
  12. North Scott
  13. Le Mars
  14. Lewis Central
  15. Davenport North
  16. Waverly-Shell Rock

Class 3A

  1. Clear Lake
  2. Solon
  3. West Delaware
  4. Sioux Center
  5. Bishop Heelan
  6. Wahlert Catholic
  7. Nevada
  8. Independence
  9. Central DeWitt
  10. Mount Pleasant
  11. Winterset
  12. Des Moines Christian
  13. Benton Community
  14. Mount Vernon
  15. Carroll
  16. Atlantic

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Dana Becker
DANA BECKER

Dana Becker has been a sports writer in Iowa since 2000, writing for The Fort Dodge Messenger, Mason City Globe-Gazette, Cedar Rapids Gazette and others. Dana resides in northcentral Iowa and started as a writer with SB Live Sports in 2022 focused on the state of Iowa. Along with providing coverage of football and wrestling, Dana also spotlights cross country, swimming, basketball, track and field, soccer, tennis, golf, baseball and softball. He began writing for High School on SI in 2023.

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