Iowa High School Football Playoffs: Dowling Dynasty Returns

Maroons capture 5A state championship for first time

Dowling Catholic’s Ian Middleton (5) runs into the end zone for a touchdown on Nov. 21, 2025, at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. / Cody Scanlan/The Register / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Dowling Catholic ruled the biggest classification in Iowa high school football for several years.

But since Class 5A was created, the Maroons could not make it to the top.

That all changed Friday night, as Dowling Catholic claimed its first 5A title with a 27-10 victory over Iowa City Liberty from the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

The Ian Middleton Show Leads Dowling Catholic

Ian Middleton ran for 206 yards and two touchdowns on 34 carries and Jeffrey Roberts scored on a 67-yard touchdown to lead the Maroons, who lost just once this year to rival West Des Moines Valley in the opening week.

Dowling Catholic avenged that defeat in the semifinals, knocking out the Tigers.

Joey Nahas completed 3 of 5 passes for 81 yards and the score to Roberts, as the Maroons used a ball-control offense to wear down the Lightning, a school that opened just eight years ago.

In contrast, this marked the 11th state football championship all-time for Dowling Catholic.

Reece Rettig, Iowa City Liberty Made First Finals Appearance

Reece Rettig battled through several big hits to finish 18 of 25 passing for 139 yards and a touchdown, as Brody Beaver ran for 60 yards. Emerson Berner was 8 of 12 passing for 54 yards in relief of Rettig.

Middleton capped off a 10-play, 70-yard drive late in the first with a 25-yard run to the end zone, as Ryan Kuhn kicked a field goal to make it 10-0 in favor of the Maroons.

Iowa City Liberty, who lost in the semifinals last year, got on the board just before half when Collin Weis converted a 39-yard field goal attempt.

Joey Nahas-Jeffrey Roberts Connect For Long Touchdown

Middleton made it a two-touchdown game with a 28-yard run early in the third, finishing off a six-play, 65-yard series. Less than four minutes later, Nahas hit Roberts - who committed to Iowa State and transferred to Dowling Catholic from Ames over the summer - on a 69-yard scoring strike to make it 24-3.

Rettig found Adrian Clerry for a 5-yard score late in the third, but the Lightning would get no closer, as Kuhn added a second field goal, this time from 26 yards out.

Dowling Catholic finished the night with 246 yards rushing on 39 carries while holding IOwa City Liberty to 33 yards net rushing on 23 attempts. Much of the rushing total for the Lightning was taken away due to the four sacks recorded by the Maroons on defense.

Jackson Miller had 10 tackles and Carlos Blount nine, as Ryan Bobo was credited with 2.5 sacks and Anthony Bonanno with 1.5. Dowling Catholic had eight tackles for loss in the game.

More Iowa High School Sports Headlines

feed