Recap: Football

Football

Dramatic runs, championship resurgences highlight 2019 playoffs at UNI-Dome

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – The final weekend helped sum up an exciting 2019 football season with some powerhouse programs staying on top of Iowa high school football, some returning to power, new communities joining the championship fun, and one team playing for the legacy and health of their long-time head coach. Those were the storylines from the finals at the UNI-Dome, but there were so many essential details in the 2019 regular season and postseason at schools across the state.

The second season of the RPI for at-large playoff qualifiers delivered more predictable results, with five highly-seeded district champions rolling to titles and four squads finishing the season unbeaten.

Brief UNI-Dome highlights from each class follows…

CLASS 4A: Dowling Catholic won its state-record seventh straight football title, topping city rival Valley in a tense and physical 21-16 game. The West Des Moines powers were locked in on each other since their regular season meeting, with Dowling running back Gavin Williams providing the difference in the finals with 141 yards and two TDs rushing.

CLASS 3A: Epworth, Western Dubuque rebounded from a runner-up finish in 2018 to finish as undefeated and undisputed champ of 3A. Coach Justin Penner’s squad shut down previously unbeaten Solon, which played a thrilling 43-36 semifinal with Sergeant Bluff-Luton the week prior.

CLASS 2A: OABCIG (Odebolt, Arthur, Battle Creek, Ida Grove) won its first football title in high-scoring fashion, led by star quarterback Cooper DeJean, who led the state in total offense (4,838 yards, 66 TDs passing and rushing).

CLASS 1A: West Lyon won its fifth state title and first since 2013 after a thrilling semifinal with rival West Sioux and dominant championship against top-seeded Van Meter. The Wildcats drove to northeast Iowa for four straight playoff rounds and still proved to be the top team in a loaded 1A.

CLASS A: With head coach Bob Sanger, in his 52nd season at West Hancock, Britt, battling cancer and watching from a suite seat, the Eagles held on against upstart Grundy Center and won their first title since 1996. The old-school squad ran to their fans and Sanger after the win shouting, “Sanger Strong!”

EIGHT-PLAYER: Against a tough Audubon squad appearing in its first title game since 1979 in Class 3A, Don Bosco, Gilbertville and coach Colby Yoder won their fourth final in the last seven years. Photos at right from IHSAA/Tucker Photo.

CLASS 4A First Round Bracket A

Valley, West Des Moines 42, Indianola 7 Waukee 45, Prairie, Cedar Rapids 15

Bracket B

Cedar Falls 44, Dubuque, Senior 0 Bettendorf 42, Linn-Mar, Marion 14

Bracket C

Urbandale 29, Ankeny Centennial 28 Cedar Rapids, Kennedy 63, Fort Dodge 6

Bracket D

Dowling Catholic, W.D.M. 35, Des Moines, Roosevelt 7 Ankeny 24, Southeast Polk 14

Quarterfinals Bracket A

Valley, West Des Moines 26, Waukee 10

Bracket B

Bettendorf 24, Cedar Falls 14

Bracket C

Cedar Rapids, Kennedy 27, Urbandale 13

Bracket D

Dowling Catholic, W.D.M. 42, Ankeny 14

Semifinals

Valley, West Des Moines 35, Bettendorf 7 Dowling Catholic, W.D.M. 42, Cedar Rapids, Kennedy 6

Finals

Dowling Catholic, W.D.M. 21, Valley, West Des Moines 16

CLASS 3A First Round Bracket A

Solon 14, Iowa City, Liberty 7 Pella 24, Independence 6

Bracket B

Epworth, Western Dubuque 42, Washington 10 North Scott 9, Xavier, Cedar Rapids 3

Bracket C

Sergeant Bluff-Luton 48, Carlisle 15 Norwalk 42, Glenwood 28

Bracket D

Lewis Central 44, Oskaloosa 0 Dallas Center-Grimes 9, Harlan 7

Quarterfinals Bracket A

Solon 24, Pella 0

Bracket B

Epworth, Western Dubuque 29, North Scott 7

Bracket C

Sergeant Bluff-Luton 54, Norwalk 28

Bracket D

Lewis Central 12, Dallas Center-Grimes 0

Semifinals

Epworth, Western Dubuque 48, Lewis Central 14 Solon 43, Sergeant Bluff-Luton 36

Finals

Epworth, Western Dubuque 37, Solon 17

CLASS 2A First Round Bracket A

CLASS 1A First Round Bracket A

Van Meter 38, Pella Christian 12 South Central Calhoun 56, Mount Ayr 22

Bracket B

West Branch 23, North Linn 0 Regina, Iowa City 23, Mediapolis 19

Bracket C

Dike-New Hartford 21, Panorama, Panora 14 West Lyon, Inwood 55, Osage 14

Bracket D

West Sioux, Hawarden 42, Underwood 7 Treynor 21, Western Christian, Hull 10

Quarterfinals Bracket A

Van Meter 10, South Central Calhoun 6

Bracket B

Regina, Iowa City 30, West Branch 20

Bracket C

West Lyon, Inwood 36, Dike-New Hartford 14

Bracket D

West Sioux, Hawarden 41, Treynor 24

Semifinals

Van Meter 49, Regina, Iowa City 17 West Lyon, Inwood 26, West Sioux, Hawarden 21

Finals

West Lyon, Inwood 50, Van Meter 14

CLASS A First Round Bracket A

West Hancock 38, IKM-Manning 14 South O’Brien 43, Tri-Center, Neola 7

Bracket B

MFL MarMac 60, South Winneshiek 24 Grundy Center 28, Belle Plaine 14

Bracket C

North Tama 16, Central Decatur 6 Woodbury Central 27, Westwood, Sloan 0

Bracket D

Saint Ansgar 52, Edgewood-Colesburg 21 Earlham 50, BGM, Brooklyn 34

Quarterfinals Bracket A

West Hancock 43, South O’Brien 0

Bracket B

Grundy Center 35, MFL MarMac 20

Bracket C

Woodbury Central 34, North Tama 23

Bracket D

Saint Ansgar 36, Earlham 0

Semifinals

Grundy Center 23, Saint Ansgar 21 West Hancock 49, Woodbury Central 20

Finals

West Hancock 21, Grundy Center 17

Waukon 52, Tipton 16 West Liberty 6, Monticello 0

Bracket B

Clear Lake 21, Spirit Lake 7 Williamsburg 25, Columbus Catholic, Waterloo 8

Bracket C

Algona 35, Central Lyon/George-Little Rock 14 Greene County 35, Des Moines Christian 21

Bracket D

OABCIG 26, West Marshall 7 PCM, Monroe 34, Benton Community 8

Quarterfinals Bracket A

Waukon 32, West Liberty 12

Bracket B

Williamsburg 35, Clear Lake 21

Bracket C

Algona 48, Greene County 15

Bracket D

OABCIG 48, PCM, Monroe 20

Semifinals

OABCIG 41, Algona 32 Waukon 32, Williamsburg 14

Finals

OABCIG 37, Waukon 12

EIGHT-PLAYER First Round Bracket A

Audubon 48, Harris-Lake Park 20 CAM, Anita 62, Lamoni 24

Bracket B

Turkey Valley 52, Rockford 8 HLV, Victor 28, Midland, Wyoming 22

Bracket C

St. Mary’s, Remsen 66, East Mills 28 Fremont-Mills 22, Coon Rapids-Bayard 6

Bracket D

Don Bosco, Gilbertville 72, New London 12 Easton Valley 55, Gladbrook-Reinbeck 6

Quarterfinals Bracket A

Audubon 40, CAM, Anita 32

Bracket B

Turkey Valley 64, HLV, Victor 14

Bracket C

St. Mary’s, Remsen 34, Fremont-Mills 20

Bracket D

Don Bosco, Gilbertville 67, Easton Valley 28

Semifinals

Don Bosco, Gilbertville 50, Turkey Valley 6 Audubon 39, St. Mary’s, Remsen 28

Finals

Don Bosco, Gilbertville 35, Audubon 19