Prep Football- The Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) released their first edition of the 2025 football rankings for Classes 2A, 1A, A, and Eight-Player. These rankings will be used as a tool for postseason assignments.
Class 2A
Four teams in the top 10 are still undefeated five weeks into the season, including the top dog Kuemper Catholic. The Knights have not had a difficult schedule so far with their closest win coming over Cherokee Washington by 16 points in week one.
Their most interest matchup will be a senior night showdown in week nine against #3 and fellow undefeated squad Okoboji. The Pioneers would have a claim for the top spot if they picked up a more convincing win over one-win Spirit Lake, instead of a 10-7 final.
PCM ranks #2 in the rankings despite posting a loss. Important to note that the loss was a two-point fall at the hands of Nevada, 30-28, a team that could see time in the rankings for Class 3A.
The other undefeated teams are #6 Centerville and #7 Osage. Centerville has taken down one of our local Class 3A team in Fairfield, 44-38, in a shootout. Their offense continues to be impressive, averaging 44 points per game.
The power rankings on Bound agree with the IHSAA with Mid-Prairie’s positioning at #8. The Golden Hawks are averaging 38 points per game with their only loss coming against #4 Alburnett in a tight 42-37 finish.
What will have to improve is their defense. Mid-Prairie has allowed 35 or more points in three of their five games. After sneaking pas Wilton to start District play, expect the Golden Hawks to go back-to-back as District Champs.
Class 1A
The top 10 is top-heavy for Class 1A with last year’s Class 2A’s state champion West Lyon sitting atop the standings followed by last year’s Class 1A state champion in Grundy Center.
Regina Catholic at #3 and South Hardin placed at #4 produce a top four of only undefeated teams. Each of which are beating their opponents by at least 30 points.
The Regals and Wildcats should get out of the unscathed as Regina Catholic’s showdown against Sigourney Keota this week will be their toughest remaining game on the schedule.
Nevertheless, Grundy Center will celebrate their Homecoming against South Hardin this Friday night in a top five battle.
Union Community was kept out of the top five despite still boasting an undefeated record. Given that #5 slot was Treynor, who lost a low-scoring bout to Van Meter earlier in the year 21-13.
#9 Underwood was the lose two-loss team to crack the top ten with losses to a tough Class 2A squad in Clarinda by seven points a decisive loss to the rival Cardinals of Treynor 37-12 last week.
Class A
There are nine undefeated teams in the Class, yet only eight in the rankings. Aptly, the Royals of MMCRU sit on the throne, allowing just six points per game, while putting up nearly 40 points per game.
Saint Ansgar and ACGC round out the top three, respectively. Saint Ansgar is about the only team in the top eight that should go the rest of the regular season unchallenged. #5 West Hancock and #8 Woodbury Central could also make the same claim.
However, here are some interesting matchups on the horizon for the other members of the top eight:
Week 7: #1 MMCRU vs #4 West Sioux
Week 8: #7 North Linn @ #6 Wapsie Valley
Week 8: #3 ACGC vs #9 Riverside
Riverside is in the top 10 with a 4-1 record because their lone loss was at the hands of Class 1A’s #5 Treynor. And #10 Lynnville-Sully gets in with a 4-1 record because that loss was at the hands of Class 1A’s #7 Pleasantville in a dramatic 47-36 final.
Who was the one undefeated team left out? The local Pekin Panthers. Strength of schedule really hurts Pekin here, which included two teams that had to forfeit their season, one they actually played.
Still, Pekin is playing well, beating teams by an average of nearly 40 points. Riley Smith has a touchdown to interception ratio of 9 to 0 and Nolan Glick is averaging nearly 10 yards per carry with 13 total touchdowns.
Eight-Player
Either be undefeated or be Don Bosco, that’s how the rankings work this week for the contentious eight-player league. Especially, as the class tries to find a new champion as Remsen-St. Mary’s struggles to field a team.
At the top of the rankings is Bishop Garrigan, the state champion from two seasons ago. Woodbine and Gladbrook-Reinbeck round out the top three.
At #4 is Iowa Valley, as the lone 6-0 team in the state. The Tigers know how to score points at will with 65 points per game and an average win differential of 40.5 points.
Some impressive wins include an 83-64 victory over Montezuma and a 49-34 takedown of #10 Don Bosco. Nolan Kreigel leads the state with 34 total touchdowns as the junior is nearly unstoppable.
Other undefeated teams: #5 Audubon, #6 Edgewood-Colesburg, #7 Southeast Warren, #8 Easton Valley, and #9 GTRA.
Don Bosco had perhaps the toughest four-week schedule to start the season with Iowa Valley to start the year and Gladbrook-Reinbeck last week, falling 42-27. The Dons have otherwise dominated, decimating West Central 74-0 and Janesville 61-0.
More Information
The Ratings Percentage Index (RPI) will be released next week for Classes 5A, 4A, and 3A. For the full rankings and information on the postseason follow the link below.