Iowa High School Football Playoffs Begin Tonight
The high school football playoffs begin tonight with first-round games in all six-classes. Statewide, there be 192 teams in action and 21 of the 96 games feature Cedar Valley Sports teams.
Cedar Falls opens the playoffs at home. The Tigers host Dubuque Senior in a Class-4A first-round game at the UNI-Dome.
With 25 consecutive victories, Don Bosco enters the post-season with the state's longest active winning streak. The Dons open defense of their eight-player state title with a home game against Twin Cedars of Bussey.
Tonight's eight-player schedule includes Clarksville playing at Turkey Valley, West Central facing Northwood-Kensett on the road, and Janesville hosting Kee High of Lansing. Despite a 24-5 record the past three seasons, Janesville is seeking its first playoff victory since 2011.
Defending Class-A state champion Wapsie Valley begins defense of its title on the road at Nashua-Plainfield, while Denver faces West Hancock at Britt. Gladbrook-Reinbeck hosts Belmond-Klemme at "The Pit" in Gladbrook, AGWSR entertains Bishop Garrigan of Algona, and Edgewood-Colesburg plays B-G-M at Brooklyn.
In Class-1A, Dike-New Hartford faces Bellevue at the Gunderson Sports Complex in Dike, while Sumner-Fredericksburg travels to play Saint Ansgar and Hudson heads to Stanwood for its game against North Cedar.
Class-2A first-round games include Aplington-Parkersburg at Dyersville Beckman Catholic, La Porte City Union hosting Center Point-Urbana, and North Fayette Valley entertaining Monticello. The schedule also includes New Hampton at Anamosa and South Hardin playing Collins-Maxwell/Baxter on the road.
The Class-3A schedule features Independence at Washington, Charles City at Cedar Rapids Xavier, West Delaware hosting Dubuque Wahlert, and Waverly-Shell Rock entertaining Western Dubuque. For the Go-Hawks, it's their first home playoff game since 2007.
This evening's games all kick-off at 7 p.m.
Second-round playoff pairings will be set by the Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) after tonight's games are complete. The match-ups for Monday's games are expected to be released late this evening.
CLASS-4A:
- Dubuque, Senior @ Cedar Falls (UNI-Dome)
CLASS-3A:
- Charles City @ Xavier, Cedar Rapids
- Epworth, Western Dubuque @ Waverly-Shell Rock
- Wahlert, Dubuque @ West Delaware, Manchester
- Independence @ Washington
CLASS-2A:
- Aplington-Parkersburg @ Beckman Catholic, Dyersville
- Center Point-Urbana @ Union, La Porte City
- Monticello @ North Fayette Valley
- New Hampton @ Anamosa
CLASS-1A:
- Bellevue @ Dike-New Hartford
- Hudson @ North Cedar, Stanwood
- Sumner-Fredericksburg @ Saint Ansgar
CLASS-A:
- Bishop Garrigan, Algona @ AGWSR, Ackley
- Belmond-Klemme @ Gladbrook-Reinbeck
- Denver @ West Hancock, Britt
- Edgewood-Colesburg @ B-G-M, Brooklyn
- Wapsie Valley, Fairbank @ Nashua-Plainfield
8-PLAYER CLASS:
- Clarksville @ Turkey Valley, Jackson Junction
- Kee, Lansing @ Janesville
- Twin Cedars, Bussey @ Don Bosco, Gilbertville
- West Central, Maynard @ Northwood-Kensett