(Photo – Derek Acevedo)
WEBSTER CITY, Ia. — It always happens this time of year; that itch for fresh cut grass, turning leave colors, the smell of a bonfire, and the boys of fall taking the grid iron. Football season is starting to creep back into the minds of people across the state, and I don’t think there’s a better time to gauge the temperature and give you my Summertime Top 10’s for Classes 5A through 8-Player.
Class 5A
- Waukee Northwest
- Valley, West Des Moines
- Southeast Polk
- Johnston
- Cedar Rapids Prairie
- Dowling Catholic
- Dallas Center-Grimes
- Bettendorf
- Iowa City, City High
- Indianola
Waukee Northwest enters as preseason #1 behind the play of the state’s top quarterback Mack Heitland, who did not throw an interception in 2026, as joining the Wolverines staff as offensive coordinator is former Van Meter playcaller Rick Roberts, who won 4 state titles as the Bulldogs offensive playcaller. Valley enters at #2 as RB Blake Dorenkamp is poised for a much bigger role in 2026, as Southeast Polk returns much of a young core in 2025, including QB Boston Bailey and 1,300-yard rusher Stanley Cooper. Johnston sits at #4 after losing in the quarterfinals in 2025, as they bring back quarterback Trevin Helming, RB Emil Jones and a good chunk of their trenches on both sides. Cedar Rapids Prairie rounds out the top 5 as they return QB Cael Kongshaug, 1,000-yard rusher Dawson Kahl, 2 of their top 3 receivers and return much of their defensive production.
Dowling Catholic sits at #6 despite the loss of a number of key seniors from a state championship team, but that’s never stopped Tom Wilson’s from putting out a top-end product. Dallas Center-Grimes sits at #7, after surprising many by not only finishing with a winning-record, but making the playoffs in their first season in 5A, their first playoff appearance since 2019 with QB Chase Engel, RB Osborn Grimm and top receivers Chase Heitland, Gabe Wright and Wyatt Valenta. Bettendorf sits at #8 as they bring back QB Cannon Davis, 3 of his top 5 targets as well as leading tacklers Wyatt Freking and Gavin Stecker. Iowa City High sits at #9, as they receive a big boost from Regina transfer Savion Miller at RB and DePaul (IL) transfer Jackson Grabinski at QB. Indianola rounds out the top 10 as they return Bo Blake at QB, as well as leading rusher Daxton Heimbaugh and top receiver Parker Amos.
Class 4A
- Cedar Rapids Xavier
- North Scott, Eldridge
- Lewis Central
- Sergeant Bluff-Luton
- Newton
- Western Dubuque, Epworth
- Grinnell
- Glenwood
- Carlisle
- Pella
After winning a state title in 2025, Xavier looks primed to go back-to-back in 2026, bringing back QB Cash Parks, 2nd-leading receiver Dustin Cook as Beau Morio leads the always-stout Saints defense. North Scott clocks in at #2 as they return dual-threat QB Miller Haedt, top receivers Ryan Block and Ryader Maher, as well as leading tacklers Vincent Hugaert and Christian Perez. Lewis Central sits at 3, after a quick rebuild in 2025, the Titans return 1,500-yard rusher Braydan Doss and nearly all of their trenches on both sides of the ball. Sergeant Bluff-Luton is at 4, as they return 1,400-yard rusher Beckett Verros and return their top 4 leading tacklers, as Newton rounds out the top 5, bringing back Iowa State-commit Isaiah Hansen at running back, Qhjuan Coley at receiver and leading tackler Nick Milburn on defense.
Western Dubuque sits at 6, bringing back 1,200-yard rusher Drew Bergfeld, with a good chunk of their defense returning. Grinnell is at 7, as they return QB Eddie Harseim, 1,100-yard rusher and leading tackler Josh Ringler, as well as much of their defensive backfield. Glenwood enters at 8, bringing back QB Ben Carlo and receivers Ethan Eiseman and Myles Longmeyer, as well as one of the best lines in the class. Carlisle is ranked #9, as 2025 was a season of what-if’s, but the Wildcats bring back QB CJ Haug, as well as their top 3 rushers and their leading receiver. Pella rounds out the top 10, losing much of their production off their state runner-up team, but don’t be surprised to see the Dutch reload.
Class 3A
- Carroll
- Clear Lake
- Solon
- Sioux Center
- Des Moines Christian
- Mount Vernon
- Mount Pleasant
- Williamsburg
- Assumption, Davenport
- Algona
Class 3A is one that was very hard to decipher, but Carroll takes the preseason #1 spot as they return dual-threat QB Camden King, as well as 1,500-yard rusher Adam Malik. Clear Lake is #2, returning QB Jaxson McIntire, as well playmakers Maddon McIntire and Carson Riser, and adding Belmond-Klemme receiver Kysen Lamb. Solon sits at #3, bringing back playmakers such as Maddox Kelley, Kaden Hoeper and Cody Milliman and defensive bellcow Lucas Feuerbach. Sioux Center comes in at 4, as QB Ezra Hibma is one of the more underrated signal callers in Iowa, as well as bringing back favorite target Braedon Perez-Hietbrink. Des Moines Christian rounds out the top 5, returning a breakout RB candidate in Davis Tokheim, as well as two-way guys in Tate Olsen, Malachi Osborne and Ajay Bakke.
Mount Vernon enters at #6, losing QB Kellen Haverback, but return leading rusher Jakob Yock, as well as top receivers Holden Hlavacek, Tommy Rhomberg and Maddox Curan. Mount Pleasant is at #7, as the Panthers bring back QB Grayson Walker, top receivers Brody Clark, Kaden Schaft and Isaiah Lang, as well as promising backs in Ryan Helling and Griffen Jones. Williamsburg is at 8, as injuries derailed what will be a talented Raiders team a season ago, as Assumption Davenport returns dual-threat QB Luke Jobgen, RB Lane Pennington and some key pieces to the offensive line. Algona rounds out the top 10, bringing back 2-way star Nathan Manske, and one of the best line units in the Class on both sides.
Class 2A
- Kuemper Catholic
- Roland-Story
- Mid-Prairie, Wellman
- Centerville
- Alburnett
- Clarinda
- Wilton
- Van Meter
- Southeast Valley
- OABCIG
Defending champions Kuemper Catholic enter at #1 once again, as they return 1,600-yard rusher Jarin Hoffman, top receiver Griffin Glynn and pass rusher Lucas Diehl. Roland-Story enters at #2, as they return one of the state’s most prolific connections in QB Colin Willis and receiver Luke Thoreson, and bring back RB’s Fiston Carlson and Ben Mazyck after missing last year with injuries. Mid-Prairie, Wellman is #3, as they return QB Brooks Weber and receivers Carson Humphery and Kendrick Kos, as well as pass rushers Kale and Tommy Miller. Centerville is #4, as they bring back a Big 3 in QB Mack Murdock, leading-rusher Makoa Kaleponi and receiver Abram Decena. Alburnett sits at #5, returning QB Brody Kaestner, 1,800-yard rusher Lake Caves, and playmakers Owen Henriksen, Cooper Franklin and Cash Varner.
Clarinda enters at #6, as they bring back a promising signal caller in Cooper Baumgart, as well as backs Caleb Shane and Baylor Hash and top receivers Kayden Hawley and Nolan Wagoner. Wilton enters at #7 after a UNI Dome appearance one year after moving up to 2A, returning QB Gunner Edwards, top rusher Noah Gray and leading receiver Bryer Putman. Van Meter clocks in at #8 despite losing a lot from a runner-up team, but do return 2-way star Christian Williams, who was a 1,000-yard rusher and had 84 tackles. Southeast Valley is at #9, as they have 2 solid options at QB in Mason Bahr and Casey Hanson, as well as top receivers Bryce Harrison and Logan Jaeschke, as well as leading tackler Deegan Brandel. OABCIG rounds out the Top 10, as they bring back dual-threat QB Raif Jensen and playmakers in Iowa-commit Jaxx DeJean and JJ Parks.
Class 1A
- Pleasantville
- Regina Catholic, Iowa City
- Grundy Center
- Clarion-Goldfield-Dows
- South Hardin
- Sigourney-Keota
- Ridge View
- Hudson
- West Marshall
- West Lyon
Pleasantville takes the #1 spot in 1A, as the Trojans bring back one of the best playmakers in the state in Braylon Bingham, who if stays healthy, might be the most dangerous QB in the state. Regina clocks in at #2 despite losing QB Kyle Tracy and RB Savion Miller, but Minnesota-commit Tate Wallace will likely be the focal point of the Regals offense. District 3 rounds out the top 5, Grundy Center loses a ton of production, but have promising pieces back as playmakers in players such as Cooper Keller, Hayden Geerdes, Aiden Hook and Ethan Meester. Clarion-Goldfield-Dows enters at #4, as the Cowboys lose their top 2-rushers, but return all-state linebacker Huxley Lingenfelter, as well as Charlie Campbell, who was the Cowboys #1 back until injury, as well as veteran and physical offensive and defensive line. South Hardin is 5th, losing the combo of Peyton Welch and Sam Benson, but expect big things out of junior RB Kameron Adams.
Sigourney-Keota enters at 6, as they return some talented 2-way playmakers in leading rusher Ike Molyneux, as well as Landon Conrad, Chase Clarahan, Ayden Galindo and Carson O’Rourke. Ridge View is 7, as they return QB Broc Wilken, 2nd-leading rusher Derek Heilman and a good number of defensive contributors, as Hudson clocks in at 8, bringing back QB Tade Roberts and 2 of their top 3 receivers. West Marshall checks in at 9, as they return dual-threat QB Blayk Hart and 6 of their top 7 tacklers defensively. Defending champs West Lyon are 10, as they lose a ton of star power, but bring back QB Easton DeJong and number of young and promising playmakers.
Class A
- Woodbury Central
- North Linn
- Wapsie Valley
- West Sioux
- Saint Ansgar
- Madrid
- West Hancock
- MMCRU
- Maquoketa Valley
- West Fork
Quarterfinalists a year ago, Woodbury Central enters as preseason #1 as they bring back 2,100-yard passer Jackson Verschoor, 1,300-yard rusher Abe McGill, leading receivers Jayden Lloyd and Grayson Lloyd, as well as leading tackler Holden Koele. North Linn is #2 after a quarterfinal appearance in 2025, returning dual-threat QB Will Sommerfelt, RB Brody Martin, leading receivers Braden Wheatley and Waylon Raue, and a solid trenches core on both sides. Wapsie Valley is #3, returning QB Caleb Hogan, 2nd-leading rusher Cadyn Dana, much of their receiving core and a good chunk of their defense, as West Sioux is #4, bringing back Multi-Purporse back Braylon Lopez, as well as much of their starting defense. Saint Ansgar rounds out the top 5, despite graduating much of their rushing attack, expect QB Porter Schweisow to take a big step.
Madrid is at #6, bringing back some of the best talent in Class A in DI-recruit Jevyn Severson, Emerson Bridgewater and Will Atkinson, but are in search of a signal caller. West Hancock comes in at #7, returning leading rusher Nathan Bixel and Jacoby Subject, as well as much of their line on both sides. Defending champions MMCRU are 8th, as they return QB Eli Harpenau, but need to find new playmakers outside of him. Maquoketa Valley is #9, bringing back veterans in QB Trevor Grimm, RB Rogan Heidt and leading receiver Eli Dougherty, as West Fork rounds out the top 10, bringing back QB Zander Hansen as well as some key pieces on defense.
Class 8-Player
- Iowa Valley, Marengo
- Audubon
- Clarksville
- Edgewood-Colesburg
- Bishop Garrigan, Algona
- Woodbine
- Gladbrook-Reinbeck
- North Union
- Bedford
- WACO, Wayland
Iowa Valley clocks in at #1 in 8-Player, returning dual-threat monster Nolan Kreigel at QB, as well as top back Dane Smith and leading receiver Layne Peska. Audubon is #2, behind their dual-threat QB Aiden Kjergaard, top backs Mason Kasperbauer and Paxton Beane and some experienced linemen. Clarksville as at #3, led by 2,200-yard rusher Nathan, while Edgewood-Colesburg is at #4 behind their dual-threat QB Jax Steger. Defending champion Bishop Garrigan is #5, as they return playmakers in Carter Cink, CJ McGregor, Weston Rosenmeyer and Michael Joyce.
Defending runners-up Woodbine are #6, returning Penn State-commit Landon Blum, but needing to replace QB Brodyn Pryor and all-state offensive lineman Jax Pryor. Gladbrook-Reinbeck is #7, returning 1,200-yard rusher Treyvon Herron and some key defensive pieces, as North Union is 8, led by QB Greyson Colegrove and a young, yet-talented receiving core. Bedford enters at #9 behind dual-threat QB Quentin Dalton, as WACO rounds out the top 10, bringing back 1,200-yard rusher Hayden Shelman and solid defense, led by leading-tackler Sam Meyer.