Iowa has one of the most interesting high school football playoffs in America – there are no brackets, yes I said NO brackets.
Saturday morning the Iowa High School Athletic Association released the first round match-ups, which is nothing more than a list of 16 games in each classification played by 192 teams. Action gets underway on Wednesday with second round games set for Monday, November 3rd.
The IHSAA has put a 125-mile travel restriction on first round games in Class 3A down through 8-Man. The state’s governing body put the new geographic format with travel restrictions into effect to try to limit the amount of time that students were missing class.
The travel restriction will be lifted for Round 2 and the IHSAA will release the match-ups next Thursday, right after the opening round games are finished.
The quarterfinals are set for November 7th with the semifinals to be played November 13th through the 15th. The championship games will be played November 20th and 21st at the University of Northern Iowa.
State officials will reshuffle the match-ups for the quarterfinals and the semifinal rounds.
Class 8-Man
4. East Union (5-4) @ 1. Fremont-Mills (9-0)
4. Ar-We-Va (5-4) @ 1. Glidden-Ralston (9-0)
4. Harris-Lake Park (5-4) @ 1. Boyer Valley (7-2)
4. Stanton (3-6) @ 1. Lamoni (8-1)
4. Twin Cedars (5-4) @ 1. Don Bosco (9-0)
3. Exira/EHK (7-2) @ 2. Sidney (7-2)
3. Lenox (7-2) @ 2. Coon Rapids-Bayard (8-1)
3. Guthrie Center (7-2) @ 2. Newell-Fonda (6-3)
3. Colo-Nesco (5-4) @ 2. Melcher-Dallas (7-2)
3. Wayne (7-2) @ 2. HLV (8-1)
Class A
4. Griswold (5-4) @ 1. Logan-Magnolia (9-0)
4. Colfax-Mingo (6-3) @ 1. Mount Ayr (8-1)
4. Pleasantville (5-4) @ 1. Montezuma (9-0)
3. Westwood (6-3) @ 2. Audubon (7-2)
3. Earlham (6-3) @ 2. Bedford (8-1)
Class 1A
4. Madrid (6-3) @ 1. IKM-Manning (9-0)
4. Underwood (3-6) @ 1. Van Meter (6-3)
4. Woodward-Granger (5-4) @ 1. St. Edmond (9-0)
3. Ogden (7-2) @ 2. AHSTW (7-2)
3. Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont (5-4) @ 2. Panorama (6-3)
3. OA-BCIG (6-3) @ 2. Hinton (8-1)
3. Central Decatur (7-2) @ 2. Pella Christian (6-3)
Class 2A
4. Kuemper Catholic (4-5) @ 1. Clarinda (8-1)
3. Clarion-Goldfield-Dows (6-3) @ 2. East Sac County (7-2)
3. Southeast Valley (5-4) @ 2. Hampton-Dumont (8-1)
Class 3A
4. Knoxville (4-5) @ 1. Dallas Center-Grimes (8-1)
4. ADM (5-4) @ 1. Carroll (8-1)
4. Spencer (4-5) @ 1. Sioux City Heelan (8-1)
4. Webster City (4-5) @ 1. Ballard (7-2)
3. Greene County (4-5) @ 2. Creston/O-M (7-2)
3. Gilbert (7-2) @ 2. Humboldt (8-1)
3. Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley (5-4) @ 2. Sergeant Bluff-Luton (6-3)
3. Winterset @ 2. Carlisle (7-2)
Class 4A
3. Abraham Lincoln (4-5) @ 2. Lewis Central (8-1)
3. Johnston (6-3) vs. 2. Ankeny Centennial (7-2) @ Ankeny Stadium (5:30)
3. Fort Dodge (6-3) @ 2. Southeast Polk (5-4)
3. Ames (5-3) @ 2. Urbandale (5-4)
4. Indianola vs. 1. Dowling Catholic (8-1) @ Williams Stadium
4. DSM East (4-4) @ 1. WDM Valley (8-1)
4. DSM Lincoln (3-6) vs. 1. Ankeny (7-2) @ Ankeny Stadium (5:30)
4. Sioux City East (6-3) @ 1. Waukee (8-1)
