There will be a new Class A champion crowned in Iowa high school football this year after Tri-Center moved up to 1A. The list of contenders includes some schools that have been in the thick of the race as of late, led by West Hancock.
The Eagles reached the finals a year ago, coming up just short of adding a trophy. Joining them in the preseason Top 5 are Madrid, Riverside, Maquoketa Valley and Saint Ansgar.
MORE: Class 1A preseason Top 10 in Iowa high school football
Here is a look at The Sporting News Preseason Class A Top 10 in Iowa high school football for the 2025 season:
THE SPORTING NEWS PRESEASON CLASS A TOP 10
No. 10 Woodbury Central
Leading rusher Zack Butler has graduated, but quarterback Jackson Verschoor returns. As a sophomore, he threw for over 1,800 yards and ran for 373 more. Carter Wright rushed for 240, averaging six per carry. Top receivers Jayden Lloyd and Carson Coulter will look to shine again.
No. 9 North Linn
The Lynx have four straight winning seasons and have won at least five games in eight of the last nine years overall. Will Sommerfelt threw for 972 yards and ran for 552 as a sophomore but will need new targets to replace his three leading receivers. On defense, Tate Woods, Jacoby Peyton, Logan Miller and Bradyn Bistline look to set the tone.
No. 8 Mount Ayr
Six of the last seven years have seen the Raiders win at least seven games, including a 7-3 mark last season. Jackson Ruggles is back for his senior seasona after throwing for 975 yards and 10 TDs while running for 541 and 11. Dyson Thompson had 993 yards as a sophomore while Tate Dugan is back as the leading receiver.
No. 7 MMCRU
Eli Harpenau completed 71 percent of his passes last year for almost 1,300 yards and 11 scores, as he returns to lead the Royals. Brayson Mulder and John Schmillen also return having rushed for over 1,200 combined yards while Mulder, Gage Johnson and Michael Schmillen all had over 100 yards receiving.
No. 6 ACGC
Opening the year with 10 straight wins, the Chargers came up short vs. eventual champion Tri-Center. They lost 1,000-yard rushers Mike Fuller and Jathan South, but Joe Crawford returns after piling up 991 and averaging 11 per carry as part of a 4,185-yard, 51-TD ground performance. Crawford was also the leading receiver with 279 yards and four TDs.
No. 5 Saint Ansgar
The Saints have won 10 games in back-to-back seasons as they will have Korben Michels to lean on after he rushed for nearly 1,300 yards with 16 TDs. Joe Clevenger, Andrew Hall and Connor Mullenbach also return. The defense is paced by Michels, who had 76 tackles with 14 for loss.
No. 4 Maquoketa Valley
Coming off a 9-2 season in which they outscored opponents 38-9, the Wildcats look to make it four straight winning years behind Brady Wall and Rogan Heidt. Wall threw for almost 1,900 yards and 17 TDs with another 434 and 11 on the ground while Heidt rushed for 1,580 and scored 25 touchdowns. Eli Dougherty and Dylan Knipper lead the receivers while the defense is paced by Anderson Holtz, Knipper, Heidt, Lukas Chesnut, Gabriel Halweg, Dalton Africa and Kyle Engelken.
No. 3 Riverside
Jaxon Gordon is back looking to build off a season in which he ran for 1,932 yards and scored 31 touchdowns, as is QB Landyn Schroenrock and RB Cole Jeppesen. Schoenrock threw for almost 800 yards and ran for 207 while Jeppesen averaged 7.4 per rush. Jeppesen, Gordon, Gaven Hackett and Wyatt Bell return on defense.
No. 2 Madrid
The Tigers are in the same boat as West Hancock, having lost in a classic to the Eagles last year in the playoffs. And while they lost Preston Wicker, who threw for almost 1,200 and ran for nearly 2,000 yards, Easton Halverson and Will Atkinson return with a combined 1,000-plus yards on the ground. Emerson Bridgewater, Jevyn Severson, Loken Velky and more do return
No. 1 West Hancock
It was a tough 14-10 loss to Tri-Center last year that kept the Eagles from winning another state title. And while they graduate many, you cannot overlook the fact that they have gone 36-3 the last three seasons and 71-5 since 2019. Can the likes of Teague Smith, Jacoby Subject, Nathan Bixel and Gustavo Gomez keep it going?
MORE PRESEASON IOWA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL RANKINGS:
- Carroll Kuemper leads the way in Class 2A this fall with another DeJean brother in hot pursuit
- Mount Vernon, Algona, Harlan all battling for No. 1 spot in Class 3A
- Lewis Central looking to take control of Class 4A in Iowa this fall
- Southeast Polk's hold of Class 5A could come to an end this season