Iowa
Top Iowa high school football Round of 16 playoff games, and our predictions
Henry Lounsbury on Van Meter football’s win over South Tama County
Hear from Van Meter quarterback Henry Lounsbury on the Bulldogs win over South Tama County in the first round of the Iowa high school football playoffs.
The Iowa high school football regular season is over, and now it’s time for the playoffs.
Last week, teams in Class 3A, 4A and 5A wrapped up their regular seasons, while teams in Class A, 1A, 2A and 8-player kicked off the postseason with first-round games. That means it’s all win-or-go-home from here on out, with 16 teams remaining in all seven classes.
This week’s schedule is packed with exciting matchups.
We’re picking 10 games each week of the IHSAA season and attempting to predict the outcomes. Each week, we’ll provide an update on how successful – or unsuccessful – those predictions are.
We finished the regular season with a 63-27 record in our picks, after going 9-1 last week.
Here are our predictions for some of the best Iowa high school football Round of 16 games.
Ankeny Centennial at Johnston
This hasn’t been the Jaguars’ season, and the Dragons have come out on top in games that mattered most. So long as Johnston does what has worked against teams like Ankeny and Southeast Polk, the Dragons should advance to the quarterfinals. Johnston 30, Ankeny Centennial 13
Central DeWitt at Wahlert Catholic
On paper, Central DeWitt looks like the more complete team in this matchup, but Wahlert Catholic came out on top when these teams met in the regular season. That game was less than a month ago, and there’s a chance that the Sabers get their revenge in the postseason. Wahlert Catholic 19, Central DeWitt 14
Dallas Center-Grimes at Sioux City East
The Black Raiders boast a 2,000-yard passer in Cal Jepsen; the Mustangs balance a trio of receivers with Ozzie Grimm’s success in the ground game. If Dallas Center-Grimes can come out with a couple of turnovers, the Mustangs could end Sioux City East’s season. Dallas Center-Grimes 27, Sioux City East 20
Fort Dodge at Newton
Both teams enter this matchup with 8-1 records, and Fort Dodge has some difference makers on both sides of the ball. But the Cardinals are battle-tested, and Nick Milburn is a defender who can keep any opposing offense on its toes. Newton 35, Fort Dodge 21
Glenwood at North Polk
If the Comets are healthy, they should win this first-round game. But North Polk had to go without starting quarterback James Armstrong in the regular season finale against Gilbert, and things didn’t go well. Because Glenwood relies a lot on the run and the Comets struggled in that department against Gilbert, the Rams might have the advantage in this one. Glenwood 28, North Polk 17
Iowa City West at Cedar Falls
The Trojans look like a tough team to beat on both sides of the ball, but Cedar Falls has walked away with some upsets this season. Iowa City West should have the advantage with the number of impactful players on offense, though. Iowa City West 28, Cedar Falls 14
Southeast Polk at Ankeny
It’s difficult to imagine a playoff bracket without Southeast Polk making a deep run, but Ankeny looks like the stronger team on paper. Between Kael Roush and Daniel Larmie – and company – on offense and a defense that capitalizes on turnovers, the Hawks could send the Rams packing early. Ankeny 30, Southeast Polk 16
Underwood at West Marshall
Underwood’s offense runs through Garrett Luett, and it’s been difficult for opposing defenses to slow him down. But West Marshall’s defense loves to get after the quarterback, and if they can alter the Eagles’ game plan, that could be good enough for a win. Underwood 27, West Marshall 17
Van Meter at Roland-Story
Experience means a lot at this point in the season, and the Bulldogs have plenty after making it to the state semifinals last season. Van Meter should benefit from that senior leadership, as well as sophomore Christian Williams’ dominance on both sides of the ball. Van Meter 14, Roland-Story 12
Waukee at Iowa City Liberty
The Warriors pulled out some unlikely wins at the end of the season, but Iowa City Liberty came up with some upsets, as well. The Lightning’s defense, though, tends to capitalize on opponents’ mistakes, and that should benefit Liberty. Iowa City Liberty 35, Waukee 24
Alyssa Hertel is the college sports recruiting reporter for the Des Moines Register. Contact Alyssa at ahertel@dmreg.com or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel.
DES MOINES, Iowa (Gray Media Iowa State Capitol Bureau) — Several hundred Iowans turned out for the Republican Party of Iowa’s Lincoln Dinner fundraiser Friday night that served largely as a tribute to Gov. Kim Reynolds, the state’s first female governor who is retiring after her term expires in January.
One of granddaughters described Reynolds as her “best friend,” a moment that brought tears on stage.
Two of Reynolds’ daughters praised their mother’s work ethic and commitment to their family.
A video played during the evening included a salute for Reynolds from Terry Branstad, the former governor who had chosen Reynolds as his running mate.
Republican governors from Nebraska, South Dakota, Arkansas, and Georgia also offered their compliments for Reynolds in videos.
So did Trump administration officials including U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins .
Reynolds, first elected lt. governor in 2010, became governor in 2017 after Branstad resigned to become U.S. Ambassador to China.
Copyright 2026 Gray Media Iowa State Capitol Bureau. All rights reserved.
SERGEANT BLUFF, Iowa (KTIV) – Gelita USA held an open house Friday, July 10, to celebrate the completion of a new wastewater treatment facility at its plant near Sergeant Bluff, marking the end of years of regulatory violations tied to its discharge into the Missouri River.
Gelita manufactures gelatin and collagen, ingredients used in food, medicine, and supplements. That manufacturing process produces large amounts of contaminated wastewater containing proteins, fats, and ammonia, a substance categorized as a toxic pollutant.
According to an Iowa Department of Natural Resources sampling inspection from March 2025, the plant was processing nearly double its design capacity. Before the upgrade, the Iowa State lab documented black water in the Missouri River near the facility’s discharge site. The Iowa DNR found Gelita had exceeded ammonia limits multiple times.
The report said that at the outfall to the Missouri River, Iowa DNR Tom Ross observed that the effluent had a black coloration. Roos requested additional testing at this location.
“Following the inspection, the discharge location on the Missouri River was visited. During the visit, the effluent at the river appeared to be a dark color, much different then the effluent observed at the treatment facility. It was explained during the visit, the color of the discharge to the river was a violation of 567-61.3(2) ‘c’, lowa Administrative Code, which states that all surface waters shall be free from materials attributable to wastewater discharges or agricultural practices producing objectionable color, odor, or other aesthetically objectionable conditions.”
Jeff Tolsma, General Manager of Gelita USA, said the upgrade was the result of an extended dialogue with regulators and upgraded technology.
The new facility includes ultraviolet disinfection, a feature the old plant did not have. The UV light treatment damages the DNA of bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms before discharge, improving the company’s compliance with Iowa DNR standards.
Company, regulators call it a turning point
“We met with the EPA and the Iowa DNR probably 18 months, two years ago. It’s been a long dialogue with them, but they were great partners, great to work with,” Tolsma said. “And this wastewater treatment plant allows us to basically meet those new regulations that have been put in place. I think what is significant is that this actually brings us forward from a compliance standpoint for a long-term sustainable operation.”
The Iowa DNR said it will continue monitoring the facility to ensure ongoing compliance.
Gelita USA has operated in the Siouxland area for approximately 30 years and employs around 200 people.
Want to get the latest news and weather from Siouxland’s News Source? Follow these links to download our KTIV News app and our First Alert Weather app.
Copyright 2026 KTIV. All rights reserved.
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