Powered by seven straight state titles between 2013 and 2019,
Dowling Catholic (West Des Moines) is the most dominant high school football team from Iowa over the last decade.
Based on our methodology, the Maroons amassed 360 points from 2013 to 2022 to edge
Xavier (Cedar Rapids), which finished second with 242 points.
Dowling Catholic finished in the state top 25 in each of the past 10 years, winning five of its seven state titles by double-digits. In 2018 and 2019, the Maroons came back from two-possession deficits to win the games and the state crowns.
Our methodology includes:
• Top 25 finishes in the MaxPreps state computer rankings (25 points awarded to the No. 1 team, 24 for No. 2 and so on).
• Top 25 finishes in the MaxPreps national computer rankings (50 points for No. 1, 49 for No. 2 and so on).
• State championships (20 points).
• State championship game appearances (10 points).
Dowling Catholic won seven straight state championships from 2013-19 and five of them were by double-digits. The Maroons wrapped up the decade with three additional finishes in the Iowa top 25. (Photo: Chad Bassman)
State championships: 2013 (4A), 2014 (4A), 2015 (4A), 2016 (4A), 2017 (4A), 2018 (4A), 2019 (4A)
State runner-up: N/A
State Top 25: 2013 (1), 2014 (1), 2015 (1), 2016 (2), 2017 (1), 2018 (2), 2019 (3), 2020 (11), 2021 (11), 2022 (7)
Nationally ranked: N/A
2. Xavier (Cedar Rapids) (242)
State championships: 2017 (3A), 2018 (3A), 2022 (4A)
State runner-up: 2013 (4A), 2021 (4A)
State Top 25: 2013 (11), 2014 (13), 2015 (23), 2016 (7), 2017 (2), 2018 (1), 2019 (17), 2020 (14), 2021 (9), 2022 (1)
Nationally ranked: N/A
3. Valley (West Des Moines) (191)
State championships: N/A
State runner-up: 2019 (3A), 2022 (5A)
State Top 25: 2013 (3), 2014 (4), 2015 (3), 2016 (5), 2017 (14), 2018 (10), 2019 (4), 2020 (19), 2021 (12), 2022 (15)
Nationally ranked: N/A
4. Regina (Iowa City) (189)
State championships: 2013 (1A), 2014 (1A), 2015 (1A), 2020 (1A)
State runner-up: 2016 (1A), 2017 (1A)
State Top 25: 2013 (4), 2014 (5), 2015 (9), 2016 (9), 2017 (25), 2020 (15)
Nationally ranked: N/A
5. Van Meter (177)
State championships: 2017 (1A), 2021 (1A), 2022 (1A)
State runner-up: 2019 (1A), 2020 (1A)
State Top 25: 2017 (7), 2018 (18), 2019 (10), 2020 (13), 2021 (6), 2022 (5)
Nationally ranked: N/A
6. Pella (168)
State championships: 2014 (2A), 2015 (2A), 2016 (2A)
State runner-up: 2017 (3A)
State Top 25: 2013 (24), 2014 (3), 2015 (2), 2016 (1), 2017 (4), 2018 (25), 2019 (25)
Nationally ranked: N/A
7. West Lyon (Inwood) (166)
State championships: 2013 (1A), 2019 (1A)
State runner-up: 2014 (1A), 2021 (2A)
State Top 25: 2013 (7), 2014 (9), 2016 (18), 2017 (13), 2019 (2), 2020 (10), 2021 (17)
Nationally ranked: N/A
8. West Sioux (Hawarden) (152)
State championships: 2017 (1A), 2018 (1A)
State runner-up: 2021 (1A), 2022 (1A)
State Top 25: 2017 (3), 2018 (9), 2019 (7), 2020 (20), 2021 (16), 2022 (9)
Nationally ranked: N/A
9. Harlan (151)
State championships: 2021 (3A), 2022 (3A)
State runner-up: 2020 (3A)
State Top 25: 2013 (18), 2017 (8), 2018 (14), 2020 (8), 2021 (1), 2022 (6)
Nationally ranked: N/A
10. Lewis Central (Council Bluffs) (147)
State championships: 2021 (4A)
State runner-up: 2022 (4A)
State Top 25: 2014 (20), 2015 (10), 2017 (20), 2018 (4), 2019 (12)
Nationally ranked: N/A
11. Southeast Polk (Pleasant Hill) (123)
State championships: 2021 (5A), 2022 (5A)
State runner-up: 2020 (4A)
State Top 25: 2013 (14), 2014 (24), 2015 (24), 2017 (22), 2018 (23), 2020 (3), 2021 (3), 2022 (2)
Nationally ranked: N/A
12. Waukon (119)
State championships: 2017 (2A), 2020 (2A)
State runner-up: 2013 (2A), 2019 (2A)
State Top 25: 2013 (9), 2017 (9), 2019 (20), 2020 (7)
Nationally ranked: N/A
13. Waukee (115)
State championships: N/A
State runner-up: N/A
State Top 25: 2013 (6), 2014 (2), 2015 (11), 2016 (14), 2017 (17), 2018 (21), 2019 (13), 2020 (9)
Nationally ranked: N/A
14. Ankeny (108)
State championships: 2020 (4A)
State runner-up: 2021 (5A)
State Top 25: 2014 (16), 2015 (21), 2016 (23), 2020 (1), 2021 (4), 2022 (13)
Nationally ranked: N/A
T-15. North Scott (Eldridge) (86)
State championships: 2020 (3A)
State runner-up: N/A
State Top 25: 2018 (11), 2019 (11), 2020 (2), 2022 (14)
Nationally ranked: N/A
T-15. Odebolt Arthur Battle Creek Ida Grove (Ida Grove) (86)
State championships: 2019 (2A), 2020 (1A)
State runner-up: N/A
State Top 25: 2019 (6), 2020 (4), 2022 (22)
Nationally ranked: N/A
T-15. West Hancock (Britt) (86)
State championships: 2019 (1A), 2021 (1A)
State runner-up: 2022 (1A)
State Top 25: 2019 (8), 2021 (14), 2022 (20)
Nationally ranked: N/A
18. Solon (83)
State championships: N/A
State runner-up: 2019 (4A)
State Top 25: 2013 (15), 2016 (11), 2017 (6), 2018 (22), 2019 (5), 2021 (24)
Nationally ranked: N/A
T-19. Central Lyon/George-Little Rock (Rock Rapids) (78)
State championships: 2022 (2A)
State runner-up: 2020 (2A)
State Top 25: 2014 (25), 2020 (5), 2021 (23), 2022 (3)
Nationally ranked: N/A
T-19. Western Dubuque (Epworth) (78)
State championships: 2019 (3A)
State runner-up: 2018 (3A)
State Top 25: 2018 (3), 2019 (1)
Nationally ranked: N/A
