The Iowa High School Athletic Association announced districts and groups Monday for prep football for the 2023-24 cycle. Full schedules for schools will be released at a later date.
There are six districts each in Class 3A and 4A, eight each in Class 2A, 1A and A, and 10 in Eight-Player. Class 5A schools play with six “groups” each.
Eight-Player through Class 2A schools will play eight regular-season games each, with 32 schools qualifying for the playoffs: the top four finishers in each district in Class A, 1A and 2A, and the top three finishers plus two at-large qualifiers in 8-Player.
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Class 3A, 4A and 5A schools play nine regular-season games each, with the top two finishers in each district in 3A and 4A qualifying for the playoffs, as well as four at-large teams. In 5A, each playoff berth is determined by a Ratings Percentage Index, the top 16 getting in.
Though there are six schools in each 5A group, there will not be a full round-robin schedule. The IHSAA has set four group opponents for each school, as well as a fifth opponent determined by an on-field success formula.
For example, Cedar Rapids Kennedy is top ranked in its six-school group, and will play group games against Bettendorf, Davenport North, Dubuque Hempstead and Iowa City High. The only school in its group the Cougars will not play is Davenport Central.
Kennedy also has been assigned an out-of-group game against Cedar Falls, which is top ranked in its group. Kennedy, and all schools can send the IHSAA a “wish list” of opponents to fill out the remainder of its regular-season schedule.
Another example is Cedar Rapids Washington, which has been bumped up from 4A to 5A this cycle via a class-determining formula that uses a school’s free-and-reduced-lunch number. Washington plays group games against Iowa City Liberty, Ankeny, Iowa City West and Cedar Rapids Jefferson, missing only Cedar Rapids Prairie from its group.
Washington also has been assigned a game against Davenport West, which has a fellow No. 5 ranking in its group. All Class 5A groups can be found here.
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Marion and Cedar Rapids Xavier are in separate districts in Class 4A. Marion is in a district with Western Dubuque, Waverly-Shell Rock, Decorah, Mason City and Waterloo East, with Xavier in a district with Clear Creek-Amana, Oskaloosa, Burlington, Clinton and North Scott.
Class 4A districts can be accessed here.
Center Point-Urbana, DeWitt Central, Independence, Maquoketa, Dubuque Wahlert and West Delaware are in a district together in Class 3A. Mount Vernon, last year’s 3A runner-up, has been paired with Davenport Assumption, Fort Madison, Keokuk, Mount Pleasant and Washington (Iowa).
All 3A districts can be found here.
Williamsburg, last year’s 2A runner-up, is up a class this cycle and is in a district with Benton Community, Fairfield, Grinnell, Solon and South Tama.
All 2A districts can be found here.
» 8-Player
» Class A
» Class 1A
» Class 2A
» Class 3A
» Class 4A
www.thegazette.com
» Class 5A
There are six districts each in Class 3A and 4A, eight each in Class 2A, 1A and A, and 10 in Eight-Player. Class 5A schools play with six “groups” each.
Eight-Player through Class 2A schools will play eight regular-season games each, with 32 schools qualifying for the playoffs: the top four finishers in each district in Class A, 1A and 2A, and the top three finishers plus two at-large qualifiers in 8-Player.
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Class 3A, 4A and 5A schools play nine regular-season games each, with the top two finishers in each district in 3A and 4A qualifying for the playoffs, as well as four at-large teams. In 5A, each playoff berth is determined by a Ratings Percentage Index, the top 16 getting in.
Though there are six schools in each 5A group, there will not be a full round-robin schedule. The IHSAA has set four group opponents for each school, as well as a fifth opponent determined by an on-field success formula.
For example, Cedar Rapids Kennedy is top ranked in its six-school group, and will play group games against Bettendorf, Davenport North, Dubuque Hempstead and Iowa City High. The only school in its group the Cougars will not play is Davenport Central.
Kennedy also has been assigned an out-of-group game against Cedar Falls, which is top ranked in its group. Kennedy, and all schools can send the IHSAA a “wish list” of opponents to fill out the remainder of its regular-season schedule.
Another example is Cedar Rapids Washington, which has been bumped up from 4A to 5A this cycle via a class-determining formula that uses a school’s free-and-reduced-lunch number. Washington plays group games against Iowa City Liberty, Ankeny, Iowa City West and Cedar Rapids Jefferson, missing only Cedar Rapids Prairie from its group.
Washington also has been assigned a game against Davenport West, which has a fellow No. 5 ranking in its group. All Class 5A groups can be found here.
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Marion and Cedar Rapids Xavier are in separate districts in Class 4A. Marion is in a district with Western Dubuque, Waverly-Shell Rock, Decorah, Mason City and Waterloo East, with Xavier in a district with Clear Creek-Amana, Oskaloosa, Burlington, Clinton and North Scott.
Class 4A districts can be accessed here.
Center Point-Urbana, DeWitt Central, Independence, Maquoketa, Dubuque Wahlert and West Delaware are in a district together in Class 3A. Mount Vernon, last year’s 3A runner-up, has been paired with Davenport Assumption, Fort Madison, Keokuk, Mount Pleasant and Washington (Iowa).
All 3A districts can be found here.
Williamsburg, last year’s 2A runner-up, is up a class this cycle and is in a district with Benton Community, Fairfield, Grinnell, Solon and South Tama.
All 2A districts can be found here.
All 2023, 2024 Iowa high school football districts and group assignments
» 8-Player
» Class A
» Class 1A
» Class 2A
» Class 3A
» Class 4A
IHSAA announces prep football districts, groups for 2023-24 seasons
The Iowa High School Athletic Association announced districts and groups for each class of prep football for the 2023-24 seasons.
www.thegazette.com
» Class 5A
