The Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) is the regulating body for male Iowa high school interscholastic athletics and is a full member of the National Federation of State High School Associations. Its female counterpart, the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union, (IGHSAU) is an associate member. Iowa is the only state that maintains separate governing bodies for boys' and girls' athletics.
The IHSAA, historically, has had 3 state baseball championships. Currently, there is only one: the Summer State Championship, whose winners are currently recognized as the State Champions. Historically, however, the winners of all 3 tournaments are given credit for State Championships. Iowa was the first State Association in the nation to hold a baseball championship meet in the summer.[4]
The summer tournament was first held in 1946, with one classification from 1946 to 1972. From 1973 to 1980, there were 2 classifications (1A and 2A), and since 1981 there have been 4 classifications (1A, 2A, 3A, and 4A).
The Spring Tournament was held every summer from 1928 to 1972, and is the oldest of the 3 state tournaments. In the 4 years prior to 1928 (1924–1927), Iowa State College hosted an "invitational state tournament" in the spring that attracted nearly 40 schools, but was unofficial in nature. Unlike the Summer tournament, the Spring tournament never divided into separate classes.[4]
The Fall Tournament was held every summer from 1939 to 1985. Unlike the Summer tournament, the Fall tournament never divided into separate classes. .[4]
*IHSAA Board policy allows schools to participate in a higher classification than their enrollment places them in a sport with four classes. Schools requesting this placement will remain in higher class for two years. As a result, In the 2014-15 school year, there were 97 schools in 2A basketball, even though regulations call for 96
Cross Country was first contested in Iowa in 1922, and is considered a fall sport. It is also the only sport that is jointly sanctioned by the IHSAA and the IGHSAU. The current official distance for cross country meets is 5000m (approximately 3.1 miles).[13] The standard format for team scoring, per NFHS guidelines, is to sum the places of the 5 highest placing runners among qualifying teams (teams must have at least 5 runners to qualify in the context of the team competition) to obtain the team's score. Teams are then ranked with the lowest score winning. Additionally, a team may have up to 7 runners count in placing for team scores, although only the first 5 scores, with the 6th and 7th runners serving to displace and lower the position of runners on other teams.[14][15]
In classifying Cross Country programs, due to the collaboration of the IHSAA and IGHSAU, teams are included in the largest 48, next 64, etc., on the basis of having either a boys or a girls program, as not all schools have both. This is to avoid a situation where boys and girls from the same school do not compete in the same class.
Although different sources claim that certain schools to have been state champions in years prior to 1972, these championships are not apparently recognized by the IHSAA and are not listed on its website, and it is not clear how these championships were determined. 8-Player started having postseason in 2000, the previous two years were regular season due to low number of teams.
Iowa State Football Championship Game winners
Year
8-player
A
1A
2A
3A
4A
5A
1972
Radcliffe
Sioux Center
Harlan
Cedar Rapids, Jefferson
1973
Dexfield
Britt
Le Mars
Davenport, Central
1974
AvoHa
Mount Vernon
Decorah
Davenport, West
1975
Glidden-Ralston
Hudson
Urbandale
Bishop Heelan Catholic, Sioux City
1976
BCL
Central Lyon
Columbus Catholic, Waterloo
Davenport, Central
1977
Manilla
Central Lyon
Emmetsburg
Davenport, West
1978
Eastwood
Sibley
Regis Catholic, Cedar Rapids
Mason City
1979
Treynor
Sigourney
Emmetsburg
Dubuque, Hempstead
1980
Woodbury Central
Roland-Story
Marion
Newton
1981
Paullina
Dike
Roland-Story
Prairie, Cedar Rapids
Bettendorf
1982
Lone Tree
Pekin
LaSalle Catholic, Cedar Rapids
Harlan
Bishop Heelan Catholic, Sioux City
1983
Sutherland
Pekin
LaSalle Catholic, Cedar Rapids
Harlan
Davenport, Central
1984
Schleswig
Pocahontas
Grundy Center
Harlan
Sioux City, East
1985
Paton-Churdan
Center Point
Bishop Garrigan Catholic, Algona
Pleasant Valley
Linn-Mar
1986
Paton-Churdan
Lynnville-Sully
Wapsie Valley
Columbus Catholic, Waterloo
Cedar Falls
1987
GMG
Grundy Center
Wapsie Valley
Decorah
Bettendorf
1988
Schleswig
Grundy Center
Solon
Decorah
Bettendorf
1989
Laurens-Marathon
West Branch
Emmetsburg
Decorah
Linn-Mar
1990
Logan-Magnolia
Southern Cal
Emmetsburg
Waverly-Shell Rock
Linn-Mar
1991
Madrid
West Branch
Garner-Hayfield
West Delaware
Bettendorf
1992
Bedford
West Branch
North Fayette
Waverly-Shell Rock
Bettendorf
1993
Riceville
Aplington-Parkersburg
Mount Vernon
Harlan
Iowa City, City High
1994
West Bend-Mallard
Hudson
Mount Vernon
Spencer
Iowa City, City High
1995
Gehlen Catholic, Le Mars
Denver
Sigourney/Keota
Harlan
Iowa City, West
1996
Guthrie Center
West Hancock
Iowa Falls
Oskaloosa
Iowa City, City High
1997
West Central
Wapsie Valley
Emmetsburg
Harlan
Ankeny
1998
Elk Horn-Kimballton (Regular season)
West Bend-Mallard
Pekin
West Lyon
Harlan
Iowa City, West
1999
Elk Horn-Kimballton (Regular season)
West Bend-Mallard
West Marshall
West Lyon
New Hampton
Iowa City, West
2000
Adair-Casey
Hubbard-Radcliffe
Southern Cal
Emmetsburg
Clear Lake
Dowling Catholic, West Des Moines
2001
Adair-Casey
Fredericksburg
Aplington-Parkersburg
Sigourney/Keota
Epworth, Western Dubuque
Dowling Catholic, West Des Moines
2002
Sentral
Manning
Akron-Westfield
Emmetsburg
Atlantic
Valley, West Des Moines
2003
Sentral
Treynor
Eldora-New Providence
Emmetsburg
Harlan
Valley, West Des Moines
2004
St. Mary Catholic, Remsen
West Bend-Mallard
St. Albert Catholic, Council Bluffs
Columbus Catholic, Waterloo
Harlan
Bettendorf
2005
Glidden-Ralston
North Mahaska
Regina Catholic, Iowa City
Sigourney/Keota
Harlan
Valley, West Des Moines
2006
Northeast Hamilton
IKM
St. Albert Catholic, Council Bluffs
Central Lyon/George-Little Rock
Humboldt
Xavier Catholic, Cedar Rapids
2007
Stanton
Wapsie Valley
St. Albert Catholic, Council Bluffs
Solon
Keokuk
Bettendorf
2008
Lenox
Southern Cal
Emmetsburg
Solon
Bishop Heelan Catholic, Sioux City
Valley, West Des Moines
2009
Armstrong-Ringsted
Southern Cal
St. Albert Catholic, Council Bluffs
Solon
Harlan
Iowa City, City High
2010
Lenox
North Tama
West Lyon
Regina Catholic, Iowa City
Solon
Dowling Catholic, West Des Moines
2011
Fremont-Mills
Lisbon
Saint Ansgar
Regina Catholic, Iowa City
Union
Valley, West Des Moines
2012
Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn
Wapsie Valley
Regina Catholic, Iowa City
Spirit Lake
Decorah
Ankeny
2013
Don Bosco Catholic, Gibertville
West Lyon
Regina Catholic, Iowa City
Kuemper Catholic, Carroll
Bishop Heelan Catholic, Sioux City
Dowling Catholic, West Des Moines
2014
Newell-Fonda
Logan-Magnolia
Regina Catholic, Iowa City
North Fayette Valley
Pella
Dowling Catholic, West Des Moines
2015
Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn
Gladbrook-Reinbeck
Regina Catholic, Iowa City
Spirit Lake
Pella
Dowling Catholic, West Des Moines
2016
Don Bosco Catholic, Gilbertsville
Gladbrook-Reinbeck
Western Christian, Hull
Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley
Pella
Dowling Catholic, West Des Moines
2017
Don Bosco Catholic, Gilbertsville
West Sioux
Van Meter
Waukon
Xavier Catholic, Cedar Rapids
Dowling Catholic, West Des Moines
2018
New London
Hudson
West Sioux
PCM
Xavier Catholic, Cedar Rapids
Dowling Catholic, West Des Moines
2019
Don Bosco Catholic, Gilbertville
West Hancock
West Lyon
OABCIG
Epworth, Western Dubuque
Dowling Catholic, West Des Moines
2020
St. Mary Catholic, Remsen
Regina Catholic, Iowa City
OABCIG
Waukon
North Scott
Ankeny
2021
CAM
West Hancock
Van Meter
Southeast Valley
Harlan
Lewis Central
Southeast Polk
2022
St. Mary Catholic, Remsen
Grundy Center
Van Meter
Central Lyon/George-Little Rock
Harlan
Xavier Catholic, Cedar Rapids
Southeast Polk
2023
Bishop Garrigan Catholic, Algona
West Hancock
Grundy Center
Van Meter
Williamsburg
Lewis Central
Southeast Polk
2024
St. Mary Catholic, Remsen
Tri-Center
Grundy Center
West Lyon
Wahlert Catholic, Dubuque
North Polk
Southeast Polk
Golf
The standard team scoring format for golf tournaments, per NFHS guidelines, is to add up the scores of 6 players with each player playing 2 rounds of 18 holes. Teams are then ranked according to lowest score.[19][20]
In 1940, 1941, and 1986–1993, teams could also participate in a separate Fall Championship. Listed below are the champions of those tournaments. Beginning in 1994, the Fall tournament became simply the 4A championship.[21] Those results are included above.
Iowa State Championship Fall Golf Tournament winners
The current State Champion is the winner of the spring tournament that has been held since 1995 and was divided into 2 classes in 1998 and 3 classes starting in 2011. From 1994 to 2000, there was also a fall State Championship tournament that crowned a single champion. Winners of both tournaments are considered State Champions.
Iowa State Soccer Fall Tournament winners (BOYS)
Year
Champion
1994
West Point Catholic, Marquette
1995
Pella Christian
1996
Western Christian, Hull
1997
Iowa Mennonite School, Kalona
1998
Unity Christian, Orange City
1999
Unity Christian, Orange City
2000
Unity Christian, Orange City
Iowa State Soccer Spring Tournament winners (BOYS)
An IHSAA tennis team consists of 6 competitors. Each head-to-head competition is made of 6 singles and 3 doubles, each worth 1 point, and the first team to 5 points is the winner. Both singles and doubles matches are in a best-of-3-sets format. With a 10-point tiebreaker in the 3rd in most cases.
Iowa's official track season is currently outdoors. There was also an indoor State Track Meet from 1926 to 1973, and the IHSAA is in the process of collecting and publishing these champions.
State track titles have been given every year since 1906. Since 2003, there has also been wheelchair events at the state meet. A separate wheelchair team championship is also awarded. In 2005, the wheelchair championship has been co-ed.
Iowa State Outdoor Track & Field Champions
Year
4A/AA
3A/A
2A/B
1A/CD
1906
Ida Grove
1907
Ida Grove
1908
Des Moines, West
1909
Des Moines, East
1910
Des Moines, West
1911
Des Moines, West
1912
Des Moines, West
1913
Des Moines, West
1914
Des Moines, West
1915
Des Moines, East
1916
Des Moines, West
1917
Des Moines, East
1918
Mason City
1919
Des Moines, North
1920
Sioux City
1921
Cedar Rapids
1922
Cedar Rapids
1923
Cedar Rapids
1924
Cedar Rapids
1925
Cedar Rapids
1926
Des Moines, East
1927
Carroll
1928
Des Moines, East
1929
Mason City
1930
Mason City
1931
Davenport
1932
Clinton
1933
Clinton
1934
Des Moines, North
1935
Davenport
1936
Des Moines, East
1937
Dubuque
1938
Des Moines, East
1939
Des Moines, East
1940
Des Moines, East
1941
Ames
1942
Davenport
1943
Des Moines, East
1944
Des Moines, East
1945
Sioux City, East
1946
(tie) Clinton (tie) Des Moines, Roosevelt
1947
Davenport
1948
Des Moines, North
Cedar Falls, Teachers
1949
Ames
Nevada
1950
Des Moines, East
Nevada
1951
Des Moines, East
DeWitt
1952
Davenport
(tie) Lake City (tie) Lamoni
1953
Des Moines, North
Red Oak
DeWitt
Toledo Juvenile Home
1954
Des Moines, North
Harlan
Lake City
Elliott
1955
Ames
Valley, West Des Moines
Lake City
Council Bluffs-Iowa School for the Deaf
1956
Ames
Clarinda
Anamosa
Primghar
1957
Ames
Dewitt
Carroll
Farragut
1958
Ames
Indianola
Tabor
Wall Lake
1959
Des Moines, North
Clarion
St. Mary's Catholic, Clinton
West Chester
1960
Ames
Belmond
English Valleys
Lu Verne
1961
Des Moines, Tech
Clarion
Maurice-Orange City
Sioux Rapids
1962
Cedar Rapids, Jefferson
Perry
Paullina
Moville
1963
Ames
Winterset
George
Moville
1964
Ames
Eagle Grove
Seymour
Dexfield
1965
Ames
Eagle Grove
Farragut
Pomeroy
1966
Sioux City, Central
Cherokee, Washington
Villisca
Treynor
1967
Sioux City, Central
Winterset
Villisca
Terril
1968
Ames
Spirit Lake
Prairie
Goldfield
1969
Clinton
Ankeny
Belle Plaine
Miles
1970
Clinton
Eagle Grove
(tie) Boyden-Hull (tie) West Harrison
Woodward-Granger
1971
Ames
Eagle Grove
Belle Plain
Pocahontas
1972
Ames
Ankeny
Alta
Central Webster
1973
Davenport, Central
Red Oak
Maurice-Orange City
Terril
1974
Davenport, Central
(tie) Anamosa (tie) Iowa Falls
Britt
Hamburg
1975
Cedar Rapids, Washington
Anamosa
Corning
Hamburg
1976
Davenport, Central
Nevada
Corning
Hamburg
1977
Cedar Rapids, Washington
Nevada
Corning
(tie) Hamburg (tie) Y-J-B
1978
Davenport, Central
Iowa Falls
Kingsley-Pierson
Kanawha
1979
Waterloo, East
Iowa Falls
Pekin
Kanawha
1980
Ames
Davis County
Sioux Center
Trenynor
1981
Waterloo, West
Davis County
NU High, Cedar Falls
Paullina
1982
Davenport, Central
Sheldon
Sioux Center
(tie) BCLUW (tie) New Hartford
1983
Davenport, Central
Tipton
West Branch
Allison-Bristow
1984
Davenport, Central
Tipton
West Branch
Sidney
1985
Marshalltown
Tipton
Iowa Valley
(tie) Earlham (tie) Lone Tree
1986
Ames
Pella
NU High, Cedar Falls
Paton-Churdan
1987
Ames
(tie) Storm Lake (tie) Turkey Valley
NU High, Cedar Falls
CAL
1988
Ames
Storm Lake
NU High, Cedar Falls
Sanborn
1989
Ames
Glenwood
Gehlen Catholic, Le Mars
Woodbine
1990
Ames
Glenwood
NU High, Cedar Falls
North Mahaska
1991
Ames
Knoxville
NU High, Cedar Falls
Lawton-Bronson
1992
Iowa City, City High
Spirit Lake
West Hancock
(tie) Fredericksburg (tie) Woodbine
1993
Iowa City, City High
Algona
St. Albert Catholic, Council Bluffs
West Bend-Mallard
1994
Iowa City, City High
Cherokee, Washington
Ballard
West Bend-Mallard
1995
Iowa City, City High
Humboldt
Iowa Falls
Van Buren
1996
Iowa City, City High
Centerville
Garner-Hayfield
Gehlen Catholic, Le Mars
1997
Iowa City, City High
Bishop Heelan Catholic, Sioux City
(tie) Beckman Catholic, Dyersville (tie) Unity Christian, Orange City
Panorama
1998
Valley, West Des Moines
Washington
Monticello
NU High, Cedar Falls
1999
(tie) Des Moines, Roosevelt (tie) Iowa City, City High
Waverly-Shell Rock
Beckman Catholic, Dyersville
Iowa Mennonite School, Kalona
2000
Iowa City, City High
Mount Pleasant
(tie) Unity Christian, Orange City (tie) West Lyon
The Iowa High School Athletic Association holds two separate team wrestling championships: the Traditional tournament, which also crowns individual champions, and a Dual Team tournament. The dual team tournament was held at the U.S. Cellular Center in Cedar Rapids a week after the traditional tournament, until 2012, when it was held the Wednesday before the traditional tournament in Des Moines.[30] This was the subject of much controversy, as several teams sat their state qualifiers for the Dual Team tournament.[31] In 1921–1925, the State University of Iowa (Iowa City) and Iowa State University (Ames) held open state tournaments that were not supervised nor sanctioned by the IHSAA.[32]
Iowa State Wrestling Team Champions
Year
Class
Champion
1921*
Ames
Cedar Rapids, Washington
1922*
Ames Iowa City
Mason City Marshalltown
1923*
Ames Iowa City
Boone Ottumwa
1924*
Ames Iowa City
Boone Marshalltown
1925*
Ames Iowa City
Boone Marshalltown
1926
Marshalltown
1927
Fort Dodge
1928
Cresco
1929
Fort Dodge
1930
Fort Dodge
1931
(tie) Eldora Training School (tie) Fort Dodge
1932
Fort Dodge
1933
(tie) Cresco (tie) New Hampton
1934
Fort Dodge
1935
Cresco
1936
Fort Dodge
1937
Fort Dodge
1938
Clarion
1939
Cherokee
1940
Osage
1941
Fort Dodge
1942
Waterloo, West
1943
Waterloo, West
1944
Waterloo, West
1945
Waterloo, West
1946
Waterloo, West
1947
Clarion
1948
Cresco
1949
Mason City
1950
Mason City
1951
Waterloo, West
1952
Waterloo, West
1953
Waterloo, East
1954
Davenport
1955
Waterloo, West
1956
Davenport
1957
A B
Waterloo, East New Hampton
1958
A B
Waterloo, East Cresco
1959
A B
Waterloo, West New Hampton
1960
A B
Waterloo, East Cresco Crestwood
1961
A B
Waterloo, East Britt
1962
A B
Cedar Rapids, Jefferson Britt
1963
A B
Waterloo, East New Hampton
1964
AA A
Waterloo, East Cresco Crestwood
1965
AA A
Waterloo, West Osage
1966
AA A
Waterloo, West Algona
1967
AA A
Waterloo, West Harlan
1968
AA A
Cedar Falls Humboldt
1969
AAA AA A
Waterloo, West Algona Eldora
1970
AAA AA A
Cedar Rapids, Washington Algona Adel
1971
AAA AA A
Waterloo, West Arkeny Britt
1972
AAA AA A
Waterloo, West Algona Britt
1973
AAA AA A
Cedar Rapids, Jefferson Britt Lisbon
1974
AAA AA A
Cedar Rapids, Jefferson Eagle Grove Lisbon
1975
AAA AA A
Dowling Catholic, West Des Moines Algona Lisbon
1976
3A 2A 1A
Cedar Falls Emmetsburg Belle Plaine
1977
3A 2A 1A
Waterloo, West Emmetsburg Lisbon
1978
3A 2A 1A
Dowling Catholic, West Des Moines Emmetsburg Lisbon
1979
3A 2A 1A
Prairie, Cedar Rapids Emmetsburg Don Bosco Catholic, Gilbertville
1980
3A 2A 1A
Fort Dodge Algona Lisbon
1981
3A 2A 1A
Bettendorf Osage Don Bosco Catholic, Gilbertville
1982
3A 2A 1A
Bettendorf Emmetsburg Lisbon
1983
3A 2A 1A
Waterloo, East Clarion Lisbon
1984
3A 2A 1A
Dowling Catholic, West Des Moines Griswold Dallas Center-Grimes
1985
3A 2A 1A
Fort Dodge Emmetsburg Don Bosco Catholic, Gilbertville
1986
3A 2A 1A
Charles City Eagle Grove Lisbon
1987
3A 2A 1A
Clinton Eagle Grove Don Bosco Catholic, Gilbertville
1988
3A 2A 1A
Dowling Catholic, West Des Moines Centerville Lisbon
1989
3A 2A 1A
Waterloo, West Glenwood Lisbon
1990
3A 2A 1A
Dowling Catholic, West Des Moines New Hampton Lisbon
1991
3A 2A 1A
Dowling Catholic, West Des Moines West Delaware Clarksville
1992
3A 2A 1A
Iowa City, City High Wapello Lisbon
1993
3A 2A 1A
Cedar Falls New Hampton Lisbon
1994
3A 2A 1A
Indianola Clarinda Riceville
1995
3A 2A 1A
Prairie, Cedar Rapids Assumption Catholic, Davenport Columbus Community
1996
3A 2A 1A
Urbandale Independence Riverside
1997
3A 2A 1A
Cedar Falls Columbus Community Wilton
1998
3A 2A 1A
Cedar Falls Assumption Catholic, Davenport Bondurant-Farrar
1999
3A 2A 1A
Iowa City, City High Assumption Catholic, Davenport Underwood
2000
3A 2A 1A
Lewis Central Emmetsburg/Armstrong-Ringsted Underwood
2001
3A 2A 1A
Lewis Central Emmetsburg/Armstrong-Ringsted Belle Plaine
2002
3A 2A 1A
Iowa City, City High Emmetsburg/Armstrong-Ringsted Wilton
2003
3A 2A 1A
Oskaloosa Emmetsburg/Armstrong-Ringsted Hudson
2004
3A 2A 1A
Lewis Central Columbus Catholic, Waterloo Hudson
2005
3A 2A 1A
Waverly-Shell Rock Emmetsburg/Armstrong-Ringsted Logan-Magnolia
2006
3A 2A 1A
Iowa City, West Emmetsburg/Armstrong-Ringsted Don Bosco Catholic, Gilbertville
2007
3A 2A 1A
Iowa City, West Creston/Orient-Macksburg Don Bosco Catholic, Gilbertville
2008
3A 2A 1A
Waverly Shell-Rock[33] Ballard[34] Don Bosco Catholic, Gilbertville[35]
2009
3A 2A 1A
Waverly Shell-Rock Ballard Don Bosco Catholic, Gilbertville
2010
3A 2A 1A
Waverly-Shell Rock Denver/Tripoli Don Bosco Catholic, Gilbertville
2011
3A 2A 1A
Waverly-Shell Rock Assumption Catholic, Davenport Logan-Magnolia
2012
3A 2A 1A
Bettendorf Denver/Tripoli Don Bosco Catholic, Gilbertville
Prior to 2016, championship events in football, basketball and wrestling were carried across the state of Iowa on a network made up of local television stations. Beginning with the 2016 football championships, IHSAA reached a deal with NBCUniversal-owned Comcast SportsNet Chicago to become the exclusive provider of these sports, making them available across CSN's footprint consisting of Iowa, Illinois and Indiana via television, online and the NBC Sports mobile app.[37]