Two Iowa high school football teams to merge next season

Two Iowa high school football teams will play as one next fall. Paul D. Bowker of the Kalona News reports that Highland and Lone Tree will have one team in the 2026 season. Board members and administrators from the two schools finalized the decision after a 90-minute discussion.

The two football programs stopped participating last season due to low participation numbers. Instead, they competed with junior varsity teams. This year, the team will carry the name Highland/Lone Tree Raiders. While they have agreed to collaborate, the new team doesn’t yet have a coach because Highland will hire one. Likewise, both schools have yet to finalize the verbal agreement.

The combined Iowa high school football schedule will have eight regular-season games. However, they will only have two home games due to the cancelled games last year. Highland will continue to have a junior varsity team, while Lone Tree will also compete in middle school. Combining teams also works for both sides because they will have up to 40 players available.

However, the combined enrollment from both schools could bump the team out of Class A. Highland competed in Class A, while Lone Tree played eight-man football. Meanwhile, it’s unclear how long this setup will last, as the Iowa High School Athletic Association will reconsider classifications in 2027.

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