WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — Valley West High School football had a thrilling run to the 5A State Championship game in 2022, headlined by an upset win over rival Dowling Catholic.
The Tigers ultimately lost in the championship to Southeast Polk 49-14, but they are still proud of the run they accomplished.
"When have you ever heard about a 14-seed making all the way to the championship? That's very rare," said senior linebacker Theron Castle. "I was very proud for our team, but I was also very sad because I feel like we could have played better in the state championship game last year."
Making the championship after a 5-4 season was a lesson learned for the team.
"They remember the playoff run we made that was gratifying," said head coach Gary Swenson. "I think it was proof that you just try to keep getting better the entire season. And at some point, if things put together, you can finish strong, and that's what we did."
Valley opens up the season on Friday, Aug. 25 against Southeast Polk in a rematch of the 2022 5A state title game.