WEST DES MOINES, Iowa — By the Dowling Catholic High School football team's standards, three seasons with a championship is a drought.
The Maroons won seven straight 4A championships from 2013, but haven't reached those heights since. Last season was their best shot, but they were upset by No. 14 Valley in the 5A semifinals.
Head coach Tom Wilson said they haven't mentioned the loss much in fall camp.
"We really haven't talked about it a ton. I think it's in the back of the minds of our kids," he said. "You'd be crazy not to think that it is but really, we've been focused on right now and today and then tomorrow, we'll focus on tomorrow."
The senior class would love to leave the school with a championship.
"It would mean a lot, you know, just to really start the streak up again and really just leave something not only for the school but for our class as well."
Dowling opens up the season on the road against Cedar Rapids Kennedy on Aug. 26.