A second Iowa high school football game set for Week 2 has been wiped off the schedule, with West Central and Don Bosco both announcing that Friday night’s matchup will not be played.
“Friday night’s football game vs Don Bosco has been canceled,” the West Central Community Schools account posted on Facebook.
Bosco Catholic School System also confirmed the news, saying on Facebook: “There will be no varsity football game this Friday,” the Bosco Catholic School System announced on Facebook. “We’ll see you back on the field soon, Dons!”
The game had been scheduled for Friday, September 4, at Steve Milder Field. West Central opened its season last Friday with a 30-8 loss to Central Elkader at the same site.
The Blue Devils are now set to travel to Turkey Valley on Friday, September 11, before coming back home for Homecoming the following week.
This cancellation follows another Week 2 postponement earlier in the week, when officials confirmed that the eight-player game between Meskwaki Settlement and Gladbrook-Reinbeck would not be played.
West Central is coming off an 0-7 season after finishing the 2024 campaign at 0-8. The program’s last winning season came in 2012, when it went 6-5, though the Blue Devils did win four games in 2022.
Several familiar names were expected back for West Central this season, including quarterback Brody Wolff, leading rusher Milton Cushion and defensive standouts Anthony Spratt and Kaedon Koch.
The Blue Devils’ last victory came on October 13, 2023, when they beat Central Elkader 36-0.
West Central is coached by Steve Milder, for whom the field is named. Milder has coached 55 seasons, with the last 49 at West Central, and the Blue Devils have made multiple state playoff appearances under his direction.
Don Bosco’s schedule now shifts to a Friday, September 11 home game against Janesville for Homecoming. The Dons remain one of the state’s top eight-player programs, coming off a seven-win season after 14 straight years of at least eight wins.
That stretch included undefeated seasons in 2019 and 2017.
The pair of in-season cancellations comes after eight programs announced during the offseason that they would not field a varsity team this year, including six in the eight-player division, the smallest class in Iowa high school football.
In Other News...
Iowa Freshman Marcello Vitti Just Forced His Way Onto The Radar
Iowas first depth chart of the season offered an early glimpse at which newcomers have already earned the staffs trust, and true freshman defensive back Marcello Vitti stood out immediately. He was the only freshman listed on either side of the ball, landing as the backup strong safety while also being penciled in for special teams work.
For a program that tends to ease younger players into the mix, that is a meaningful nod before the opener even arrives. Kirk Ferentz and Phil Parker have both spoken positively about Vittis progress in practice and the way he fits into the defensive scheme, which suggests his role could grow quickly if he keeps pushing the right buttons. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Already Has An Opener Problem It Didn't Want
Iowas first official depth chart for 2026 arrived with a little less clarity than the Hawkeyes would have liked, and it already has the look of an opener week headache. The release showed two important transfer additions, safety Tyler Brown and offensive lineman Trent Wilson, listed out for the game against Northern Illinois because of injuries, forcing the staff to make an early-round shuffle before the season even gets rolling.
Zach Lutmer and Anthony Hawkins are now lined up to handle the safety spots, while Kade Pieper and Leighton Jones move into the starting offensive line mix. For a program that usually values stability as much as anything, the timing is less than ideal, especially with the opener providing the first real test of how quickly the new pieces can settle in. [Read more 🡒]
Iowas First Depth Chart Leaves Two Big Week 1 Questions
Iowas first depth chart for the 2026 season arrived with plenty of the expected moving parts for an opener, but it also cleared up a few things before Northern Illinois comes to town. The Hawks have identified starting roles for transfer wide receivers Tony Diaz and Evan James, settled on the offensive line configuration and even mapped out Zach Lutmers defensive job, giving the roster at least some early clarity as camp turns into game-week prep.
The biggest unknowns, though, are still right in the middle of the offense and on the kicking unit. Quarterback remains undecided with Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski both listed as starters, and the choice of Caden Buhr as the opening kicker adds another layer of intrigue to a depth chart that otherwise looks like a first draft of Iowas plan rather than a final answer. For a team that usually values order and certainty, those two Week 1 questions stand out. [Read more 🡒]
