Recap, Reaction: Liberty Leans on Experience

Liberty’s Reece Rettig is tackled after a long run against Waukee Northwest during the state semifinals on Nov. 14, 2025 at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. (Photo: Rob Howe/Prep Redzone)

Rob Howe November 14, 2025 @ 09:59 PM

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa - Despite a crushing loss in last year's state semfinals, Iowa City Liberty gained valuable experience in falling to eventual champion Southeast Polk. The Lightning put it to good use Friday night in a return trip to the Class 5A final four. It started fast and kept the pressure on in defeating Waukee Northwest, 31-15.

Liberty looked relaxed, while the Wolves, making their first-ever trip to the UNI-Dome, looked unsettled at times.

"We came in with a lot more confidence," Lightning senior quarterback Reece Rettig Reece Rettig 5'10" | 160 lbs | QB Iowa City Liberty | 2026 State IA said. "We talked about how we could feel their nervousness. There's a hum to The Dome that's different than any other game we've been in. That played to our advantage, and we tried to feed off of that."

The Lightning advanced to face Dowling Catholic in next week's championship game. Liberty will be playing for its first title against a program that is the standard in the state.

The Iowa City school showed it was locked in early Friday night. It drove 80 yards in 13 plays to take a 7-0 lead on a 12-yard pass from Rettig to Pryor Reiners Pryor Reiners 5'10" | 160 lbs | DB Liberty | 2027 IA with 4:45 left in the first quarter. The Lightning took 7:15 off of the clock.

On its next possession, Liberty went 80 yards for a touchdown again, this time in 10 plays. Brody Beaver Brody Beaver 5'11" | 180 lbs | RB Liberty | 2027 IA ran the ball into the end zone from six yards out. Almost five more minutes were removed from the clock. The winners took that 14-0 lead into the halftime locker room.

Waukee Northwest cut its deficit to seven points midway through the third quarter on a Bodie Morrison fumble recovery in the end zone. The Wolves' celebration was short-lived, however.

Liberty again went on an 80-yard scoring drive. Rettig ran it in from two yards out with 11:18 remaining in regulation. The Lightning ate up six and a half more minutes of clock. The three 80-yard TD drives chewed up almost 19 minutes all toegther.

"That's all preparation all week," Reiners said. "We practiced controlling the ball."

The Wolves were worn down at that point. Liberty added a pair of 49-yard scoring drives, resulting in a TD and field goal, to put the game away.

Rettig finished the game completing 26 of 31 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns against one pick. He also rushed for 66 yards and a score. Beaver finished with 93 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. Eight different Lighting receivers caught a pass.

This was the Northwest's first trip to The Dome. Friday's contest represented the first-ever meeting between these two schools, which are among the newest in the state.

"It means everything," senior receiver Isaiah Oliver Isaiah Oliver 6'0" | 195 lbs | WR Waukee Northwest | 2026 State IA said of Northwest's historic campaign. "We were 4-5 last season and didn't make the playoffs. It sucked. I'm not going to sugar coat it. We had a tight-knit senior group, and we really just grinded."