West Lyon continued to cement its place among Iowa’s all-time great programs Thursday afternoon, rallying from a 27–13 fourth-quarter deficit to defeat Iowa City Regina 34–27 in overtime and claim the 2025 Class 1A state championship—the program’s seventh overall and seventh under head coach Jay Rozeboom.
The Wildcats started fast, jumping ahead 13–0 with long, physical scoring drives capped by an Evan Hildring 2-yard run and a 15-yard touchdown connection from Jaxton to Easton DeJong. But the Regals swung momentum with a barrage of big plays, rattling off 27 unanswered points to seize complete control early in the fourth quarter.
That’s West Lyon Coach Jay Rozeboom. Just moments after falling behind 27–13 early in the 4th quarter, River Kramer flipped the entire game, returning a 97-yard kickoff for a touchdown that injected life back into the West Lyon team and crowd.
That spark reignited the defense, and minutes later the Wildcats punched in a 75-yard, game-tying drive, finished off by Jacob Snyders’ 1-yard score with 5:27 left. Regina threatened with a late drive, but West Lyon blocked a 36-yard field-goal attempt to force overtime.
In OT, the Wildcats turned to the identity that has defined Rozeboom’s program for three decades: physicality, toughness, and a refusal to break. Evan Hildring — who finished with 112 yards and two touchdowns — sliced through for a 10-yard score on the opening series to put West Lyon ahead for good. Regina’s final chance ended on a fourth-down play with a high snap that sent the ball several yards away from the goal line.
He credited the seniors — now state champs in two different classes in consecutive years — for the culture that powered the run.
West Lyon finished with 333 total yards, converted all four fourth-down attempts, and delivered the biggest plays of the game when the pressure was highest. River Kramer and Ben Meyer combined for 18 tackles and multiple impact stops on defense.
Rozeboom has continued to build a football powerhouse in Western Lyon County.
With the win, West Lyon caps a perfect 13–0 season, extends its winning streak to 26 games, and secures the 2025 Class 1A state championship — the program’s seventh title. It also marks back-to-back championships for the Wildcats, and their second straight crown in as many classes after winning the 2A title last season.
Listen to this report by Sioux County Radio’s Carson Schubert.
