The Mustangs went up from 4A to 5A football this past year, and Scott Heitland’s squad performed at a level not many thought they could achieve with wins over multiple top CIML programs en route to a 7-3 record. 

Ever since the COVID season in 2020 when the Mustangs went 6-1, DCG has had a rough go with four consecutive seasons under .500. When Scott Heitland took over, the expectations were high, but his job became more difficult as the school went up a level in competition in 2025. Now in 5A football, the only thing the Mustangs could do was compete one night at a time, and that’s exactly what they did.

Their season began with four wins in their first five games, matching a win total they had hit just once since 2019. A nailbiter win over Waukee propelled this Mustangs squad to three more wins in regular season play, including a hard-fought victory in Cedar Rapids against the Cougars to send DCG into the postseason.

A loss in Sioux City the next week ended their year early, but by no means was this a failure. Junior QB Chase Engel threw for 1,740 yards with junior wideout Chase Heitland with 520 of those receiving. 890 rush yards out of Osborn Grimm rounded out this trio of team leaders to make for an incredible DCG football season, the best in the past five years.