LONE TREE

Emotions poured out of Lone Tree’s School Board meeting Wednesday night as the Board considered, and approved, a football partnership with Highland.

Board member Carrie Ronan talked about her Lone Tree heritage and the large number of emails she had received.

“I grew up here,” she said, her voice shaking. “My kids grew up here. I’m a Lion through and through.”

Lone Tree Superintendent Tyler Hotz and Board Vice President Alex Ogren listened as their football coach from 20 years ago, Dan Dickel, a Mid-Prairie High School alum and former University of Iowa player, talked about when he was head coach of the Highland-Lone Tree Raiders.

“We had a lot of fun,” he said.

Hotz reminded the group of a football meeting they had one year ago, beginning an emotional process that ended in Wednesday's vote.

Ogren spoke of his hopes for a three-year agreement with Highland, not the one year that was approved.

“That piece was important to me,” Ogren said.

Board member Alecia Parizek questioned a number of details that still needs to be answered.

“It feels kind of rushed,” Parizek said.

In a room packed with students and adults, including Dickel and Highland School Board Vice President Dan Ruth, the Lone Tree Board voted 4-1 in favor of a one-year football partnership 28E agreement with Highland for the 2026-27 school year.

The agreement had been passed unanimously Monday by Highland’s School Board.

“This decision has been incredibly difficult,” Ronan said.

The agreement sets up a football season next fall that will include the varsity team practicing and playing two home games at Highland High School in a Class A schedule, and the junior high school practicing and playing home games at Lone Tree.

“I do worry about participation,” Lone Tree Board President Jennifer Eden said. “I worry about long-term participation.”

Both schools paused their varsity programs last fall due to low participation numbers.

The varsity team will be coached by a Highland coach that has yet to be hired. The programs will include a mix of Highland and Lone Tree coaches.

The team will wear Highland uniforms, but wear helmets that will have “HLT” decals placed on them.

The team will not be eligible for the Class A playoffs due to the state’s enrollment rule on combined programs.

The Boards have also agreed to meet next November, following the season, to discuss plans for the 2027 season and beyond. The Iowa High School Athletic Association draws up competition classes and districts every two years, and the 2027 season will be the beginning of a new two-year classification.