The Johnston Brief
On a fall Friday night in Johnston, the lights come on and the whole town turns out in green. Here is how high school football works in town: who the Dragons are, the class and conference they play in, when the season runs, and where to find this week's schedule and tickets.
Looking for all sports, not just football? See our Johnston Dragons sports hub →
Johnston has one high school, and its varsity football team is the Dragons, who play in Class 5A, Iowa's largest class, in the CIML (Central Iowa Metro League). The Iowa regular season runs from late August into October, with playoffs in November. There is no cross-town rival here; the marquee games are big CIML matchups against other large Des Moines metro programs. Official schedules and tickets live at Johnston Dragons Athletics.
Unlike some of its neighbors that split into two schools as they grew, Johnston runs everything through a single large high school, so there is one varsity football program in town: the Dragons. That means the whole community lines up behind one team on Friday nights. Johnston plays at the top of the state, Class 5A in the CIML, one of Iowa's deepest conferences, which puts the Dragons on a weekly slate against the biggest programs in the metro. For the broader athletic picture, including the state titles the Johnston program has won in other sports, see our Dragons sports hub.
Iowa high school football kicks off in late August and runs a regular season through early October, with the state playoffs following in November and the finals at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. Most varsity games are Friday nights, with sophomore and freshman games earlier in the week. Homecoming lands in September or early October and turns the whole night into an event.
The Dragons play their home varsity football games at the Johnston High School stadium. Because gate locations and parking can vary by event, put the exact address in your phone from the current schedule on Johnston Dragons Athletics before you head over. Gates generally open 30 to 60 minutes before kickoff, and most varsity games start around 7:00 pm on Fridays, but times move, so confirm on the schedule. Check the forecast before you go, since an October Friday can turn cold fast, and follow live scores on Bound at gobound.com.
Schedules change year to year, so go to the source. Johnston posts the football schedule, roster, and tickets at Johnston Dragons Athletics. For Iowa results and playoff brackets, use Bound (gobound.com), and for schedules and box scores, MaxPreps. Tickets are digital through Bound, and we walk through admission and what to bring just below. We flag the marquee games each week in the free Brief.
Tickets are digital. Most Iowa high school football tickets are sold through Bound, linked from Johnston Dragons Athletics, so buy on your phone before you go. Admission is usually a few dollars, and a student activity pass covers the season. Prices change year to year, so confirm the current price on Bound.
Bags: many Iowa districts run a clear-bag policy for home events, with small clear bags and medical or diaper bags allowed but subject to search at the gate. Policies vary and change, so check the current rules on the athletics site before the game.
Parking at the high school is free, and the lots fill for homecoming and the big conference games, so give yourself extra time and arrive early.
The easiest pre-game option is the cluster of restaurants and taprooms around the Johnston Town Center and along Merle Hay Road, a short hop from the school. See the full lineup in our best restaurants guide, or let the what to eat tonight picker choose for you.
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Johnston High School plays football as the Dragons. Johnston is a single large public high school, so there is one varsity football program in town, and it competes in Class 5A, Iowa's largest class, in the CIML (Central Iowa Metro League).
Johnston has one public high school, Johnston High School, so the Dragons are the town's single varsity football team. There is no cross-town rivalry; the marquee games are big CIML matchups against other large Des Moines metro programs.
The Iowa high school football regular season starts in late August and runs into early October, with the state playoffs following in November. Most Johnston Dragons varsity games are on Friday nights, with sophomore and freshman games earlier in the week.
The Dragons play their home varsity football games at the Johnston High School stadium. For the exact location, gate, and parking details, check the schedule on Johnston Dragons Athletics before you go, since some events move.
The official Johnston Dragons football schedule, roster, and tickets are on Johnston Dragons Athletics (johnstondragonsathletics.com). Iowa results and playoff brackets are on Bound (gobound.com), and schedules and box scores are on MaxPreps. Schedules change each year, so check the official site.
Most Iowa high school football tickets are digital and sold through Bound, linked from Johnston Dragons Athletics. Admission is usually a few dollars, and a student activity pass covers the season. Prices change year to year, so confirm the current price on Bound before you go.
The restaurants and taprooms around the Johnston Town Center and Merle Hay Road are the easy pre-game option. See our best restaurants in Johnston guide, or let the what-to-eat picker choose for you.