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After all three local high schools opened their seasons on the road, they all have home contests Friday for Week 2.
New Ulm High School hosts Fairmont at 7 p.m. at Eagles Field in a Southeast Central District, Red Subdistrict game, while New Ulm Cathedral and Minnesota Valley Lutheran play an afternoon/night doubleheader at Johnson Field.
The Greyhounds entertain Buffalo Lake/Hector at 4 p.m. in a Nine-Man South District, West Subdistrict game before the Chargers host LeSueur-Henderson at 8 p.m. in a Mid-South District, Brown Subdistrict contest.
FAIRMONT (1-0) AT NEW ULM HIGH SCHOOL (1-0) 7 P.M., FRIDAY, NEW ULM HIGH SCHOOL
Both teams are coming off opening-game wins, with the Cardnals downing Worthington 34-0 and the Eagles handling Austin 40-14.
New Ulm head football coach Derek Lieser said that last year the Cardinals had an uncharacteristic season going 4-4 and losing in the first round of playoffs.
"They are still a very good football team and they were a team that last year gave us our worst loss of the year (43-8) as far as score-wise," Lieser said. "So we are hoping that Friday we can flip the script a little bit and change that narrative."
Lieser said that the Cardinals appear to be throwing the ball more.
"They have a senior quarterback, but he is a first-year starter, so I am curious to see if that continues or if they revert back to some of the things that they were successful with last season," he said. "Against Worthington they were more balanced, so I am hoping that we can stop the run and force them to throw the ball more than they want too and take advantage of an inexperienced quarterback."
Lieser feels that defensively Fairmont is going to try and stop the New Ulm running game.
"If they load the box, we are going to have to use misdirection and play-action," he said. "We certainly feel with the offensive system we have installed that we have answers if a team tries to take away parts of our offense -- they have an aggressive defense."
Last week the Eagles running game of Jeffrey Kral, Hunter Heil and Parker Ranweiler led a balanced ground attack.
"We felt that last week we ran our offense as well as we did all of last year," Lieser said. "So we are hoping that we can replicate that -- be physical up front with our offensive line and create some openings. Last year we threw four interceptions in the first half."
Lieser said that a win Friday would be huge.
"We have not been able to beat Fairmont since I have taken over (2022) and their program under Matt Mahoney is always tough," Lieser said. "A win would set the tone. Fairmont is a good measuring stick, and if we can put ourselves in position late in the fourth quarter, we can match up with pretty well anyone on our schedule."
BUFFALO LAKE-HECTOR-STEWART (0-1) AT NEW ULM CATHEDRAL (1-0) 4 P.M. FRIDAY, JOHNSON FIELD
Both teams are coming from opposite sides of the scoreboard from last week.
The Mustangs are trying to rebound from a 63-0 loss to Wabasso, while the Greyhounds are looking to build off of a 47-6 win at Red Rock Central.
"They have a very nice inside running game and an H-back who is kind of like an off-set fullback," Catheral head football coach Denny Lux said. "He is a good-sized player that leads the ball off of the edge. And their passing game is one where they do a lot of crossing routes and they are not afraid to go four wide. And I think that they have the most confidence is in that passing game."
Lux said that the Mustangs have a good left-handed quarterback.
"So that is a different look for us," Lux said. "And it is Game 2 and we have a lot of improvement to do from Game 1."
Lux said that the Mustangs' passing game is a concern for his defense.
"In their trips formation, they cross a lot of guys and are not afraid to bring a receiver all the way across the field," he said. "So our defensive ends will have to play a big game, because when you are crossing receivers, you need to get the quarterback in the pocket and make him make a longer throw."
Cathedral will again bank offensively on a strong running game led by a very good offensive line.
"In the game against Red Rock, everyone there knew we were going to run the ball, especially after a quarter," Lux said. "When we were in our two sets, we were going to run the football. So I was really impressed with our offensive line.
"When you have the ball on offense, time of possession is really huge. But Friday. our secondary, our pass defense and our defensive ends have to play well. And offensively we need to get our assignments done."
LESUEUR-HENDERSON (1-0) AT MINNESOTA VALLEY LUTHERAN (0-1) 8 P.M., FRIDAY, JOHNSON FIELD
The visiting Giants head into their meeting with the Chargers coming off of a 34-30 win over Lester Prairie and last season topped the Chargers at home 26-14.
"Last year they had a real nice team and it was the first time that they had beat us," Chargers head coach Jim Buboltz said. "Last year they made it to the section finals and gave Jackson [County Central] a real good game."
This season the Giants again run the ball well.
"And they have a bunch of good receivers who can get down the field and a quarterback who delivers a real catchable ball," Buboltz said. "And they have a real talented tailback and a bruising, blocking fullback and put up 34 points last week."
Buboltz said that defensively the Giants go after the ball.
"They will mix up their looks up front and bring pressure -- they are ballhawking," he said.
Buboltz said that for the Chargers to succeed Friday, they need to maintain the ball.
"We have to get first downs, and on defense we need to get to the ball and gang tackle and I think that defensively we will have a better game plan. We need to slow down their running game or it will be a long night.
"We have to be able to run the ball better and put ourselves in better field position and take time off of the clock. We need to take care of the ball and maintaining it and making sure tackles."