Welcome to the final Friday night of the regular season!

 

Though not the final week of the regular season, this weekend does represent the final game on several teams’ schedules. For others, we’re talking playoff positioning, or jockeying for one of the last playoff spots in the six classes. Most of those available positions lie in the nine-man classes, but with two weeks left, anything can happen.

 

Let’s move to this week’s quartet of previews.

 

A BATTLE FOR NORTHEASTERN SUPREMACY

1. Webster (5-1) at Aberdeen Roncalli (7-0)

After an uncharacteristic 3-5 season last year, the Aberdeen Roncalli Cavaliers are back to their winning ways and stifling defense. Not only have the green and gold won each of their games this season, their defense has allowed a grand total of 26 points, and have four shutouts to their credit (That’s not quite to the level of their 2006 team that didn’t allow any points until their title game, but it’s still very, very good).

 

As for Webster, they’ve taken a lot of folks around the state by surprise early on this season, but took a loss to Deuel, and then last week barely escaped Redfield/Doland with a 13-7 win. The Bearcats need to contain the likes of sophomore quarterback Zach Lindquist who gives Roncalli a passing threat they don’t normally have, and running backs Lucas Lorenz and Matt Swallow, who have combined for 12 touchdowns both rushing and receiving this season.

 

Webster is going to have to shut down Roncalli’s multi-faceted attack to keep the game low-scoring, but I don’t believe that will happen. Roncalli’s weapons on both sides of the ball are just too good, add to the fact the game is in Aberdeen and it spells another big Cavaliers win to close an 8-0 season for Roncalli.

 

11A MERRY-GO-ROUND CONTINUES

2. Dakota Valley (5-1) at Tri-Valley (5-1)

The Dakota Valley Panthers got their first dose of reality last Friday night, losing a difficult game at home to Dell Rapids 37-19. This week they’re off to Colton and the home of the Tri-Valley Mustangs, who have defeated that same Dell Rapids squad earlier this season, and have a well-coached core of skilled players.

 

The same goes for Dakota Valley, and given the nature of both defenses, this has a chance to become a shootout come Friday evening. The Panthers need to do the same thing that Tea did last week, but keep it up for four quarters. The problem is that Tri-Valley can pound the middle of the defense very effectively and might have a few tricks up their sleeves as well.

 

Still, I think Tri-Valley is simply a better team at this point of the season. Their loss in Flandreau was a wake up call and the Mustangs took down both Dell Rapids and Tea since that loss. The game will be closer than the numbers on paper might lead, but the Mustangs will take the home win by six.

 

3. Harrisburg (6-1) at Tea (4-2)

Harrisburg is on a serious roll right now, having won five straight since their August 31 loss in Luverne, MN (Side note: Luverne is currently undefeated in Minnesota). The Tigers close their season this week in Tea in what will be our HD Game of the Week.  Harrisburg has defeated their six South Dakota opponents with a good mix of both rushing and passing from quarterback Andrew McCuen, who has 1,009 yards passing and 613 yards rushing with seven rushing touchdowns this season.

 

Tea has hit a rough spot this season, losing two tough decisions against Dell Rapids and Tri-Valley. Against Dell Rapids, turnovers are what killed them. The Titans fixed that last week, and held a sizable lead over Tri-Valley, but couldn’t stop the onslaught of rushing plays in the fourth quarter, and dropped that game as well.

 

Unless the Titans can shore up their defenses or win a shootout, the Titans will be in trouble this week as well. Stopping McCuen is top priority for the Titans, but that is easier said than done, while Harrisburg can be expected to take a page from Dell Rapids and find room on the edges of the Tea line to loosen up the middle late in the game. A tough game to call to be sure, but I’m finally unloading off of my Tea bandwagon and packing up the Harrisburg one. I believe Harrisburg completes their South Dakota run and takes region two in class 11A.

 

CAPITAL GAINS

4. Brandon Valley (7-0) at Pierre (5-2)

Fact: Brandon Valley has taken care of business in each of their seven victories this season.

 

Fact: Brandon Valley’s defense has proved a little vulnerable when facing a balanced offense.

 

Fact: Brandon Valley hasn’t played a complete game this year against a team with a winning record.

 

Fact: Pierre’s offense features a balanced attack with two good running backs (Jace Jerome, Matt Svendson and Austin Wagner) and a good passing game (Quarterback Alex Gray and receivers, Layne Severyn and  Austin Christopherson).

 

Fact: Pierre just about knocked off a similar undefeated team at home two weeks ago.

 

Fact: This game won’t be a cakewalk for Brandon Valley.

 

Although the Lynx have gotten a lot better since their opening win at Sioux Falls O’Gorman, their defense has still been very suffocating, and haven’t allowed more than 15 points in any given game thus far, they haven’t yet faced a team with the determination of Pierre, who can keep teams guessing on both sides of the ball. What tips this game in Brandon Valley’s favor though is Pierre’s defensive backfield, which has been very banged up this season, and something that Lynx head coach Chad Garrow is sure to pick up on. Quarterback Chase Marso and wide receiver standouts Matthew Vandeberg and A.J. Garrow could have a heyday against those defensive backs and jump to an early lead, so that will need to be the primary concern for Pierre’s defense. Even if Pierre manages to slow down Brandon Valley’s passing attack, the running of Tony Tripp can still make the defense pay. Pierre has a very tall order at home this week, but I don’t think they have enough to end Brandon Valley’s undefeated season. Pierre stays close but the Lynx put it away late.