Prep football: Luverne, Adrian hope to avenge last year's losses; WHS hopes to stay sharp

By Doug Wolter

September 15, 2016 01:31 PM

Four undefeated high school football teams will do battle in Jackson and Adrian tonight (Friday, Sept. 16). And two other area teams will attempt to keep the ball rolling in the right direction.

There may be some memories jogged as Luverne takes on Jackson County Central and Minneota clashes with Adrian. A year ago in regular season games, JCC busted Luverne by a 57-7 score and Minneota took care of Adrian 42-0.

This time around, Luverne already owns victories over Worthington 20-6 and Windom Area 40-0 while JCC has beaten Maple River 18-13 and Pipestone Area 19-18. The Cardinals are coming off a game where they held the Eagles to just 81 total yards.

Minneota opened the 2016 campaign with victories 22-17 over Wabasso and 59-16 over Ortonville while Adrian topped New Ulm Cathedral 36-7 and Lakeview 29-21. The Dragons won last Friday despite trailing Lakeview 29-21 at one point.

In another game involving an undefeated team, northwest Iowa’s Sheldon Orabs -- who suffered through an 0-9 season in 2015 -- try to stay on the winning trail on the road against a strong Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley team. Sheldon, which has passed for 677 yards in going 3-0 on the 2016 campaign, but BHRV is 2-1 and coming off a 47-14 win over Estherville Lincoln Central.

Worthington followed up its loss to Luverne with a convincing 35-22 triumph on the road last Friday against St. Peter. A balanced offense (171 yards rushing and 193 passing) and a strong defensive showing in the second half led to the Trojans’ victory.

Tonight, on homecoming night, the Trojans will contend in Worthington against the Albert Lea Tigers, who are 0-2. Albert Lea was defeated 62-13 by Waseca in week one, then on Friday the Tigers lost again, 31-6, to Belle Plaine.

Adding insult to injury, perhaps, was the fact that Friday’s game -- which was scheduled to be Albert Lea’s home opener -- was moved to Belle Plaine because of rainy weather.

WHS head coach Gene Lais says that, on film, the Tigers have some teeth.

“I thought their defensive line was really aggressive. I’m pretty impressed with their whole front seven,” Lais said.

Offensively, he added, Albert Lea spreads it out. “They look pretty dangerous on film,” said the WHS mentor.

By Doug Wolter

Doug Wolter joined the Worthington Globe in December of 1983 as a sports reporter. He later became sports editor, and then news editor and managing editor. In 2006 he moved to Mankato with his wife, Sandy, and served as an editor at the Mankato Free Press. In 2013 he and Sandy returned to Worthington to take up the job of sports editor at The Globe, and they have been in Worthington since.

Doug can be reached at dwolter@dglobe.com.

Prep football: Luverne, Adrian hope to avenge last year's losses; WHS hopes to stay sharp

Four undefeated high school football teams will do battle in Jackson and Adrian tonight (Friday, Sept. 16). And two other area teams will attempt to keep the ball rolling in the right direction. There may be some memories jogged as Luverne takes ...