LUVERNE -- With both teams sitting at 2-0, tonight's football match-up between the Jackson County Central Huskies and the Luverne Cardinals in Luverne could go either way.
"It should be a good Southwest Conference game," LHS coach Todd Oye said. "These are two typical teams and there should be nothing surprising about it. But in the end, we don't know how this match-up will go until we play it out."
The teams met up twice last season, with JCC taking the first game 35-0 and Luverne knocking off the Huskies in the second game of the Section 3 AA playoffs a little over a month later.
"The have a lot of kids coming back from last year," JCC coach Tom Schuller said. "They are a lot of good multi-sport athletes on their team who don't just excel in football."
Being in the same conference, both teams know a thing or two about how the other plays the game. But that doesn't mean that either squad can take anything for granted.
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"If we want to stop their offense we have to get sustained drives, get first downs and keep them off the field," Oye said. "We need to get good field position and do our best on the offensive line to stop their rush."
For the Huskies, executing what they do best on offense, according to Schuller, will go a long way to winning them the game.
"We will pick the things we do best on offense and polish those as much as we can," Schuller said. "We would really like to get some big plays."
Those big plays are exactly what Oye knows his defense will have to stop if they want to have a chance to stop JCC."We can't give up those big plays," Oye said. "JCC can run and pass the ball. So we will have to make sure to be ready for both."
With so many different options available to both offenses, defense will be a key factor in the game.
"We can't stop everything they throw at us offensively, so we will have to pick and choose what things we want to slow down," Schuller said. "But we always fear the option and what their quarterbacks can do with their legs and arms."
Another area of the game that will dictate the final score is special teams.
"Our special teams have been playing well so far," Schuller said. "I would love to get some big plays there too."
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With both teams coming in ready to play hard, every play could be the difference maker and turn the tide for either squad.
"Every play in the game is an important play," Oye said. "And every player has their role to play."
Kick-off for the Southwest Conference rivals is set for 7 p.m. tonight in Luverne.
Other area teams in action tonight are Windom Area at Blue Earth Area (7 p.m.), Hills-Beaver Creek at Mountain Lake Area (7 p.m.), Southwestern United at Fulda (7 p.m.), Murray County Central at Canby (7 p.m.), Edgerton/Ellsworth at Renville County West (7 p.m.), Adrian at Lakeview (7 p.m.), Red Rock Central at Wabasso (7 p.m.) and Westbrook-Walnut Grove at home against Nicollet (7 p.m.). Tracy-Milroy-Balaton plays New Ulm Saturday at 2 p.m. in New Ulm.
In Iowa high school football action today are Central Lyon/George-Little Rock hosting MOC-Floyd Valley, Harris-Lake Park hosting Whiting, Sheldon hosting Cherokee, Washington and Sibley-Ocheyedan traveling to Lawton-Bronson.
