Friday night’s area football schedule:
Central (5-2, 5-0) at Holmen (7-0, 5-0)
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday
WHERE: Empire Stadium, Holmen
LAST YEAR: The RiverHawks won 36-17 behind 173 rushing yards, 3 rushing TDs and 1 TD pass from Christian Rudrud.
MVC SERIES: Central leads 20-16 with 4 wins in the past 5 meetings.
NOTEWORTHY: Central–Senior QB Christian Rudrud (143 carries-1,126 yards, 16 TDs) is the offensive workhorse and leads couleesports.com schools in rushing yards and total touchdowns. … Rudrud has also passed for 661 yards and 7 TDs with senior WR Connor Groth (26 catches-461 yards, 7 TDs). … The key to this game for the RiverHawks is their offensive line allowing those players to make plays and score the points it might take to hang with the Vikings. … Central is currently a 4 seed in the Division 2 playoff picture; Holmen–Senior Colin Williams (47-440, 7) has passed for 353 yards and 4 TDs to give some spark to an offense that rushed for 297 yards per game. … Senior RBs Eli King (74-633, 13) and Jack Barth (51-630, 9) have done the bulk of the damage, but don’t forget about senior RB AJ Alesch (28-262, 2) in the big picture. … With Rudrud on he other side, this becomes a big game for players like seniors Tristen Brennan, Jagger Jepson and Ayden Smith on the DL and an LB group led by junior Mason Flury. … Holmen is currently a 2 seed in the Division 2 playoff picture.
Logan (5-2, 3-2) at Baraboo (0-7, 0-5)
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday
WHERE: Baraboo High School
LAST YEAR: The Rangers won 49-8 as Maxim Roberts rushed for 101 yards and 3 TDs.
MVC SERIES: The Thunderbirds lead 2-1 after wins the first two seasons in the conference.
NOTEWORTHY: Logan–The Rangers have quite the one-two punch with senior RB Maxim Roberts (142-920, 13) and sophomore QB Tommy Check (146-670, 10), and they should have a big night against the Thunderbirds. … Roberts rushed for 235 yards and 4 TDs in last week’s overtime win over Reedsburg, and Check passed for 100 yards and a TD. … Logan is currently a 3 seed in the Division 3 playoff picture; Baraboo–The Thunderbirds haven’t scored more than 20 points in a game. … Junior Ethan Huelsemann (139-574, 6) is the top offensive threat. … Baraboo’s defense allows 36.6 points per game, but that jumps to 47.5 over the past 4 games. … Baraboo is not currently a playoff team.
Tomah (1-6, 1-4) at Onalaska (5-2, 3-2)
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday
WHERE: Onalaska High School
LAST YEAR: The Hilltoppers won 38-22 and rushed for 365 yards.
MVC SERIES: Onalaska leads 21-15 with wins in 8 of the past 9 matchups.
NOTEWORTHY: Tomah–The Timberwolves are led by senior RB Shon Abbas (106-516, 3) and junior QB Quinn Gerke (52-for-106-588 yards, 8 TDs-5 INTs). … They have lost 4 straight games since a 19-8 win over Baraboo. … Tomah is not currently a playoff team; Onalaska–The Hilltoppers have won 3 straight games since a 2-game losing streak against Holmen and Reedsburg. … Onalaska has held its 3 opponents to 35 points during the current win streak. .. Senior QB Ian Kowal (108-169-1,414, 15-2) has completed 63.9 percent of his passes. … Senior WR Luke Siegel (31-444, 5) and senior WR Tanner Siebert (25-272, 2) are his top targets, and junior RB Kaison Stettler (7-350, 3) scored 3 TDs in last week’s win over Sparta. … Onalaska is currently a 3 seed in the Division 3 playoff picture.
West Salem (6-1, 5-0) at Aquinas (7-0, 5-0)
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday
WHERE: Veterans Memorial Field Sports Complex, UW-La Crosse
LAST YEAR: The Blugolds won 20-18 on a fourth-quarter TD catch by Waylon Hargrove.
COULEE SERIES: Aquinas leads 2-1 and have won in each of the past 2 seasons.
NOTEWORTHY: West Salem–The Panthers have won 6 straight games since opening the season with a 35-26 loss to Onalaska. … Junior QB Drew McConkey (42-67-757, 10-4) is a dual threat with 296 rushing yards and 7 TD runs. … He and most of his starting teammates have played only parts of games since Week 1 due to margin of victory. … Junior Lucas Fry (27-294, 8) and sophomore Kaden Langrehr (15-233, 5) have stepped in to help fill the void left by injured junior RB and leading rusher Rory O’Neill (44-308, 5) a few weeks ago. .. The Panthers have allowed 34 points in the past 6 games. … West Salem is currently a 5 seed in the Division 4 playoff picture; Aquinas–The Blugolds have averaged 49 points in conference games and didn’t play due to a Westby forfeit last week. … Senior Ryan Johnson (55-76-1,035, 13-0) has completed 72.4 percent of his passes. … Senior WR ogan Becker (18-294, 4) and senior Waylon Hargrove (11-202, 3) lead Aquinas in receptions, but the team has 5 players with more than 100 receiving yards. … The Blugolds average 100 rushing yards per game and are led by junior Landon Teachout (30-172, 3). … Aquinas is currently a 1 seed in the Division 4 playoff picture.
Arcadia (4-3, 3-2) at G-E-T (1-6, 1-4)
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday
WHERE: G-E-T High School
LAST YEAR: The Raiders won 28-21 as Max Blaschko rushed for 222 yards and a fourth-quarter TD.
COULEE SERIES: G-E-T leads 31-22, and the team have split the past 4 matchups.
NOTEWORTHY: Arcadia–Senior RB Max Blaschko (156-1,106, 12) is already a 1,0009-yard rusher after gaining 294 yards and scoring 3 TDs in a 44-26 win over Black River Falls. … Junior QB Carter Wegman (50-98-677, 9-3) has completed 44 of his passes to WRs Jonah Slaby (19-282, 3), Deklyn Grzadzielewski (13-194, 2) and Khyle Updike (12-197, 4). … The Raiders have won 2 games in a row since weather wiped out the end of a 13-0 loss at West Salem. … Arcadia is currently a 6 seed in the Division 5 playoff picture; G-E-T–The Red Hawks lost to West Salem 45-14 last week after picking up their only win the week before against Viroqua. … Junior QB Sawyer Foust (94-163-1,256, 11-11) leads the pat-first offense. … G-E-T is not currently a playoff team.
Westby (2-5, 2-3) at Onalaska Luther (3-4, 3-2)
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday
WHERE: Luther High School
LAST YEAR: The Knights won 47-20 for their first win in the series.
COULEE SERIES: Westby leads 15-1 and won the first 15 meetings before last year.
NOTEWORTHY: Westby–The Norsemen forfeited their game against Aquinas last week. … Junior QB Maddox Torkelson 21-70-480, 1-2) and senior RB Nate Frydendlund (55-284, 2) are 2 players to watch. … Westby is not currently a playoff team; Luther–The Knights are led by junior QB Jonny Holub (43-96-608, 7-10) and junior RB Logan Pierce (67-391, 4). … Senior RB Jax Hendrickson has also scored 3 TDs. … Pierce has 5 TDs when factoring in 2 scoring passes he caught from Holub. … The Knight have won 3 of their past 5 games after losing the first 2. … Luther is not currently a playoff team.
Highland (5-2, 4-2) at De Soto (4-2, 4-2)
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday and scored 35 points in the second half.
WHERE: The Pit, De Soto High School
LAST YEAR: The Cardinals won 46-6 with the help of a 26-point second quarter.
NOTEWORTHY: Highland–The Cardinals lost a 50-8 game to North Crawford last week. Senior QB Kaden Washa (43-78-830, 15-1) has rushed for 40 yards and 12 TDs to go with his passing accomplishments. .. Sophomore RB Brady Nankey (99-608, 5) leads the Cardinals in rushing yards … Highland is currently a 6 seed in the 8-playoff playoff picture; De Soto–Senior RB Austin DeFlorian (56-555, 11) and senior QB Finn Wrobel (30-55-653, 13-0) will have to be effective on the ground in a big game for the Pirates. … Senior Bryce Schultz (416 receiving yards, 358 rushing yards, 8 TDs) is another solid weapon for De Soto. … Wrobel has rushed for 170 yards and 5 TDs. … De Soto is currently a 7 seed in the 8-player playoff picture.
Chatfield (6-0, 5-0) at Caledonia (4-2, 3-2)
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday
WHERE: Caledonia High School
LAST YEAR: The Gophers won 20-13 after scoring the first 20 points.
NOTEWORTHY: Chatfield–The Gophers have beaten their last two opponents — Rochester Lourdes and St. Charles — by a combined score of 86-8. … Chatfield has won 17 of 18 games since the start of last season, which ended in the Class AA state semifinals ; Caledonia–Senior QB Will Allen (58-91-875, 8) has completed 7 of his 8 TD in the last 3 games. … Senior Noah Schroeder (46-260, 3) has rushed for 150 yards in the past 2 games. … Sophomore WR Grant King (18-302, 6) has 186 receiving yards and 3 TDs in past 2 games. … Sophomore LB Cooper Allen has a team-high 58 tackles.
Blair-Taylor (4-3, 2-3) at Melrose-Mindoro (5-2, 3-2)
WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday
WHERE: Melrose-Mindoro High School
LAST YEAR: The Wildcats won 20-7 and held the Mustangs scoreless until the fourth quarter.
NOTEWORTHY: Blair-Taylor–Senior QB Kole Trapp (83-146-1,350, 19-11), and senior RB Collin Johnson (87-667, 6) takes the majority of the handoffs. … Senior WRs C.J. Dummer (23-534, 8) and Payton Kelly (29-435, 4) are Trapp’s top targets. … Blair-Taylor is currently a 6 seed in the Division 7 playoff picture; Melrose-Mindoro–The Mustangs have won 2 straight games and are allowing 16 points per game this season with a pair of shutouts. … Junior QB Brady Blaken (67-125-878, 7-7). … Melrose-Mindoro is currently a 7 seed in the Division 6 playoff picture.
