Prep Blog: Week 2, Previewing 'The Big 4'
It's Week 2 in high school football across Minnesota, and it's the first week where a majority of the games are under the lights Friday night.
For the teams that started out their fall season with victories, it's about moving forward and keeping the momentum going. For those who lost, it's about correcting mistakes and trying to get things squared away before they start to slip away. After all, no program wants to start 0-2.
Hutchinson (1-0) at Glencoe-Silver Lake (1-0)
One of the best rivalries in high school football west of the Twin Cities takes place Friday night as Glencoe-Silver Lake hosts Hutchinson. Both teams are 1-0 after escaping their season-openers with close victories.
Hutchinson knocked off Becker 37-34. That's right, the Bulldogs squad that won a state championship. Quarterback Lane Glaser completed just four passes, but two of them went for touchdowns. Running back Isaiah Nelson led the ground game with 18 carries for 158 yards and two touchdowns. But it was Travis Trettin's 26-yard field goal in the fourth-quarter that was the game-winner for the Tigers.
Glencoe-Silver Lake needed overtime in Week 1, but the Panthers got a 27-21 win over New London-Spicer to start the season. The Panthers were led by running backs Michael Froar and Carsen Streich, who combined for 209 yards and three touchdowns.
It's always a great game between a pair of bitter rivals. Hutchinson has won two of the last three meetings but last year, Glencoe-Silver Lake got a 6-0 shutout victory.
East Ridge (0-1) at Mounds View (1-0)
It's a big game for both teams Friday night as Mounds View hosts East Ridge. The Mustangs opened the season with a 40-26 win at Farmington last week. The Raptors fell at Lakeville North 24-23, scoring a late touchdown but having a two-point conversion pass to win the game intercepted. East Ridge is led by running back Dominik London, a Gophers commit, who ran for 153 yards and a touchdown last week. The Mustangs are led by quarterback Ryan Nickel, who passed for 260 yards and four touchdowns last week. East Ridge played in the Class 6A Prep Bowl last year and is desperate to avoid an 0-2 start.
Maple Grove (1-0) at Hopkins (1-0)
There's a big game between two programs that always seem to be near the top Friday night as Hopkins hosts Maple Grove. The Royals dominated in their opener, a 52-6 win at Coon Rapids. The Crimson were far from perfect in their first game, but earned a 23-13 victory over their biggest rivals and the defending 6A state champions, Osseo. In that victory, Maple Grove quarterback Brad Davision passed for two touchdowns and ran for another. Davison is committed to Wisconsin to play basketball. It's a big game for the Royals, whose stretch to follow includes Eden Prairie, Edina, Wayzata and Minnetonka. Yikes.
Dassel-Cokato (0-1) at Delano (0-1)
When Delano and Dassel-Cokato meet Friday night west of the Twin Cities, one team will earn its first victory of the season. The other will fall to 0-2. The Tigers are looking to bounce back from a 41-6 loss at Zimmerman last week. The Chargers had a close one Foley, but came up short 28-21. When the two teams met last year, Delano came away with the 31-15 victory.
Tune into WCCO-TV's High School Sports Rally at about 10:20 p.m. Friday as Mike Max, Frank Vascellaro and David McCoy will have all the action covered.