Week 2 was a mix of good and bad results for Messenger District teams, with six teams remaining undefeated entering week 3.
Humboldt, Algona, Munson Northwest Webster, Emmetsburg, South Central Calhoun and Bishop Galligan will be looking to win their third consecutive championship.
The Wildcats (2-0 overall) will travel to Van Meter (2-0) in a battle of unbeaten teams.
South Central Calhoun (2-0, 1-0) will look for its second district win at Riverside (1-1, 0-0).
Algona (2-0) will host Estherville-Lincoln Central (0-2) in a friendly match.
Manson Northwest Webster (2-0) will face unbeaten MVAOCOU (2-0).
Emmetsburg (2-0) will have a tough matchup on the road against unbeaten Sheldon (2-0), while defending eight-man champion Bishop Galligan (2-0, 1-0) will play on the road against North Iowa (0-2, 0-0).
Other area games to watch this week include Webster City (1-1) vs. North Polk (2-0).
Newell-Fonda (1-1, 1-0) will look to defeat Woodbine (2-0, 1-0).
The lone area matchup will be Southeast Valley (1-1) versus Clarion-Goldfield-Dows (1-1).
Humboldt (2-0) vs. Van Meter (2-0)
Humboldt narrowly beat Ballard 21-18 last week, while Van Meter thrashed Des Moines Christian 24-0.
The first time the two schools met a year ago, the Bulldogs won 52-14.
The Wildcats will again rely on the arm of quarterback Cohen Matson. Against the Bombers, Matson threw for 257 yards and three touchdowns, with all three of his scoring passes coming to Keegan Groat. As a wide receiver, Matson caught four balls for 197 yards and three scores.
Matson has thrown for 445 yards and four scores this season, while Groat has seven catches for 312 yards and four touchdowns.
Against Des Moines Christian, quarterback Jay Haley threw for 211 yards and a score to Caleb Moore.
Garrett Cole ran for 93 yards and two touchdowns.
Haley has thrown for 362 yards and two touchdowns, while Cole has three touchdowns this year.
Manson NW (2-0) vs. MVAOCOU (2-0)
Munson Northwest Webster is looking for its first 3-0 start since the 2009-10 season, which finished 9-2.
The Cougars are coming off a win over Southeast Valley and beat Algona 20-8 a week ago.
This week they will travel to MVAOCOU to take on another undefeated team.
The Rams won 49-13 against Missouri Valley.
In last week’s win, the Cougars rushed for 265 yards. Camden Burkey led the offense with 175 yards and two scores. Logan Moline threw a touchdown pass to Brock Patzner.
Burkey has rushed for 273 yards and three scores this season.
Last week, Luther Cameron led the Rams with 192 yards and four scores.
Caden Schmidt and Peyton Gress both threw touchdown passes, caught by Titus Morey.
South Central Calhoun (2-0, 1-0) vs. Riverside (1-1, 0-0)
After a 68-point win in Week 1, Riverside lost to AHSTW, 42-22.
The Titans, who swept Southwest Valley (43-6), are looking for their second straight win against the Bulldogs.
South Central Calhoun’s Andrew Anderson threw for 237 yards and two touchdowns against the Timberwolves. Anderson linked up with Garrett Krause and Charlie Nattress for the scores.
Cole Higgins had two running scores, while Caleb Juhl and Mike Trott also had one each. Higgins ran for 87 yards.
In the losing effort, Riverside’s Jackson Gordon rushed for 151 yards and three touchdowns.
Landyn Schoenrock has rushed for 221 yards and two touchdowns this season, while Gordon has rushed for 336 yards and seven touchdowns.
Webster City (1-1) vs. North Polk (2-0)
The Lynx lost their home opener to Spencer, 24-14, but North Polk improved to 2-0 with a 41-27 win over Carlisle.
Last week, Jackson Griffith led the Lynx with 90 yards and a touchdown, and Luke Estlund threw a 17-yard touchdown pass to Carter Mickelson.
Griffith has rushed for 235 yards this season, while Estlund has rushed for 101 yards and three scores.
The Comets rushed for 381 yards in their win over Carlisle.
Nathan Feldman led North Polk with 234 yards and three touchdowns, including a 92-yard outing, while B.J. Tate Jr. rushed for 138 yards and three scores.
Feldman rushed for 419 yards and seven scores in two games, while Tate Jr. added 231 yards and five touchdowns.
Newell-Fonda (1-1, 1-0) vs. Woodbine (2-0, 1-0)
After giving up 86 points in Week 1, the Newell-Fonda defense allowed just eight points against West Harrison/Whiting last week in a 64-8 win.
Max Carlson ran for 116 yards and three scores, while Gunnar Baron, Trevor Tauber and Landen Crews each had one score.
Carlson threw two touchdown passes to Jacksyn Hogreif and Guyson Lyman.
This season, Carlson has 14 touchdowns on eight passes (509 yards), five rushing (214 yards) and one interception.
Woodbine is fresh off a 48-12 win over Boyer Valley. Brody Pryor threw for 137 yards and two scores and also ran for four touchdowns.
In the first two games, Boyer scored four goals and ran for six.
Southeast Valley (1-1) vs. Clarion-Goldfield/Dows (1-1)
After a heartbreaking loss in Week 1, Southeast Valley came back with a vengeance as the Jaguars cruised to a comfortable 64-0 win over Eagle Grove.
Cale VanSickle threw for 202 yards and two scores, and Casey Hanson also threw a touchdown pass.
Brady Hanson ran for 168 yards and three scores, the longest being 72. VanSickle ran for 84 yards and scored twice, and Declan Maguire added one score.
Gage Jones caught five balls for 158 yards and two scores, and Collin Johnson had two TD catches.
Brady Hanson ran for 272 yards and five scores, while VanSickle added three scores.
The Cowboys beat Eagle Grove (48-8) in Week 1 before losing to Hampton-Dumont/CAL, 35-7.
The Cowboys’ only points came on a 91-yard kickoff return by Charlie Campbell. The Cowboys struggled on offense, limited to 81 rushing yards and 39 passing yards.
Estherville LC (0-2) vs. Algona (2-0)
Algona’s win last week was pretty much over before it even began: The Bulldogs led 48-0 before Forest City even scored.
With Algona’s starters on the bench, the Indians got the points from their first unit in the second half.
Future Iowa State quarterback Alex Manske accounted for five touchdowns and Evan Aly scored from three different angles.
Manske completed 10 of 15 passes for 310 yards, four scores and a running touchdown.
William Weichert and Ashton Moreno also scored running touchdowns.
Allie caught five balls, two of which were for scores, for 181 yards. He returned an interception 32 yards for a score and ran a punt 67 yards for another score.
Tyson VandeWaal and Tate Slagle also had touchdown catches.
Manske has passed for 477 yards and five touchdowns through the air this season, and has also scored five times on the run.
Weichert had two touchdowns. Allie and Slagle each had two touchdown catches.
Estherville-Lincoln Central lost its first two games to OABCIG (47-20) and Emmetsburg (34-0).
Leighton Yeager has thrown for 271 yards and three touchdowns this year, while Cynthia McMullan had 10 grabs for 166 yards and two scores.
Other area matches: Greene County (1-1) at Atlantic (3-0); Pocahontas Area (0-2) at Hull Western Christian (1-2); Forest City (0-2) at Eagle Grove (0-2); Missouri Valley (0-2) at East Sac County (0-2); Emmettburg (2-0) at Sheldon (2-0); Belmont-Clem (0-2, 0-1) at North Union (0-2, 0-1); West Bend Mallard (1-1) at Remsen St. Mary’s (2-0); Bishop Galligan (2-0, 1-0) at North Iowa (0-2, 0-0).
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