-Messenger photo by Britt Kudla Riley Peters of Manson NW Webster gains a first down as Pocahontas Area Luke Crosgrove makes the tackle on Friday

Heading into the third week of the district slate, area team are looking to stay the course and fight to stay in the hunt for a league title.

Humboldt (2-4 overall, 1-1 3A-2) will travel to Webster City (3-3, 1-1). The Wildcats lost their first district contest of the season, but bounced back last week to give Dallas Center-Grimes its first. The Lynx cruised to a 42-14 win over Perry.

Pocahontas Area (3-3, 2-0) struggled in its first four games, winning only of four contests. The Indians have come storming back, earning wins in their first two district contests. They’ll host South Hamilton (4-2, 1-1).

In Class 1A, District 9, the six teams are split up evenly. Treynor and Missouri Valley are atop the standings at 2-0, while Underwood (3-3, 1-1) travels to East Sac County (3-3, 1-1). Both Cherokee and MVAOCCOU haven’t won a district game.

In eight-man District 1, unbeaten Ar-We-Va is 4-0 in the district, while West Bend-Mallard, Newell-Fonda and Remsen St. Mary’s are both 3-1 as well. The Wolverines will travel to Remsen this week.

Algona, Bishop Garrigan and South Central Calhoun are all still perfect on the season.

Humboldt (2-4, 1-1) at Webster City (3-3, 1-1)

Webster City’s ground attack got back to form against Dallas Center-Grimes last week.

Dylan Steen carried the ball 36 times for 204 yards and four touchdowns. Drake Doolittle had 12 totes for 110 yards and one score. Trace Kepler had a rushing touchdown.

Kepler (458), Steen (440) and Doolittle (420) have been a three-headed monster for the Lynx. Kepler has seven touchdowns, while Steen and Doolittle have four scores each.

Steen has thrown for 386 yards and two scores.

The Wildcats had two offensive touchdowns on offense and the rest came from Jamison Heinz on special teams. Heinz had an 88-yard kickoff return for a score and a 62-yard punt to the end zone.

Offensively Joey Busse threw a 27-yard scoring strike to Caiden Baker and a seven-yard score to Lucas Volf.

Vitzthum has 978 all purpose yards and six touchdowns, three of which are kickoffs. Vitzthum has rushed for 454 yards.

Busse is 32-for-70 passing for 325 yards and four scores.

South Hamilton (4-2, 1-1) at Pocahontas Area (3-3, 2-0)

Last week the Indians pulled out a 22-21 victory over Ogden. Quarterback Trey Oehlertz was 14-for-24 passing for 154 yards and a five-yard touchdown pass to Chaiden Duitscher. Oehlertz also had a one-yard touchdown.

Cage Arends carried the load on the ground, rushing for 157 yards on 29 carries and a two-yard score.

The Hawks nearly upset fourth-ranked South Central Calhoun last week, falling 14-8.

South Hamilton’s lone touchdown came on an 87-yard kick return score from Brandyn Feighner.

Both Arends and Oehlertz have been machines on the ground, rushing for 368 and 345 yards respectively. They have two and three touchdowns respectively.

Throw the air, Oehlertz has thrown for 489 yards and four scores. Duitscher has two touchdown catches.

Sam Lewis leads the Hawks rushing attack with 427 yards four scores, while DJ Klonglan has 403 and four scores. Trevor Thompson and Cole Berg have four and three scores respectively. Berg has three touchdown passes and 311 yards.

Underwood (3-3, 1-1) at East Sac County (3-3, 1-1)

The Raiders have won three of their last four and beat Cherokee 35-18 last week. Garrett Bruce once again carried the torch for East Sac County. Bruce rushed for 281 yards on 37 carries and scored two touchdowns, his longest being 32 yards.

Jake Paysen had a touchdown and Griff O’Neill threw a 32-yard scoring strike to Quintin Ludwig.

Bruce has been a force on the ground, rushing for 1,180 yards on 194 carries (32 per contest) and 10 scores.

Bruce is seventh in the state with 1,180 yards and second in the state with 194 carries and has 10 touchdowns. Bruce has 2,364 yards and 25 touchdowns in his career.

East Sac County’s Austin Corbin tied for ninth in state seven sacks.

Quarterback Griff O’Neill has thrown for 391 and three scores.

Underwood lost 28-26 to Treynor. Underwood quarterback Nick Ravlin was 20-for-42 passing for 269 yards and three scores.

Jalen Humphrey caught six balls for 129 yards and two scores, including a 68-yard score. Brayden Wollan and Kyler Rodenburg both had touchdowns.

Underwood is going to throw the ball and throw it a lot. Ravlin has thrown for 1,578 yards (eighth in the state) and 16 touchdowns this season.

Humphrey has 30 catches for 671 yards and eight scores. Blake Hall has 387 yards and four touchdowns.

Rodenburg has rushed for 580 yards and eight scores this season.

West Bend-Mallard (4-2, 3-1) at Remsen St. Mary’s (4-2, 3-1)

The Wolverines have been coming on strong lately, winning their last three games by an average of 48 points.

In their 40-6 win over Kingsley-Pierson last week quarterback Lincoln Fehr was 8-for-10 passing for 154 yards and five touchdown passes, his longest a 54-yard strike to Cole Hoskins. Hoskins caught four balls for 79 yards and three scores. Brandon Fehr and Hunter Jergens also caught scoring strikes Jergens also had a rushing touchdown.

Lincoln Fehr has been the biggest offensive threat for the Wolverines, throwing for 648 yards and 10 scores. He has also rushed for 284 yards and seven scores.

Jergens has carried the ball 87 times for 471 yards and seven scores. Jergens and Hoskins have three touchdown catches each, while Brandon Fehr and Creytan Grimm have two a piece.

Remsen St. Mary’s beat Harris-Lake Park 60-26 last week. Blaine Harpenau had five touchdowns with 94 yards. Levi Waldschmitt and Skyler Waldschmitt had rushing touchdowns. Harpenau threw a touchdown pass to Damen Brownmiller.

Harpenau has down it all for St. Mary’s. He has thrown for 816 yards and 13 scores, to go along with 544 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns.

Brownmiller has caught 15 balls for 230 yards and seven scores.

Other area games: No. 3 Algona (6-0, 2-0) at Estherville-LC (2-4, 0-2); Clarion-Goldfield/Dows (2-4, 0-2) at Spirit Lake (5-1, 1-1); Southeast Valley (4-2, 2-0) at Garner-Hayfield/Ventura (2-4, 1-1); Atlantic (2-4, 0-2) at No. 10 Greene County (5-1,1-1); Unity Christian (2-4, 0-2) at Emmetsburg (2-4, 1-1); Madrid (1-5, 1-1) at No. 4 South Central Calhoun (6-0, 2-0); Manson NW (0-6, 0-2) at Sioux Central (5-1, 2-0); No. 3 Bishop Garrigan (6-0, 2-0) at North Union (2-4, 1-1); Newell-Fonda (5-1, 3-1) at Harris-Lake Park (2-4, 1-3).