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Postseason aspirations have been the norm for Webster City and Humboldt.
This season, they are higher than ever.
The two schools less than 40 miles apart will begin their 2022 football seasons on Friday against each other.
The Lynx (0-0 overall) travel to Humboldt (0-0) for a 7 p.m. kickoff.
Both squads had deep postseason runs in 2021, with the Wildcats reaching the Class 3A semifinals in the UNI-Dome and the Lynx reaching the Class 4A quarterfinals.
In last season's matchup, the Wildcats ended a two-game mini-skid against the Lynx, winning 35-7. Webster City has won eight of the last 12 in the series.
In 2021, then-Humboldt senior Caden Matson threw for 233 yards and five touchdowns. Matson hooked up with classmate Jacob Heier four times for 153 yards and two touchdowns.
Will Orness returns as a senior for the Wildcats. As a junior versus Webster City, he caught eight balls for three scores and 71 yards.
Senior CJ Hisler had the lone Lynx score on a two-yard scamper. Hisler ran for 62 yards on 12 carries.
Junior Jaxon Cherry (55) and Connor Hanson (50) were the other leading rushers a year ago in this matchup.
The Lynx return their entire backfield, which ran for a combined 3,289 yards and 42 TDs a year ago in an 8-3 season.
Hisler reached the 1,000-yard plateau with 1,032 and seven scores.
Cherry carried the ball a team-high 136 times for 936 yards and 19 scores.
Senior quarterback Ty McKinney had 104 totes for 708 yards and six end zone trips. Classmate Connor Hanson had 377 yards and eight scores.
McKinney threw for 398 yards and seven touchdowns.
Cherry (61), Keegan Hisler (38) and McKinney (38) return as the leading tacklers.
Orness is back as the key Humboldt offensive cog reaching the 1,000-yard mark receiving. He caught 73 balls for 1,205 yards and 15 TDs.
Matson threw for 2,611 yards and 33 scores while running for 1,636 yards and 16 scores as a senior last fall. Classmate Jacob Heier had 42 catches for 821 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Lance Coon ran for 489 yards and five scores. He returns.
On defense, Corey Dettmann (41), senior Tayeton Lohaus (40-5) and senior Owen Hubbell (39) are back as the leading tacklers for Humboldt. Lohaus had 11.5 tackles for loss and five sacks.
Algona (0-0) at Emmetsburg (0-0)
Algona earned a 25-0 victory over the E-Hawks a year ago. Now, both teams look to find offensive replacements.
Tyler Manske was the big threat for the Bulldogs, throwing for 1,971 yards and 23 scores in his senior campaign and rushing for 389 and three scores.
Tyler's younger brother, Alex, looks to be the replacement at quarterback.
Senior Lamorn Ulfers ran for 394 yards and a score, and classmate Carlos Gomez had 358 and one touchdown.
The E-Hawks will look to replace most of their backfield, which was led by graduates Cole Shirk (996 yards) and Colby Weir (549) who had nine and 13 touchdowns respectively.
Senior Lane Auten returns after accumulating 318 yards and five scores a year ago.
Newell-Fonda (0-0) at West Bend-Mallard (0-0)
Newell-Fonda has dreams of a UNI-Dome trip with a strong stable of returning players in 2022.
The Mustangs were one game from the state semis a year ago, falling to CAM in the postseason.
Senior Mason Dicks is back behind center for the Mustangs after throwing and rushing for over 1,000 yards.
Dicks had 1,643 yards and 20 touchdowns through the air, while running for 1,443 yards and 26 scores.
Classmate Wyatt Kreft was close to the 1,000-yard mark as well, with 824 yards on the ground and 14 touchdowns.
Ryan Greenfield (55), Dicks (49.5) and Caden Meyer (46) were the leading tacklers in 2021.
The Wolverines return with most of their offense intact from a year after losing 54-12 to the Mustangs.
Senior Max Fehr is back a year after throwing for 817 yards and nine scores. Fehr also ran for 785 yards and 19 TDs.
Junior Landon Montag ran for 735 yards and 12 touchdowns. Senior Sam Fehr caught 20 balls for 329 yards and six scores.
On defense, Garrett Fehr had 66 tackles and Sam Fehr recorded 58.
Manson Northwest Webster (0-0) at Pocahontas Area (0-0)
The Cougars and PAC open the season by squaring off again. Last year, the Indians earned a 28-12 victory.
MNW will have to replace the majority of its offense after the graduation of 1,000-yard back Tate Bianchi (1,163 yards and 10 scores).
The Cougars will be guided by first year head coach Zach Noffsinger.
Pocahontas Area is looking to replace senior graduate Chase Boysen, who was the leading passer (590 yards) and rusher (617 yards, five touchdowns).
Eagle Grove (0-0) at Clarion-Goldfield/Dows (0-0)
Eagle Grove ended a long losing streak in 2021 and reached the playoffs with a three-win campaign under head coach Logan Willard.
Jake Jeske is back as a junior after running for 497 yards and two touchdowns.
A year after beating the Eagles 41-6, the Cowboys return with senior Preston Gardner as the key offensive threat. Gardner threw for 1,091 yards and 14 scores while running for 730 yards and eight TDs.
Senior Nevan Foss is also back after running for 519 yards and eight scores.
Other area games on Friday: Southeast Valley (0-0) at Interstate 35 (0-0); East Sac County (0-0) at South Central Calhoun (0-0); Rockford (0-0) at Bishop Garrigan (0-0); Okoboji (0-0) at North Union (0-0); Saturday's game: ACGC (0-0) at Greene County (0-0).