Messenger photo by Britt Kudla: Jaxon Cherry of Webster City scores against Fort Dodge earlier this season.

It’s hard to find another team as devoted to running the ball as Webster City.

On Friday night, the Lynx will face a squad with a similar loyalty in Spencer.

Surging Webster City (4-2 overall, 2-0 Class 4A, District 1) will go toe-to-toe with the 5-1 Tigers for the inside track to Class 4A, District 1 supremacy.

Meanwhile, Algona, Clarion-Goldfield-Dows and West Bend-Mallard look to close the gap in their district races. The Bulldogs (4-2, 1-1) host No. 5 Nevada (5-1, 2-0), which is undefeated and tied with top-ranked Humboldt (6-0, 2-0) atop Class 3A, District 2.

The Wolverines (4-2, 4-1) welcome division leader Harris-Lake Park (5-1, 4-0) in an 8-Player, District 2 contest. The seventh-rated (Class 2A) Cowboys (5-1, 2-1), meanwhile, host unbeaten and No. 3 Spirit Lake (6-0, 3-0).

Area squads Southeast Valley (2-4, 0-3) and Pocahontas Area (3-3, 0-3) are looking to get back in the win column this week.

Last Friday night, the Lynx rolled on the ground again as junior sensation Jaxon Cherry rushed for 332 yards and four touchdowns in a 28-7 win over LeMars. Spencer did its damage on the ground as well, rushing for 359 yards — 282 in the first half — in a 49-14 victory over Fort Dodge.

Cherry leads Class 4A in rushing yards (1,186), touchdowns (18), all purpose yards (1,213) and carries (136).

The Tigers have won five straight games and have churned up 1,565 yards on the ground. Adrian Carrillo — like Cherry, a junior — has run for 856 yards on 135 carries (second in 4A) and seven TDs.

Spencer quarterback Riley DeWitt has 11 rushing scores and 392 yards on the ground.

CLASS 2A, DISTRICT 2

No. 3 Spirit Lake (6-0, 3-0) at No. 7 Clarion-Goldfield/Dows (5-1, 2-1)

The Cowboys enter the contest on a two-game winning streak and are coming off a 24-8 win over defending 2A state champion Southeast Valley.

Preston Gardner and Nevan Foss have been the main cogs on the ground for C-G/D. Gardner has rushed for 713 yards and seven scores, while Foss has 599 and 11 scores.

Last week Gardner rushed for 139 yards and two scores, while Foss had 134 a trip to the end zone.

The Indians blanked Estherville-Lincoln Central 45-0 a week ago. Spirit Lake has won the last five meetings with the Cowboys, including a 55-6 victory in 2021.

Brode Higgins has been the SL the groundhog, running for 774 yards and 11 touchdowns. Jake Cornwall has seven scores.

Caden Lundt has thrown for 743 yards and seven touchdowns.

The Indians have run for 1,393 yards and 23 TDs.

Harris-Lake Park (5-1, 4-0) at West Bend-Mallard (4-2, 4-1)

The Wolves, who are unbeaten in the district, look for separation in the league standings. The Wolverines, meanwhile, are coming off an 83-13 win over North Iowa and are in search of a signature win.

Harris-Lake Park, which is receiving votes in the 8-player rankings, has won five straight and upset GTRA 42-40 a week ago. Last week, quarterback Tyce Gunderson had a big game through the air and on the ground. Gunderson threw for 229 yards and four touchdowns, while running for 111 and two scores.

Lucas Ahrenstorff caught seven balls for 94 yards and two TDs.

On the season, Gunderson has thrown for 605 yards and 11 scores. He has run for 655 and 13 touchdowns. Lucas Ahrenstorff has six

TD passes.

In the win over North Iowa, the Wolverines rushed for 271 yards. Max Fehr totaled 157 yards and four trips to the end zone. Lucas Fehr, Logan Grimm and Kaden Van Whyle each scored as well. Max Fehr also threw a touchdown pass to Aidan Yoch.

Fehr has run for 700 yards and 15 scores, while throwing four TDs.

No. 5 Nevada (5-1, 2-0) at Algona (4-2, 1-1)

After losing to North Polk, Algona rebounded and edged Gilbert 28-25 last week. Nevada, which has won four straight, clipped Ballard 17-12.

In their win, Bulldog Alex Manske threw for 156 yards and a score to go along with a rushing touchdown.

Lamon Ulfers had 105 yards and two TDs for the Bulldogs.

Manske, only a sophomore, is third in Class 3A in offensive yards (1,476), fourth in passing yards (1,156), and fifth in offensive touchdowns (16).

Manske has also rushed for 320 and six scores. Ulfers has 318 and six touchdowns.

Nevada’s Cason Stevenson had 114 yards and two touchdowns against Ballard.

On the season, Noah Mills has thrown for 985 yards and eight touchdowns to lead the Cubs. Mills has run for 476 and seven scores.

Stevenson has 649 yards and five trips to the end zone.

Kyle Kingsbury has 22 catches for 389 yards and Drew Robinson has 23 grabs for 342. They have four and three TDs, respectively.

Southeast Valley (2-4, 0-3) at Pocahontas Area (3-3, 0-3)

Both the Jaguars and Indians are searching for their first district win.

The Jaguars lost to C-G/D last week, 24-8, while the Indians are coming off a tough 62-0 loss to OABCIG.

Southeast Valley, which is replacing most of its offense after the 2021 championship run, is led on the ground by Carl Berglund, who has run for 266 yards and three touchdowns. Dalton Crouse has 201 yards, and Brady Hanson has 199 and three scores.

Crouse has thrown for 461 yards and one TD.

For the Indians, Alex Welander has 571yards and four scores, while Ryan Sommerlot has four touchdowns.

Other area games: No. 6 Greene County (5-1, 3-0) at Shenandoah (2-4, 0-3); Ridge View (3-3, 1-2) at Emmetsburg (3-3, 2-1); Gilbert (1-5, 0-2) at No. 1 Humboldt (6-0, 2-0); Woodward-Granger (3-3, 2-1) at South Central Calhoun (3-3, 2-1); South Hamilton (5-1, 3-0) at Manson NW (1-5, 1-2); Eagle Grove 2-4, 1-2) at Belmond-Klemme (0-6, 0-3); MVAOCOU (1-5, 1-3) at East Sac County (0-6, 0-3); North Union (4-2, 3-2) at Alta-Aurelia; Glidden-Ralston (3-3, 2-2) at No. 9 Newell-Fonda (5-1, 3-1); Bishop Garrigan (2-4, 1-3) at GTRA (5-1, 3-1).