All four rated Messenger-area teams will look to stay unbeaten with home contests this Friday.

Heading into Week 3 of the season, area ranked squads are steadily climbing the rankings in their respective classes.

Humboldt (2-0) and Webster City (2-0) are sitting at No. 4 and No. 6, respectively, in Class 3A. Both squads will have unbeaten opponents on their home turf.

Sixth-ranked Southeast Valley (2-0) will host Clarion-Goldfield/Dows (1-1) in a 2A matchup.

No. 7 South Central Calhoun (2-0), who ran roughshod over fourth-rated Southwest Valley last week, will entertain Riverside.

West Bend-Mallard (1-1), who was ranked last week, will have a chance to re enter with an upset of No. 6 Remsen St. Mary’s (2-0).

No. 5 North Polk (2-0) at No. 6 Webster City (2-0)

The fifth-ranked Comets and the sixth-ranked Lynx have been lighting up the scoreboard the first two weeks, combining for 155 points.

The two squads have reached unbeaten status in different fashions, as the Comets have thrown for 496 yards and eight touchdowns. The Lynx have done all of their damage on the ground, running for 795 yards and nine scores.

Jaxon Cherry has put up video game numbers the first two weeks. He is second in the state and first in Class 3A with 587 yards. He is tied for fourth in the state with eight touchdowns, which leads Class 3A.

Last week in a 34-7 win over Spencer, Cherry ran for 321 yards and five touchdowns.

North Polk outscored their first two foes 86-46. They defeated Carlisle 43-7 last week.

Quarterback Isaac Zoske has thrown for 496 yards and eight touchdown strikes on 27 of 45 passing.

Zoske’s main targets have been Kale Yoakum (120 yards) and Colton Manock (208) and three touchdowns each.

BJ Tate is the leader on the ground, carrying the ball 34 times for 145 yards and three touchdowns.

Van Meter (2-0) at No. 4 Humboldt (2-0)

Both the Wildcats and Bulldogs are coming off of different style victories in Week 2.

Van Meter easily handled Des Moines Christian (56-17), while Humboldt held on for a 14-13 victory over Ballard.

This will be the first matchup ever for the two schools.

In Humboldt’s win over Ballard, Coen Matson threw for 171 yards and an 11-yard scoring strike to Corey Dettmann. The senior wide receiver caught nine balls for 95 yards.

The other score for Humboldt was a fumble recovery in the end zone from freshman Broedy Hendricks.

The Wildcats picked off five passes. Carson Sleiter had two while Mason Van Pelt, Mason Brown and Dettmann had one each.

In their win over Des Moines Christian, Van Meter ran for 360 yards and quarterback Austin Baumhover threw for 165 yards and four touchdowns. Jaxon Hanselman had two scores and Cael Trudo had two touchdowns.

On the ground Ben Gordon rushed for 178 yards and a score and Baumhover had 123 for two trips to the end zone.

On the season Baumhover has thrown for 260 and five touchdowns, while rushing for two scores. Gordon has 333 yards on the season.

Algona (1-1) at Estherville-Lincoln Central (1-1)

Both the Bulldogs and Midgets are coming off their first wins of the season.

Algona lost a tight contest to Spirit Lake (30-22), but bounced back with a 49-16 win over Forest City. E-LC lost to OA-BCIG (33-14) and topped Emmetsburg 35-16 in Week 2.

In the win over the Indians, highly Division-I recruit Alex Manske threw for 268 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing for one.

Raffer Porter had four grabs for 146 yards and a score. Porter has 349 receiving yards and two trips to the end zone.

Manske has thrown for 553 yards and five touchdowns while rushing for two scores.

After missing the first week of action, Owen Larson went crazy for the Midgets running for 277 yards and five scores against Emmetsburg. Quarterback Sincere McMurran has two touchdown passes.

Clarion-Goldfield/Dows (1-1) at No. 6 Southeast Valley (2-0)

The Jaguars and Cowboys already have a common opponent as C-G/D earned a 49-6 win over Eagle Grove in Week 1 and Southeast Valley rolled over the Eagles for their second win, 59-6.

Last week the Jaguars threw for 219 yards. Cale VanSickle was 7-for-10 for 177 yards and a score, while Dalton Crouse was 2 of 2 with two touchdowns and 42 yards.

Brady Hanson carried the ball eight times for 75 yards and reached the end zone four times. Hanson had five total touchdowns, returning an interception 52 yards for a touchdown.

Ross Larson, Andrew Miller and Jace Hanson each had touchdown catches.

Carson Nesheim has thrown for 221 yards and a touchdown for the Cowboys. Diego Gonzalez has two rushing touchdowns.

Riverside (1-1) at No. 7 South Central Calhoun (2-0)

South Central Calhoun has made frequent trips to the end zone in the first two weeks, outscoring their opponents 101-14 with victories over Pocahontas Area (34-14) and an upset over then ranked No. 4 Southwest (47-0).

The Titans ran for 306 yards and Gavin Batta threw for 206 and a score, hooking up with Keegan Soard on a 13-yard scoring play.

Brock Nattress led the ground game with 117 yards and a 51-yard score. Zach Trott and Cole Higgins had two touchdowns each, while Batta also had a score.

Batta has thrown for 333 yards and three touchdown strikes.

Riverside lost to AHSTW 41-7 last week after blanking West Monona 40-0 in their opener.

Quarterback Grady Jeppesen has thrown for 289 yards and three touchdowns. He has a completion percentage of 73 percent (28-for-38). Jeppesen has rushed for two touchdowns.

Jaxon Gordon is the groundhog, running for 314 yards and two end zone trips.

Other area games: Eagle Grove (0-2) at Forest City (0-2); Perry (1-1) at Greene County (1-1); MVAOCOU (0-2) at Manson Northwest Webster (0-2); Hull Western Christian (2-0) at Pocahontas Area (1-1); East Sac County (1-1) at Missouri Valley (1-1); North Union (1-1) at Belmond-Klemme (0-2); Woodbine (1-1) at Newell-Fonda (1-1); No. 6 Remsen St. Mary’s (2-0) at West Bend-Mallard (1-1); North Iowa (0-2) at Bishop Garrigan (1-1).