For the 109th time on the football field, Humboldt and Algona will meet on Friday night.

The “Battle of Highway 169” will take place on the Bulldogs’ home field.

Both the Algona (3-2, 0-1) and Humboldt (2-3, 0-1) lost their district openers last week and need to get back on track this week. The Bulldogs enter the matchup with a 54-51-3 advantage all-time in the series.

Webster City opened district play with a victory last Friday, and will now take on seventh-ranked Sioux Center (4-1, 0-1). The Lynx, Warriors and Sioux City Heelan prevailed in district clashes a week ago.

It doesn’t get any easier for Southeast Valley (3-2, 1-1) on Friday. The Jaguars are coming off a loss to top-ranked Carroll Kuemper.

This week? Southeast Valley entertains No. 2 Okoboji (5-0, 2-0).

Both seventh-rated Emmetsburg (4-1, 2-0) and Manson Northwest Webster (3-2, 2-0) are unbeaten early in district action. They square off this week. The E-Hawks are looking to dethrone the Cougars, who handed them their only league loss in 2024.

Eagle Grove (1-4, 0-2) will travel to Clarion-Goldfield/Dows (3-2, 1-1).

Humboldt (2-3, 0-1) at Algona (3-2, 0-1)

Last year, this contest may have been one of the biggest in the history of the series. Algona was No. 1 in Class 3A at the time, and the Wildcats were right behind. Humboldt took a hard-fought 21-20 victory.

The district foes enter with new quarterbacks behind center in 2025. Algona comes in with Nathan Manske, and Jackson Flaherty is now the signal-caller for Humboldt.

This game may not have the hype of 2024, but it’s just as important as both teams are searching for their first district victory.

Last week, Algona lost to MOC-Floyd Valley, 14-13. Humboldt suffered a 21-14 setback versus Webster City.

Manske threw for 178 yards and a 16-yard touchdown pass to Evan Allie. Allie caught seven balls for 106 yards.

William Weichert had the other score on a four-yard TD plunge. Weichert ran for 119 yards on 21 carries.

The Wildcats were unable to stop Webster City’s Jaxon Griffith, who rushed for 123 yards and three touchdowns.

Flaherty threw for 136 and a 69-yard touchdown strike to twin brother Chase Flaherty. Cash McIntire added a score.

On the season, Manske has thrown for 673 yards and eight touchdowns. He also has 321 yards and five scores on the ground.

Weichert is the groundhog, with 556 and five touchdowns.

Tate Garman has caught 20 balls for 370 yards and three TDs. Evan Allie has two scores, while Taevyn Zinnel, Weichert and Micah Kitzinger have one each.

Flaherty has for 816 yards and nine touchdowns for Humboldt.

Valley Davis and Chase Flaherty have been the big receiving threats. Davis has 14 catches, 320 yards and three TDs.

Chase Flaherty has 16 grabs for 317 yards and three scores. Jaxson Kirchhoff has two touchdowns.

No. 7 Sioux Center (4-1, 0-1) at Webster City (2-3, 1-0)

Sioux Center ran into a buzzsaw in its district opener against fourth-ranked Sioux City Heelan.

The Warriors put forth a strong effort, losing 28-15. Quarterback Ezra Hibma threw for 144 yards. Cody Sandbutte had the lone offensive score on the night on the ground.

Sandbutte also returned a punt for a score.

Jaxson Griffith had 123 yards and three scores for the Lynx in a big 21-14 win at Humboldt.

On the season, Hibma has thrown for 808 yards and 11 scores. Sandbutte has rushed for 297 yards and five scores.

Griffith has 421 yards on the ground and five TDs for the Lynx, while Aiden Hrnicek has 352 and four touchdowns.

Webster City’s Kaleb Hansen has three scores. Edwin Ramos Nolasco has one trip to the end zone.

No. 2 Okoboji (5-0, 2-0) at Southeast Valley (3-2, 1-1)

It was a tough go for the Jaguars in their second district contest, as they lost to top-rated Carroll Kuemper, 42-6. Casey Hanson had the lone touchdown for Southeast Valley, scoring on a 21-yard run.

With their two-quarterback system, the Jaguars have thrown for 817 yards. Hanson is 24-for-31 for 295 yards, while Mason Bahr is 31 of 55 for 522.

Bahr has nine touchdown throws and Hanson has four.

Hanson has been the groundhog for SV as well, carrying the ball 50 times for 410 yards and seven scores. Bahr has two touchdown runs, as does Drew Temple.

Logan Jaeschke and Bryce Harrison have been the key targets for Bahr and Hanson. Jaeschke has 26 grabs for 352 yards, and Harrison has 20 for 339. They have six and four touchdowns, respectively. Colin Johnson has two end zone trips and Alex Burger has one.

For Okoboji, Trey Vander Pol has been a marksman, going 59-for-85 for 870 yards and 10 TDs.

Mike Wasson is the Pioneers’ leader on the ground, running the ball 33 times for 157 yards and four touchdowns. Rhyker Wright, Camden Vonik and Asa Jacobsen have two TDs each.

The receiving corp is led by Avery Simington. He has 17 catches for 296 yards and four scores. Jerron Heller and Jacobsen have two touchdown grabs.

Manson Northwest Webster (3-2, 2-0) at No. 7 Emmetsburg (4-1, 2-0)

After dropping their first two contests of the season, the Cougars have reeled off three straight victories, including a 21-0 win last week over Pocahontas Area.

The E-Hawks’ only loss of the season was to 2A ranked foe Okoboji. Last week, Emmetsburg tipped South Central Calhoun by a final of 34-27.

In the Cougars’ win, Coy Moline, Mason Anderson and Tegan Thoma scored touchdowns. Moline had 153 yards on 25 carries.

The Cougar defense came up big with four interceptions. Jack Hoeppner had two, while Thoma and Aiden Nelson recorded one each.

In the E-Hawks’ triumph, Tyce Jenness and Brennan Hasbrouck each tossed touchdowns. Jenness also ran for a score. He carried the ball 10 times for 110 yards.

Bradyen Yates had 23 carries for 135 yards and a TD.

Ryan Wirtz and Krayton Rutledge had touchdown catches.

Moline has carried the ball 95 times for 642 yards and six trips to the end zone to lead the Cougars. Thoma and Charlie Sturgis have two touchdowns each for MNW, while Dawson Marine, Anderson, and Jackson McGuire have one a piece.

Yates has 761 yards and six scores on the year. Jenness has 288 and eight TDs.

Jenness has thrown three touchdowns, and Hasbrouck has two. Rutledge and Ryan Wirtz have touchdown grabs.

Eagle Grove (1-4, 0-2) at Clarion-Goldfield/Dows (3-2, 1-1)

The Cowboys couldn’t slow No. 1 Grundy Center last week, falling 56-8. The lone score for Clarion-Goldfield-Dows came on a nine-yard touchdown scamper from Colin Sesker.

The Eagles lost to Central Springs, 36-28.

Gavin Pedersen had a big day for the Eagles, returning an interception 53 yards for a touchdown and grabbing a TD for a score.

Trenton Robinson and Adrian Whipple had rushing scores. Whipple threw a touchdown and had 74 yards.

Whipple has thrown for 413 yards and three TDs, and he has scrambled for four scores as well. Robinson has 501 yards and three touchdowns.

Pedersen has two rushing scores and Leelan Spencer has one.

Pedersen also has eight catches for 230 yards and three TDs.

The Cowboys are led by Joel Meier and Selvin Gonzalez on the ground. Meier has 521 yards, while Gonzalez has 515. They have seven and four touchdowns, respectively.

Esker has three scores and Charlie Campbell has one.

Huxley Lingenfelter and Sesker have touchdown catches on the year.

Other area games: South Hamilton (0-5, 0-1) at Pocahontas Area (1-4, 0-2); East Sac County (2-3, 1-1) at South Central Calhoun (2-3, 0-2); Newell-Fonda (1-5) at Remsen St. Mary’s (1-4); West Bend-Mallard (2-2, 2-1) at Siouxland Christian (0-5, 0-2); No. 1 Bishop Garrigan (5-0, 2-0) at North Union (3-2, 2-1).