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Friday, October 10, 2008

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Crucial conference clash set

HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL

By MIKE BIALKA

Sports Editor

This one has the potential to be a dandy.

Two teams on a roll will collide Friday night when the Brainerd Warriors meet the Fergus Falls Otters in Central Lakes Conference football.

Brainerd (5-1 overall) has won five straight games. Fergus Falls (6-0) is ranked fifth in Class 4A and is CLC's surprise team, having knocked off a number of favored foes along the way.

"We've never been in the conference hunt before," Otters coach Richard Risbrudt said, "so this is kind of a new position for us. We're just happy to be where we are. I don't think Fergus Falls has been 6-0 in a long time, and I don't think Fergus has ever beaten Brainerd in football. That speaks for itself."

Warriors at Fergus Falls

When: 7 p.m. Friday

Where: Otter Stadium, Fergus Falls

The series: Fergus Falls leads 12-7. Brainerd won 56-6 last season.

Actually, the Otters last beat Brainerd in 1986, the year the series was discontinued until Fergus joined the CLC in the fall of 2006.

The Otters, 3-6 last season following a winless campaign in 2006, have leaned on four returning starters on defense and four returning offensive linemen to turn the program around.

"Our offensive line, so far, has been opening up some holes, and giving our quarterback time to pass," Risbrudt said.

One of the linemen is Josh Campion, a 6-5, 250-pound senior who has verbally committed to Minnesota.

"What Minnesota likes about him is he's got excellent technique in what he does," Risbrudt said. "You put together strength and good technique and it makes for a good blocker. He's a good run blocker and pass blocker, that's what they want him for. Protecting the quarterback's back side is an important position."

Campion isn't the only talented Otter. Quarterback Derek Hansen has passed for 934 yards and nine touchdowns. Matt Mithaugen has rushed for 595 yards and 10 TDs. Ike Carlson has added 362 yards rushing and five scores.

Mithaugen also has 313 yards receiving and four TDs. Nick Risbrudt has caught 20 passes for 309 yards and two TDs. Will Rader has 202 yards receiving and three TDs.

Meanwhile, the Otters' defense has allowed an average of 19.2 points and 297.3 yards a game.

"Fergus is a very nice team," Warriors coach Ron Stolski said. "They have a number of very good athletes. Their quarterback is the best thrower we've seen this season and he has good receivers. They have a big offensive line, with the U of M recruit Campion in it. They have all the things that make for a good team.

"They're well-balanced. They find ways to win. There have been a few games where it's been pretty close, then they just keep their composure and find ways to win."

So do the Warriors, who are outscoring opponents by an average of 28.5 points to 10.2 and averaging 318.3 yards a game to foes' 249.7.

The contest not only is a matchup of teams with a combined one loss. The outcome also will have something to say about who wins the conference and gets highly seeded in their respective sections.

Fergus is 4-0 in the CLC, Brainerd is 3-1. The Otters close the regular season Wednesday at Alexandria while the Warriors will host Sartell.

Brainerd leads the Section 8-5A standings with 13 points, the Otters lead Section 8-4A with 55.

"It seems like always toward the end of the year we end up this way where we have the opportunity to have something to say about the conference, and it even has some section implications," Stolski said. "We're getting down to the wire now. We've got (three) practices left for two games."

MIKE BIALKA may be reached at mike.bialka@brainerddispatch.com or at 855-5861.

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