Football Friday: Holy Angels at Northfield

Both teams are coming back tough losses last Friday night. The Stars hopes of winning a Missota Conference title were extinguished, while a long season got a little longer for the Raiders, who were shut out on the road.

LAST WEEK

Holy Angels (5-1, 4-1 Missota) lost at home to Shakopee 10-7; Northfield (2-4, 1-4 Missota) got blanked by Farmington 27-0.

PLAYOFF PICTURE

• Holy Angels (Section 3AAAA)

Despite their loss, the Stars held the No. 2 spot in the section behind St. Thomas Academy. Now all they need is to win and for the Cadets to lose to Hill-Murray on Friday to move into the top spot. St. Thomas Academy, Holy Angels and South St. Paul are locked into the top three spots in the seven-team section.

• Northfield (Section 1AAAA)

Northfield's chances of landing the No. 2 seed ended in Farmington last Friday night. But remarkably the Raiders still have a shot at the third spot—behind Red Wing and Faribault—even if they lose their last two games, because the other four teams in the section have three wins between them so far.

STARS WIN IF …

They come ready to play. Holy Angels is coming off an emotional loss to Shakopee in what amounted to the conference championship game last Friday night, and now has to hit the road to take on a Raiders squad that has won just once in Missota play. That's the perfect formula for a letdown, something the Stars cannot afford.

RAIDERS WIN IF …

They can sustain drives, and they get some help from the Stars. The young Raiders have been their own worst enemy all season, coming unraveled in the face of adversity. Northfield probably doesn't have the horses to stay with Holy Angels if the Stars bring their “A” game, but being able to overcome some speed bumps will go a long way toward keeping them in the game.

TWO-MINUTE DRILL

• SITE:
• TIME: 7 p.m. Friday
• WEATHER FORECAST: Mostly clear, 52 and windy
• LAST SEASON: Northfield 16, Holy Angles 8

HOLY ANGELS SCHEDULE
Sept. 2: Holy Angels 28, CHISAGO LAKES AREA 0
Sept. 9: Holy Angels 49, NEW PRAGUE 20
Sept. 16: HOLY ANGELS 36, Red Wing 0
Sept. 23: Holy Angels 35, CHANHASSEN 33
Sept. 30: HOLY ANGELS 35, Farmington 7
Oct. 7: Shakopee 10, HOLY ANGELS 7
Friday, Oct. 14 at Northfield, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 19 vs. Chaska, 7 p.m.

NORTHFIELD SCHEDULE
Sept. 1: Northfield 11, ST. PAUL CENTRAL 9
Sept. 9: CHASKA 36, Northfield 25
Sept. 16: NORTHFIELD 33, New Prague 20
Sept. 23: RED WING 14, Northfield 7
Sept. 30: Chanhassen 28, NORTHFIELD 7
Oct. 7: FARMINGTON 27, Northfield 0
Friday, Oct. 14 vs. Holy Angels, 7 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 19 vs. Shakopee, 7 p.m.