The Jackson County Central football team is one win away from a fifth State Tournament trip in a row during the chase for a third straight championship.
The fourth-ranked Huskies make their sixth consecutive appearance in the Section 3AA championship game on Friday night at SMSU in Marshall against Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial.
JCC is 8-1 overall after holding Pipestone Area to 60 total yards in a 42-0 semifinal victory at Swearingen Field. The Huskies have the second-best offense in Class AA averaging nearly 45 points per game, eighth-best defense allowing less than 13 points per game, and the third-best scoring advantage of 32 points on average.
The ninth-ranked Knights are 9-1 overall with dominant playoff wins over Windom Area and Minnesota Valley Lutheran. LCWM is ranked third in Class AA defense giving up only seven points per game, ninth in offense while scoring nearly 37 points per game, and fourth in scoring differential of just less than 30 points on average.
The Knights hung with the Huskies for most of their 25-0 loss in Lake Crystal on September 11. This is the first Knights appearance in the section championship since their only other trip to State in 1987.
The championship kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. on Friday, November 6, at SMSU in Marshall with our coverage starting at 6:40 p.m. on KKOJ.
TOM SCHULLER
KEVIN HAGGE