OTTUMWA — A match-up of two playoff teams, a pair of rivalry games and several non-district games with new opponents.

Welcome to what promises to be a very interesting first full week of the area high school football season.

With district and, in some cases, class realignment setting in for this football season the first two weeks may feel more familiar for some teams than the district play that starts in September will. Two teams that actually got to stay in their same district as last year will get familiar opposition to start their brand new seasons on their home field in two of the area’s better opening-week matchups.

The only local matchup of two postseason teams from last season takes place in Albia, where a new scoreboard won’t be the only thing unveiled by Jerry Staton’s Blue Demons. Matching up with Fairfield, the Blue Demons look to utilize a host of options with the pistol offensive set that helped pace Albia to a 7-3 season and a postseason berth as the Class 2A, District 6 runner-up last year.

“A lot of schools have gone to the spread offenses, so it’s pretty easy to prepare for that,” Staton said. “It’s not as easy for other teams to prepare for our pistol offense. We’ll get ready for our new opponents. They’ll have a tough time preparing for us.”

What made Albia’s success last season equally as amazing was the infusion of youth that led the Blue Demons. Several sophomores were key contributors last season including starting quarterback Brett Leshen and leading receiver Zach Hugen.

Armed with this year’s sophomore crop that dominated opponents on the freshman level by over 50 points a game, Albia figures to be ready for more success in 2012. Despite having a host of new district opponents to overcome, Staton’s philosophy centers around his team focusing on the kind of success only his team has any control over.

“It doesn’t matter who we’re lining up against. We focus on being the best team we can be each and every night out,” Staton said. “If we can do that, we’ll consider every game we play a victory.”

Scoring a win on the scoreboard against Fairfield, who managed a postseason berth despite losing three of their final regular season games, won’t be easy. The Trojans up-and-down 5-5 season included a four-game winning streak early on in the head coaching return of Mike Schenck, a feat Fairfield hopes to begin duplicating tonight with a eight returning starters including quarterback Dillon Fry, running back Spencer Peterman as well as linebackers Seth Davisson and Josh Dimmitt along with four returning linemen.

The other Class 2A, District 6 returnee opens their season playing for a pennant. Davis County, who has been known for recent success on the baseball diamond, will look retain their title as “Pennant Game” winners on the gridiron tonight in Bloomfield against rival Centerville.

The Mustangs figure on going through plenty of changes after overcoming injuries on the way to a 6-4 record and postseason berth last season. Those changes start at the top, with Joe Rasmussen and Todd White taking over the head coaching duties vacated by Ed Koser in July to take over a job in Memphis, Mo.

There is plenty of experience that will be found between the sidelines tonight as both the Mustangs and Big Reds return key talent from last year. Davis County will send out Calvin Utt, who took over for the injured Josh Martsching early on last year, to lead the Mustang offense again this season with top receiver Park Mickels and several senior linemen also returning to the gridiron for the new season.

Centerville, meanwhile, struggled at times after an 0-9 season in 2010. The Big Reds scored season-opening and season-closing wins in their first year under coach Chuck Evans and return several skill position including junior quarterback Michael Starcevich (658 yards passing and five touchdowns) along with leading tacklers Houston Moore (78 last season) and Riley Denny (75).

The other matchup of regular rivals takes place in Keosauqua, where Cardinal and Van Buren meet up as non-district foes after spending last year together in Class 1A, District 6. The Comets will stick around in that district while the Warriors, in their second year of resurrection under Richard Wiegand, will move to Class A, District 5 this season.

Last year’s matchup between the Comets and Warriors was a thriller, with Cardinal edging out Van Buren by two, 20-18, in the season finale. Dakota Showman, who had two touchdowns including a game-winning 90-yard interception return in that contest, is back as the Comets’ returning senior quarterback under second-year head coach Adam Hadenfeldt.

Van Buren, meanwhile, made early-season magic last year by winning their second game at Winfield-Mount Union after having to cancel the entire 2010 vasity season due to a lack of numbers. The Warriors’ returning talent this season includes Aaron Clemens, who will take over quarterback duties after spending most of last season at running back, along with returning juniors Dillon Showman and Mitch Garrells who stared on the defensive side of the ball as sophomores.

Another newcomer to Class A opens play tonight at home with a new non-district opponent. Pekin opens at home with New London.

The Panthers’ Skunk River rival, S-K, also opens at home tonight hosting Central Lee. Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont will also look to duplicate non-district success against Pleasantville tonight after shutting down the Trojans last year, 45-0.

Pekin’s new Class A, District 6 rival, North Mahaska, hosts GMG tonight after opening last week at Belle Plaine with a 28-0 loss. The Warhawks were limited to just 117 total yards of offense by the Plainsmen.

Oskaloosa and Chariton, two newcomers to Class 3A, District 8, open on the road as the Indians head to Indianola while Chariton travels to Creston. In Eight-Player action, District 5 play begins tonight as Tri-County heads to Seymour while Melcher-Dallas travels to Twin Cedars.



Friday Football Schedule, Aug. 14

Prep Football

CLASS 4A, Division 3

Ottumwa at Keokuk

CLASS 3A, District 8

Chariton at Creston

Oskaloosa at Indianola

CLASS 2A, District 6

Fairfield at Albia

Centerville at Davis County

CLASS 1A, District 6

Pleasantville at Eddyville-Blakesburg-Fremont

Central Lee at Sigourney-Keota

CLASS A, District 5

Cardinal at Van Buren

CLASS A, District 6

GMG at North Mahaska

New London at Pekin

EIGHT-PLAYER, District 5

Tri-County at Seymour

Melcher-Dallas at Twin Cedars