Rivalries fire up area football weekend

Big games featuring familiar area foes kick off tonight with the 3-1 Arapahoe Warriors visiting 3-1 Dundy County-Stratton.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. CDT in Benkelman.

The clash matches two teams fresh off terrific wins.

Arapahoe tallied 22 points late to stun neighbor Cambridge, 36-34, on those Trojans’ home turf. The Tigers unleashed two 200-yard rushers in sophomore Serbando Diaz (227) and freshman quarterback Quade Myers (201) during a 54-28 triumph at Alma.

Whoever wins will own the area’s best record outside of unbeaten McCook (5-0) and Wauneta-Palisade (4-0).

Medicine Valley (3-1) could match that 4-1 mark with a huge win over unbeaten Mullen Friday night.

These Class D-1 football powers nearly collided for a state title last fall — but both fell short in semifinal contests.

Wauneta-Palisade could get a good test at 3-1 Brady Friday night. The Broncos fought off feisty Paxton, 42-34, last weekend after building a 42-8 lead.

However, rivalries really highlight week 6 as the Cambridge Trojans and Southwest Roughriders meet again.

Both teams are 1-3 though Southwest is coming off an impressive 34-14 conquest of Hitchcock County (2-2).

The Rawlins County Buffaloes (1-3) and Decaur Community Red Devils (2-2) face off at Atwood, Kan.