Clinching a playoff berth with a 37-14 win the final regular-season game at Horatio, the Harmony Grove Cardinals travel two and a half hours to Mountain View to take on the 8-2 Yellowjackets on Friday. The Yellowjackets suffered their first conference lost last week to Clinton in a 34-32 defeat, but went 6-1 in the 1-3A league and is the West 1 seed to the Cardinals' 5th in the 5-3A.
The Cardinals 6-4, 3-4, poured it on the Horatio Lions last week as junior quarterback Hunter Hilson passed for 219 yards and three touchdowns and senior Antonio Roberson had 18 carries for 145 yards and a TD. Also having a huge game was senior Nathan Watkins. Watkins caught five passes for 115 yards and two TDs, and had three interceptions on the day.
The Yellowjackets are a predominantly running team as senior quarterback Buddy Craig has thrown for only 409 yards and five TDs vs. two interceptions. But the ground game more than makes up for it as there are four players with over 330 on the ground, led by senior Chris Konkler's 888 and 11 TDs.
Mountain View defensive end Danyeel Whitaker leads the team with seven sacks, while senior Levi Vallery adds five. Senior Steven Gilber and Coltin Braswell lead the team with five and four interceptions, respectively.
The Cardinals and the Yellowjackets will kick off at 7 p.m. at Yellowjacket Stadium in Mountain View.