Football preview: Wausau West looks to move to 3-0 but will have to snap three-game skid to D.C. Everest on Friday

The Wisconsin Valley Conference football season kicks off with a big rivalry game at Stiehm Stadium on Friday night as the D.C. Everest Evergreens will host the Wausau West Warriors in a game that will be broadcast live on Wausau Area Sports (6:40 pm airtime). The Warriors enter 2-0 overall after wins at Menomonie and at home vs. Rice Lake while the Evergreens are 1-1 after falling at Chippewa Falls in the opener and coming from behind to beat Menomonie at home last week.

It is the second straight season the Warriors make the short trip to Schofield as last September the Evergreens shut down the West offense in a 17-0 win. It was the third straight time that DCE has handed West a defeat. Early on, it appears that these two teams are among a gaggle of squads capable of winning the WVC along with SPASH and Marshfield.

Both teams are capable of moving the ball through the air behind talented quarterbacks in Jackson Riley for the Warriors and Ty Rohde for the Evergreens but both Warriors' coach Matt Johnson and Evergreens' coach Braden Mitchell will want to establish the run game and force the opposing defense to make the first adjustment. The West ground attack was strong in their week 1 win at Menomonie but less stellar in the win last week against Rice Lake. Part of the issue for West vs. Rice Lake was how the time of possession was tilted heavily towards Rice Lake. However, Riley and the pass game stepped up to lift the Warriors to the win. Miles Waldvogel has gained 266 yards on 37 carries so far this season.

For Everest, after losing in week 1 and falling behind Menomonie 21-9 last week in the third quarter, it was a return to the power run game that sparked a run of 21 unanswered points that led to the win. Andrew Bangtson and Tristan Gast were fed the ball on back-to-back series where the Evergreens ran the ball on 11 of 12 plays and scored two touchdowns. West has difficulty stopping the Rice Lake run game last week and will need to find a way to get off the field against Everest. In addition, Wausau West has one of the top defensive secondaries in the conference and would like to put Everest in situations where they are forced to pass.

Additionally, in any game between evenly matched teams, the special teams could be the difference. In last week's win over Rice Lake, West got an 88 yard kickoff return touchdown in the third quarter from Taeden Moua that proved key in the one score win. Both teams feature good kicking games. The Evergreens Wes Polley is 1 for 1 in field goals this season while Finn Christensen and Andrew Kurth have both been effective for West.

Finally, there will be the emotional aspect. A large, energetic crowd is expected and the ability for the teams to use the emotion in positive ways will be vital. 15 yard penalties in important situations could be the difference in a close game.

Wausau West at D.C. Everest

Stiehm Stadium

7:00 pm kickoff

6:40 pm airtime on Wausau Area Sports YouTube channel

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grz0q6YNRg8