Hampton-Dumont-CAL will host Dike-New Hartford in Week 8 Friday to conclude the regular season. It’ll air on 104.9 KLMJ and RadioOnTheGo on YouTube.
The Wolverines (5-2, 3-1 2A-4) would clinch second place in the district with a win, and with a loss could be involved in a three-way tie for second or worse. Having already clinched a playoff spot, Head Coach Don Betts views the game essentially as a playoff opener based on what’s at stake.
“That’s how we’ve approached it this week, because this is week one of the playoffs for us, because there’s so much at stake here,” Betts says. “On the road or at home in the first round is a huge difference. We’re approaching this as though we’re in a playoff game. I’m sure Hampton’s approaching it the same way. I’m excited for us to be where we’re at. There was so much uncertainty coming into the season as to how we would do this season, and our guys have worked very hard, put themselves in a great position. Now it’s a matter of closing out the regular season on the right note and getting that home playoff game.”
DNH defeated Vinton-Shellsburg 27-15 last week, bouncing back from their first district loss.
Hampton-Dumont-CAL (3-4, 2-2 2A-4) would clinch a home playoff game in the first round with a win and a Vinton-Shellsburg loss to Denver. A loss could create a three-way tie for third with point differential being the tiebreaker. Head Coach Cole Miller.
“It’s a super exciting opportunity, especially going up against a team that’s as good as Dike-New Hartford is,” Miller says. “Traditionally, they’re always a top team in whatever district they’re in or whatever classification they are. So a well-coached team, they’re always disciplined. Even the years when they don’t have the greatest athletes, they’re still a really tough team to beat because of how well they just play football. So it’s exciting. It’s like playoffs came early one week. The atmosphere around this game is a little bit more to it, a little bit more excitement because there’s a lot of implications that go with a win and there’s a lot of implications that go with a loss. So just an exciting game overall.”
The Bulldogs will look to get back on track after falling 36-7 at home to Roland-Story last week.
Pregame coverage will start at 6:15 p.m., followed by the kickoff at 7:00.
