Tough matchups await area football teams

Pekin vs. Sigourney-Keota

The ?Backyard Brawl? is back and meaner than ever.

The annual matchup between Pekin and Sigourney-Keota ended in a 38-32 win for the Savage-Cobras last season, and there are many reasons to suggest it will be another fight to the finish in 2012.

?We?re looking to build off last year?s game,? said Pekin head coach Joe Donovan. ?We?ve got to keep plugging away, tackling well and doing all the things we can to control the football game.?

Pekin?s physical brand of football was on full display in its Week 1 victory over New London. The Panthers put up 41 points before the first quarter flipped over and won 88-6. Sigourney-Keota and its single-wing offense, meanwhile, topped Central Lee 35-28.

The matchup will be pitting one strong rushing attack against the other, with Pekin tailback Quentin Garrels coming off a 200-yard rushing game and Sigourney-Keota rusher Colton Greiner back after gaining 133 yards vs. Pekin last fall.

The ?Backyard Brawl? is set to kick off at 7 p.m. in Sigourney.

Cardinal vs. Danville

After a highly successful Week 1 test, the Comets return to the gridiron this week with an early opportunity to tie last season?s win total.

But it won?t be easy.

The Comets host Danville, a squad that beat them 36-22 last season, in their home opener Friday.

?They?re an athletic group. They?re not overly big but they play physical,? Comet head coach Adam Hadenfelt said.

As usual, the Comets will depend on their linemen to disrupt the Bears? quicking passing game, which totaled 292 yards in a 30-28 win over English Valley last week.

?Our line play on both sides of the ball will be the key this week,? said Hadenfelt. ?We had good line play last week, and I feel if we do that again this week it?ll give us a chance again.?

The Comets ?came out sloppy? in their 28-0 victory over Van Buren, according to Hadenfelt, and he hopes for a much better start to Week 2.

Although Cardinal?s starting quarterback Dakota Showman didn?t receive snaps vs. Danville in 2011, the sky appears to be the limit for the senior after an excellent debut last week. Showman threw for 153 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 129 yards in 10 carries in the win.

Showman has a stable of athletic receivers, including junior Cole Campbell, who is coming off a big game in which he caught two passes for 104 yards. Cody Carter, the only returning player to catch a ball vs. Danville in 2011, had one 35-yard touchdown catch last week.

The Comets had good success with their running game last time the two teams met, gaining 294 yards on the ground, and starting tailback Jonathan Pedersen, backup Tyler Albert and fullback Nathan Yeager will be in the mix for carries.

Kick off is scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday in Eldon.

Van Buren vs. West Burlington

Van Buren was shut out in a 28-0 loss to Cardinal to open the season last week, but it now hopes game experience will pay dividends in Week 2.

After all, many of the young Warriors are not only new to the varsity squad but to their positions. Van Buren is breaking in a new quarterback, running back, wide receivers and defensive players across the board as the non-district schedule continues.

Next up on the Warriors schedule is West Burlington, which finished with a 2-7 record one season ago. However, the Falcons? 2011 mark is a little deceptive, as they played in a tough Class 2A district against the likes of Mid-Prairie, Mediapolis and Sigourney-Keota.

The Falcons opened the season last week with a 34-7 loss to Fort Madison. Sophomore quarterback Da?Shon Johnson was picked off three times while throwing for eight yards, and their ground game picked up 47.

Van Buren, on the other hand, will continue to look to its rushing attack for gains. Junior quarterback Aaron Clemens picked up 37 yards on 12 carries, and sophomore tailback Vaughn Helling totaled 66 yards in 14 carries last week.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at West Burlington.