There are plenty of big matchups this week for prep football and at the top of the list is Northwood-Kensett against Mason City Newman at Northwood Friday night.

Both teams are ranked in the top 10 in Class A, the Vikings (3-1, 2-0 District 3A) at No. 8 and the Knights (4-0, 2-0 District 3A) at No. 4.

With Northwood-Kensett trying to repeat as district champs this is the first of several important games for the Vikings.

“It’s obviously a big football game,” said Northwood-Kensett head coach Dave Capitani. “The winner of the game obviously put themselves in a good position for the playoffs. The five games we’ve got left are all tough.”

The final five games includes contests with NU High, which is ranked No. 10 in Class A and is currently undefeated and Rockford.

Newman quickly turned heads this season when it knocked off St. Edmond, Fort Dodge, which was ranked No. 6 in Class 1A, and Saint Ansgar. Last week the Knights shutout Rockford 28-0 in a big district game.

Northwood-Kensett is in the same position it was last year at this time, with its only loss coming to No. 2-ranked Emmetsburg.

Last year the Vikings beat the Knights 29-7, but this season it figures to be a tougher contest, especially given the way Newman has played on defense.

In four games the Knights have surrendered just 34 points and have shutout two opponents.

“I don’t know if anyone has had any real big plays against them all year,” Capitani said. “We’re probably going to have to grind it out to score.”

Northwood-Kensett should enter the game with plenty of confidence based on last week’s performance where the offensive racked up more than 500 yards against North Butler, a team Newman gave up 21 points to two weeks ago.

“I think the kids are confident,” Capitani said. “I think the kids know we’ve improved a lot in the last few weeks.”

Stopping the Knights on offense will be a tough task for Northwood-Kensett this week. Newman has averaged 27 points a game thus far and can hurt a team in multiple ways.

“They’re very good also at ball control and they’re a running team, but they throw the ball very effectively, too,” Capitani said. “It’s real tough to shut a team down like that.”

Capitani isn’t worried about the hype attached to the game, which will likely have implications for the district title. He said the team is trying to treat it as just another week even though it will have a little different atmosphere.

“It comes down to we’ve got to be able to move the football and keep it out of their hands or it will be a long night for us,” he said.

In other area action Albert Lea will try to get into the win column against Faribault in Albert Lea for its homecoming game.

No. 10-ranked New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva will try to upend No. 7-ranked Waterville-Elysian-Morristown Friday in Waterville after a 16-12 loss last season. Both teams enter the contested undefeated for the second consecutive year.