Preview: Waubonsie Valley at Neuqua Valley

Upstate Eight Conference Waubonsie Valley (0-3, 0-1) Neuqua Valley (1-2, 0-1)

Game time: 7:30 p.m. today, North Central College

Last year: Waubonsie Valley 10, Neuqua Valley 6.

Last week: St. Charles East 21, Waubonsie Valley 0; Lake Park 20, Neuqua Valley 6.

Outlook: Neuqua leads the Indian Prairie Classic series 7-2 despite last year's loss, Waubonsie's first win since 2001. Not only Upstate Eight but playoff jockeying is at stake.

Waubonsie probably needs 5 wins in its last six games and Neuqua 4 with a tougher schedule. Warriors coach Paul Murphy's main message is have fun, play with passion and good things should happen.

Quarterback Tyler Castro is having a much better season than the record indicates, and a scrappy defense is bolstered by the probable return of linebacker Owen Saldana.

Plus, kicker Mitch Ewald should be ready to pin Neuqua deep on kickoffs after missing two games with an injured arm. Neuqua coach Bryan Wells stresses improved third-down play on both sides of the ball. That includes blanketing Waubonsie's receivers out of its spread attack.

After St. Charles East's 6 sacks of Castro, Wildcats defenders Grant Duckwall, Christian Eble, Kaelin Harvey and Pat Keeley presumably are drooling over their chance.