Its now in mid November, the district tournaments are now over and now in classes one-five for MSHSAA there are only eight teams remaining and only four in class six, the Spartans are one of eight teams remaining in class five as the 7-4 Spartans will face a pretty successful program in the 10-1 Fort Zumwalt North Panthers.

The Spartans are coming into this game after what people would say “shocked” the number one seeded 8-3 Timberland T-Wolves in the district championship game 34-13 to claim its fifth straight district championship. The Spartans offense was able to drive down the field with great runs, passes, and blocks, even though the low temperature was 17 degrees outside, however it really was the defense who made lots of the game occur as the defense would play its best game of the season allowing its fewest points of the year in 14, the defense was able to make beneficial stops for the offense to keep going down to score, if the defense is able to keep up that mentality and intensity, it will be a very low scoring game for the Panthers.

The Panthers are coming into this game winning their fifth district championship in a row with a home 43-18 win over the McCluer North Stars. The Panthers have been very successful as they’ve only lost one game this season that came to the Timberland T-Wolves back in week eight of the regular season 32-34. They will just look to what they have been doing all season as they wanna make it back to the semifinals after not making it last season.

The Panthers and Spartans have a playoff history as they have played three times in playoff history, and they have always been close as each finish has been decided by one score, In 2014 the Spartans were able to upset the Panthers in their first ever state quarterfinal game in program history 20-13 and would eventually go on to win the State Championship two weeks later, In 2015 The Panthers went in at home in this quarterfinal matchup undefeated and the Spartans were able to pull it out 17-10 by two fourth quarter touchdowns from former star Spartan and current Nebraska receiver Jaevon McQuitty, In 2016 the Panthers would finally get a laugh as they would upset the Undefeated Spartans on a last second field goal 28-25 to move onto the State Championship game, where they would ultimately fall to Vianney 14-49 in that game.

Friday Night 7 pm go out and support your Spartans on to victory and to the Final Four.