The Eagle Grove Eagles football team returns to action on Friday night, as they make the trip west on Highway 3 to take on the Indians of Pocahontas Area in Class 1A, District 2 action at the Pocahontas Athletic Complex. Eagle Grove enters at 0-7 and 0-4 in district play, while Pocahontas Area also enters at 0-7 and 0-4 in district play. Pocahontas won last year’s meeting 12-0 in Eagle Grove, as Pocahontas leads the all-time series 18-6-1, dating back to 1933.
Both teams enter Friday in search of the first win of the season, as Eagle Grove will have another opportunity in Week 9 by traveling to Belmond-Klemme. Pocahontas enters with a balanced offensive attack, directed by senior quarterback Carson Bunda, who’s thrown for 628 yards, 2 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. Bunda’s favorite target has been senior receiver Gabe Ehn, who’s caught 21 passes for 394 yards and 2 touchdowns. Junior Christian Valenzuela has also caught 14 passes for 108 yards as well. The rushing attack is led by junior Logan Shiflett, who’s rushed for 534 yards and 2 touchdowns on 94 carries.
Defensively, the linebacking core leads the way for the Indians, as senior Trevor Stuhrenberg leads the unit with 60.5 tackles and 48 solo stops. Gabe Ehn has tallied 59 tackles, a sack and a tackle for loss, while freshman Adam Marsh has also been a big contributor up front, collecting 54.5 tackles, 2 sacks and 2 tackles for loss. The linebacking core is a very young one, highlighted by freshmen Blake Bunda and Karson Welander. Bunda has tallied 34 tackles, a sack and a tackle for loss, while Welander has a 40 tackles and a pair of fumble recoveries. The defensive backfield is led by junior Logan Shiflett, who’s tallied a unit-high 41.5 tackles with a fumble recovery, as Caleb Roberts and Brayden Hudson have each recorded interceptions.
The key for Eagle Grove on Friday will be to consistently finish drives and putting points on the board. The Eagles are back to full strength after Trenton Robinson missed the East Sac game, and will not have a top 5 team staring down the barrel at them like Week 7. The Eagles defense will likely prioritize putting pressure on Carson Bunda to try and force turnovers.
Kickoff is slated for 7 PM on Friday Night at the Pocahontas Athletic Complex, the game can be heard on 95.7 KQWC or streaming online at kqradio.com.