Game preview: Hennessey at Northeast

Hennessey at Northeast
When: 7:30 p.m. Friday
Where: Moses F. Miller Stadium, Douglass High School

Why Hennessey could win: The Eagles will be missing last year’s quarterback, Matt Luetjen, but they still have a lot of talent, with guys like RB Ivan Moreno, who got plenty of action on last year’s Class A semifinalist. Linebacker Raul Orosco returns after leading the team in tackles last year. Even with the move up to 2A, Hennessey is a strong player in the postseason discussion.

Why Northeast could win: Last year’s 1-9 record might sound bad, but Northeast played eight teams ranked in the top 20 of their respective classes, including 5A Tulsa Central. The Vikings should turn things around with the move down to 2A, which lost some good teams who made the move up to 3A. The situation is ripe for coach Tim Thomas and the Vikings to build some momentum and put a few more marks in the win column this season.

Key matchup: The trench battle. Hennessey has good size and talent up front, so Northeast must find a way to contain the Eagle defensive line and not get overpowered by their blockers on offense.

The pick: Hennessey 28, Northeast 20. Ultimately, Hennessey’s size and depth advantages will be too much for the Vikes.