Column: 8-Man Week 3 Preview
Anthony Crane Sports Editor
Two weeks ago, there was a sense of clarity in the 8-man community about what to expect this season. Through two weeks we’ve seen good football from the top of the state, but even the elite have shown that they are human.
Locally, it’s been a mixed bag of good, good, and unsure. Nodaway Valley has done what it’s needed to do through two weeks, Worth County is about as expected, and Platte Valley has been on both ends of the highs and lows that come with 8-man football.
The biggest test this week comes for the Tigers, hosting a revitalized Princeton group. Nodaway Valley will take on Stewartsville-Osborn, and Platte Valley gets a chance to get back on track against DeKalb.
Princeton (1-1) at Worth County (1-1)
Princeton went 0-10 last season with their closest game being a four-point loss to St. Joseph Christian. But through two weeks, Princeton appears destined to go from 0-10 to the top 10.
Adding talent helps and the additions of Gage Fortner and Wyatt Maize have gone a long way in improving the Princeton Tigers in 2026. Princeton is 1-1 with a 30-0 win over Mound City and a 64-47 loss to Rock Port on their resume.
Fortner is averaging over 250 yards passing per game this season with five touchdowns and one interception. His former Pattonsburg teammate has been his favorite target so far with 21 receptions for 398 yards and five touchdowns.
The offense has been balanced through two games as well with Mitchell Walker averaging just under 90 yards per game rushing. Walker leads the team with 173 rushing yards and 20 of the team’s 33 rushing attempts.
Princeton has been inconsistent on defense, but even when they’ve played well, the team has struggled to come up with big plays. The Tigers’ defense has just one sack, one turnover and just six tackles for loss so far.
Nodaway Valley (2-0) at Stewartsville-Osborn (1-1)
Nodaway Valley has done what’s expected of them through two weeks. The Thunder have been dominant in their two wins and seem likely to roll to 7-0 with their current schedule.
The WildCards present a different kind of opponent than what Nodaway Valley has seen through two weeks. Stewartsville-Osborn presents an athletic offense that likes to throw the ball and is averaging 40 points per game this season.
But defensively, the WildCards have not been good. The team allowed 44 points in both of their games this season. Last week, the team allowed 294 rushing yards and 70 passing yards.
Platte Valley (1-1) at DeKalb (0-2)
Platte Valley followed up its week one win with a loss to Stanberry last week. Friday presents an opportunity to flush that loss with a trip to DeKalb.
The Tigers continue to struggle, with the team having scored just eight points through two weeks. DeKalb relies heavily on its running game and sophomore Easton Matthews, but doesn’t present much else to fear.
For Platte Valley, it’s a chance for the defense to gain confidence after not being able to stop the run last week. The defense needs the boost, having not allowed fewer than 34 points since last year’s week three win against DeKalb.
