The state high school football playoffs always provide for some regular season rematches and tonight’s opening round is no different. Class 3A fourth-ranked Clear Lake visits Charles City and the Lions will be out to avenge a loss to the Comets back in week three.Clear Lake coach Fred Wieck says they’ve gotten better at every position and the whole team has jelled. Charles City coach Steve Stallsmith says that win was a springboard to their season. He says they played three quarters of good football and winning the game jump-started the whole season.In class 1A, seventh ranked Mason City Newman hosts St. Ansgar in a rematch of a week seven game won by Newman on a last second touchdown. It is St. Ansgar’s first trip to the playoffs since 1992 and coach Drew Clevenger says his team responded well after the disappointing loss. He says they talked about taking care of business in the last two weeks of the season and now they’re in the playoffs.St. Ansgar will use a powerful ground game. Newman coach Mike Dirksen says the Knights will counter with a balanced attack. He says they can’t pound it out like St. Ansgar, so they have to move it around a little bit.
