A pair of ranked teams collide on Friday night in a class A district one opener as top ranked Council Bluffs St. Albert visits seven rated Logan-Magnolia. Both teams are 2-0 and Logan-Magnolia coach Matt Straight has several players back from last year’s team that missed the playoffs following a string of close losses. Straight says they are seniors now and they will see how much they have improved.
St. Albert lost 21 seniors off last year’s team but Straight says the cupboard is not bare as they are always talented and on film they look like the same team. Straight says the Panthers will know what their weaknesses are after tonight. “You always want to find our where you are at and how much you need to improve…we’re going to find out soon,” Straight says.
St. Albert coach Kevin Culjat says 11 seniors lead what is a young team. They only have 4 juniors and 4 sophomores and a lot of freshman, but he says he’s happy with the way they have come along since practice started.
Culjat says the Falcons will need to match the physical challenge that Logan-Magnolia will present. “They want to grind it out offensively and blitz like crazy on defense and fly around,” Culjat says. He says special teams will be a big key.
St. Albert’s non district wins have come against class 1A Treynor and class 4A Thomas Jefferson.