The New London-Spicer Wildcats are looking for their second-straight win of this early football season with their home opener against Albany on Friday.
The Wildcats, now 1-1, are one week removed from upsetting two-time reigning state champion Becker 42-41 in overtime. They opened their season with a 27-21 overtime loss to Glencoe-Silver Lake
"It was a huge win," NLS coach Dan Essler said. "Watching initially, I thought we could hang with them and we happened to play very well. We feel really good about it."
NLS now sets its sights on Albany (1-1), the final game of the tough three-game opening stretch. Essler said they key to the game will be to dictate the rhythm of the game.
"Albany is a ball control offense," Essler said. "They'll try to make you pass the ball, so we need to establish the run and pass when we want to, not because we have to."
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Their running attack will be led by tailback Jackson Ness who is coming off a 22-carry, 205-yard performance against Becker. They'll also rely on fullback Josh Soine.
Should they need to pass, though, they'll look to sophomore Brandon Adelman who took over for senior quarterback-turned-tight end Evan Haugen in week one. Essler is quick to give praise to the young signal-caller who is 20-32 on the year with 268 yards passing and four touchdowns to one interception.
Haugen, the newly-minted tight end, is now the team's leading receiver with nine catches and 131 yards.