GRAND MEADOW — The Grand Meadow football team probably didn’t play its best game when it lost at Spring Grove 22-20 earlier this season. Now the Superlarks have a chance at redemption as they will play at top-seeded Spring Grove (10-0 overall) in the Section 1 nine man title game this Friday at 7 p.m.

The No. 2 seeded Larks (9-1 overall) fumbled inside their own 10-yard line, threw an interception and allowed a safety in their first matchup with the Lions.

“We need to protect the ball better,” GM head coach Gary Sloan said. “Our offensive line was outplayed by their defensive line and linebackers. We only ran for 61 yards and they put too much pressure on our quarterback, Trenton Bleifus.”

The Larks and Lions couldn’t be matched up more closely as the Lions score 50.2 points per game and allow 16.2 points per game and GM scores 42.6 points per game and allows 12.1 point s per game.

Sloan said his team needs to do a better job on third and fourth down than it did in the last meeting. He also said he’s not worried about having to go on the road.

“I am not overly concerned that this game is away,” he said. “I don’t believe that home field advantage means a great deal in high school football unless you are traveling a great distance and it is to a sight that you are not familiar with.”

The Larks have a more experienced team than the Lions as GM has 10 seniors and SG has six seniors. GM will also be getting the services of senior Perry Stejskal, who didn’t play in the first matchup due to an injury.

Stejskal, who has played defense in GM’s last three games, is about 90 percent healthy and he is expected to play on defense, offense and special teams Friday.

While Sloan is glad to have plenty of veterans, he also knows that the Lions have some talent of their own.

“We are more experienced, but their young players impressed me in the first game,” Sloan said. “I may have underestimated how good they are. I won’t make that mistake again.”

The winner of Friday’s game will move on to play the winner of Mountain Lake (8-2 overall) and Nicollet (10-0 overall) in the state quarterfinals at Rochester Community and Technical College Nov. 9 at 7 p.m.