GRAND MEADOW — Ever since this season started, Grand Meadow and Spring Grove have been on a collision course to meet for a District title and the top seed in Section 1 nine man.

Now the top ranked Superlarks (7-0 overall) and No. 2 ranked Lions (7-0 overall) will finally meet on the gridiron in Spring Grove 7 p.m. Friday.

The Superlarks have won the last five contests against the Lions, but most of those games have been close and GM is expecting another battle when the teams square off in the regular season finale. GM senior quarterback Michael Stejskal said that it helped to have seven games to get ready for the premier matchup of the season.

Up until this point, GM has outscored its opponents 56.1-12.6 points per game and SG has held a 57.6 to 6.7 points per game scoring edge.

“I think in the first game we weren’t as good a team as we are now,” Stejskal said. “Each game we focus on improving and we focus on a certain thing that we need to get better for in every game. I think these first seven games have been building blocks for this game.”

The Lions feature a bevy of play-makers in quarterback Chase Grinde, tight end Brady Shuttemeier, and wide receivers Dylan Kampschroer and Alex Egnelhardt.

“Those guys really concern me,” GM head coach Gary Sloan said.

No matter where GM and SG finish in the District standings, they would meet at RCTC stadium in the section title game if they each win their first two playoff games. Although postseason home-field advantage may not be on the line, the Larks still have plenty of motivation headed into Friday’s showdown.

“We’re definitely going to try and win the game. It’s for a District championship and it’s for the number one seed,” Sloan said. “We have a 29-game winning streak on the line and that’s not something we take lightly, but if they happen to beat us I don’t want us to act like the season’s over. We’re going to be upset if that happens, but it doesn’t mean the season’s over. If we beat them, I don’t want us to act like we’re automatically going to beat them if we play them again.”

Since they’ve played in so many blowouts, the Larks haven’t had a ton of first team reps on Friday nights this fall. Stejskal thinks the team has some unlocked potential in its roster that hasn’t yet been shown.

“Everyone on our team can make plays, it just may not have happened lately,” Stejskal said. “This year I think our balance is crazy. Everyone on our team can hurt them and mostly everyone on their team can hurt us. I think it’ll be a good challenge for us.”

If the Larks are up to the challenge, they’ll begin the defense of their state title on a high note next Wednesday. If they fall short, they’ll have to regroup and recover for the postseason.