GRAND MEADOW — If the Superlarks want to get to their third straight Prep Bowl, they’ll have to get past a familiar opponent.

For the second straight season Grand Meadow and Kittson County Central will face off in the Class nine man state football semifinals as the two teams square off in St. Cloud State University Friday at 5 p.m.

Last season the Bearcats had an offense that featured a lot of speed and big play ability, but the team graduated seven seniors on offense and this season they’ve relied on running Carson Thorsteinson, who was a fullback last season and has more than 1,800 rushing yards this season.

“They’re a lot more one dimensional this year,” GM head coach Gary Sloan said. “They pretty much line up and run the ball at you and they’re not throwing the ball very much. If we can do a good job against Thorsteinson, we feel like we’ve got a pretty good chance.”

The Superlarks were a little sore on Monday after a physical battle with Underwood, but that game also helped GM keep its focus on the task at hand.

“It’s good for us to have a reality check with those big guys to make sure that we’re not overconfident,” GM senior lineman Wyatt Richardson said.

The game against KCC will feature two strong defenses as the Bearcats (10-2 overall) are allowing just 8.5 points per game, and the Superlarks (12-0 overall), who have shut out their last two opponents, are allowing 6.8 points per game.

Sloan feels his team is ready for the pressures of another big game.

“These kids are focused,” Sloan said. “They’ve been talking all year about getting back and defending the championship. Now we’re close enough where if we win the game, we’re in the championship game.”

GM has six seniors on this year’s team who want nothing more than to end this season with a state championship. But they also realize this will be their last season playing football for the Superlarks.

GM senior lineman Jordan Miland said the postseason run has been a little bittersweet.

“It’s exciting that we’re going to finish in the state tournament, hopefully we’ll finish number one, but it’s sad,” he said. “All of these years of playing football is coming to an end; I don’t want to see it end.”

The winner of GM-KCC will play the winner of Norman County East/UH and Edgerton/Ellsowrth at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis Nov. 21 at 10 a.m.