The appetizers have been served.
Not, it’s time for the meaty portions of Montezuma’s football schedule and that starts with BGM at their place on Friday, Sept. 27.
Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
The Bears are 2-2, with the two losses coming at the hands of a pair of good teams: 52-27 last week to unbeaten Belle Plaine, and 76-67 at the start of the season to Iowa Valley, the top scoring team in Class 8.
BGM is wound pretty tight around the skills set of 6-0, 180-pound junior quarterback Beau Burns.
Burns has thrown for 14 touchdowns and rushed for 14 more.
Burns has hit five different receivers in BGM’s strong short passing game. Sometimes, the quarterback takes it himself. He has rushed 74 times for 565 yards, while completing 52 of 79 passes for 967 yards.
Top receiver has been 6-0, 190-pound senior Tate Martin, who has caught 18 passes for 259 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Martin is the Bears’ top tackler, whith 27.5 stops, including 9 tackles for loss.
BGM’s wins were 70-0 over Twin Cedars and 86-6 over Meskwaki Settlement School.
The 4-1 Braves, meanwhile, are the number 3 offense in Class 8 with 65.8 points per game. They’ve shown major improvement on defense this year, yielding just 14.4 points per game, 13th-best in the class.
The Braves have controlled recent games with their ground attack and defense and haven’t asked quarterback Brady Boulton to throw as much.
Nevertheless, Boulton is 41-for-69 for 605 yards, 10 touchdowns, and a passer efficiency rating of 175.
Montezuma’s ground game has been a three-headed monster. Boulton leads with 411 yards on 37 carries (11.1 avg.), and six touchdowns.
Halfback Broox Stockman has 386 yards on 46 carries and 13 touchdowns.
Fullback Brett Plants (5-11, 219) has 54 carries for 335 yards and three scores.
They’re led forward by an offensive line that is equal parts rangy, powerful and robust – heights ranging to 6-6, and weights up to 245.
The Braves are averaging 8.0 yards per rushing play.
Linebacker Stockman has 26.5 tackles, including 16 solos.
As a team, the Braves have 40 tackles for lost yardage.
They’re anxious for the bus door to open Friday in Brooklyn.