When, where: Friday, 7:30 p.m. at Raider Valley in Coal Mountain

Records, rankings: Central is 3-1 and unranked in Class 7A; North is 3-2 and unranked.

Series history: Started in 1996; North leads 8-6

Last meeting: North won 31-0 in 2013

Total scoring (average): North 284 (20.3), Central  280 (20)

Closest game: Central 27, North 25 (2007)

Most lopsided game: Central 47, North 14 (1997)

Coaches report: Frank Hepler 0-0, Robert Craft 0-0

Central wins if…it can slow down the game. Both teams feature drastically different styles, with North wanting to run up and down the field and score at will. Ball control, especially efficient intermediate running plays, will be key.

North wins if…it can tackle Sabrian Howard. Howard is the centerpiece of Central’s attack. If he’s not moving, Central isn’t moving either. Howard is a load to handle and takes more than one tackler to bring down, so rallying to the football on defense is paramount.