A Class 3A top-10 clash between Big 9 Conference rivals Austin and Northfield is sure to be a top game this week, especially because this is the first meeting between the two teams after the Packers defeated the Raiders 73-61 in the Class 3A, Section 1 final last season.
After that win, Austin went on to take second place in the tournament last season, and the No. 8-3A Packers (8-0, 5-0) have picked up right where they left off in March. The senior pair of Duoth Gach (13 ppg) and Tate Hebrink (13.5 ppg), last season's second and third leading scorers, are leading an offense that has never scored less than 71 points and its smallest margin of victory was six points in a 71-65 win against No. 3-4A Lakeville North on Dec. 29.
Northfield (7-1, 5-0) has a potent offense of its own, outscoring opponents by at least 12 points in all of its wins. Alex Rasmussen (17.8 ppg) and Mason Zick (14.5 ppg) have upped their scoring from last season's 14.4 and 8.4 points per game and have helped put the No. 10-3A Raiders in position to exact some revenge for last season's section final loss and make a push for the conference title as the season goes along.