By By SCOTT NOVAK / Niles Daily Star
NILES – It's becoming crunch time for area football teams when it comes to making a run at conference and divisional title, along with the post season.
Most of the teams have at least three victories and still need three more to qualify for the playoffs.
Tonight, Dowagiac will host Plainwell in a key Wolverine Conference contest, while Buchanan will be at Coloma to take on the undefeated Comets.
In other games, Niles will travel to Portage Northern for a Big 16 non-divisional clash; Brandywine will host highly ranked Cassopolis for Homecoming, while Edwardsburg will host winless River Valley for its Homecoming.
Buchanan at Coloma
Buchanan must find a way to knock off the undefeated Comets in order to keep its Lakeland Conference title hopes alive.
The Bucks (4-1) defeated Brandywine last week 49-20, while the Comets posted a 52-20 win over Edwardsburg.
The Comets (5-0) defeated the Bobcats earlier this year 37-9.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. in Coloma.
Niles at Portage Northern
The Vikings (2-3) will travel to Portage Northern to face the 4-1 Huskies.
Niles is coming off a 21-6 loss to St. Joseph last Friday night.
Portage Northern, which lost to St. Joseph earlier this year 41-3, defeated Kalamazoo Loy Norrix last week 39-6.
The Huskies also have a 16-12 win over Lakeshore this season.
Niles must find a way to put some points on the board tonight.
The Vikings have scored just 18 combined points the last two games.
Kickoff at McCamley Field is set for 7:30 p.m.
Cassopolis at Brandywine
If the Bobcats (2-3) are going to pull off the upset on Homecoming night, they must find a way to slow down the high-powered Ranger offense.
Cassopolis (5-0) has scored 63, 50 and 61 points the past three weeks and only allowed 28 points.
Brandywine is coming off a 49-20 setback at the hands of rival Buchanan.
The Bobcats offense has been struggling of late, scoring just a combined 16 points prior to the Buchanan contest.
Kickoff is slated for 7:30 p.m. at Brandywine High School.
River Valley at Edwardsburg
Winless River Valley may be just what the Eddies (1-4) need to get well.
Edwardsburg is coming off a 52-20 loss to undefeated Coloma last week, while the Mustangs were defeated by Berrien Springs 56-6.
Outside of scoring 20 points against the Comets and 42 in a win over Bridgman, the Eddies have struggled with their new offense.
Edwardsburg scored just 14 points in losses to Constantine, Kalamazoo Christian and Brandywine.
Speaking of struggling offenses, the Mustangs have only scored six points all season.
Kickoff at Hoffman Field is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.
Plainwell at Dowagiac
The Chieftains (3-2) will be trying to rebound from their 34-33 loss in double overtime to No. 2 ranked Comstock last Friday night.
Plainwell (2-3) is coming off a 56-21 victory over Allegan last week.
Dowagiac and the Trojans have four common opponents.
Plainwell lost to South Haven 35-6, lost to Three Rivers 10-0 and defeated Vicksburg 21-7.
Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Chris Taylor-Alumni Field.