As far as Mineral County football goes, it doesn’t get any bigger than this.

The unbeaten and largely unchallenged Superior Bobcats will host the once-beaten St. Regis Tigers with the Western B-C 8-Man conference title and precious playoff seeding position hanging in the balance Friday night under the lights in Superior.

The latest 8-Man power poll had 8-0 Superior pegged at No. 4 and 7-1 St. Regis at No. 9. As if the natural rivalry between the Bobcats and the Tigers, which has been heightened by the playoff-caliber quality of both teams the past several years, is not enough in itself.

The Bobcats and Tigers both won home games last Friday – Superior defeated Mission 70-14 in Superior and St. Regis stopped Plains 66-28 in St. Regis – to set up this week’s big game.

“I would imagine it’s one of the first times, if not the first time, our programs have both been ranked and playing this late in the season,” St. Regis coach Jesse Allan said. “Sidelines and bleachers should be jam packed, what an atmosphere this should be to close out the regular season.”

The last time the county rivals met was in late August in the first game of the 2025 season, the Tigers won that hard-fought game and went on to earn and host a home playoff game (and defeated Sheridan) last fall, while the Bobcats eventually were forced into a road game (and fell to Flint Creek) in the first round of the playoffs.

This season’s game with St. Regis has been hiding in the back of Bobcat coach Jeff Schultz’s mind all along this fall. “It’s always been there, knowing the possibility that this year’s game could be another pretty important one with St. Regis,” Schultz said. “But now we have both eyes locked in on it, are focused on this Friday’s game in Superior.”

Schultz said this year’s Bobcats have taken pride in their physicality, in their ability to man up against anybody, and hopes to keep that ball rolling this week and beyond. He is keenly aware that a loss to St. Regis could create a three-way tie with the No. 7 Darby Tigers involved as well. That could create unpredictable playoff possibilities once more.

Darby defeated St. Regis earlier this season to set up the three-way scenario possibility.

“We have hung our hat on our physical play and it has served us well,” Schultz said. “We have won that matchup with the teams we have played so far and want to keep it going Friday.”

In Superior’s stoutest test this season, the Bobcats flexed their muscles in shutting down that No. 7 Darby squad, another very physical team, 56-26 in Darby several weeks ago. Darby is also now 7-1.

Offensively, no one has managed to slow the Bobcats down yet this year as they have steamrolled their way to 518 points (64.75 points per outing) mainly behind the triple threat presented by returning All-State performers Turner Milender, Landon Richards and Gannon Quinlan, among several other developing threats.

In a display of their offensive efficiency to date, Schultz said the team’s punter Milender has not punted once yet this season, another record he would likely prefer to keep going.

But the Tigers have proven offensive talent as well. St. Regis will counter Superior’s big three with their explosive trio of Conner Lulis, Nathan Bohn and Tucker Desoto. Injured earlier this season, Chet Hill has reportedly returned as well for St Regis.

“Conner is one of the best quarterbacks in the state, very accurate throwing the ball,” Schultz said. “Bohn is crazy fast and elusive and Desoto is coming into his own and looks very speedy. St. Regis has a lot of athletes, we will have to watch them all.”

Allan respects both sides. “Superior always seems to find ways to get their guys in open space and they can turn any play into a big one,” he said. “Good news is I think we have a few pretty good athletes as well.”

Allan is looking forward to Friday’s game. “Should be a fun one for sure,” he said. “Superior has been rolling and they have proven that it’s going to take your very best if you hope to stay with them.”

“We look at this as an opportunity to kind of prove ourselves to the doubters,” Schultz said. “This is a pretty special group, they realize that it takes all eight of them to be their best, and they have been playing great together.”

Milender, Quinlan and Richards put the hurt on Mission last week.

Milender finished the game with 105 yards and two touchdowns rushing and two pass catches for 34 yards and another TD. Quinlan was good for 105 yards rushing on only seven carries and another 74 yards on four pass catches, scoring a touchdown running and another receiving.

Richards turned in another pitch-perfect performance at quarterback, connecting on six of six passes for 111 yards and three touchdowns in addition to running the ball for 55 yards and another touchdown.

One of the leading pass interceptors in the state 8-Man ranks this fall, John Hughes grabbed another one against Mission and also caught a pass on offense for 18 yards, Ethan Durovey added 49 yards rushing Cael Crabb 21, and Tyler Mellen 26 receiving yards and eight more rushing.

In St. Regis’ win over Plains, Lulis completed 13 of 17 passes for 182 yards and three touchdowns to lead the Tigers, also adding 41 yards rushing and a touchdown, and intercepting a pass and forcing a fumble on defense.

Bohn caught five passes for 81 yards and a touchdown and also had an interception, and Desoto chipped in two receptions for 48 yards and a touchdown and 96 yards rushing and two more TDs.

Cameron Bolen added 81 yards rushing and 25 receiving scoring a touchdown and two touchdowns for the Tigers, Ashton Ullrich (of Mullan) scored a touchdown on a pick six in the third quarter and freshman Hunter Slattery scored a touchdown on a kickoff return and had two strip fumbles for big returns on defense.