Chiawana at Kennewick: Which will get the inside track to a MCC football title?

This is the week.

Fans of Mid-Columbia Conference football finally get to see the top two teams in the standings — Chiawana and Kennewick, both at 6-0 — meet.

The game is set for 7 p.m., Friday, at Lampson Stadium in Kennewick, in what should be a packed stadium.

Scott Bond’s visiting Riverhawks might have a slight advantage over Randy Affholter’s host Lions, but only on paper.

Thanks to MCC statistician Tait Meyer, we know that Chiawana has the conference’s top offensive unit, as well as the No. 1 defensive team.

But Kennewick is right behind, with the No. 2 offense and No. 3 defense. And the game being at the Lions’ home might negate any Chiawana advantage.

Both teams can run the football: Chiawana has senior Anthony Godino (who is third in the conference with 489 yards) and a strong supporting cast of Gage Williams and Sawyer Sommerville; Kennewick is led by senior Rivion Brooks, who has 420 yards, despite missing one game due to injury.

Brooks also has a strong supporting cast in Lions quarterback Dominic Driver, and running backs Jakob Gay and Carter Bendewald.

Williams has been the Riverhawks’ main QB this season, but Bond and his staff are gradually getting sophomore Emmett Osterdock — who has a strong arm — into the lineup. That move also allows Williams to get some rest, as he also stars on defense at linebacker.

Meanwhile, the Lions’ offense starts with Driver, who ranks fifth in the MCC in total offense: 864 yards (239 rushing, 623 passing).

Each team has a guy who can find the end zone: Kennewick’s Brooks and Chiawana’s Williams both have six touchdowns so far this season.

What this game could come down to, though, is defense and special teams.

The Lions boast two standout linebackers in Gay and Cooper Neer (who has committed to Montana). But they’ll be the first to tell you that the Kennewick front line does a great job of clogging up the holes, allowing the senior duo to swing up and make the stops.

Meanwhile, the Riverhawks’ Cissne brothers, Tayten and Cooper, are among the best defenders in the state. They are aggressive and will not hesitate to blitz for tackles for loss — Tayten from his linebacker spot; Cooper from the secondary.

Chiawana’s defense has continued its smothering style of play that it has had the past few years. Linebackers Williams and Morgan Dodson lead the Riverhawks with 4 QB sacks each.

Dodson — a standout soccer player — also happens to be one of the best football kickers in the Northwest.

Bond hasn’t needed him to kick many field goals yet this season, but Dodson can go long if needed. Last week against Pasco, Dodson kicked his 100th consecutive extra-point kick. So he’s consistent.

The good news for both schools is that they are in different classifications: Chiawana is 4A and Kennewick 3A. So they will go their own ways in post-season and won’t have to cross paths again.

And that means Friday night’s game will be a one-time treat for local high school football fans.

Last week’s games

CHIAWANA 59, PASCO 6: The Riverhawks ended up being football champions in the City of Pasco, with wins over the Bulldogs and the Sageview Lobos this fall. … Cooper Cissne scored three touchdowns, including one on a 66-yard point return. … Godino led Chiawana with 114 yards rushing on just 7 carries; while Williams had 51 yards — 23 rushing with two scores; and 2 catches for 28 receiving yards. … Osterdock was 9 for 15 for 102 yards passing. … Freshman DB Brussels Brink led the Chiawana D with 3 tackles (all three for loss), 2 quarterback sacks, and a fumble recovery.

HERMISTON 47, HANFORD 7: Bulldogs QB Brayden Medelez sc ores three rushing touchdowns to lead host Hermiston to its second win of the season. Medelez was 9-for-14 passing for 163 yards, and he rushed 11 times for 58 yards. … Hayden Larson added 140 yards rushing and scored two more TDs. … Hermiston’s James Young intercepted a pass in the end zone and returned it 108 yards for a TD. … Asa Perkes scored Hanford’s lone TD on a 40-yard pass play from Owen Beaver. Perkes finished the game with 3 catches for 74 yards.

KAMIAKIN 28, SOUTHRIDGE 7: The Braves used the 1-2 punch of Korbyn Hopwood and Stephen Waden to beat the Suns. Hopwood rushed for 127 yards and a touchdown; Wadan added 85 yards rushing and a score. … Kamiakin freshman QB Jagger McEwen added a 9-for-16 passing performance, with 100 yards and two TD strikes. … Gabe Borisch led Southridge with 102 yards rushing and a TD, while Tayten Jackman had 91 more rushing yards.

KENNEWICK 28, WALLA WALLA 0: The visiting Lions pitched a shutout en route to an MCC win involving two 3A teams. Brooks rushed for 134 yards and a score. In fact, Brooks, Driver and Gay each scored a rushing touchdown. Driver added 112 passing yards and a TD pass. … Lincoln Heinrich led Wa-Hi with 143 passing yards, going 19 for 31.

RICHLAND 63, SAGEVIEW 6: Senior Brody Bocek became the Bombers’ all-time career leader in touchdown receptions in the Thursday night victory. Bocek — who has verbally committed to play next fall for NAIA-school Montana Western, caught three TD passes from Jackson Woodard. That gives Bocek 35 career TD receptions, surpassing the 32 from former standout Josh Jelmberg. Bocek has 4 catches for 70 yards against the Lobos, and added a touchdown on an interception return. … Woodard was 9 for 12 for 148 yards passing, with 4 TD passes. … The Bombers defense forced Sageview into 7 turnovers — 2 fumbles and 5 interceptions. … Lobos QB Alex Flores had 180 passing yards, including a 64-yard TD pass play to Jaysen Beasley.

4A-3A MCC FOOTBALL STANDINGS

Chiawana (4A) 6-0

Kennewick (3A) 6-0

Kamiakin (4A) 5-1

Richland (4A) 5-1

Hermiston (3A) 2-4

Southridge (3A) 2-4

Walla Walla (3A) 2-4

Hanford (4A) 1-5

Pasco (4A) 1-5

Sageview (3A) 0-6

Oct. 9 — Richland 63, Sageview 6; Hermiston 47, Hanford 7

Oct. 10 — Chiawana 59, Pasco 6; Kamiakin 28, Southridge 7; Kennewick 28, Walla Walla 0

Oct. 16 — Kamiakin at Pasco, Edgar Brown Stadium, 7 p.m.; Hermiston at Southridge, Lampson Stadium, 7 p.m.

Oct. 17 — Chiawana at Kennewick, Lampson Stadium, 7 p.m.; Sageview at Hanford, Hanford High School, 7 p.m.; Walla Walla at Richland, Fran Rish Stadium, 7 p.m.

- Jeff Morrow is former sports editor for the Tri-City Herald.