This week’s journey covers 434 miles – one way – as the undefeated Bobcats face the winless Spartans in Spearfish.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Lyle Hare Stadium

Brookings is outscoring its opponents an average of 39.71-13.57 through seven games.

Spearfish is getting outscored an average of 46-9.14.

“They are 0-6 but we have to be prepared for every team we play, which is what we’re making sure we’re doing this week,” said BHS coach Brady Clark, who played collegiately at Black Hills State University in Spearfish. “You know, they have a new head coach (Dalton Wademan) – he’s actually a buddy of mine; I played college football with him. I know he’s doing a great job there and working on turning around that program and his guys are going to be ready to play. They’re a team that is dangerous, because they’re playing with nothing to lose.

“We have to go out and play our game and be ready to go in all three areas of the game.”

The Bobcats are putting up 273 rushing yards per contest – averaging 7.8 per carry.

Josh Buri topped the 1,000-yard mark for the year last week as he’s picking up 143.6 yards per game and 11.4 yards per attempt with 14 touchdowns on 88 rushes.

Jaxon Bowes is 38-of-68 for 679 yards with 10 TDs and four INTs through the air.

Defensively, Wes Koenig has 44 tackles, Parker Theobald 42, John Noordsy 37, Max Struck 36 and Jaxton Eck 31.

A Bobcat win would likely set up a matchup of 8-0 teams in the regular-season finale as Brookings is playing host to Yankton on Thursday, Oct. 22. The Bucks (7-0) welcome Douglas (1-5) this week.

“I’d like to see us try to play a perfect game,” added Clark of the Spearfish matchup. “Be consistent.

“We’ve been kind of up and down throughout the year – some games in the first half we’re doing really well and executing, and in the second half we’re not. Some games it’s the other way around.

“I’d like us to be consistent and try to play a perfect game.”

Last week

Keegan Fields followed up a goal-line stand with an explosive play as the Bobcats toppled three-time defending Class 11AA state champion Pierre 21-14.

The Governors had a first-and-goal at the 8-yard-line leading by a point late in the third stanza. Collin Brueggeman picked up 5 yards on first down and 1 yard on second to move the ball to the 2.

Josh Devine then stuffed Brueggeman at the line of scrimmage on third down, before Noordsy and Sam Hardin came through with the stop on Maguire Raske’s fourth-down carry.

Pierre came up empty on the drive despite possessing the ball for more than 8 minutes.

Five plays later, Fields caught a short pass from Bowes and took it to the house from 78 yards out to give Brookings the lead for good with 8:13 showing on the clock.

Noordsy hauled in a tipped pass on the two-point conversion, leaving the score at 21-14.

The ‘Cats outgained the Govs 283-205 in total yards of offense, with both teams picking up 129 on the ground in a rematch of last season’s state final. Each squad had one turnover.

Buri totaled 78 yards on 16 rushes and Fields added 72 on 11 carries to go with the big reception.

Bowes ended up 8-of-10 for 154 yards with a pair of scores.

Brock Longville (sack) and Eck paced the defense with seven tackles apiece, while Noordsy and Koenig both added five stops.

Bowes opened the scoring with a 6-yard TD toss to Struck.

The score was 7-7 after a period and Pierre was up 14-10 at halftime and 14-13 through three. Fields kicked a pair of field goals. Gavin Fixsen’s third-quarter interception sparked the Bobcat ‘D.’

Spearfish lost 31-6 at Class 11A member Belle Fourche last week.