Tonight's rivalry game between the Sturgis and Spearfish football teams is always a big deal in the two towns, but the game takes on a little more meaning this year as the two squads find themselves battling for playoff positioning.

The game will be played in Spearfish at Lyle Hare Stadium at 7 p.m.

"It's our biggest rival, so it's always a big game for us," Sturgis head coach Adolph Shepardson said. "But this is a big game for the playoffs. If Spearfish wins, they'll have a shot at hosting a first-round playoff game, and if we win, we can probably jump up there to an 8, 9 or 10 seed."

The South Dakota High School Activities Association revamped the playoff system in Class 11AA football this season by seeding the top 16 teams and matching them up as opposed to year's past when the teams stayed in their region for their first two games.

"Getting a win would be big for us because it would hopefully put us into a first-round game against maybe a (Sioux Falls) Lincoln or a Mitchell or a Yankton, instead of one of the big three or Watertown," Shepardson said of Sioux Falls O'Gorman, Roosevelt and Washington, the top three ranked teams in the state.

If tonight's game is anything like last year's contest between the two teams, fans should be in for a treat. In the Scoopers 21-12 victory last season, running back Brit Porterfield rushed for 155 yards on 26 carries. The Scoopers (1-4) would like to see a similar effort tonight.

"We need to come out and establish the run," Shepardson said. "We've probably been able to throw the ball better this year than at any other time since I've been here, but we need to get our ground game going to help open some of our other stuff up."

Quarterback Tyler Jensen has been very effective throwing the ball for the Scoopers, passing for 670 yards this season in addition to being a threat to run. Seth Mulvehill and Kassidy Huffman have been Jensen's two favorite targets through the Scoopers' first five games.

On the other side of the ball, the Spartans (3-2) will also be looking to establish their own running game in the form of junior tailback Jordan Johnson. Johnson has rushed for more than 600 yards and scored nine touchdowns so far this season.

"That's what we've got to stop," Shepardson said. "They've got Jordan at tailback this year, and they're using him the right way. He's having a good season and they're blocking a lot better up front. We've got to stop the run, and that's what we've been focused on this week."

Johnson and his teammates are looking for a little revenge for last year's loss, but they also see a season-long goal getting a little closer to their grasp.

"We want to host a first-round playoff game," Johnson said. "That's been the goal around here from the first day of practice."

An intense rivalry game with playoff implications makes for what could be the game of the year for these two schools.

"It's just a big-time game in that aspect," Shepardson said in simply describing what should be an intense contest."