By Paul Lecker

Sports Reporter

Three of the four local high school football teams have clinched WIAA playoff spots and will play for seeding this Friday as the regular season comes to an end.

Spencer/Columbus, Stratford, and Auburndale are in the postseason field and will finish out their respective conference seasons Friday.

Marshfield will host first-place Oshkosh North in its season finale. The Tigers will not qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 1995.

Here is a look at the Week 9 matchups:

Oshkosh North Spartans at Marshfield Tigers

Game time: 7 p.m. Friday
Site: Beell Stadium, Marshfield Middle School
Radio: WDLB-AM 1450 and wdlbwosq.com
Records: Oshkosh North 7-1, 6-0 Valley Football Association – South Division; Marshfield 2-6, 1-5 VFA South.
Last week: Stevens Point scored a touchdown with just more than four minutes remaining to top Marshfield 21-14, handing the Tigers their third-straight loss. Marshfield quarterback Derek Coffren passed for 151 yards and threw touchdowns to Zach McManus and Kegan Fassler. Stevens Point racked up 231 yards on the ground, 126 from quarterback Victor Kizewski and another 104 from Ethan Clark. Oshkosh North won its seventh game in a row, beating crosstown rival Oshkosh West 24-13.

This week’s matchup: Oshkosh North, last year’s VFA South champion, has clinched at least a tie for another conference crown and can wrap up sole possession of the title with a victory against the Tigers. North brings a high powered offense that is led by running back/quarterback Alex Hintze, who is second in the conference with 898 yards rushing. Hintze and Alex Struensee have combined for more than 700 passing yards and 10 touchdowns. Marshfield will close out its season looking for the upset of the ninth-ranked team in Division 2 in the WisSports.net State Coaches Poll. Junior running back Nick Hoheisel has 148 yards on 30 carries over the past two games for the Tigers.

Osseo-Fairchild Thunder at Spencer/Columbus Catholic Rockets

Game time: 7 p.m. Friday
Site: Spencer High School
Records: Osseo-Fairchild 4-4, 4-3 Cloverbelt Conference; Spencer/Columbus Catholic 5-3, 5-2 Cloverbelt Conference.
Last week: Spencer/Columbus found it tough to get anything going at undefeated Edgar last Friday, losing the nonconference matchup 28-6. The Rockets were held to 175 total yards and just 118 rushing yards on 37 carries. Hunter Hildebrandt led the way with 59 rushing yards, and quarterback Calvin Lenz had the Rockets’ only touchdown on a 10-yard run. Osseo-Fairchild lost a shootout to Colby 35-34.

This week’s matchup: Osseo-Fairchild relies heavily on quarterback Kyler Hagen, who threw for 368 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 76 yards and two more scores in the loss to Colby. Hagen has thrown for 1,710 yards and 15 touchdowns but has also thrown 14 interceptions to go along with 474 yards rushing and five touchdowns on the ground. The Thunder will earn an automatic playoff spot with a win but could still be considered for a spot if they end up with a 4-4 record in the conference. Spencer/Columbus continues to try to get healthy as leading rusher Mitch Susa has been limited to three carries over the past two games. Osseo-Fairchild won last year’s matchup 45-22 as Hagen passed for 122 yards and ran for 121 more. The Rockets were limited to 38 yards rushing in that game.

Marathon Raiders at Auburndale Apaches

Game time: 7 p.m. Friday
Site: Auburndale High School
Records: Marathon 4-3, 4-2 Marawood Conference; Auburndale 5-2, 4-2 Marawood Conference.
Last week: Auburndale came up just short of knocking off Stratford, losing 21-20 on the road. Wyatt Weiler hit Matt Nikolay for a 22-yard touchdown pass with 5:29 remaining and decided to go for a two-point conversion and the lead, but the run attempted by Weiler failed. Weiler threw for 167 yards and ran for 78 in the loss. Nikolay finished with 11 catches for 109 yards and the touchdown. Weiler added a 13-yard touchdown run and a 41-yard touchdown pass to Tyler Weber. Marathon shut out Chequamegon 21-0 to clinch a WIAA playoff spot.

This week’s matchup: Auburndale will guarantee at least a tie for second place in the Marawood Conference with a victory. The Apaches, making their third consecutive playoff appearance, will continue to rely on the playmaking of Weiler, who has rushed for nine touchdowns and thrown for four more this season. Marathon running back Ethan Seubert has gained more than 700 yards on the ground, leading the Marawood in rushing.

Stratford Tigers at Pittsville Panthers

Game time: 7 p.m. Friday
Site: Pittsville High School
Records: Stratford 5-3, 4-2 Marawood Conference; Pittsville 2-6, 1-5 Marawood Conference.
Last week: Stratford edged Auburndale 21-20 last Friday at home to clinch a WIAA postseason berth for the 23rd-straight season. Taylor Krall had 82 rushing yards on just 11 carries and scored twice, and Kam Bornbach added another rushing touchdown for the Tigers. Jake Reif caught four passes for 89 yards as quarterback Michael Bargender threw for a total of 111 yards. The Tigers stopped Auburndale on a two-point conversion play with 5:29 remaining in the game and again on fourth down in the final minute to preserve the victory. Pittsville lost a nonconference game to Spring Valley 42-13.

This week’s matchup: Krall, who had just 13 carries for 81 yards entering last week’s game, doubled his rushing output for the season and gave the Tigers a boost. Stratford is averaging less than 4 yards a carry overall but now has four competent running backs in its stable. Pittsville relies on running back Nathan Dupee for most of its offense. The Panthers have thrown for just 328 yards in six games. Dupee is second in the Marawood in rushing with 581 yards.