Despite a difficult stretch of tough competition, the final week of the fall is one of opportunity for Moffat County football players as they seek a victory in front of a home crowd.

MCHS wraps its season this week, facing off against the Middle Park Panthers at 7 p.m. Friday at the Bulldog Proving Grounds.

Besides Senior Night festivities celebrating its eldest athletes, the team is eager to take the field for the last matchup of the season and complete it with a win.

Both the Bulldogs and the Panthers have struggled in a highly competitive 2A Western Slope League, with both 0-4 in conference play, though MoCo holds an advantage with a 2-6 overall record compared to Middle Park’s 1-7.

For the Dogs, the difficulties can be attributed to a multitude of injuries throughout the fall, requiring a “next man up” mentality for its less seasoned members, who have battled each week.

With losses at home to Coal Ridge and Aspen — both of which are still hovering on the cusp of playoff qualification — MCHS players have been on the road the past two weeks against the two leaders of the league, teams that are all but guaranteed to move on to the postseason.

In Basalt on Oct. 18, the Bulldogs put up a fight against the undefeated Longhorns, with senior Zach Hedman recording 137 rushing yards and scoring the team’s only touchdown in a 48-7 outcome, a game in which seniors Devin Key and Cody Dade led in tackles with six apiece.

The past Friday saw the boys in blue in Delta, who won 57-0 over the Dogs.

Following this week’s game will be a Fifth Quarter event with ice-skating for high school and middle school students from 9-11 p.m. at the Moffat County Ice Arena at Loudy-Simpson Park. The night of free entertainment will also offer food and prizes for those in attendance.

Fifth Quarter is a collaboration of Bear River Young Life, Moffat County Youth Action Council, Partners for Youth and Communities That Care.

For more information, contact mackenzie@partnersyouth.org.