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The likely NCTL football title will be at stake this Saturday at Peck High School as the unbeaten Pirates take on the undefeated Warriors of North Huron.

Both teams are 5-0 in the league and 6-0 overall, and both have reached this point in fairly similar ways. Both have really only been tested once all year - the Warriors in an opening, 29-25, win over Cardinal Mooney, and the Pirates just this past Friday in a, 28-13, victory over Memphis. Both have scored a ton of points - Peck 40 a game and NH 45 a game - and both have shown they can play defense - Peck allowing just five TDs all sesason and the Warriors producing three straight shutouts before their 47-22 win over Dryden last week.

"This is the best offense we've seen all year," said third-year Pirate coach Rob Pouch on the Warriors. "They're big, they're bigger than us, and they'll be physical. Hopefully, we can use our speed inside to counter that."

North Huron's offensive and defensive line is anchored by Brad Neumayer, an All-State candidate tat goes 6-4, 240. Neumayer has some bulk along side of him in the trenches, too. However, Pouch thinks his front seven, although not small, may be quicker.

Senior veterans Jesse Germain and A. J. Kiley anchor the offensive line along with senior Brian Jozlin and sophomore Gerald Pathic at tackles, junior Robert LaFata at center, senior Bryan Carrier and junior Josh Williams at the ends.

"It's a line with speed and strength," said Pouch., "but we will be out-sized."

With both offenses geared to run the football, the defensive objective is clear on both sides.

The Warriors know they must contain Peck's Michael Mann. The 6', 185 pound senior has rushed for over 1,300 yards and scored 20 touchdowns this season.

"Every team keys on Michael," explained Pouch. "Fortunately, we have two or three other backs that are all above average, and we need these guys."

Sophomore Donell Hamilton has used his speed to make opposing defense pay for over-defending Mann, a rugged inside runner that also has some quickness. Hamilton has broken several long touchdown runs. In the meantime, fullbacks Nathan Kreiner and Justin Bush have also been effective.

Peck, on defense, will first look to stop North Nuron fullback Kurt Dhyse.

"He's a physical runner, similar in style as Michael Mann," said Pouch. "We have to try to take away the running game because that's where they get their points.

"They run a pretty solid Wing-T," continued Pouch. "Their guards pull well and the backs carry out fakes. Defensively, we've played well all year, but we'll have to step up this week."

The winner on Saturday, which is also Peck's homecoming, will clinch, at least, a share of the NCTL crown, but, more than likely, the outright championship. Peck (home against Owen-Gage, 1-5) and North Huron (home vs, Akron-Fairgrove, 0-6) will both be heavily favored in their league finales on Oct. 12.

"This is what the kids set their goal for. It's exactly where we wanted to be," stressed Pouch. "We felt if we played at the level that we can, we'd be contenders.

"This is what we want. It's what the seniors have practiced and played for all year - for a conference championship."

Peck found a test that maybe they needed last Friday in their 28-13 win at Memphis. The Pirates, who fumbled six times, losing four, trailed 13-12 at the half.

"We needed some adversity to see what these kids are made of. We needed to see if they could take a challenge and meet it head on, and they did," said Pouch.

After leading 12-0 on their first two possessions, - 60 yard run by Hamilton and 59 yard burst by Mann - the Pirates gave up two short TD runs in the second quarter following fumbles.

Peck was still plagued by the turnovers in he third quarter but the defense responded before the offense put the game away. Mann scored twice in the fourth quarter on runs of 52 an 22 yards. Quarterback Zac Overstreet ran in one two-point conversion and passed to Hamilton for the other.

Mann finished with 293 yards rushing on 27 carries while Hamilton chipped in with 98 yards and Kreiner added 41. The Pirates totaled 432 yards on the ground.