The Columbus Community Wildcats are having a dream season on the football field. But now comes their most difficult test of the season, as the A-District 5 regular-season championship will be on the line tonight when the Alburnett Pirates come to town.

Columbus is undefeated, but 7-0 is not only the most wins for the team in a single season in over a decade; it’s the first winning season in that time as well. The Wildcats have rode a dynamic duo of running backs. Junior Kaden Amigon has rushed 1,266 yards and 19 touchdowns, while senior Triston Miller has piled up over 700 yards and 11 TDs.

Columbus also has a stingy defense. Sophomore Riley Kaalberg and junior Cole Storm are the leading tacklers for a Wildcat unit that yields only 13-and-a-half points per game. Junior Russell Coil has also made his presence felt with 11 tackles for loss and four sacks.

But as good as Columbus has been, Alburnett has matched it. The Pirates are 6-1, largely thanks to an offense that has scored better than 35 points a game and has scored at least 44 points in each of the last three outings. Senior quarterback Mason Neighbor has been particularly effective, completing almost 69 percent of his passes for over 1,400 yards and 19 touchdowns. Top target Grayson Carolan has had an explosive senior season, averaging almost 25 yards per catch and piling up nearly 550 yards and eight TDs receiving.

Alburnett can also get stingy on defense, thanks to seniors Brody Neighbor and Carson Klosterman combining for 83 tackles and senior Josh Howe invading the backfield with nine tackles for loss and three sacks. The Pirates won a 13-9 slugfest against Columbus Community last year. The sixth-ranked Wildcats hope to change their fortunes against #10 Alburnett and continue their magical season starting this evening at 7.