Only one more week remains for the regular season in high school football, but all three local teams have clinched playoff berths. 

The goal for this Friday is stay healthy and improve on the respective records for Waterloo, Columbia and Dupo for the best postseason positioning possible.

Waterloo (6-2) played its final Mississippi Valley Conference game Friday night at home against Triad.  The result was a 21-14 victory that gave the Bulldogs a share of the MVC title with Mascoutah. 

The Knights scored first on a short touchdown run late in the first quarter to go up 7-0. 

Waterloo’s Owen Niebruegge evened the score with his 47-yard TD run at 3:30 of the second quarter. As it turned out, Niebruegge was just getting warmed up. 

With the score 7-7 entering the third quarter, Triad regained the lead on another short TD run with just less than five minutes remaining in that period.

The fourth quarter turned into the Niebruegge Show. First, he scored from one yard out to tie the game with 9:14 remaining. 

Niebruegge then ripped off a 72-yard TD run to give the Bulldogs the lead with just more than five minutes left.

Waterloo’s defense held on from there.

Niebruegge rushed for 183 yards on the night, also contributing two tackles and eight assists on defense.

The Bulldogs defense saw Tyler Theobald record an interception and Noah Supancic notch a sack.

For the season, Niebruegge has 593 yards rushing (9.6 yards per carry), 270 yards receiving, 57 total tackles and an interception, compiling nine total TDs.

Derez Sayles remains the leading rusher on the season for Waterloo with 978 yards and 16 TDs.

Waterloo travels north to close out its regular season this Friday at Rochelle.

In Columbia, the host Eagles (6-2) lost to state-ranked Breese Central, 41-6.

Columbia, which trailed 28-0 at halftime, was limited to just 64 yards rushing. Quarterback Xavier Voegele threw for 174 yards and a TD. His main target was Jackson Lawal, who hauled in six catches for 94 yards.

The only score on this night for the Eagles came on a 43-yard TD pass from Voegele to Ricky Prater at  the end of the third quarter.

Cooper Weik led Columbia’s defense with six tackles and six assists. He leads the team with 54 total stops this season. 

Voegele has thrown for 847 yards and 12 TDs on the season. 

Jase Nelson is the team’s leading rusher this fall with 814 yards and seven scores. He also has 163 yards receiving and a TD.

Columbia closes out its regular season Friday night at Jerseyville.

Dupo (7-1) gave its home crowd something to cheer about following the team’s first loss last week at Chester.

The Tigers won 29-23 at home over Sparta on Friday.

Deegan Prater threw for 174 yards and a pair of TDs, also running for 76 yards.

Thinh Staggs was the top receiver on this night with 75 yards through the air.

Both Prater and Staggs recorded interceptions on defense. Also for the defense, Brrayden Esterlein and Talon Simshauser had fumble recoveries.

Prater has thrown for 1,841 yards and 24 TDs in addition to 339 yards rushing and 10 more scores. He’s also scored eight two-point conversions. 

On defense, Prater has picked off five passes.

Prater has three wide receivers with more than 500 yards through the air this fall: Esterlein, Staggs and Brady Portell.

The Tigers defense is led by Jacob Duncan with eight sacks and Shia Owensby with seven sacks.

Dupo closes out its regular season Friday night at Wood River.