The Columbus Wildcat football team is ready for their first opponent of the year when they travel to Letts to meet Louisa County rival Louisa-Muscatine in a week 0 scrimmage Friday.

The Wildcats are coming off of a 4-5 season in 2024 in which they finished 4-3, fourth in Class A District 5, qualifying for the playoffs before being eliminated by Maquoketa Valley in the opening round. Wins for the ‘Cats came against Wapello, Highland, Louisa-Muscatine and Van Buren with losses to Mediapolis, Lisbon, Pekin, Danville and Maq Valley.

As a team, Columbus scored 29 points and gave up 29 points per game. The Wildcats averaged 293 yards per game, 225 on the ground and 68 through the air per night. Individually, Columbus returns their leading passer Trevor Phillips after a junior season going 50 of 76 through the air for 610 yards, nine touchdowns and six interceptions. The Wildcats top two targets in the pass game are both back, Tyson Kaalberg and Angel Ineichen who combined for 34 grabs, 425 yards and five touchdowns. They will have to replace their top ground gainer Riley Kaalberg who capped his career with 164 rushes, 1,505 yards and 19 touchdowns. Tyson Kaalberg is the top returner there with 32 rushes, 240 yards and four touchdowns. Top tackler Drew Totemeier returns after 50 and a half tackles with five stops for loss as a junior. Markell Zapiensz was the best for Columbus with 11 TFLs. As a defense, the Wildcats had 14 takeaways, three each for leaders Ceant and Kason Dopler. Columbus ranked in the top 10 of Class A in six different categories a year ago.

Louisa-Muscatine finished last season winless in eight games, last in Class A District 5. The Falcons have dropped 35 consecutive contests, dating back to a September 2020 win over Van Buren. L-M was outscored 409-38 in total last season and shut out five times. The Falcons averaged 108 yards per game on offense, 87 yards on the ground and 21 through the air. Quarterback Sedric Lamb is back after going 7/31 as a junior with 89 yards, one touchdown and seven picks. Owen Pugh is the top pass-catcher, hauling in two passes for 25 yards and the only aerial touchdown. Leading ground gainer Gaijje Carter returns after a sophomore year with 81 carries, 356 yards and four touchdowns. On defense, the Falcons bring back their top two tacklers Mason Zaehringer and Carter who combined for 47 and a half tackles, 12 for loss. The Falcons forced eight turnovers as a team, with Owen Pugh coming up with two takeaways.

L-M has won nine of the last 15 in the series, Columbus has won five straight including a 54-0 win a season ago. Action starts Friday at 7p.m. At Louisa-Muscatine High School.