Football Gameday: Armstrong Football Opens Season against Maple Grove

(Last year: 2-7, 2-6 ) @ Maple Grove (Last year: 3-6, 3-5 Northwest Suburban Conference)

Playmakers

Robbinsdale Armstrong: Earl Young — The 6-foot-3, 230-pound senior quarterback split time a year ago under center and has varsity experience. He also had 48 tackles a year ago.

Robbinsdale Armstrong: Daniel Scalzo and Denzel Anderson — Both members of the Falcons' secondary recorded more than 25 tackles a year ago.

Robbinsdale Armstrong: Anthony Graham — The Falcons' leading returning rusher ran for 40 yards in 2010. Can Graham take over for leading rusher Prince Kanu, who went for 967 yards last year?

Falcons win if ...

They don’t let the Crimson home crowd get in their heads. They need to start of hot after a 2-7 season last year.

Crimson win if ...

They stay play hard for new head coach, Matthew Lombardi. They would love to get a win in his first game. To do so, Maple Grove will likely need more offensive production than the 11.4 points per game it produced in 2010.

Two-minute drill

Site: Maple Grove High School

Time: 7 p.m. Thursday

Weather: Partly Sunny, 82 degrees

Last meeting: Armstrong beat Maple Grove 14-7 last year in Maple Grove

Armstrong schedule

9/1 at Maple Grove

9/9 Minnetonka

9/16 at Centennial

9/23 Coon Rapids

9/30 Osseo

10/7 at Champlin Park

10/14 Anoka

10/19 at Park Center

Maple Grove schedule

9/1 Armstrong

9/9 at Champlin Park

9/16 Eden Praire

9/23 at Park Center

9/30 Andover

10/7 at Osseo

10/14 at Blaine

10/19 Centennial