Dynamic duo powers North Fayette Valley

One is good. Two is even better.

Put it together and the result is another great season for North Fayette Valley.

The backfield duo of Josh Mackey and Derrick Kuehner have powered the Tigerhawks, rushing for more than 2,200 yards combined and pulling them within a win of a second straight trip to the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls. Fifth-ranked North Fayette Valley (10-1) hosts New Hampton (8-3) in an Iowa High School Athletic Association Class 2A state quarterfinal game Friday at West Union, starting at 7 p.m.

'It's nice to know you have two guys that you can lean on any given night,” North Fayette Valley Coach Bob Lape said. 'It's hard for the defense to focus in on one. Sometimes you can stop one and the other comes through, and vice versa.”

Mackey leads the way with 1,212 yards and 24 touchdowns on a team-high 194 carries. Kuehner has 1,076 and 14 TDs, including an 8.5 yards per carry average. Kuehner also leads the Tigerhawks with 190 receiving yards.

Kuehner said the entire team feeds off each other, but it's especially true for the two rushers.

'If he gets a big run, I want to get a big run, too,” Kuehner said. 'I think that gets the whole team fired up.”

They have a strong camaraderie, leading to a good-natured rivalry. They try to outperform each other, according to Kuehner, and it just isn't on the football field.

'It's friendly, though,” Kuehner said. 'Even in class, I want to beat him to the answer.

'I feel like if I get more yards than him in one game I might flip him a little (grief). If he beats me, he flips it to me.”

The production is similar and so are their styles. Both are versatile backs powerful enough to run between tackles and quick enough to hit the outside.

'They do complement each other well,” Lape said. 'Both can run over you and both have enough speed to run away from you.”

They are key components in the program's trademark running attack devised to dictate the tempo of the game through modest gains. The Tigerhawks still has the state's second-best rushing offense in 2A, even when defenses present eight-man fronts.

Lape has decreased their touches this season compared to a year ago when they combined for 419 carries, 3,254 yards on the ground and 44 TDs. They were banged up in last year's run to the 1A semifinals, so Lape attempted to keep them fresh and healthy for the postseason.

'They both want the ball as many times as they can get it,” Lape said. 'We try not to overdo them. We have some others who are pretty decent players. If they start ignoring them, we give the other guys the ball.”

The Tigerhawks have other weapons. Junior Trevor Hurd has thrown for more than 400 yards, running for 299 yards and five scores. Kuehner credited the offensive line for success.

'It starts with the line up front,” Kuehner said. 'They let us do what Mack and I can do.”

Mackey and Kuehner also lead the way on defense. Mackey, a linebacker, has a team-best 75 total tackles. Kuehner is second with 65 at more of a safety role. Kuehner said he likes defense more, having the chance to impact the game with a big hit or turnover.

'You can change the momentum of a game pretty quick,” Kuehner said.

North Fayette Valley will face New Hampton for the second time in 14 days. The Tigerhawks closed the regular season with a tight 15-13 home win over the Chickasaws. Mackey scored two touchdowns in that game.

Lape expects a tough game, but said the Tigerhawks are healthy after resting starters in lopsided postseason wins over Monticello (73-9) and Mount Vernon (55-21). North Fayette Valley is ready.

'We're looking forward to the challenge,” said Kuehner. 'It's round two versus them. Getting to the Dome has always been one of our goals.”

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