While everyone involved with the Martin County West football program is happy to start the season with a 3-0 record, coach Tom Elliott knows that there's a lot of season ahead.
The season continues Friday with a 7 p.m. game at Section 3A rival Adrian/Ellsworth.
"We still have plenty of football in front of us," said Elliott. "We still have a lot to work on, but we're excited to be 3-0. We're setting ourselves up in good position. Adrian will be a tough team but we're looking forward to it."
The Mavericks have started the season by beating St. James Area 47-13, Sleepy Eye 22-14 and Minnesota Valley Lutheran 34-16.
Adrian/Ellsworth is 1-2, losing to Minneota 35-0 and Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 41-0 before a 28-6 win over Sleepy Eye last week.
"They're a hard-nosed football team," Elliott said about the Dragons. "They like to do a lot of the things we do. They like to establish the run game. They have three backs that tote the rock collectively and they all run hard. They have big boys up front that can move you if you allow them to."
Martin County West is back home in Sherburn next week, hosting New Ulm Cathedral.
Last 3-0 start?
When is the last time Martin County West started a season 3-0? The answer is 2013.
In fact, that Mavericks team was 5-0 before a 22-14 loss at Wabasso, which also entered that game with a 5-0 record.
MCW finished the regular season with a 7-1 record and won its first Section 3AA playoff game before losing at Jackson County Central in the section semifinals.
The scores from that 2013 season:
Martin County West 42, New Ulm Cathedral 20
Martin County West 39, Cedar Mountain 0
Martin County West 45, Minnesota Valley Lutheran 26
Martin County West 35, Buffalo Lake-Hector-Stewart 13
Martin County West 62, Sleepy Eye 0
Wabasso 22, Martin County West 14
Martin County West 41, Springfield 14
Martin County West 69, Red Roc Central 6
Martin County West 40, New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva 14
Jackson County Central 51, Martin County West 12
Section 3A
MCW is a member for Section 3AA for postseason play. Here's this week's schedule for section teams:
Adrian/Ellsworth (1-2): Martin County West
Martin County West (3-0): at Adrian/Ellsworth
Murray County Central (3-0): St. James Area (Saturday)
Russell-Tyler-Ruthton (2-1): MACCRAY
Sleepy Eye (0-3): at New Ulm Cathedral
Springfield (2-1): Tracy-Milroy-Balaton
Tracy-Milroy-Balaton (2-1): at Springfield
Wabasso (0-3): at Minnesota Valley Lutheran
MCW football schedule
Fri., Sept. 3 - at St. James Area, W 47-13
Fri., Sept. 10 - Sleepy Eye, W 22-14
Sat., Sept. 18 - Minnesota Valley Lutheran, W 34-16
Fri., Sept. 24 - at Adrian/Ellsworth, 7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 1 - New Ulm Cathedral, 7 p.m.
Fri., Oct. 8 - at Murray County Central, 7 p.m.
Thurs., Oct. 14 - Springfield, 7 p.m.
Wed., Oct. 20 - at Tracy-Milroy-Balaton, 7 p.m.