Barely a month ago, No. 3 Grand Lake survived a tight District 4-1A game against Oberlin.

On Friday, the Hornets will try to do it again but with higher stakes.

Grand Lake (9-1) will host No. 14 Oberlin (5-6) in a Class 1A regional playoff game.

The Hornets reached the state final last season, while Oberlin is looking for its third quarterfinals trip in four seasons.

Grand Lake won the regular-season game 27-20 in Oberlin thanks to a late interception by Brycen Leblanc, but is not looking past the Tigers.

“When you look at the matchup, just a touchdown separated us,” Grand Lake head coach Jeff Wainwright said. “It was who had the ball last.

“There are some things they do that give us problems and things we do that give them problems. We have studied them throughout the year, and I am sure they do the same with us.”

Oberlin had won nine in a row over the Hornets before the Week 6 loss.

“We are looking for another exciting game,” Oberlin head coach Durrel Peloquin said. “It is a great opportunity because it is a common opponent.

“Naturally, we have to go on the road. We are going to have to play a perfect game. They are a great team, execute well and are fundamentally sound.”

The Hornets got a week off, giving them much-needed time to heal. Wainwright said it will be a game-time decision for quarterback Connor Guillotte and running back Ian Vigo, neither of whom have played since Week

7. Brent Hardesty has stepped in to run for nearly 500 yards and five touchdowns in Vigo’s absence.

“We were pretty beat up after the regular season,” Wainwright said. “You don’t ever want to stop, but we needed the rest. We needed to get some bruises healed up.”

Oberlin is coming off one of its most complete games of the season, a 51-0 win over Plain Dealing to open the playoffs, led defensively by linebackers Noah Carter and DeSean Deville and lineman Adameon Botley.

“We finally found our identity and started playing team football together,” Peloquin said. “We are playing hard from down to down, and we are consistent.

“Our fundamentals are better and we are flying to the football on defense. (Carter, Deville and Botley) have really stepped their game up.”

Peloquin said the Tigers have to remember the lessons learned in their loss to the Hornets.

“We just need to finish drives when we have the opportunity on offense,” Peloquin said. “We stubbed our toe three times in the red zone, and we turned the ball over one time. Against a good team like Grand Lake, you can’t have any turnovers because they capitalize on them.”

Oberlin and Grand Lake’s district mates will be on the road Friday against top-10 teams.

No. 13 East Beauregard (5-6) will face No. 4 Oak Grove (6-4), the defending Class 1A state champion, for a third consecutive year.

No. 9 Basile (7-5) will take its six-game win streak on the road to No. 8 Delhi Charter (6-4).