Huron and Pioneer, both 1-3, meet Friday, Sept. 25, at 7 p.m. at Huron in a crosstown rivalry game with both teams chasing back-to-back wins for the first time this season.

The River Rats and Pioneers enter the Week 5 matchup on identical overall records but from different directions. Huron earned its first win of the season, 28-10 over Skyline on Friday, Sept. 18, after an 0-3 start. Pioneer scored 61 points in a 61-14 rout of Ypsilanti Lincoln on Sept. 18, the program's highest-scoring game since putting up 69 against Dexter in 2012, according to MLive.

In SEC-Red play, though, the records diverge. Huron sits at 1-1 in conference after splitting its first two league games. Pioneer is 0-2 after losses to Bedford and Saline, per the MLive Week 4 rewind.

Huron's win over Skyline

Huron quarterback Seth Payne completed 16 passes for 207 yards and a touchdown against Skyline and added a rushing score. Receiver D'Real Smith hauled in seven catches for 126 yards and a touchdown. Running backs Jeremiah Rawls and Mateo Fields each scored on the ground, according to MLive.

Through four games, Payne ranks second in the Ann Arbor area with 54 completions and third with 694 passing yards, per the MLive statistical leaderboard. He has thrown five touchdown passes at a 57% completion rate.

Pioneer's rout of Lincoln

Pioneer put up even bigger numbers in Week 4. Senior receiver Demitirus Rendlemen caught four touchdown passes from quarterback Cole Heys, all in the first half, and returned an interception for a fifth score.

Heys has thrown six touchdown passes and accumulated 382 passing yards through four games. Pioneer also has a second passing threat in Elijah Marshall, whose 74% completion rate is second-best in the Ann Arbor area, according to the MLive leaderboard.

What's at stake

A loss Friday would drop either team to 1-4 with the second half of the season ahead. A win would give the victor its first winning streak of the year.

The Huron Emery, the school's student newspaper, framed the game as a must-win for a River Rats squad still building chemistry after losing players from last season. Columnist Jonah Wagner wrote that the Skyline victory gave Huron its first taste of winning, but "one win doesn't erase the three losses."

Both teams face a steep climb in the SEC-Red, where Saline leads at 4-0 overall and 3-0 in conference. Huron travels to Saline on Oct. 2 at 7 p.m.