Lakota West carries a 3-0 record and the Greater Miami Conference's leading rusher into Friday's home game against Hamilton, while Lakota East celebrates Homecoming against Mason at Thunderhawk Stadium.

Both games are Friday, Sept. 11, with GMC standings on the line.

Firebirds vs. Hamilton

Lakota West has outscored opponents 103-35 through three weeks, allowing just 11.7 points per game. The Firebirds opened with a 20-7 win over St. Xavier, routed rival Lakota East 48-18 and beat Mason 35-10, according to The Report Ohio.

Senior running back Kenyon Norman, a Northwestern commit, leads the GMC in rushing. He ran for 212 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries in the Week 3 win over Mason, per WLWT. Through three games Norman has totaled 590 rushing yards and nine touchdowns based on weekly stat lines.

Norman is not slowing down.

"We got better but we're still not where we need to be … And we know that," head coach Tom Bolden told WCPO after the Aug. 29 rivalry win over Lakota East.

The Firebirds are ranked No. 6 in the cleveland.com Ohio Division I poll and No. 3 in WLWT's Blitz 5 Top 25 regional rankings.

Hamilton (1-2, 1-1 GMC) earned its first win of the season against Sycamore in Week 3. The Big Blue will need to contain Norman and a defense anchored by defensive lineman Reilly Newman, an Iowa commit, and defensive back Roman Combs, a Purdue commit.

Princeton sits tied with Lakota West atop the GMC at 2-0 in conference play. The two programs have won or shared every GMC title since 2020, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer, and meet Sept. 18.

Thunderhawks vs. Mason

Lakota East (2-1, 1-1 GMC) hosts Mason (1-2, 1-1 GMC) for Homecoming on Friday. The Thunderhawks are ranked No. 8 in WLWT's Blitz 5 Top 25.

East is coming off a 31-28 road win over Oak Hills in which the Thunderhawks built a 31-7 halftime lead, forced three turnovers, then survived a second-half comeback. Junior quarterback Nile Knutson completed 19 of 29 passes for 268 yards and four touchdowns without an interception in that game.

Knutson threw for 2,486 yards and 22 touchdowns as a sophomore and has picked up where he left off. Receiver Carter Jones gives fourth-year head coach Jon Kitna's offense another weapon. Jones caught 11 passes for 117 yards and a touchdown in the Week 1 win over Centerville.

Mason lost to Lakota West 35-10 in Week 3. Both the Comets and Thunderhawks have already faced the Firebirds, making Friday's result a factor in the GMC race.