OSKALOOSA — One team will earn its first district win of the season when Oskaloosa hosts Chariton Friday night in a Class 3A, District 8 contest at Lacey Sports Complex Stadium.

Both teams are 0-1 in district play while the Chargers are 1-2 overall and the Indians are 0-3 on the year.

The teams are coming off losses as Chariton fell to Norwalk 42-19 and Oskaloosa lost to Carlisle 29-22.

While the Indians have yet to taste a victory in 2012, Oskaloosa coach Mark Schilb sees that feeling should be coming soon.

“I definitely have things we can build on and get fundamentally get better every day we go out,” he said. “No question there are things that have fueled our confidence.”

The Indians fell behind the Wildcats 22-0 before they fought back to trail by a touchdown only to see time running out on them.

Junior quarterback Jesse VanDalen is fourth in the district in passing with 299 yards on 23 of 58 passing and two touchdowns.

He’s spread the ball around quite nicely so far as Tyce Sarver has caught six passes for 116 yards and a touchdown. His six catches puts the senior receiver fourth in the district. Close behind is another senior, Jordan Lowry, with five receptions for 57 yards while junior tight end Spencer Medlin has four catches for 51 yards and a touchdown. Four other players has caught at least one pass from VanDalen.

The Oskaloosa running game is led by sophomores Jared Pace and Nate Van Veldhuizen, both have rushed for more than 100 yards this season. Pace has picked up 198 yards, good for seventh in the district, on 57 carries and has scored a touchdown. Van Veldhuizen rushed for 103 yards and a touchdown. Sarver and VanDalen have also scored touchdowns rushing the ball.

Chariton junior quarterback Christian Bengston has completed 21 of 49 passes for 212 yards and three touchdowns. He has thrown for five interceptions, the most in the district.

Senior Token Hall has hauled in 10 passes, second-best in the district, for 53 yards. Freshman TJ Hockenson had seven catches for 110 yards and two touchdowns.

Senior running back Matt Schultz is the sixth-leading rusher in the district with 266 yards and three scores while Masley Pape has 123 yards on the ground.

Bengston has been very tough defending the pass this season, leading the district with five interceptions. Freshman Carter Isley, who is tied with Oskaloosa Zach Mateer and Carlisle’s Daniel Hupke in fumble recoveries with two, has made 18 tackles as junior Conner Grgurich leads the team with 22 tackles. Senior Travis Morr also has been in 18 tackles for the Chargers.

Schilb said Chariton is playing with a little more confidence as compared to last year as it went 1-8 and lost to the Indians 55-6.

“They got a win early in the season and are playing with more confidence this year,” he said.

Senior linebacker Brandon Strasser is fourth in the district in tackles with 29 while teammate Keoki Gibson, another senior linebacker, is close behind with 28 tackles and junior linebacker Mason Wisse has been in 24 tackles. Sophomore defensive back Max Johnson has made 22 tackles this season.

A problem Oskaloosa poses for the Chargers, according to Schilb, is that the team is hungry and is still searching for the elusive first win of the season.