History, while helpful in framing context and gaining an understanding of the past, doesn't necessarily mean it can help forecast the football season.

Karns City, which is the team most likely to be the last team standing among Butler County's football programs, is looking to accomplish a first in program history.

Should the Gremlins win the District 9 Class AA title this season, they would give the school four straight football district titles for the first time.

Karns City — which has won 11 titles since 1993 — has collected three straight (2007-09, 1999-01) twice before.

While the Gremlins have a little roster turnover this season, they seem primed to make another run at the title.

Their toughest competition will likely come from St. Marys. Brookville and Moniteau are both unknowns going into the season.

Moniteau lost 2,000 rushing yards to graduation, while Brookville will have a first-year coach.

Getting a grip on how other county programs will fare has been a tough exercise.

Here's a few other predictions for the 2015 season with history in mind:

Road trips will sink Slippery Rock University's trip back to conference title game — The Rock is loaded and is ranked as high as ninth nationally in one preseason poll.What could hold SRU back?Trips to Erie.The Rock is 1-3 all-time at Gannon, with its lone victory coming in 2002, and 0-3 when it goes to Mercyhurst.Sweeping the road trip would likely put SRU on track for its third straight playoff berth.Getting swept would put an early end to The Rock's season.

Freeport will return to the playoffs — The fun n' gun Yellowjackets won't take long to break in new quarterback Ryan Weigold.Freeport, which leads the county with 25 district playoff appearances, has the linemen to help keep Weigold upright while he figures things out.With a number of returning targets, led by senior wide receivers Brandon and Dylan Hochbein, Freeport will score a lot of points.

A-C Valley, Summit Academy will have better seasons — Last season is one the Falcons and Knights would like to forget.A-C Valley went 0-10, extending its losing streak to 22 games, while Summit Academy went 0-9 in the brutal Midwestern Conference.A co-op with a school in Scrubgrass Township (Venango County) should help A-C Valley, while the Knights were moved into the Allegheny Conference, which will make it easier for the Knights.

Slippery Rock's triple option will continue to march forward — Expect the Rockets to be in the race for another region title under first-year coach Travis Sarver.Slippery Rock's key games this season will be against Hickory and Greenville.The Rockets will have to at least split to be in the running for a second straight crown.

Josh Rizzo is a sports writer for the Butler Eagle.