CHERRY TWP — It's a rivalry rooted in community and familiarity.

When it comes to Karns City vs. Moniteau on the high school football field, there is little each coach needs to say to his team to get it fired up for this particular Friday night.

Karns City is on a six-game winning streak against its rival.

The last win for the Warriors over the Gremlins came in the District 9 title game in 2011.

But this year, both teams are 1-2. Both teams are looking to put disappointing losses last week behind them when they clash at 7 p.m. Friday night at Moniteau.

Both teams also take pride in their physical play. That sets the stage for a game that could be a good old fashioned bare-knuckle brawl.

“That's Karns City-Moniteau pretty much,” said first-year Karns City head football coach Joe Sherwin, who was a longtime assistant for the Gremlins and also played at Karns City. “I think this past game against Clarion, we were just as physical if not more physical than them, it just didn't show up on the scoreboard. I think we're a team that's not going to back down hitting-wise.”

Which is a good thing, because Moniteau is also not shy about contact.

On defense or on offense.

Moniteau coach Bob Rottman, who is also in his first year as the head football coach after spending the last three as a Warriors assistant, said his pair of bruising running backs — Cody Wise and Nick Martino — “play offense like they play linebacker.”

Sherwin is particularly wary of Wise, who has rushed for more than 300 yards this season.

And has made defensive backs pay for trying to bring him down.

“We're going to have to make sure we gap control and don't let him break free into the secondary,” Sherwin said. “When he gets a head of steam, look out.”

Karns City has its own potent back, albeit in a slightly different mold than Wise.

Hunter Jones rushed for 160 yards and a touchdown last week in a 21-7 loss to Clarion.

Sherwin said Jones will get a bigger workload against Moniteau.

“We talked about that in our coaches' meeting this weekend, giving him more carries,” Sherwin said. “He's worked super hard in the weight room.”

Jones is an explosive back. His 62-yard run against the Bobcats tied the game at 7-7 in the first half. Jones has gained 280 yards and scored five touchdowns on the ground in three games this season.

Rottman, though, isn't placing all his attention on one player.

“I think we have to focus on our defense and sticking to our assignments,” Rottman said. “If we do that, we'll be OK.”

Then again, Rottman said it doesn't matter from year to year who is on the field for Karns City.

“Karns City has had a really good program for probably the last 18 years,” Rottman said. “We know they are going to bring a good football team here.”

Moniteau is coming off a disheartening 36-14 loss to Ridgway.

Rottman's take on that defeat was conveyed to his team early.

“Forget about that one,” Rottman said. “The message was to put that behind us and move on. It's not what we expected when we went to Ridgway, but we can't dwell on what happened Friday.”

Karns City had its own disappointing setback against Clarion in a game that again got away from the Gremlins in the fourth quarter.

Karns City's two losses this season have come when it was either ahead or tied in the final quarter.

“I still believe we can do some damage and make some noise in this league, and do the same in the playoffs,” Sherwin said. “We're right with the teams we've lost to, two of the best teams in this league.”

Moniteau has also lost to two strong teams.

The Warriors would like nothing better than to break the six-year drought against their rival.

“It's been awhile,” Rottman said. “I'm excited and there's a little more anticipation for me this year as the head coach.”