CHERRY TWP — In an age of spread offenses and up-tempo attacks designed to put points on the board as fast as the stock ticker on Wall Street, the Moniteau High School football team is about as old school as one can get.

“Ultimately, if we don't have to throw the football once the entire game, I'll take it,” said Warriors' coach Bob Rottman.

There's little secret what Moniteau wants to do in its rematch against Ridgway at 1 p.m. Saturday at DuBois in the District 9 Class AA semifinals.

Expect a lot of Cody Wise behind a big, physical offensive line and bruising fullback Nick Martino.

“I think our offensive line has the mentality that each one of them is more physical than the guy across from them,” Rottman said. “They feel like they are going to win every battle and that's their mentality. That's our mindset as a football team. A lot of football is mindset.”

And Moniteau (7-4) has a pretty good one heading into this playoff game, especially after that offensive line manhandled Clarion at times in a 20-14 win last week.

In that game, the Warriors ran the ball 49 times for 232 yards against a loaded box designed for one thing: to stop Moniteau's running game.

The Warriors threw just four passes, and one was a desperation heave by Cody Wise after he scooped up a bad snap well behind the line of scrimmage.

“I don't think there is anything more exciting in a game than blocking somebody, blowing someone up, and then turning around and seeing your back carrying people, running over people for a touchdown,” Martino said.

Moniteau hopes to see plenty of that against a Ridgway team that won 36-14 and held the Warriors to just four first downs in the first meeting.

But that was all the way back on Sept. 7 and a great deal has changed for both teams since then.

Moniteau has won four in a row and six of its last eight since that loss in Week 2.

Ridgway (9-1) lost to Brookville, 28-11, and then struggled to get by Union/A-C Valley, 21-7, before a bye week leading into this playoff game.

The Elkers also lost one of their best all-around players in Evan Furlong to injury against Clarion in early October.

Furlong had 355 yards on 57 carries and also had 54 tackles — eight for loss — and four sacks before getting hurt.

Rottman, though, is still concerned about who is there and healthy for Ridgway.

Junior quarterback Paul Gresco has completed 100 of 151 for 1,155 yards and 11 touchdowns this season. And he's spread the wealth — five Elkers have at least 12 receptions.

Ridgway's running game is also diverse, even with Furlong.

Sophomore Gabe Watts leads the team with 489 yards on 75 attempts. Junior Jake Wickett is a close second with 413 yards on 77 carries.

“They are a solid football team,” Rottman said.

Rottman, though, thinks his team is pretty solid, too.

Perhaps much more solid than they were in the first meeting with Ridgway.

“I got the sense from them that they are really excited about the position they are in right now,” Rottman said. “We're a different team. A better team.”

Martino for one is eager for another shot at the Elkers.

“I'd like to get a little payback from last time,” Martino said. “Last game, it just didn't sit right. It hasn't sit right since.”