Keystone coach Jason Nellis said his team is getting better. He's just not sure people have taken notice.

Not that it's necessarily a bad thing.

"I've said from the beginning that we think our players are good," said Nellis. "People don't look at us and think this player or that player is a force.

"That works to our advantage," he added.

Granted, the Panthers did drop their first two games - to Redbank Valley 26-8 and Clarion 20-7 - before bouncing back with a 40-7 win over Union Last Friday.

Now they'll go to Karns City for Friday's 7 p.m. contest trying the even their Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference and overall record.

"I think the kids will play with more confidence after last week's game," said Nellis. "Against Clarion, we didn't win, but we shut them out for three quarters, so they're pretty confident.

"That'll tell what we're made of. Our next three games are with Karns City, Moniteau and Clarion-Limestone, but we'll have to play really well," Nellis added.

In last week's game, quarterback Mike Switzer threw for 103 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 96 yards and another score.

Alex Rowan caught four passes for 77 yards, including a pair of touchdown passes and also had two interceptions on defense.

Derek Swartzfager led the ground game with 100 yards rushing and two scores and Kyle McMunn caught three passes for 22 yards.

"We have a backup quarterback (Justin Bifano) who was almost neck and neck for the starting job," said Nellis. "Mike is just more mobile.

"Justin was our quarterback last year, then he was in a car wreck and then he wasn't back until week 8. Mike filled in as a freshman," Nellis added.

As for the Gremlins (1-2, 0-1), Nellis said they appear a little down, but definitely not out.

"I still think they're a good team, and physical," said Nellis. "The biggest difference is they don't have a big power back like Josh Fiscus. Their backs have more speed and can cut.

"They don't back down. They're kind of like us. Some moments they're sound and some moments they make mistakes," Nellis added.

"We had six sophomores on the field at one time in the second half," said Karns City coach Ed Conto on last week's tough 24-16 overtime loss to Clarion-Limestone.

"A little mistake here, a little mistake there and that makes a difference," said Conto. "We have good, talented kids, but we need all 24 as a group to show up and be ready to play," Conto added.

Steve Black passed for 148 yards, including a 72-yard scoring strike to Justin Switzer for the Gremlins last week. Brett Green scored his third touchdown in the two games on a 6-yard run that tied the score at 16 in the fourth quarter.

"We made adjustments at the half," said Conto. "It's a game we should have won, but I was pleased that we came back. We're here to win these games, not lose."

Conto sees the same style of play in the Panthers that he did from the Lions last week.

"(Mike Switzer) runs the ball well and they have two or three big-time receivers.

"Last week was the first time this year we went against a true spread team. We didn't know how to play it, then we were able to adjust to it at halftime."