It's all about creativity.

Brookville used it to get into the District 9 football playoffs. Moniteau might need it to stay there.

The two Class AA teams, both sporting 4-5 records, meet at 7 p.m. Friday in Brookville to see which will face top-seed Karns City next week.

While the Warriors are looking for their first-ever playoff win — having lost their first game in postseason play each of the past three years — the host Raiders are coming off their best-ever playoff run. Brookville won three postseason games last year before losing to eventual PIAA runner up Grove City.

"That program is used to being in the playoffs," said Moniteau coach Steve Wilson. "Their coach does a great job preparing them for this time of year."

Moniteau discovered that first hand last year when Brookville hung a 20-13 upset loss on the Warriors in the first round of the playoffs.

But the Raiders nearly didn't reach postseason this year.

A last-minute 7-6 loss to Clarion-Limestone was their fourth straight defeat and left them at 1-4 after five games.

"We went for two points late in that game and didn't make it," Dworek said. "We decided we had to come up with a more creative two-point play in the future, so we went to work on it.

"The very next week, we're in a tight game with Bradford and scored late to pull within 14-13 with less than two minutes to play.

"The kids wanted to use that two-point play. They were confident they could get it done. I trust in these kids. That's what our program is based on," Dworek added.

The conversion worked, Brookville posted a 15-14 win, then won its next two to reach the .500 mark. The Raiders suffered a 25-16 loss to Grove City last week.

"Yeah, if that two-point conversion doesn't work, we're probably not playing this week," Dworek admitted.

Moniteau is trying to snap a three-game losing streak that includes home losses of 10-0 to Karns City and 7-3 to Clarion.

The Warriors also lost a one-point game to Clarion-Limestone, 8-7, in their season opener. In all three of those defeats, Moniteau failed to score on multiple opportunities inside the opponent's 20-yard line.

"We need to alter our style of football in the red zone," Wilson said. "Teams are stacking 10 guys in the box and we've been reluctant to get away from trying to pound the ball in.

"Matt Schandelmeier is an excellent back, but it doesn't do us much good to hand him the ball if everyone's keying on him. We need to expand that package."

Schandelmeier has rushed for 1,133 yards and scored 14 touchdowns this year. Adam Cousins has 486 yards rushing and four scores.

"In the past, we got inside the 5 and were reluctant to roll out for fear of losing yardage," Wilson admitted. "But we've got to start taking some chances.

"We have speed we can take advantage of. If teams are going to put 10 guys in there, we have to be more creative."

Dworek described the Warriors as "scary."

"Before the season, I picked Brookville and Moniteau as the top two teams in District 9 Class AA," he said. "They've had some bad breaks in all of their losses.

"They're a few plays away from being 7-2. We have to respect that."

Moniteau's passing game has struggled all year. Garth Kohlmeyer has completed just 34 of 90 passes for 434 yards, three touchdowns and seven interceptions.

Cousins has 11 receptions for 174 yards. Schandelmeier has nine receptions, tight end Ryan Protzman six. David Rumbaugh leads Moniteau's receivers with four catches for 84 yards.

Defensively, middle linebacker Clay Campbell and end Schandelmeier anchor the Warriors.

"Defense is the strength of this team and those two guys are the stalwarts," Wilson said.

Brookville quarterback Korey Brownlee has completed 45 of 95 passes for 642 yards, three touchdowns and eight interceptions. Tyler Ross has 20 catches for 314 yards and two scores.

When Max Kutz rushed for 112 yards on 11 carries in a 33-14 win over Punxsutawney in Week 8, it marked the first 100-yard rushing game by a Raider running back in the regular season since 2002.

Brookville had at least one 100-yard rushing performance in each of its playoff wins last year.

"We began this year with a six-back rotation, but that's been cut back to four in recent weeks," Dworek said.

Senior tailback Matt Berfield and junior fullback Levi Singleton are Brookville's starters in the backfield.

"Their biggest strength is the number of skilled kids they use," Wilson said. "You never know where they're coming from."

Linebacker Singleton leads Brookville in tackles, sophomore defensive end Justin Smith has nine quarterback sacks and Ross has six interceptions.

Singleton handles the kicking duties.

"We haven't tried a field goal all year," Dworek said. "Our kicking game made just one out of four PATs against Punxsutawney, but we adjusted some blocking schemes and were 2-for-2 last week."

Cousins has connected on a handful of field goals for Moniteau this year, including a 37-yarder.