You know it's a big week in high school football when Moniteau and Karns City play each other.

It's even bigger this time, given the stakes.

The two teams that make up perhaps the biggest and best rivalry in Butler County will meet again Friday at Clarion University with a District 9 championship on the line.

It was tough predicting the outcome of this game the first time. It's even harder this time around.

How do you differentiate between these two top-notch programs?

On paper, they are about as evenly matched as they come and they proved it the last time they squared off in a one-point game won by Moniteau.

To pick a game like this, you have to look beyond the Xs and Os, beyond the personnel, beyond even the intangibles:

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Mascots. Moniteau is the Warriors; Karns City is the Gremlins.A warrior is defined as a person engaged or experienced in warfare. A gremlin is defined as a mischievous invisible being, said by airplane pilots in World War II to cause engine trouble and mechanical difficulties.In a big game, I want a warrior, not an invisible being, or somethingI can't feed after midnight. Advantage: Moniteau.•

School colors. Moniteau is black and red; Karns City is purple and gold. While black and red is an intimidating color scheme, it has also been done over and over again. It's cliche.Purple and gold can be intimidating. The Purple People Eaters come to mind. Advantage: Karns City.•

Fans. Both are rabid and crazy. Both would gouge your eyes out if you sat in their section wearing enemy colors. Advantage: Push.•

Last names. Moniteau has three Campbells: Dakota, Tony and head coach Jeff; Karns City has the market cornered on Stimacs: Anthony and Josh. And LaVans: Markus and Jarrett.No clear advantage here: Push.So, after all of that, we still end up in a quandary. Back to the old coin toss I guess.And the pick is ... Moniteau 32, Karns City 29 in septendecuple overtime. Don't hate me Gremlin faithful. I have to pick somebody.There's another playoff game this week ...•

Sharon 22, Slippery Rock 21 — The last time these two teams played, they slugged it out for four quarters with the Tigers winning by a touchdown.Slippery Rock showed it can slug it out with anyone last week when it physically dominated North East.Sharon, with its WVU style spread offense, gives teams fits.In another tough game to call, I'm going with Sharon.Scoop was 4-1 last week and is 77-31 for the season.