CHERRY TWP — A rivalry so great it couldn't wait.

For the first time since 1963, Karns City and Moniteau will open the high school football season on the same field when they square off at Moniteau for a 7 p.m. kickoff Friday.

Karns City coach Ed Conto is trying hard to downplay the game, which has drawn keen interest for several seasons.

"Friday night, we're going to have to try to keep them from not getting goofy," Conto said of his players. "I'll try every day to tell them this doesn't make our season. It's just one game."

Moniteau coach Jeff Campbell said keeping players' emotions in check is always a daunting task in the first game, regardless of the opponent.

"We made a lot of mistakes in our opener with Clarion last year from being overzealous," Campbell said.

"To win games, we can't shoot ourselves in the foot. We need no stupid mistakes and we have to play a clean, fundamental game," he added.

And the fact the opening game is against the Warriors' biggest rival?

"Playing Karns City in Week 1? It's a killer, an absolute killer," Campbell admitted. "It's a key game in terms of Class AA playoff seeding, as is our Brookville game in Week 3."

The two teams have met nine times in the last five years, including four straight battles in the District 9 playoffs from 2005-09.

Toss in the excitement that comes with the opening of the season, and Conto has his work cut out for him. too.

"We just have to execute our stuff," Conto said. "We want to get off to a good start, but if we lose, it's not the end of the world."

Karns City has lost the last two regular-season meetings with the Warriors, including a 22-21 setback last season in the mud at Moniteau.

This year, the field figures to be less of a quagmire, which should make Gremlins senior quarterback Dylan Hipple happy. Hipple is coming off a season in which he threw for more than 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns.

Moniteau scrimmaged Mercer and Neshannock the past two weekends. Campbell said quarterback-linebacker Kyle Armagost was "absolutely tremendous on both sides of the ball.

"We moved him up to linebacker from safety to take advantage of his aggressiveness," Campbell said.

Freshman Dustin Geagan scored a touchdown on an option play against Neshannock.

"There's speed and there's football speed," Campbell said. "I had to see if Dustin could run away from people while wearing pads and carrying a football. I saw that."

Conto said his team learned a lot from its two scrimmages against Greenville and Slippery Rock.

Conto also will not have to worry about being lonely on the sidelines.

The Karns City school board and the district's 123 teachers — several of whom are assistant football coaches — averted a teachers strike late last week when they agreed to take unresolved contract issues to nonbinding arbitration.

That means business as usual on the sideline and in the booth Friday night.

"I was really worried I was going to have to coach by myself," Conto said. "We have a good staff and nothing will be affected."

Campbell is a bit worried about Karns City's line.

"That's a bigger line than they normally have," he said. "Their linebackers look good and Hipple has looked good running and throwing the football.

"We held a few kids out of scrimmages to get healthy and we are getting healthy again. We don't have a whole lot of depth, but as long as we're healthy, I think we'll be OK," he added.

<B>Year Winner score</B>1957 Moniteau 25-0Moniteau 13-61958 Moniteau 27-01959 Moniteau 24-61960 Moniteau 26-01961 Karns City 18-121962 Moniteau 27-01963 Tie 13-131964 Karns City 6-01965 Karns City 46-71966 Karns City 33-181967 Karns City 18-131968 Karns City 26-131969 Tie 12-121970 Moniteau 46-61971 Karns City 7-61972 Karns City 53-121973 Karns City 20-121974 Karns City 22-61975 Moniteau 8-61976 Tie 0-01977 Moniteau 22-211978 Moniteau 22-01979 Moniteau 24-141980 Karns City 27-01981 Karns City 27-61982 Karns City 16-61983 Moniteau 24-141984 Karns City 19-141985 Moniteau 20-121986 Karns City 21-101987 Karns City 33-01988 Karns City 32-161989 Moniteau 25-01990 Karns City 42-01991 Karns City 38-61992 Karns City 22-211993 Karns City 40-201994 Karns City 14-31995 Moniteau 33-261996 Karns City 42-201997 Karns City 35-01998 Karns City 56-01999 Karns City 54-142000 Karns City 61-62001 Karns City 41-02002 Karns City 33-6Karns City 69-23*2003 Moniteau 22-202004 Karns City 20-72005 Karns City 10-0Moniteau 10-7*2006 Karns City 20-18Karns City 32-29*2007 Karns City 39-19Karns City 50-14*2008 Moniteau 35-34Karns City 42-9*2009 Moniteau 22-21<B>*District 9 playoffs</B>