Throw the records out the window.

In a rivalry game such as the one the Moniteau and Karns City football teams will play 7 p.m. Friday at Diehl Stadium, what has happened during the season thus far is generally moot.

“I told our guys that today,” said Karns City coach Joe Sherwin. “Don't even pay attention to the record.”

Moniteau has struggled this season and is off to an 0-3 start.

Karns City stormed out of the gate to two convincing wins before fading in the second half in a loss at Clarion last week.

The Warriors are glad to be playing a rival this week. They are hoping the juice the game will add to their collective psyche can get their season back on track.

“I don't think it hurts we are playing a rival,” said Moniteau coach Bob Rottman. “I don't know if there's ever a bad time to play a rivalry game.”

Several factors have conspired to cause the Warriors' disappointing start.

Injuries, something Moniteau was able to avoid last season, have decimated key positions, including shelving starting quarterback Brady Thompson for the foreseeable future.

Thompson broke his non-throwing hand on the first play of the season against Kane. He played most of the game through the injury, but recently had surgery and is out indefinitely.

Junior David Stamm has stepped into the role. Stamm is more of a runner than Thompson.

“Stamm is settling in pretty well,” Rottman said. “Most of camp he worked as a receiver. He's getting more and more comfortable and he runs the ball well.”

The biggest adjustment for Stamm has been his throwing mechanics.

“He threw the javelin during track and field season and he sometimes throws the football like he's throwing a javelin,” Rottman said. “He's had to overcome that habit and he's getting there.”

Stamm has a potent weapon in the passing game in senior Ethan McDeavitt, who is in his first season.

McDeavitt came out for the team with the idea he'd only handle kicking duties. That quickly changed.

“Ethan is a competitor,” Rottman said. “He's an athletic kid, no matter what he does. His kicking has been great, too. We kind of knew he'd do more than kick. He wanted to do more than kick.”

Karns City is also dealing with some injury issues.

Fullback Mitchell Kelsea was lost for the season against Punxsutawney two weeks ago with a torn ACL and meniscus.

Against Clarion, the Gremlins lost three linemen.

Karns City will get one lineman back, however, when sophomore Aaron Taylor returns from an injury he suffered during a scrimmage.

“One of our deepest spots is on the offensive line,” Sherwin said.

Also deep is the stable of running backs the Gremlins can throw at opponents.

“That was kind of our plan this year,” Sherwin said. “We have a dual threat throwing and running the football in Anthony Kamenski, but we have some real dangerous guys in the backfield and we want to get the ball into their hands.”

Kamenski is off to a strong start with 336 yards rushing and 188 yards passing.

“He worked super hard in the offseason preparing his body,” Sherwin said of Kamenski. “He worked with receivers on his own. Every success he's had, he's earned it.”

Rottman is cognizant of the challenges Karns City presents.

He also has faith that his team can turn things around and find the form that made the Warriors a tough out in the District 10 playoffs last season.

“It doesn't matter what the records are,” Rottman said. “We're going in expecting to win.”