SLIPPERY ROCK — Travis Sarver has no idea from week to week who will or won’t be suiting up on Friday nights.

Injuries have taken a toll on the Slippery Rock High football team.

And its coach.

They will again when Slippery Rock (4-4, 3-3) travels to Corry (3-5, 3-3) for a 7 p.m. kickoff Friday with a trip to the playoffs on the line for both teams.

“I think every school goes through a year like that every once in awhile,” Sarver said. “You have to prepare like you aren’t going to have them.”

This week’s injury list is just as long as it has been since very early in the season when a rash of injuries put junior quarterback Bailey Mertens and senior fullback Dalton Hilliard on the shelf.

Mertens is still likely not back and new injuries have cropped up.

The latest is to fullback Trent Porter, who missed last week’s 44-0 loss to Sharon.

Porter, who has rushed for 851 yards and 10 touchdowns, is questionable again this week with an undisclosed injury.

“We hope he can play,” Sarver said. “That’s all we can do right now.”

Ryan Lauster lead the Rockets with 858 yards rushing and has also scored 10 TDs.

But Lauster is playing out of position at quarterback and hasn’t completed a pass in four weeks. Slippery Rock has completed just 7-of-37 passes for 119 yards this year.

The passing game, though, likely won’t determine who gets the fourth and final playoff spot in Region 3-AA.

That may come down to defense and who can slow down the other team’s attack.

Corry’s offense has been dangerous both in the air and on the ground this season.

Beavers’ quarterback Bryce Xander has thrown for 1,084 yards and six TDs while the running back tandem of Liam Cragg and Tagen Drayer has combined for 999 yards and 12 scores on the ground.

Xander, a junior, was a lineman in middle school and has had some growing pains at quarterback, where he started for the first time last season.

“He was a big kid and played on the line, so it’s been a process for him,” said Corry coach Adam Walstrom. “He’s spent the extra time in the film room, the extra time with me. He’s definitely put the work in.”

Corry also has had to overcome injuries and Walstrom said he is finally getting most of his players back on the field this week.

“We’ve had four starters out just about every game and we have most of those guys coming back,” Walstrom said.

Corry had won just five games in the two seasons prior to this one after being a playoff team in 2012.

Winning this game and getting back to the playoffs means a lot to his team, Walstrom said.

Sarver can see that on film.

“They play very hard,” Sarver said. “They are a team that really wants to get back to the playoffs badly.”

So does Slippery Rock, which hasn’t missed the postseason since 2010.

To get there, the Rockets may need to lean on more sophomores and freshmen.

“We’ve had a lot of sophomores step up,” Sarver said. “Seth Slater has been one of those guys from the beginning. Hunter Premintine isn’t that big, but he’s not afraid to stick his nose in there, and a freshman, Patrick Shay, has played well.

“Not many sophomores get the opportunity to play that much,” Sarver added. “So, there is a positive in that.”