Coming into 2005, Keystone Oaks had won just two of 18 football games over two seasons.

The Golden Eagles have won two of three so far this season - and believe they can win a lot more.

"It's tough going through an 0-9 season," sixth-year coach Nick Kamberis said. "You either learn how to lose or you learn to hate it.

"We always found a silver lining with every loss. We tried to grow from it."

Included in that 0-9 record of last season was a 27-13 loss to Knoch. The Knights used that game to jump-start their offense.

They hope to do the same thing this year as they've scored only 21 points through three games and were shut out 34-0 by Hampton last week.

"I'd be concerned if it was against anyone other than Hampton," Knoch coach Mike King said of the shutout. "I've seen a lot of good football teams in my day and a few great football teams … Hampton is a great football team.

"We still have to catch the football a little more, but I don't see our offense as inept. We have a couple of people who have to grow into positions and things will materialize for us."

Knoch quarterback Jordan Shoop has completed only 15-of-48 passes for 132 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions. Sophomore running back Alex Whisler has four catches for 40 yards while fellow sophomore Rob Briggs has three for 32.

Joel Berger returned from an injury and caught two passes for 10 yards against Hampton.

Shoop leads the Knights' ground attack with 184 yards and two touchdowns on 42 carries. Whisler has 39 carries for 155 yards and a score.

"When you have a player as talented as Jordan out there, some kids will have a tendency to be too dependent on him," King said. "We have a lot of sophomores playing and I don't think they've realized their full potential yet."

One of those sophomores, nose guard John Zellhardt, will miss Friday's game because of a concussion. Fullback Justin McGowan injured an ankle and is probable.

"We'll miss not having Zellhardt in there," King said. "He's so quick, teams had to put two guys on him to account for him. We're gonna need somebody to fill his shoes."

That somebody will either be junior Dustin Halahurich or sophomore Nash Leslie.

Knoch (1-2, 0-1) hopes to end its two-game losing streak at Keystone Oaks' expense, but it won't be easy. Sophomore running back John Fuhrer has rushed for 446 yards this year for the Eagles, going over the 100-yard mark in all three games.

The Golden Eagles have defeated East Allegheny 35-0 and Highlands 27-20 and dropped a 38-21 decision to Chartiers Valley.

"We had four turnovers against Char Valley," Kamberis said. "Really, we should be 3-0 right now."

Keystone Oaks' leading rusher last year, Ed Beveridge, had just 327 yards on the ground all year. He transferred to Seton-LaSalle.

Junior quarterback Chris DeFrancesco has passed for more than 100 yards in each Golden Eagle game this year as well.

"Fuhrer is only 5-foot-6, but he's a little ball of iron," Kamberis said. "Our linemen love blocking for him because he's such a tough runner."

Keystone Oaks' linemen - led by juniors Chris Jacobsen (6-3, 280 pounds) and Myles Caragein (6-3, 262, a national freestyle wrestling champion - love to block, period.

"Linemen are usually your most miserable players in camp … It's the nature of the beast," Kamberis said. "They're carrying all that weight around, they're hitting each other, they're hot, but these guys love it.

"They challenge each other to see who gets the most pancake blocks. They can all bench-press 300 pounds and love to play physical."

Keystone Oaks is a power running team with two tight ends most of the time. It plays a 50 defense with Caragein a standout at defensive end.

Punter Ray Clarder averages 44 yards per boot and place-kicker Roman Nardozzi has converted 11 of 12 PATs.

"They're much improved from last year," King said. "They're doing a nice job running the football and we have to counter that."

"Shoop might be the best player we face all year," Kamberis said. "As a coach, you hate to play against him, but he's a fun kid to watch."