CHERRY TWP — Moniteau fullback David Campbell made a promise — and he kept it.

The sophomore told senior tailback James Shope that he would clear a path for him into the Moniteau record books.

Campbell did more than that, clearing a path to the Warriors' 22-21 victory over rival Karns City as well on a soggy Friday night.

Facing a fourth-and-2 at his own 48 late in the fourth quarter and clinging to a 1-point lead, Moniteau coach Jeff Campbell decided to eschew a punt and go for a first down.

"At first we said punt," Coach Campbell said. "Then (offensive coordinator) Randy Armagost said we're only getting 10-yard punts, so we decided to go for it."

It was a risky call, but not in the hands of David Campbell, who took the handoff and plowed through the hole for four yards.

Shope then carried two more times for another first down and the Warriors were able to kill the clock and Karns City's perfect record.

"(David Campbell) hit that hole like a rocket," Jeff Campbell said.

He also blocked like a bulldozer.

David Campbell wiped out three Karns City defenders on a block that sprung Shope on a 62-yard touchdown run in the second quarter to give Moniteau a 22-7 lead.

Shope carried 30 times for 141 yards and two touchdowns. With the yardage, Shope set the career rushing yardage record at the school. He also has the career touchdown record.

"David Campbell is like my little brother," Shope said. "He always has my back. No matter where it is, he is always there for me. If it wasn't for him, that touchdown would have never happened."

Shope got Moniteau going with a 2-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Karns City was called for encroachment on the extra point, so the Warriors elected to go for the two-point conversion. Shope converted on the same running play that earned him the touchdown.

That was a huge sequence in a game that ultimately was decided by a point.

Karns City answered on the next drive with a 7-yard scoring run by Ethan Beale to close the gap to 8-7.

With the Gremlins focused on slowing Shope, fill-in quarterback Zach Wheeler hit a big play in the passing game.

Wheeler, who started in the place of injured Kyle Armagost, tossed a 41-yard touchdown pass to Tony Campbell, who was streaking down the right sideline, for a 15-7 lead.

After Shope's scoring run, it looked like Moniteau (5-3, 5-3) was going to take a 15-point lead into the locker room, but Karns City (7-1, 7-1) took advantage of a 15-yard punt to the Moniteau 19 to score a touchdown with four seconds remaining in the half.

Dylan Hipple found Joe Fallecker with a pass that looked like it would be intercepted. Hipple scored on the two-point conversion and the Gremlins went into the half with the Warriors' lead shrunk to 22-15.

Karns City's Craig Slomers bounced off tacklers for a 47-yard touchdown run late in the third quarter, but a bad snap and hold sabotaged Zach Kepple's extra point try and the Gremlins trailed 22-21.

Moniteau spent the fourth quarter running the clock.

A roughing-the-punter penalty on Karns City with three minutes remaining allowed Moniteau to keep the ball for the rest of the game.

Special teams, which had been huge for the Gremlins the week before, came back to haunt them Friday.

"Overall, we didn't play real well," said Karns City coach Ed Conto. "But Moniteau did a great job. Hats off to them."

Conto, though, isn't breaking the glass on the panic button.

"I told the kids this in the huddle, it's kind of sappy but, when you're on a long trip and you get a flat tire, what do you do?" Conto said. "Do you bag it? Or do you keep going? They said they were going to change the tire."

Moniteau changed its tires weeks ago.

A switch to a 4-3 defense and to a more run-heavy offense seems to have done the trick for the Warriors.

"Earlier in the year, we weren't too much of a team," Shope said. "Now we're a team and it's opening up stuff in the offense and the defense for us. Once you are a team, the sky is the limit."

Moniteau has won two straight after starting the season 2-3 with a playoff berth in doubt.

Now, with five wins, the Warriors have clinched a spot, which could allow Jeff Campbell to rest ailing Armagost for one more week.

"What doesn't kill you makes you stronger," Jeff Campbell said of the slow start. "The kids know we believe in them and we are never going to quit on them. And tonight was a statement."