If you want to get a glimpse of the future of the Keystone Shortway Athletic Conference, head to Karns City Friday evening.

Moniteau and Karns City will be battling in a District 9 Class AA semifinal playoff game that could lead to the start of something big.

"It should be interesting," said Karns City coach Ed Conto. "I think us and Moniteau, in the next five years, both schools are on the verge of dominating this league.

"We have a good junior high team and they have a good junior high team. I don't know who'll be No. 1 and who's No. 2.

"We have to get better this year and next, but I think this will repeat the next four or five years," Conto added.

The Warriors (5-5) are fresh off a 35-25 victory over Brookville, the first playoff win in the program's history. They had lost three consecutive games before posting the playoff win.

The Gremlins (7-2) enjoyed a bye week after winning six consecutive games, including a victory over Moniteau 10-0 on Oct. 14.

"We played pretty good defense, and we'll have to do that again," said Conto. "We had consistency moving the ball, but we had two drives where we stopped ourselves on turnovers. We also put ourselves in trouble in their territory."

The Gremlins will try to slow down the Warriors running game with Matt Schandelmeier and Adam Cousins.

Schandelmeier has rushed for 1,221 yards on 192 carries and 16 touchdowns in 10 games this year, while Cousins has added 514 yards on 103 carries.

The duo combined for 85 yards in the loss to Karns City. Moniteau totaled just 73 yards rushing and 96 total yards.

Having played A-C Valley and Union in the final two weeks of the regular season, followed by the bye week, Conto hopes his team hasn't lost the edge it's had since Week 4 against Keystone.

"We have not played the caliber of talent Moniteau has the past few weeks," said Conto. "I hope we've improved and not digressed."

After a slow start offensively, the Gremlins picked up the pace. Wayne Harris has helped to spearhead that charge, leading the team in rushing (657 yards, eight touchdowns), while Joey Everetts (322 yards), Steve Black (279 yards), Matt Stimac and Brett Green have scored two touchdowns each.

Black also passed for 675 yards, seven TDs and 11 interceptions.

Conto said that while both teams have 14 starting players, Moniteau's average 218 pounds while Karns City's average just 181.

"That's 37 pounds difference," said Conto. "We have to stay out of four-down territory. We have to play defense because of the size differential. We have to team tackle."

The regular season game was a battle and the same will hold true this time around, but the game also can serve notice about what may lay ahead for both squads.

"Moniteau has a lot of quality kids," said Conto. "It should be great, fun and should open the door for some good battles in the future."