The 'Cats are hoping the speed of players like senior Aric Falls will offset the size of Braymer. (Eric Crump/Democrat-News) [Click to enlarge]

SLATER -- When the season began, Slater head football coach Tom Doherty thought his team could be a factor in the Class 1, District 3 race.

That may still be the case, but entering it with an 18-game losing streak would make it seem like an even steeper uphill climb. That makes Friday's Homecoming clash against struggling Braymer, which won last year's meeting by a 42-0 margin en route to the state quarterfinals, even more important than what one might expect for a non-conference, pre-district contest.

"We're of the opinion that we're going to get one" -- meaning a win -- Doherty said, "and it's going to be like a dam burst."

Not that the Bobcats (1-5) will be looking to help the Purple any, since they have troubles of their own. Braymer's feeling a bit snake-bit, especially after blowing a lead in the final three minutes against Sweet Springs two weeks ago during a 20-14 loss -- then failing to cash in at the end of a 21-14 setback to Salisbury the next game.

"I think they're really a pretty good team with a lot of talent," Doherty said. "They've had some injuries, and they've all come in a row, and haven't had a chance to get a rhythm yet."

Braymer has the kind of bulk on the line which the Wildcats (0-6) wouldn't seem capable of handling, but Doherty thinks speed could prove to be to their advantage.

"We have to use our quickness and schemes against their size, and neutralize them up front," he admitted.

However, Slater will need to get more offensive production -- after being shut out three of the last four games -- to be able to succeed in this game and beyond.

"It would take a monkey off our back" to get a win, Doherty said. Once that happens, "I think they'll come in numbers."

SWEET SPRINGS -- Sweet Springs may have been more lucky than good while winning its last two games, over Braymer (20-14) and Crest Ridge (20-19), with fourth-quarter comebacks.

Rallying from behind during the late stages may not cut it Friday at Wellington-Napoleon, one of three teams -- along with the Greyhounds -- chasing top-ranked Orrick for the I-70 Conference title.

"We're going to have to play better than we have the last two weeks," declared Sweet Springs head coach Tim Smith.

The last two years, the Tigers (5-1, 3-1 I-70) were a dynamo -- only missing the 2006 Class 1 playoffs through the misfortune of being in the same district as Orrick. However, head coach Jamie Perry stepped aside and new field boss Quenton Bainbridge has brought in a new style -- scrapping the unconventional single wing in favor of the trendier spread option.

"They're pretty similar to us in style," Smith noted. "They like to get in the shotgun and spread the ball around, and so do we."

Wellington's adjustment in approach was necessitated by the loss of a big, strong senior class -- notably bruising backs Kyle Nixdorf and Tyler West.

"It's a lot easier to prepare for when you don't have all that spinning and hiding the ball," Smith said, mindful of last year's 58-12 loss to the Tigers.

Still, Smith knows that "the offensive line has to get better" if Sweet Springs (5-1, 3-1) is going to stay in the hunt for the league crown, or compete for a playoff spot in a district which includes state-ranked Concordia and Tipton.

"We've got to be able to win out," Smith conceded.

ALMA -- It can be fairly stated that St. Paul's 34-0 victory at Santa Fe last year has no more relevance to Friday's traditional I-70 Conference backyard brawl in Concordia than the man in the moon.

The Saints (0-6, 0-4 I-70) have hit a dry spell after stringing together a few good seasons, including a Class 1 playoff appearance in 2005, and the Chiefs are under entirely new management under first-year head coach Andy Frerking.

"You've got two pretty similar teams right now in that both are looking bad for a win," Frerking remarked. "They're kind of young, and so are we. So it should be a pretty good match-up."

St. Paul has found scoring difficult, having scored only two touchdowns during the first five games of the season before matching that total last week during a 40-12 loss to Wellington.

"The key for them is their offensive line," which had only one returning starter from a year ago, Frerking said. "That's what it's going to come down to: which offensive line plays better."

It's also incumbent upon the Chiefs (2-4, 1-3) to become stouter on defense. They yielded 488 yards in offense, 400 on the ground, during a 42-36 loss to Windsor last week -- and are allowing opponents a staggering 344.3 yards and 27.2 points per game. That won't work in a district which includes potent offenses like those of Orrick and Wellington.

"For us, the biggest the issue is sticking our nose in there and making tackles," Frerking said. "We've got to be more physical and get people to the ball aggressively."