Say what you want about the McLouth High football team. The Bulldogs may lack talent. They may lack players. And they certainly lack a victory.

But one thing they don’t lack is heart. And for coach Shannon Crouse, that has made his inaugural season worthwhile.

“They’re coming along great,” Crouse said. “Every single game, they keep improving.”

Tonight they’ll make the short nine-mile journey to meet geographic rival Oskaloosa. Kickoff will be at 7 p.m.

Despite the strides, the Bulldogs have a long way to go. They stand 0-4 and have allowed at least 40 points in every game, including 70-plus twice. Meanwhile, they have scored just 14 points.

Still, Crouse can’t complain because the work ethic is there.

“They’ve been coming out Monday through Thursday,” Crouse said, “and they’re just busting their butts. I’m proud of all of them.”

Oskaloosa, with a 1-3 record, is also struggling, and coach Kyle Ross hopes his team doesn’t take McLouth for granted.

“We need to win,” Ross said, “whatever game it is.”

All three Oskaloosa losses were by shutouts, including a 20-0 loss to Valley Falls last week. The Bears’ lone victory was a 28-0 drubbing of Horton on Sept. 13.

With half the season in the books, Ross says he’s still trying to figure out the best product to put on the field.

“We’ve moved some people around, and we want to settle them in,” he said. “We’ve made a few adjustments. We’re trying to build and find out where the pieces of the puzzle fit in.”

Same with McLouth, except with significantly fewer pieces. Only 19 players are on McLouth’s roster and 10 are freshmen.

“We’re taking our lumps a little bit,” Crouse said, “and it’s easy to get down, but we’re not. I would give about anything to get them a win. They deserve one.”