Things are setting up very similar to last year’s Tonganoxie-Mill Valley football game – a game in which Tongie won at Mill Valley, 39-0.

Both teams sport the same record this year (3-0), just as they did last year (2-1) going into the Week 4 matchup.

Similarity No. 2 is the weather conditions. The sloppy field a year ago helped the Chieftains contain the Jaguars’ Justin Woods – a Kansas State football recruit – to less then 100 yards rushing. And the showers all day Thursday could make for another muddy field.

“Each year has been a knockdown fight that is always close until the end,” Tonganoxie coach Mark Elston said. “It’s always a game with conference implications.”

While it may not be the skies over Tonganoxie that will be filled with fireworks, down on the field there will plenty of explosions with two high-powered offenses squaring off. Tongie’s 113 points for the season is just one more than Mill Valley’s total points scored.

“Both teams are pushing 40 points per game, and on paper that could mean it’s a 40-35 shootout,” Elston said. “But I know the defenses will be well up to the challenge. The game should be fun for the fans. It’ll go quick because the clock will be continually running with both teams keeping the ball on the ground. You’ll definitely have plenty of Friday night remaining.”

Again this year, Woods has run rampant to start the season, averaging nearly 175 yards rushing per game. However, it seems the Chieftains defense was built with Woods in mind, as their opponents have only been able to run for a total of 68 yards.

“We have to eliminate the big play,” Elston said. “They have a solid quarterback and other running backs – besides Woods – that have speed and moves, so they are not just a one-man show, and they have very fundamentally sound linemen.

“So we can’t just prevent Woods, but we do have to prevent the big play – make them earn it. They cannot go 80 yards in eight seconds. We just need to control the ball the best that we can, to keep their speed off the field. Otherwise, having to chase those guys could make for a long evening for our defense.”

Tonganoxie will turn to the two-headed monster of Daniel Volk and Kevin Gill in its backfield – but their combined 522 rushing yards is still two yards shy of Woods’ total for the year.

Though Volk and Gill get it done when asked upon, the Chieftains also get a heavy dose of offense from quarterback Jeff Hughes.

“Our best defense is a good offense,” Elston said. “We just need to sustain drives like we have been able to. We’ve had several six-minute drives and we need that same mentality. If we just move the chains then the end result should be points.”

With all the similarities, the one thing neither team hopes to see is a repeat of how the losing team last year faired the rest of the season. The Jaguars’ loss to the Chieftains began a six-game slide to close out their season.

“The schedule wasn’t easy for them and things happened early in the season that any normal team would have difficulty trying to overcome,” Elston said. “But we’ve told our players to put last year’s game in the past. All it is, is a good memory.”