MOKANE, Mo. - The South Callaway Bulldogs shouldn't need a reminder and there are enough examples to reference.
Unbeaten South Callaway - which entered the Class 2 Missouri Media Rankings for the first time this week at No. 9 - is the No. 2 seed in District 5 and will host No. 7 Montgomery County tonight in first-round play. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
The Bulldogs (9-0) already own a victory this season against Montgomery County (2-7), coached by former South Callaway assistant John Klekamp. The Bulldogs defeated the Wildcats in a 26-6 Eastern Missouri Conference contest Sept. 16 in Mokane - South Callaway's narrowest margin of victory this season.
Plus, there's that gnawing memory of the Bulldogs' stunning first-round exit last year as a third seed in a loss to No. 6 Cole Camp.
South Callaway coach Zack Hess emphasized his players are fully aware of the playoff consequences starting tonight.
"The overarching message was, 'There's no second chances, right? This is it, so we've got to be ready to go - it doesn't matter who we play,'" Hess said. "It doesn't matter that we've already played them.
"You go back and look at the scores, Montgomery played us the closest of anybody. They always play us well."
Hess isn't exactly thrilled with playing an opponent for the second time in a season.
"They have film on us, but we have film on them; it's just always tricky," Hess said. "I think, psychologically, for the players it's tricky too because they know the outcome of the previous game, but they can't let that affect how they play in the next game."
The Wildcats enter tonight having lost three in a row and five of their last six. Montgomery County was roughed up at home by North Callaway in a 62-24 EMO romp last week.
Junior running back Corey Kroll (6-foot-1, 180 pounds) is an omnipresent offensive source for the Wildcats, who average 18.4 points per game. Kroll has rushed for 1,137 yards (5.6 average) and nine touchdowns on the season, while supplementing that output with 14 catches for 393 yards (28.1 average) and five scores.
Hess and the Bulldogs' defensive unit understand that Kroll is a "very high percentage of their offense."
"He's patient and allows his blocks to set up," Hess said. "He does a great job of finding just a little bitty crease to run through and as soon as he hits that crease, then he turns on the jets.
"He's pretty athletic and he's got some sneaky speed."
Kroll showed off some fleet footwork against North Callaway, gaining 214 yards on 34 carries and delivering touchdown runs of 17, 76 and 6 yards. South Callaway, though, did a nice job of keeping Kroll in check in the first meeting, limiting him to 78 yards in 28 attempts (2.8 average) and a 1-yard touchdown run late in the game against backups.
The Bulldogs allowed 112 yards rushing in last week's 48-0 EMO home victory against Van-Far as they clinched a second undefeated run to a conference title in three years. South Callaway is surrendering 129.6 yards on the ground per game.
Hess explained the Bulldogs have to confine the area around Kroll and limit the chances for him to get loose.
"You've got to tackle well in space, you've got to make sure you get 11 hats to the ball," Hess said. " You've got to have good leverage and that's important - if you overpursue and give him cutbacks, that can be an issue.
"We have to make sure that everybody's closing down the space."
Montgomery County - which has given up 50 or more points on the defensive side in five games this season - will be supremely tested by a South Callaway offense that is firing off 43.6 points and 414.4 total yards per game.
While the Bulldogs have a reputation for a dynamic run game that is averaging 298.7 yards, their passing attack has emerged as more of a threat during the past three games. Junior quarterback Landon Horstman is a combined 19-of-32 during that span for 462 yards, eight touchdowns and, most notably, only one interception.
"Getting those completions downfield really helps," Hess said. "You stretch the field vertically. It's one thing to call the play and then throw the ball, but it's another thing when you can complete those passes and do it efficiently.
" The chemistry between Landon and those receivers has been developing all season long and it's just getting better and better. You're starting to see that translate on the field."
Seeing those two facets of the offense showing more synchronicity will make South Callaway even more difficult to defend.
"When the defense has to be aware of the deep threat, that takes away from (stacking) the box," Hess said. "You get seven guys in the box, as opposed to eight or nine, then that opens up some running lanes."
South Callaway hosts Montgomery County
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Preview podcast: South Callaway Bulldogs Football Podcast [Montgomery County preview, Oct. 21, 2016]