VERSAILLES, Mo. - A pair of improved teams clash tonight at Warsaw when the host Wildcats face the Versailles Tigers in Tri-County Conference play (7 p.m. kickoffs).
Both teams come in 2-2 overall. Versailles is 1-1 in conference games while Warsaw is 0-2. Last week Versailles held on to beat California 13-6 while Warsaw is coming off a 38-0 loss against School of the Osage.
After a 0-10 record in 2016, Warsaw has already come far under first-year head coach Ryan Boyer. And that's not a surprise to Versailles head coach Broc Silvers, who said the improvement has been a work for a couple of seasons.
"It was just a matter of time before Warsaw got it turned around," Silvers said. "(Former Warsaw head coach Paul Thomas) had a reputation for coming in and fixing programs and you can see the improvement. They have always battled us; it's been a close game for four or five years.
"I feel it will be another game like most conference games; it will come down to the wire."
Silvers said putting up back-to-back wins against California and Warsaw would be important to the Tiger program.
"If we can get this win, it will really help us figure out who we will play in Week 10," Silvers said. "If we can win we'll be in the top five of the district standings, and if we don't we'll be among the No. 6 or 7 teams."
Prior to last week against Osage, Warsaw had been competitive in three close games, beating Clinton 14-12 and Cole Camp 28-22 before falling short against California 12-8.
The Wildcat offense is still a work in progress, averaging 12.5 points per game. The Warsaw defense has had three strong outings and is allowing 21.0 points per game.
Junior quarterback Matt Luebbert has been the hub of the Wildcat offense, hitting on 23-of-52 passes for 234 yards and two TDs while rushing for 174 yards on 42 attempts and three touchdowns.
Also for the Wildcats, senior running back Keegan Glenn has rushed for 245 yards on 52 carries and a TD while junior running back Eli Hawkins has 123 yards on 35 carries and three TDs.
Senior wideout Jayden Schepker tops Warsaw in receptions with 10 catches for 126 yards.
Defensively junior middle linebacker Colby Schwartz leads Warsaw in tackles with 28 while Schepker, a strong safety, has 24 tackles, senior defensive end Nathaniel Fauquier 23 and sophomore Lane Bates 21.
"They go two-back shotgun," Silvers said of Warsaw. "They like to kick it out to the running backs and they've got two good ones. Our linebackers have got to play well. And I think we need to jump on them early like Osage did; that would help a lot."
Last week against California, Versailles got touchdown runs from 1 and 2 yards from senior running back Taylor Dobbins, who finished the night with 124 yards on the ground.
Versailles sophomore quarterback Coby Williams hit on 9-of-14 passes for 88 yards in the game.
The Versailles defense limited California to 199 yards of total offense - 166 of that rushing.
The Tigers have doubled their offensive production when compared to last year, averaging 25.3 points per game this fall.
Dobbins leads the Tigers so far this season with 398 rushing yards on 43 carries and four TDs while junior running back Grant Hutchison has 100 yards on 17 carries and Williams 68 yards and four TDs.
Williams has completed 40-of-60 passes (67 percent) for 568 yards, four interceptions and five touchdowns.
Senior wideout Kooper Wilson paces the Tigers in receptions with 19 for 357 yards and three touchdowns while Dobbins has seven catches for 82 yards and a TD.
Junior linebacker Michael Trotter, who had 12 tackles against California last week, leads the squad with 47 - including 31 solo, seven for loss and two sacks. Also for Versailles senior lineman Jonathan Geier has 7.5 tackles for loss and Wilson, a defensive back, has 30 tackles.
The Tigers will have to overcome some injury issues.
"We're a little banged up right now," Silvers said. "We've got a couple of kids who will be game-time decisions."