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Cambria Heights and Marion Center staged two highly-competitive football matchups against each other last season, and the Stingers won them both, including a 29-22 come-from-behind win in Patton that ended the Highlanders' season in the first round of the District 6 Class 2A playoffs.
Yet, despite the fact that both teams have returned a solid nucleus of players this fall, veteran Heights coach Jarrod Lewis insists that there will be no sense of revenge motivating his team this Friday night, when the Highlanders and Stingers meet in a Heritage Conference matchup of two 3-0 teams.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. Friday at Marion Center High School's John Mallino Stadium.
"Obviously, it's a game that we're excited about, just because it's an opponent that we respect, an opponent that has had some success, and a team that was picked to be pretty good this year,'' Lewis said.
"But I think that we're a different football team this year, and so are they,'' Lewis said. "From year to year, teams are so different.''
Yet many of the same players who participated in that District 6 playoff game last November will be back on the field for Friday night's rematch.
A couple of those players are just moving around a bit.
The Cambria Heights offense is led by junior Nolan Clawson, who has become the Highlanders' full-time quarterback this fall after lining up primarily as a running back last season.
Clawson has completed 19 of 31 passes for 265 yards and a touchdown this season, while rushing for 366 yards on 40 carries and five scores.
"He played some quarterback for us last year but he was primarily a running back,'' Lewis said of Clawson. "You can really see him getting better each game this year. Obviously, he possesses the run-pass threat, and we're really happy with the way that he has progressed as a quarterback with his decision-making, throws, and so forth.
"I think that overall, he's done a really, really nice job.''
Heights boasts another outstanding skill position player in senior slotback Brayden DeArmitt, who accounted for a game-winning touchdown run in the Highlanders' road showdown with River Valley two weeks ago, and scored three different ways - via the rush, a pass reception, and a kickoff return - last week as the Highlanders defeated Purchase Line.
"He's been our big-play guy,'' Lewis said. "We try to move him around the field, like we try to do with a lot of our guys. He can play slot back or wide receiver for us.''
DeArmitt has rushed for 281 yards on 15 carries and four touchdowns this year, while making 10 receptions for 152 yards and another score.
Marion Center coach Adam Rising has been impressed with both Clawson and DeArmitt.
"They both average over 100 yards a game rushing the football, and Clawson has thrown for about 150 yards,'' Rising said. "The DeArmitt kid is very fast and very shifty. I'm really impressed with their offensive line. Their players up front are big, physical, and experienced.''
Heights senior back Colton Strong has rushed for 159 yards on 25 carries and a touchdown this year.
"Colton Strong has run the ball really, really hard this year, and that has kind of held opposing teams in check,'' Lewis said. "We've also had some young guys like Brock Wharton, Hudson Snyder and Greyson Orosz who have come along in the receiving department as well, and that has made us difficult to stop.''
Heights has averaged exactly 40 points over three games, while Marion Center has averaged 35.
The Stingers' offense is led by talented junior Troy Slovinsky, who has moved from wideout to quarterback full-time this season, and has completed 30 of 49 passes for 363 yards and two touchdowns this year, while rushing for 122 yards and two scores.
"He's a really good athlete - definitely one of the top athletes in our conference,'' Lewis said.
Slovinsky's older brother, Trent, is a senior running back who has rushed for 204 yards on 21 carries and four touchdowns, and also has a team-high 10 receptions for 106 yards and a score.
Another senior back, Tyler Phillips, has rushed for 197 yards on 24 carries and two TDs for Marion Center.
Both coaches expect a physical, competitive football game Friday night.
Cutting down on mistakes will be important for his team, Rising said.
"Things like pre-snap penalties and turnovers are things that we have to clean up,'' Rising said. "(Cambria Heights) has always been very efficient, and this game is going to boil down to playing a very clean football game.''
Lewis said that playing on the road will add to the challenge for his team.
"We'll see a lot of their athletes that we saw last year,'' Lewis said. "They're all good, tough football players, and they're a team that possesses a lot of speed on both offense and defense.
"So we know that it's going to be a challenge, and the fact that it's at their place should make for a great atmosphere,'' Lewis said. "We're expecting a close football game.''
Cambria Heights at Marion Center.
When: Friday, 7 p.m.
Where: John Mallino Stadium, Marion Center High School.
Records: Both 3-0 overall and in Heritage Conference
Coaches: CH--Jarrod Lewis, 99-72, in 16th season. MC--Adam Rising, 51-36 in ninth season.
Last week: Cambria Heights defeated Purchase Line, 41-13. Marion Center won at Homer-Center, 22-14.
Last season: Marion Center won both meetings with Heights, 26-25 in the regular season and 29-22 in the plahyhoffs.
All-time series: Cambria Heights has a 5-2 advantage.