It's like looking in a mirror.
Team No. 1 is averaging 45 points a game, team No. 2 40.4. Team No. 1 is allowing an average of 15.8, team No. 2 allows 12.8.
"They do a lot of the same things we do," Helias coach Chris Hentges said as the Crusaders (10-0) prepare to host the Warrensburg Tigers (8-1) in the Class 4 District 6 title game tonight at Ray Hentges Stadium.
Warrensburg, No. 2 in the example, comes into tonight's game off a thrilling 27-23 win at Bolivar in the district semifinals.
The Tigers trailed 23-20 in the final minute before quarterback Eli Nappe connected with Shelby Pittsenbarger for a 68-yard touchdown pass that gave Warrensburg the lead. Pittsenbarger then intercepted a pass on Bolivar's final desperation possession to seal the victory.
Nappe (6-foot-2, 185 sr.) was 17-of-32 through the air for 347 yards in the victory. For the season, Nappe is completing 63 percent of his passes for more than 1,600 yards.
"He's got a strong arm, his ability to throw the ball deep really jumps out at you," Hentges said. "He can throw it 40-50 yards on a dime."
Nappe also tops the Tigers in rushing with more than 700 yards and 10 touchdowns.
"He's a great dual-threat quarterback," Hentges said. "They do a lot of stuff in the run game to make sure he has the ball."
Pittsenbarger (6-0, 180 sr.) has more than 600 receiving yards this season to go along with around 500 rushing yards from his slot back position.
Luke Othic (5-10, 170 jr.) is a third potent weapon in the run game, averaging 8.5 yards per carry.
"They have a lot of the same offensive concepts as we do," Hentges said.
Helias quarterback Jake Weaver is completing 65 percent of his passes for 1,650 yards and 21 touchdowns to go along with four interceptions. The Central Missouri Activities Conference Offensive Player of the Year has run for 840 yards (7.6 avg.) and a team-high 17 touchdowns.
Cole Stumpe would be Pittsenbarger's comparable. The Helias junior has 33 catches for 486 yards and seven touchdowns, while rushing three times for 54 yards and a score.
Alex Clement, a senior, tops the Crusaders in rushing with 850 yards (6.6) and 12 scores.
Defensively, both teams are led in tackles by their linebackers.
Connor Wyatt and Chase Rylander, both seniors, are averaging more than 11 tackles per game for the Tigers.
"The linebackers are great run stoppers," Hentges said.
Helias seniors Ethan Holzhauser and Isaac Lopez both eclipsed the 100-tackle mark for the season in last week's 54-22 victory against Nevada. Holzhauser, the CMAC Defensive Player of the Year, finished with 13 tackles to improve to 104 on the season, while Lopez totaled 12 to move his total to 103.
Helias scored on its first four possessions against Nevada to lead 28-0 just one play into the second quarter.
"We were extremely sharp in all three phases and we are looking to continue that this week," Hentges said. "We want to pick up where we left off."
The Crusaders are expecting to see the best of the Tigers tonight.
"I'm sure they're viewing this as a challenge, just like we are viewing this as a challenge," Hentges said. "This will be one of the better teams we've played this year.
"They've had a very good season. They are very well-coached and it's going to require our absolute top game."
It has been six years since Helias has won a district football title.
"It's been a great week of practice, the boys have their eyes focused on this and are ready to go," Hentges said. "The focus is winning a district title. It's been a long time coming. The coaches and players are hungry to win this championship."
Game time is 7 p.m.
Notes: Helias ended the regular season No. 1 in the Missouri Media Rankings, while Warrensburg was No. 8. The Crusaders scored 450 points in their first 10 games to tie the school record held by the 2013 team. Nine different Crusaders have caught at least one touchdown pass this season. . Four opponents in the regular season for Helias - Lutheran: St. Charles, Battle, Borgia and Cardinal Ritter - will play for district championships. No one on Warrensburg's regular-season schedule advanced to a district title game. The Crusaders and Tigers have two common opponents - Capital City and Sedalia Smith-Cotton. Both went 2-0. Helias won by a combined score of 96-9 and Warrensburg by a combined score of 83-23. Warrensburg last won a district title in 2018, advancing to the quarterfinals and finishing with a record of 9-4. Helias leads the all-time series 3-0 against Warrensburg. They met in the first round of districts in 2016, with the Crusaders posting a 35-12 victory. The Crusaders and Tigers squared off in a two-game series in 2010-11, and Helias won those games by a combined score of 95-19. The Helias-Warrensburg winner will face the District 5 champion - either West Plains (9-1) or Carl Junction (6-5) - next week in the quarterfinals. With a win tonight, Helias would host West Plains or play at Carl Junction.