Towanda (4-5) brings in Wyalusing (0-9) as they look to defend the Bronze Helmet tonight with a 7 p.m. kick-off.

"This is a rivalry game, so you can throw records out the window," Towanda coach Jamie Wecker said. "Watching them play, you can see that have improved throughout the season, they just went up against some very talented opponents in the last few weeks. They are going to come out and punch us in the face. I’m sure their coaches are preparing them for what our rivalry means, and if they to come into our town and beat us would go a long way in making their season. We have do what we need to do to make sure we don’t let that happen."

A win in the season finale would make coach Jeffrey Hindman happy, but he knows it'll be an uphill battle.

"Towanda is going to be a challenge," he said. "They have a lot of speed and athleticism on both sides of the ball. You can't just focus on one threat, they have multiple guys that can beat you in both the run and the pass game. Evans, Maynard and Brown all deserve a ton of respect. Sluyter can beat you with his arm and his legs. We are going to have our hands full against a talented team."

The Knights hope last week's offensive out burst is good omen as they get ready for tonight's contest and beyond.

"To be efficient on offense so we need to play fundamentally sound play in and play out," Wecker said. "I thought we did a nice job of that last week, and the kids just need to keep building on that momentum. I thought our offensive line did a really good job of paving the way for our backs, and we will need them to do that again this week to be successful."

Defensively, the Rams will need to be disciplined in order to keep the Towanda backs in front of them.

"We have to make sure we are in the right position, every player needs to handle their individual responsibilities," said Hindman. "It has to be a full team effort to stay disciplined on defense, limit the big, explosive plays that have hurt us all year long. Our defense has improved from the start of the season and I think we are finally getting comfortable with the new roles for each position. Another area of focus has been making the first tackle, rally to the ball carrier, and limit the missed tackles."

Despite not having a win yet this year Hindman believes the magnitude of the game will give his team's morale a boost.

"There is always heightened excitement for the Bronze Helmet game," he said. "These seniors were freshmen when we last won the Helmet, so they can remember that joy as time expired and we secured the win. That was a gutsy game, and Towanda fought until the end. We have watched our team get better every game and this has been the best week of practice we've had all season. We are seeing that extra emotion and focus. The key is keeping that going and showing up ready to fight."

Towanda's also excited to go out and defend the Bronze Helmet.

"The kids know what the Bronze helmet game means, and I think they’re excited to go out and play and try to defend the helmet again," Wecker said.

KEYS TO THE GAME

Wyalusing - Bend but don't break defensively. Towanda's going to get their yards but the Rams can't let their backs get loose or else it's going to be a long night.

Towanda - Be physical up front. The Rams have found some success running the ball, and if they can keep their offense on the field that might be their defensive strategy.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Curtis Maynard, Towanda, RB - Maynard led the team in rushing last week as part of their 3-headed attack.

Jacob Gromley, Wyalusing, RB - Gromley ran for over 100-yards a week ago, which included a touchdown, as the Rams continue to refine their offense.