MOKANE - At least for public consumption, South Callaway head football coach Tim Rulo doesn't believe there are any benefits - psychological or otherwise - to derive from the 26-point beatdown.
The Bulldogs embarked on their path to a second straight District 9 championship by demolishing the Blair Oaks Falcons 45-19 on Oct. 14 at Mokane. Blair Oaks was ranked No. 4 in the state at the time.
South Callaway will soon learn if the Falcons' humbling loss had any residual influence on their collective psyche when the teams meet up again in a Class 2 sectional showdown Monday night at Mokane. Kickoff is at 7.
The No. 9 Bulldogs (10-1) - winners of four in a row - did their part in setting up the rematch by dismissing Christian (O'Fallon) 44-14 in regional play last Wednesday night at Mokane. Meanwhile, the Falcons (9-2) went on the road and outlasted Clopton-Elsberry in a 48-32 regional shootout in which both teams combined for more than 1,000 yards of total offense.