Ever since eventual 2020 Class 6 state champion Ray-Pec ended Nixa's post-season run two years ago, Eagles running back Ramone Green has kept tabs on the Panthers.
Green is giving Ray-Pec all due respect heading into Nixa's Class 6 District 3 semifinal versus the Panthers on Friday.
The teams will meet at Nixa, with a District final berth and Class 6 Quarterfinal berth on the line.
"Ray-Pec has to play all those Kansas City schools," Green said, shrugging off the Panthers' 6-4 record. "They have insane talent. They have really good receivers, a good quarterback and some good guys on defense. They're a well-rounded, balanced team. It's going to be a tough (game). I'm excited."
Statistics would seem to suggest Nixa and Ray-Pec share a similar emphasis on their passing game and have had similar success in the air.
Nixa's Connor Knatcal has made good on 132-of-202 passes for 2,074 yards, with 21 touchdowns and two interceptions.
Ray-Pec quarterback Zander Dombrowski has completed 143-of-238 passes for 2,388 yards, with 29 touchdowns and eight interceptions.
A year ago, Dombrowski was 96-of-186 for 1,529, with 20 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
The 5-foot-11 Dombrowski is coming off 18-of-23 passing for 308 yards and four touchdowns against Joplin.
Dombrowski has rushed 81 times for 202 yards on the season, but ran for 86 yards against Joplin.
Nixa has six receivers with 13 catches or more. Ray-Pec features five receivers with 15 catches or more.
The Panthers' Jaidyn Doss has 40 receptions for 706 yards and eight touchdowns, while Jaden Reddell has 47 catches for 495 yards and a dozen touchdowns.
Doss is a Nebraska commit. and won the Otis Taylor Award (top receiver in Kansas City) as a sophomore two years ago.
Reddell is 6-foot-5 and 200 pounds.
Doss and Reddell combined for 14 catches for 260 yards against Joplin.
Doss has returned 30 kickoffs for 429 yards, or an average of 30.6 yards.
Ray-Pec's leaders defensively are Taran Snyder, with four TFLs and three QB sacks, and Sean Martin, with four interceptions.
Martin is a 6-2 190-pound freshman. Snyder is a 6-5, 240-pound defensive end.
Ray-Pec's losses saw the Panthers allow 204 points. They bowed to Class 6 District 3 No. 1 seed Lee's Summit North 47-7.
Nixa would appear to have edges on Ray-Pec at running back and in the kicking game.
Green has rushed 183 times for 1,881 yards and 30 touchdowns. Ray-Pec's leading rusher is Thomas Fagen, who has 125 carries for 778 yards and DeZephen Walker, a freshman who has 49 carries for 356 yards.
Doss is a big-play threat in the backfield, as well. He has averaged 12.7 yards a run, having carried the ball 21 times for 266 yards.
Fagen burned Joplin for 139 yards rushing.
Nixa's Kaleb James has 47 touchbacks, while Ray-Pec has just one touchback. However, the Panthers' Alex Stephenson has made 3-for-4 field-goals, with a long of 49 yards.
The District's other semifinal will feature Lee's Summit West (3-7) at Lee's Summit North (9-1).
If Nixa makes the final, the Eagles will host.
