MOSES LAKE - Moses Lake football has one thing on its mind this week: beat Wenatchee.

After a 49-14 drubbing at the hands of the Panthers on Sept. 20, the Chiefs have won four games in a row and can clinch a postseason berth and propel themselves to the top of the Columbia Basin Big 9 with a win in tonight's rematch. Both teams are tied for first in the conference at 5-1.

"That's the only thing we're thinking about right now," head coach Todd Griffith said. "We try not to cloud our mind with anything in the next couple weeks. We win Friday and we're guaranteed being in the playoffs."

Points should be abundant at Lions Field with the top two scoring offenses facing off. Moses Lake leads the Big 9 averaging 34.1 points per game and Wenatchee is a close second putting up 29.1 points per game.

Griffith explained that the Panthers have no glaring weaknesses that his defense will be able to take advantage of, but believes that if his team executes properly they will have an opportunity to slow down the Panther attack.

"Whatever defense we're in you just got to beat them to the punch," he said. "They're a good football team."

The Chiefs defense will have the tough task of stopping the leading rusher in the Big 9, Wenatchee running back Isaiah Brandt-Sims. Brandt-Sims has rushed for 820 yards and eight touchdowns so far this season.

"We've got to focus on getting Isaiah Brandt-Sims stopped or slowed down," Griffith said. "I don't know if you can ever stop him."

The Panthers also boast the second leading passer in the conference, quarterback Dillon Sugg. Sugg has passed for 1431 yards and 12 touchdowns.

"If they get their running game started then everything else falls into place," Griffith said. "If you slow down their running game you're going to give yourself a chance."

Tonight the Chiefs' offensive line will be at full strength, a stark contrast from the first meeting. Key injuries forced Moses Lake to move its starting center to offensive tackle and start a sophomore in his place. The Panthers experienced defensive line took advantage of the makeshift offensive line and held the Moses Lake offense to 14 points.

"We played good football," Griffith said. "It's just a sophomore versus a senior sometimes it's a tough go."

The key to Moses Lake's success on offense against Wenatchee, according to Griffith, will be the ability to stay on the field, create positive plays and avoid putting the defense in a bad position.

The player leading the offense, junior quarterback Easton Castro, is coming off his best offensive performance of the season in Moses Lake's double overtime win last week against Eastmont, 34-33.

"His maturity level has increased so much from that first we played him," Griffith said. "We're giving him a lot more stuff to worry about and think about as the games goes, as the season's progressed."

Castro threw for 259 yards and four touchdowns while adding 48 rushing yards. Castro is also second in the Big 9 in total offense with 1454 yards.

The Chiefs could be peaking at just the right moment.

Since losing to Wenatchee, the Chiefs' offense has outscored their opponents 167-93 in four games and the team has rallied to come from behind on the road in two conference games.

"We think we have a lot of weapons and we think it's kind of tough to come in and play against us," Griffith said. "This is a must-win for us."

Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. and Lions Field is expected to be filled to capacity.

"You're going to be able to feel it when you walk in that stadium just because everybody knows what's on the line," Griffith said.