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St. Joseph Christian football team line up at the line of scrimmage during practice Thursday afternoon. The Lions, and 8-man football team, will play its first 11-man game against Tarkio Friday night.

Mark Juhl doesn’t like straying from his routine.

Since he arrived at St. Joseph Christian, the longtime Kansas prep coach has concentrated on forging a successful regimen — focusing on discipline and a winning attitude — that would produce a perennially productive program.

Prepare. Succeed. Repeat.

Yet Juhl strayed away from his normal practice schedule this week. His Lions spent much of the week on additional secondary assignments, more complex special teams coverage and even kicking extra points in preparation of tonight’s unique opportunity.

An 8-man power for years, Christian has a chance to prove itself in a larger classification when the team adds three starters to its rotation to take on Tarkio in an 11-man football game — the first in the school’s history.

Despite the numerous changes, the weekly approach remains the same for Juhl’s Lions.

“We’re not going in there just for fun,” Juhl said. “We’re going in there to play our kind of game, which is championship caliber football. That’s just what we do.

“It doesn’t matter if we’re playing 8-man or 11-man. That’s just my philosophy.”

His confidence doesn’t exist without reason. The longtime area coach has got some experience in this department, after all.

During his time with Midway-Denton — another dominant 8-man program — in the 1980s, Juhl coached his small-division squad to three victories against 11-man competition in as many attempts. None of them were as hard-earned as a victory against an undefeated Highland squad, 26-22, that Juhl still takes pride in.

Just as that Eagles team had to prove itself, the Lions (3-1) appear ready to do the same against Tarkio. As usual, it starts up front for Christian.

The Lions used a no-nonsense, power-rushing attack to earn a state title in 2007 and runner-up distinction a year ago, and little has changed this season. While the blocking schemes become a little more complicated, much stays the same for the team’s staunch core of linemen — including senior Tim Schmitz.

“We’re not going to be a different team, for sure, but we’re going to have to learn to adjust to things and make them work with more people on the field,” Schmitz said. “That’ll be interesting to see how it compares.”

While Juhl downplayed the differences in scheme, even he admitted the extra field space will take some getting used to. In addition to being 20 yards longer, a regulation 11-man field includes 13 extra yards between sidelines. In all, that’s 260 extra square yards of space than the Lions are accustomed to.

Little changes for Tarkio.

Though the Indians (1-3) don’t possess the recent winning traditions enjoyed by Christian, they haven’t changed much in preparing for their 8-man opponents and will employ the same attack that helped them snap a 23-game losing streak during the Week 2 game against Polo.

With his team’s dangerous spread formations, Tarkio coach Andrew Webster hopes to exploit Christian’s inexperience in the secondary. But even he knows better than to underestimate the experience and tradition of a team that’s been to the playoffs five years in a row.

“They look like a good ball club, and I bet he’s got them coached up,” Webster said. “I know it’s going to be difficult for them to make that transition, but we’re really expecting them to be ready to go.”

Despite the additional preparation, Christian has even more working against it this week. The Lions will have to do without starting fullback/linebacker David Welchert and running back/defensive back Luke Mathes — both of whom are battling knee injuries.

Regardless of all the changes and broken routines, Juhl prefers to keep his outlook simple.

“I’m not quite sure how we’ll do, but it’s still blocking and tackling,” Juhl said. “If you block and tackle better than the team you’re playing, you should be OK, and I think our guys are looking forward to it.”

Sports reporter Andy Meyer can be reached at andymeyer@npgco.com

CITY GAME OF THE WEEK

Christian at Tarkio

❯❯ WHEN — 7 tonight

❯❯ BROADCASTS — none

❯❯ RECORDS — Christian 3-1 (Independent), Tarkio 1-3 (1-2 GRC)

❯❯ PLAYERS TO WATCH — Christian: RB Daniel Gregory has stepped into starting backfield role, hit the ground running with 11.5 yard-per-carry average, 6 rushing TDs. Tarkio: QB Kyle Livengood — 6-foot-5 junior — has cannon for an arm, can make secondaries pay with deep ball.

❯❯ NOTES — Christian, one of state’s 8-man powerhouses, will add 3 players to starting lineup, temporarily bump up to 11-man classification to play Indians ... Lions coach Mark Juhl has experience in similar situation, went 3-0 in 11-man games during tenure at Midway-Denton in 1980s ... Rebuilding Tarkio program recently snapped 23-game losing streak, which stretched back to 2006, with high-scoring win against GRC rival Polo, 68-53 ... Injuries could play factor for both teams. Christian will be without FB/LB David Welcert, RB/DB Luke Mathes, while Tarkio must find way to replace leading receiver in Alex Toben ... Indians spread ball around, have 4 players on roster with at least 100 yards receiving.