OVERLAND — University City went into the playoffs with as many losses as victories, but the Lions' difficult early season schedule should make them one of the toughest teams to beat in Class 4.

University City showed that Wednesday night with an impressive 26-7 victory over MICDS in a regional playoff game at Ritenour High School.

"The biggest thing I keep trying to explain to these kids is we play a 5A schedule and we can do nothing about that," coach Duane Hawthorne said. "I put Hazelwood Central on our schedule for a reason, and it was to prepare these kids for the playoffs. I think they are meeting that challenge. Barring injury, I think these guys can go a long way."

University City (6-5) opened the season with five losses in its first seven games, including a two-point loss to defending Class 6 champion Hazelwood Central and a three-point defeat against Class 5's top-ranked team, Webster Groves.

The Lions have won four straight games and will play Normandy (9-2), a 50-7 winner over Westminster on Wednesday, in the sectional round Monday. U. City defeated Normandy 19-13 in districts.

"If you look at the teams they played and the scores that they have put up, we knew we were going to be playing a very good football team, and that's what we got," MICDS coach Josh Smith said. "They are as good as anybody that I've seen."

MICDS (8-2), which defeated University City in the sectional round a year ago, is ranked third among area small schools and is eighth in Class 4. But the Rams struggled to move the ball on the ground and quarterbacks Will Schierholz and Thomas Militello combined for five interceptions.

University City opened the scoring when Schierholz had to fall on a bad snap in the end zone midway through the first quarter.

U. City's Darrion Petty, who had two interceptions in the first half, scored the only touchdown of the first half when quarterback Reager Brown found him streaking down the middle for a 40-yard touchdown pass with 37.6 seconds remaining in the second quarter.

University City added a 1-yard touchdown run by Devonte Washington and a 55-yard touchdown pass from Brown to wideout Sam Brown in the third quarter to take a 20-0 lead.

MICDS scored early in the fourth quarter on a 13-yard fourth-down pass from Militello, a sophomore, to Braxton Angle to cut the lead to 20-7, but University City tacked on a 1-yard touchdown run by Petty with 2:49 left.