WALES — Oak Hill coach Stacen Doucette calls them “Fire and Ice.”

He’s not describing Alex Mace and Kyle Flaherty’s relationship. They have been best friends since kindergarten. When one junior running back substitutes for the other, they shake hands rather than high-five. They are virtually inseparable in and out of school, and usually reflecting upon another dominating performance or preparing for the next game.

He’s not describing their demeanor, either. Both are mild-mannered off the field, friendly and quick with a grin.

As Oak Hill’s opponents have had the misfortune of figuring out first-hand, Doucette’s pet names for his backfield tandem describes their contrasting running styles.

“Alex is a vicious runner. He’s frantic,” Doucette said. “He finds a way to run through tackles. He runs downhill. So I call Alex ‘Fire.'”

“I call Kyle ‘Ice’ because he slides. You don’t get much to hit. He just sidesteps people, and he’s always gaining yards,” he said.

Together they have gained over 3,000 yards this year and are the dual engines in a smashmouth offense that has powered the Raiders to their first state title game in 29 years (2:30 p.m. Saturday, Fitzpatrick Stadium).

Both Flaherty and Mace boast a dangerous combination of strength and speed that make them tough in short-yardage situations and constant big-play threats. They have an uncanny knack for keeping opposing defenses off-balance, even though they usually know what’s coming.

They’ve played football together since fifth grade. Both started out as running backs before Mace moved to quarterback for two years. Last year, he returned to running back, and running behind a big, senior-laden offensive line, joined Flaherty to become one of the top tandems in the Campbell Conference and led the Raiders to the regional semifinals.

This year, behind a revamped offensive line with one returning starter, Flaherty has gained 1,564 yards, scoring 13 touchdowns while averaging 7.2 yards per carry.

“He has a combination of shiftiness and power, so it takes more than one person to bring him down,” Mace said. “But he’s also very quick. One-on-one, he’s going to beat the defender, no question.”

Mace, who has been limited late in the season by a nagging foot injury, has rushed for 699 yards and six touchdowns.

“He makes people miss. He does a great job in the open field. He’s really fast,” Flaherty said. “The foot’s been really bothering him but he just finds a way.”

Mace is also the Raiders’ leading receiver, making 22 catches for 510 yards and five TDs, including one in each of the last two games .

“Alex is a great receiver,” Doucette said. “He has hands and he’s quick to the ball. When it’s in the air, he just finds a way.”

Mace and Flaherty are impact players on defense, too, playing on the outside on opposite sides and making it nearly impossible for ball-carriers to turn the corner.

Because they share similar roles on both sides of the ball, Mace and Flaherty often compare notes. If one has a question about an assignment, he’ll usually turn to the other first for answers.

The dialogue is always encouraging. They may be close friends, but one thing Mace and Flaherty don’t do is talk trash to each other.

“It’s never a competition between us. We love to see each other do great,” Mace said. “If he has an amazing game, then I am so proud of him, and he’s the same way if I do well. The best games are when we both do great together.”

“I think that’s really what’s made us both better backs. We feed off of each other. We compete but we try to make each other better,” Flaherty said. “I think I get more happy when Alex scores than when I do.”

If Fire and Ice are happy for each other on Saturday, a lot of other people in Raider-land will be happy, too.