3 Indians, 2 Tigers all-state

It was an outstanding year for football in Cape Girardeau County, maybe the best ever.

Jackson went 12-1 and made it to the Class 5A semifinals.

And after a slow start, Cape Central (7-5) advanced to the 4A quarters.

As a result, three Indians and two Tigers were named all-state and both teams finished in the top 10 in their respective class.

For Jackson, running back Mario Whitney and linebacker Seth Harrell both made the first team, while offensive tackle Travis Dambach made the second team.

Defensive tackle Chris Smith and strong safety Monroe Hicks both made the first team for Central.

Also, Perryville punter Andrew Meyr made the second team.

The Tigers were ranked eighth in the final poll, while the Indians were ranked fourth.

"I'm excited," Central coach Lawrence Brookins said. "Not just for the players, but for the attention it brings to our area."

Of the five, Whitney drew the most attention this season. After rushing for 1,400 yards and being selected a second-team member last year, Whitney was recruited by some high-profile programs. He gave a verbal commitment to Missouri and he came into the season with huge expectations.

And he blew those expectations out of the water. He ran for 2,782 yards this season and scored 43 touchdowns. His name will be scattered throughout the state record book. He is the state's all-time leading rusher in a single game with 463 yards and the state's all-time leader in yards per carry for a career (9.2).

But there are reasons why Whitney rushed for 1,300 more yards this year than last.

First, Jackson -- after losing in districts last year -- played three more games. Second, Whitney ran harder and with more confidence this year than last. But the biggest difference was in Jackson's offensive line, a line that made a dramatic improvement from last year to this year.

And Dambach (6-foot-6, 265 pounds) was the best blocker on an offensive line that Gross said is the best he's ever coached.

"We didn't keep track of pancakes, but a lot of linebackers had grass stains on their shoulder pads after we played them," Jackson coach Carl Gross said, referring to Dambach. "When the play was away from him, he had some unbelievable shots down the field, flying 260-pound shots. He took a lot of pride in the yards Mario and Brad Berry got behind him."

On the defensive side of the ball, Jackson's Seth Harrell was clearly the best linebacker in the region.

Not overwhelmingly big or fast, Harrell (6-0, 200) had great instincts on the field.

He ended up with 132 solo tackles, 30 assists and three interceptions. Twenty of his tackles were behind the line of scrimmage.

"I don't know if I know anyone anywhere who loves football more than Seth," Gross said, adding Harrell isn't as physically gifted as some of the state's high profile linebacker recruits. "But when you snap the football and have got to get to the leather, nobody in the state is better."

I don't know what he's going try to do for a living, but it would sure excite me if he'd tell me he was going to school to teach and coach. I'd love some day if he coached my grandkids."

Smith, Hicks lead way for Tigers

Smith, a 6-3, 315-pound terror, was a monster in the middle for Central's defense.

Despite drawing double teams throughout the season, Smith posted 75 tackles, picked off one pass and recorded 16 tackles behind the line of scrimmage. He also blocked three kicks and batted three passes.

"He's the first kid I've ever coached over 300 pounds who can run and move like he does," said Brookins. "Usually when you get a 300-pounder, they're not as nimble."

Smith also played much more on the offensive side of the ball this year.

"We got more mileage out of him on offense than we thought we would," Brookins said.

It's still unclear what Smith will have to do to become academically eligible to play in the NCAA. But a host of schools are at least interested, including Missouri and Illinois.

Hicks, a 5-10, 175-pound safety, is the only junior defensive back on the 4A all-state team. The rest -- on both the first and second teams -- were seniors.

Hicks thought he actually had a better defensive year as a sophomore, but he was delighted to be named all-state nonetheless.

Hicks, who was a dangerous running and receiving weapon on offense, was second on the team with 76 tackles. He intercepted four passes, forced four fumbles and recovered two fumbles.

He returned one of those fumbles for a touchdown against state runner-up Washington in the quarterfinal round. He also broke up six passes and had eight tackles behind the line of scrimmage.

"One of the neat things that I'm learning about Monroe is he can handle the success," said Brookins. "He's gotten a lot of attention this year and he's handled it well. He's unfazed by it.

"He's such a great guy to have on the squad because he leads by example. These guys know if they're going to the weight room with him, they know they've got to work hard. He's such an inspirational kid."

Meyr and others

Meyr averaged 42.5 yards per punt this season and that's good for Perryville, considering the Pirates (2-8) punted quite often. Meyr, who missed some action this season, punted 32 times.

Poplar Bluff wide receiver Brent Little, a 6-foot-1, 175-pound senior, was named to the first team in 5A. Sikeston's Kevin Keller (6-6, 280) was named to the first team in 4A as an offensive lineman.