After setting a school record in scoring average...

One thing has been a constant throughout this high school basketball season.

No matter who Mark Dannenmueller is facing, the Scott City senior is going to get his points. Even against the area's toughest teams and facing tricked-up defenses, Dannenmueller's scoring prowess has not spared a single foe this season.

With the Class 3 District 2 tournament starting today at Greenville High School, Dannenmueller will try to lead his Rams to their first district title since 2000. Scott City will begin its district quest Monday against Clearwater, while area teams Kelly and Woodland play today.

After the Rams graduated three starters from a squad which nearly upset Charleston in the district finals last season, a large scoring void was left to fill. Already an accomplished scorer in an all-state campaign last season, Dannenmueller has increased his average this season while trying to make up for a largely inexperienced group around him.

While his numbers have improved, Dannenmueller said his biggest improvement has come in the leadership area.

"You don't have the leaders like Tyler [Ward] and Jeremy [Schlosser] anymore," he said. "I felt I had to step up, both me and Mark [Johnston]. I've tried to be a leader as much as I can."

Added Rams coach Lance Amick: "He's had to become a new player. He's worked at being a leader and being patient."

Dannenmueller, who passed the 1,000-point plateau this season, is on route to setting a school record for scoring average in a season this year at 29 points a game. The previous mark was 24.3 points by Dustin Cauble.

Dannenmueller also averages more than nine rebounds and two assists a game.

"You have so many great names like Jon Beck, Tim Lowery, all those guys when you were little you looked up to them and hoped one day you could be half as good as them," Dannenmueller said. "It's kind of neat to have your name be in that company."

Perhaps the most impressive of Dannenmueller's numbers this season has come at the free-throw line, where he has made 86 percent of his attempts (169 of 196). The free-throw shooting of Dannenmueller and classmate Johnston has been vital to many of Scott City's wins this season.

"Free throws are the easiest shot to hit because you have no one to guard your shot," Dannenmueller said. "I figure if I'm that open, I should make them."

The Rams, 15-10 and seeded third, will have a tough road if they are going to make a run at a district title. With a win on Monday, the Rams likely would face defending district champion Charleston in the semifinals. The Rams and Blue Jays, who finished third in the state last year after the narrow win against Scott City in the district final, have not played this season.

"A lot of people I think underestimate what we can do in the district," Dannenmueller said. "We think we can make a lot of noise."

Added Amick: "We've got a lot left to play for. We beat Kelly, we've beaten East Prairie. We showed last year we can play with Charleston."

Kelly teams have top seeds

When the Class 3 District 2 tournament begins today, the 14 teams in the boys and girls brackets will be gunning for Kelly High School. Both Kelly's boys and girls basketball teams carry the top seeds.

Thanks to a victory against Charleston at the Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournament and a late-season win over Jackson, Kelly's boys (19-5) were tabbed as the team to beat.

The Hawks will play 11 a.m. today against No. 8 seed Greenville.

No. 4 East Prairie, which has beaten Kelly twice this season in three meetings, looms as the likely semifinal opponent for the Hawks.

Woodland's boys, the seventh seed, will face No. 2 Charleston at 12:45 p.m. today in another quarterfinal game at Greenville.

On the girls side, a sixth straight 20-win season helped the Hawks (21-4) claim the top spot.

Class 2 District 2 opens

Three area boys basketball teams will be in action today at Bloomfield High School when the Class 2 District 2 tournament begins.

Advance, Meadow Heights and Chaffee all play opening games. Chaffee, the No. 9 seed, will play East Carter in a play-in game to make it to the quarterfinal round.

Advance, the third seed, will face No. 6 Richland in a quarterfinal game at 6 p.m., and No. 5 Meadow Heights will face No. 4 Southern Reynolds at 3 p.m. in another quarterfinal matchup.

Chaffee's girls, the No. 5 seed in the Class 2 District 2 tournament, will also be in action today. Chaffee will face No. 4 Southern Reynolds at 1:30 p.m. in a quarterfinal game.