AREA PREP FOOTBALL TEAMS EYE SECOND ROUND OF DISTRICT PLAY

For area high school football teams, the driver's seat has gotten less crowded.

Area teams like Sikeston, Poplar Bluff, Jackson and Perryville sit in prime spots as the district playoffs enter the second week. For others -- including Cape Central, Scott City, Chaffee -- it's crunch time.

Most prep teams square off tonight in district contests around the state. Chaffee -- in just a three-team district -- plays Thayer in a non-district game.

Tonight's matchups:

Class 1A

* Valle and St. Vincent tangle in a District 1 game that last year offered a surprise St. Vincent win.

The Indians (6-2 all, 0-0 in district) enter the game with an identical record from one year ago, while Valle (7-1, 1-0) is three wins better than last season.

St. Vincent's Brian Ellis is coming off his best game of the season, running the ball 16 times for 111 yards in a non-district loss at Brentwood. Quarterback Josh Leible also had a strong 105-yard game, his second straight of 100-plus yards.

They'll take on a team that averages 35 points per game and had a season-high 56 Friday at Chaffee.

* Chaffee (1-7) hosts Thayer (2-5) in the first-ever meeting between the teams. The Red Devils look to end a seven-game losing streak that started after the team's 25-14 win at Hayti in Week 1.

Chaffee senior Jimmy Wolsey had broke the 100-yard barrier Friday for the first time in six weeks, running the ball for 102 yards on 14 carries against Valle.

Thayer also owns a win over Hayti, 21-6, in Week 5; the Bobcats' Eric Clark -- a fullback -- averages around 100 yards per game. Their quarterback, Josh Atkisson, is a freshman and backs away from throwing the ball.

Class 2A

* Scott City (2-6, 0-1) could still win its fifth district title in eight years, but has to get past the team with the district's best record today. The Rams go on the road to face Crystal City (5-3, 1-0).

Scott City had trouble moving the ball in a loss Friday to St. Pius; the Lancers allowed just under 50 yards of offense, but won by just a 20-8 margin.

Crystal City bombed Grandview 26-8 last week and is 1-0 in the District 2 battle.

* Malden (4-4, 1-0) has won three straight and had little trouble Friday at East Prairie; today, the Green Wave face Hayti (1-7, 0-1) in another District 1 game.

Malden quarterback Josh Blaylock has passed for 181 yards the past two weeks, his two best games of the season. Hayti hasn't had a player with more than 100 yards in a game since Week 1.

* Portageville (7-0, 1-0) plays East Prairie (4-4, 0-1) in a District 1 game, but it has less implications since the Eagles lost last week. Portageville has yet to give up a point, and its defense could be pressed against a team that has scored as many as 50 points in one game this season.

Portageville's rushing game continues a steady pace; quarterback Eric Ellerbrook could be called upon more today against one of the better defenses on the Bulldogs' schedule.

Class 3A

* Charleston (6-2, 1-0) looks for its second district title in three years today, but won't likely clinch it for another week.

The Bluejays go to Fredericktown (3-5, 0-1) today and have sights on going 2-0 in the District 2 battle. A win would likely set up a Nov. 3 showdown against Ste. Genevieve, which takes on underdog Park Hills Central tonight.

Fredericktown has lost four of its last five games after a 2-1 start.

* New Madrid County Central (3-4, 1-0) goes to Caruthersville (3-5, 0-1) in a District 1 game. An NMCC win would likely set up a championship game between it and Dexter next week; a Caruthersville win would throw a monkey wrench into the district standings.

* Dexter (3-5, 1-0) surprised Caruthersville last week, but a win at Kennett (1-7, 0-1) should be less of a shock. Kennett boasts the area's top quarterback -- Chris Sledge with 1,001 yards -- but lacks a running game and defense. That's where Dexter could do its damage.

Class 5A

* In a key District 1 game, Sikeston (7-1, 1-0) goes to Poplar Bluff (5-3, 1-0) to decide the district leader.

Both teams excelled Friday, Sikeston at Cape Central and Poplar Bluff at Oakville. A Central win over Oakville today could keep the Tigers' hopes alive, but only if Sikeston loses tonight.

Poplar Bluff rolled up over 400 yards of offense Friday, while it was Sikeston's defense that looked strong in a win over Central.

Tonight's Prep Football

Scott City vs.

Crystal City

7:30 p.m. at Crystal City

* COACHES: Scott City's Terry Flannigan, first year (2-6 here); Crystal City's Glen Dalton.

* LAST WEEK: Scott City (2-6) lost 20-8 to St. Pius; Crystal City (5-3) def. Grandview 26-8.

* LAST YEAR: Scott City, 41-6.

* THE SERIES: Scott City leads 3-0.

* KEY PLAYERS: Scott City's Cary Nichols (RB), Lance Miller (RB); Crystal City's Gabe Compton (RB), Bill Sanders (TB), Chris Grass (DE).

* NOTEWORTHY: Crystal City typically flounders against southeast Missouri opposition, but the Hornets haven't been 5-3 in years. Scott City must win this week to stay alive in the postseason chase, and its line has to find a way to contain Chris Grass, among the St. Louis metro leaders in quarterback sacks.

Chaffee

vs. Thayer

7:30 p.m. at Chaffee

* COACHES: Chaffee's Mick Wessel, 18th year (73-101 here); Thayer's David Meek.

* LAST WEEK: Chaffee (1-7) lost 56-6 to Valle; Thayer (2-5) was idle.

* LAST YEAR: Did not play.

* THE SERIES: No prior meetings.

* KEY PLAYERS: Chaffee's Jimmy Wolsey (RB); Thayer's Eric Clark (FB), J.R. Howard (T), Brian Harper (C).

* NOTEWORTHY: Thayer plays its first Class 1A team of the season today, while Chaffee looks to end a seven-game losing streak. Thayer's Bobcats lack overall numbers, size and quickness -- sound familiar? Chaffee matches up well and has its best shot at a win in a few weeks.

Perryville

vs. Hillsboro

7:30 p.m. at Hillsboro

* COACHES: Perryville's Doug Smith, second year (7-11 here); Hillsboro's Art Johanningmeier, fifth year (38-14 here).

* LAST WEEK: Perryville (5-3) def. Festus 30-8; Hillsboro (4-4) def. DeSoto 39-13.

* LAST YEAR: Hillsboro, 22-12.

* KEY PLAYERS: Perryville's David House (RB), Mark Trapp (QB); Hillsboro's Bill Sucharski (QB), Ben Pearce (RB).

* NOTEWORTHY: Hillsboro's offensive game features balance, and that should match up well with a Perryville team that is also varied. The game could very well decide the Class 4A District 2 champion, with both teams 1-0.

St. Vincent

vs. Valle

7:30 p.m. at Perryville

* COACHES: St. Vincent's Paul Sauer, first year (6-2 here); Valle's John Bacon, fifth year (51-8 here).

* LAST WEEK: St. Vincent (6-2) lost 28-17 to Brentwood; Valle (7-1) def. Chaffee 56-6.

* LAST YEAR: St. Vincent, 24-23.

* KEY PLAYERS: Valle's Dean Meyer (TB), Judd Naeger (QB).

* NOTEWORTHY: Valle's annual mystique was erased last year when St. Vincent beat the Ste. Gen. team. But this Valle squad is much stronger than the one St. Vincent saw a year ago, and St. Vincent's defense should get a strong test.

Fredericktown

vs. Charleston

7:30 p.m. at Fredericktown

* COACHES: Fredericktown's Kent Gibbs, second year (4-14 here); Charleston's Dan Kesselring, fourth year (19-23 here).

* LAST WEEK: Fredericktown (3-5) lost 32-7 to Ste. Genevieve; Charleston (6-2) def. Park Hills Central 36-6.

* LAST YEAR: Charleston, 20-7.

* THE SERIES: Charleston leads 5-0.

* KEY PLAYERS: Charleston's Larico Coleman (RB), Michael Earnheart (FB), Corey Kent (WR); Fredericktown's Jeff Grindstaff (RB), Brian Mathis (DL), Lee Chambers (FB).

* NOTEWORTHY: Charleston's quickness could keep Fredericktown in trouble from the start. The Black Cats could benefit if the Bluejays -- unbeaten against Fredericktown -- are caught looking ahead to next week's Ste. Genevieve showdown, but that's not likely on a team that's good enough to be 6-2.

Sikeston vs.

Poplar Bluff

7:30 p.m. at Poplar Bluff

* COACHES: Sikeston's Charlie Vickery, 18th year (111-69 here); Poplar Bluff's Tony Roth, third year (20-10 here).

* LAST WEEK: Sikeston (7-1) def. Cape Central 29-10; Poplar Bluff (5-3) def. Oakville 41-12.

* LAST YEAR: Sikeston, 40-32.

* KEY PLAYERS: Sikeston's Tim Gross (TB), Mark Blissett (RB), Rome Pelczynski (TE); Poplar Bluff's Delvin Battles (FB), Jeric Blakmon (TB), Steven Honomichl (QB).

* NOTEWORTHY: Bluff had 422 yards to Oakville's 150; included were 162 rushing yards from its replacement quarterback, Honomichl. Sikeston's defense was explosive Friday and kept Central contained. Today's game may come down to a battle in the trenches.