CAPE CENTRAL, VIANNEY LOOK TO KEEP DISTRICT HOPES ALIVE

If Cape Central has proven anything this year, it's that they haven't given up.

The 1-7 Tigers gave Poplar Bluff a scare last Friday night, trailing just 14-7 at halftime. And Poplar Bluff, which eventually won 42-13, didn't run away with the game until both of Central's starting running backs, Jamelle Austin (knee) and O.J. Turner (back), left the game with injury.

With Austin and Turner back for this week's action, the Tigers are feeling confident that if they can play with a 7-1 team regarded as one of the best in Southeast Missouri, it can certainly play with Vianney, which brings in a 2-6 record."I think we can give them a game, I really do," said Central coach Lawrence Brookins. "They played us tough last year (in Central's 30-17 win). But we scored a couple on them at one point and I thought some of their kids hung their heads. We've got to jump on them early."Both teams are 0-1 in district play. Central needs Jackson to beat Poplar Bluff tonight in order to stay alive in the hunt for a Class 5A, District 1 championship. Neither Central nor Vianney can lose another game and remain eligible for postseason.

To beat Vianney, which suffered a 35-14 setback to Jackson last week, Central will have to avoid some of the silly mistakes it made last week.

Just before the end of the first half, Central had the ball at Poplar Bluff's 8-yard line. Because of some senseless penalties, the Tigers ended the possession in their own territory."We've shown some ability and have shown they can play with some tough teams," said Brookins of his young team. "We just haven't put the finishing touches on them. You have to learn how to handle things when things are going bad but just as important, you have to handle things when things are going good."Last week, Jackson used big plays -- particularly through the air -- to beat the Golden Griffins."We think we can do several things both offensively and defensively," Brookins said. "It's just a matter of execution."They're a good-sized ballclub but not giant. They've got good team speed, but not great. They're about like us. They've got some kids who like to hit."Vianney is primarily an option team, though it doesn't have any player averaging more than 53 yards a game on the ground."They've got average backs," Brookins said. "Average size and average speed. Nothing like a Justin Robinson (Sikeston) or a Ricky Smith (New Madrid)."Their option game is designed to try to make you guess wrong a couple of times."Though the Griffins don't throw the ball much, they can catch teams off guard. Quarterback Matt Fuhr has completed just 25 of 76 passes this season, but his completions have gone for about 19 yards a pop."They will throw if they have to, but they really don't want to," Brookins said. "But they have the ability to if you fall asleep."Central quarterback Jeff Dunaway had a bittersweet week last week.

He threw for 206 yards, but threw four interceptions."We had to throw and they knew it," Brookins said. "We were pretty much one-handed. But (Dunaway) still needs to read better. Sometimes, like with all positions, sometimes he makes things harder than he needs to. But he's still learning. "We've done about all we can as coaches to help the quarterbacks out. Not just Jeff, but with all the quarterbacks. We've tried to keep things simple. We've tried to move them out of the pocket and sprint them out. We've tried shot gun formations. We're doing about all we can to get them in positions to have success."Vianney plays a brutal schedule and has suffered blowout losses to big-time programs Christian Brothers College and St. Louis University High. But Vianney lost by just one point to St. Francis Borgia, one of the top Class 3A teams in the state.

FRIDAY'S GAMESVianney at Cape CentralPoplar Bluff at JacksonSikeston at FarmingtonScott City at Crystal CityMalden at CaruthersvilleEast Prairie at PortagevilleNew Madrid at FredericktownGrandview at CharlestonDexter at KennettHillsboro at PerryvilleSaturday's GamesChaffee at Hayti, 2 p.m.

Missouri Military at St. Vincent, 1:30 p.m.