Central looks for easy way out of district race

It's been too good a season to be heading for a side entrance, a back door or looking to slip through an open window to get into the playoffs.

The Central Tigers (8-1, 2-0) have only one entrance in mind as they prepare for tonight's regular-season finale against Poplar Bluff.

Although there are other scenarios that will allow Central to advance to the Class 4 playoffs for a third straight year with a loss, the Tigers can stride through the front door with no ifs, ands or buts with a victory tonight.

"We don't want to back in at all," said Central coach Lawrence Brookins. "Let's storm the doors and get it done and get the heck out of there."

With a sixth straight win, Central can also pull a complete reversal of Brookins' first year as coach when the Tigers went 1-9 in the 1999 season. And the Tigers' ninth straight district victory would give them sole claim to their first SEMO North conference championship since 1993 and their best record since 1978.

"Let's hope that our boys don't get caught up in all that and forget to just hit and run and have fun," Brookins said.

To accomplish a list of season goals tonight, the Tigers must solve one stubborn problem -- the Mules. Poplar Bluff (4-5, 1-1) owns seven straight victories over Central. The Tigers haven't beaten the Mules since a 40-26 victory in 1994.

Bluff is one of the few teams Brookins has yet to conquer.

"All I know, for a number of years Cape hasn't handled Bluff," Brookins said.

The Tigers are well equipped to accomplish the feat tonight with a offense that is balanced and healthy. Central is averaging 355 yards of offense a game with versatile senior Monroe Hicks accounting for nearly 200 of those yards. Hicks has 1,149 yards rushing on the season and averages almost eight yards a carry.

Junior quarterback Mitch Craft has thrown for more than 1,200 yards, rushed for just under 400 yards and completed a total of 14 touchdown passes to six different receivers.

Central also returns fullback Jeremiah Dukes to the lineup. Dukes, the Tigers' leading tackler at linebacker, and two-way lineman Adrian Wren both sat out last week with suspensions. Both players return, along with offensive lineman Patrick Slattery, who missed last week due to a death in the family.

Despite the numerous vacancies last week, Central cruised to a 29-14 victory over Perryville to improve to 2-0 in districts. Meanwhile, Poplar Bluff was dealt a 33-16 loss by Sikeston to drop to 1-1 in district play.

It was the third team Poplar Bluff had lost to that Central had handed a resounding defeat. Central has defeated those three opponents -- Blytheville, Jackson and Sikeston -- by a combined 102-20 score.

"I don't think they're the confident bunch that you've seen a year or two ago," Brookins said of the Mules.

Poplar Bluff is a pass-oriented team that features two area leaders in sophomore quarterback Mark Gum and senior receiver Tony Webb. Gum leads Southeast Missouri with 1,916 yards passing and Webb is No. 1 in receiving with 55 catches for 1,006 yards.

"We're concerned about Tony because he's a darn good athlete," Brookins said. "But we're not going to overload our thinking toward him where we allow some other kid to have the game of his life, too."

The Mules' ground attack is less formidable with Steve Atteberry leading the way with 293 yards rushing.

Noteworthy

A big upset last week in Class 4, District 2 caught the Tigers by surprise. If Central were to reach the playoffs, it anticipated a sectional rematch with North County (7-2, 1-1), which accounts for the Tigers' lone loss. But Windsor (3-6, 2-0) upended the state-ranked Raiders last week 26-24. Windsor can claim the district title today at home with a win over Farmington (2-7, 1-1). North County plays today at De Soto (1-8, 0-2).

jbreer@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 124