DISTRICT CHAMP JACKSON VISITS CENTRAL

One adult ticket, three dollars.

One sock hat, four dollars.

A really cheap pair of gloves, 72 cents.

Orange, red or black face paint, a couple bucks.

Cape Central vs. Jackson ... priceless.

Though tonight's game at Houck Stadium (7 p.m. kickoff) means nothing in terms of playoff implications, it means everything to Indian and Tiger fans who have been talking trash since, well, since they were old enough to talk.

Last year, the orange and black took home the bragging rights.

But this year the Indians will be favored to win the biggest rivalry in Southeast Missouri.

Jackson, which already clinched a district title and a berth in the state playoffs with a 41-27 win over Poplar Bluff last week, comes into the game at 8-1, while the young Cape Central team is 1-8 after a 20-0 loss to Vianney last week.

But with emotions and adrenaline figuring into the equation as they always do in this annual event, anything is possible."To be real honest, I don't think this will be a blowout, not at all," Jackson coach Carl Gross said. "In high school football -- in football at any level -- anything could happen. I honestly hope we come out ready to play and are excited. I can't see a reason in the world why we wouldn't be."Both Gross and Central coach Lawrence Brookins think the game will be won at the line of scrimmage."Time of possession is very important," Brookins said. "We'll have to be physical up front to be able to sustain a drive or two or three or four.""Right now, they're young on the line of scrimmage and I know that they're having some headaches with that," Gross said. "They're getting better every week, but I would say their line is vulnerable."Their skill people are good players. We watched Jamelle Austin and O.J. Turner against Sikeston and those are two good backs. They've got some good receivers. Their quarterback has gone through some growing pains as a first-year starter, but he pays for a lot of mistakes that some of their young kids have made on the line of scrimmage."Speaking of skill people, Central will have to contain two of the area's best tonight in wide receiver Tory Meyr and running back Mario Whitney.

Meyr caught five passes last week for 90 yards and two touchdowns and Whitney ran for 238 yards against Poplar Bluff and is averaging about 7.5 yards per carry. Meyr leads all of Southeast Missouri with 37 catches for 708 yards and 12 touchdowns."They can be such a quick strike team with Whitney and Meyr and I mention those two guys because they have one thing you can't coach and that's speed," Brookins said. "Those kids can run. You may end up with the ball more than them and they could still end up with more points. I definitely think time of possession will be the key and trying to be as mistake-free as possible."But the fewer times they have the football, the fewer times Super Mario and Meyr and those other guys have to do their thing."Brookins said though those two probably won't be stopped completely, his team will have to at least slow them down. How will they do that?"We stressed to our kids to tackle these kids; really hit them hard," Brookins said. "I noticed Whitney took himself out of the (Poplar Bluff) game at least two or three times because of injury and in a couple of other games this year. I know he's young, but he's fragile. I don't think he likes to get hit. If we could get a couple of good licks on him early, that will slow a fast man down."Whitney is still banged up from the Poplar Bluff game last week. At practice on Tuesday, he had an obvious limp, but he will play. Offensive lineman Tim Spradlin will miss his second straight week with a sprained ankle.

As for Central, Austin is still nursing a sore knee, but is expected to play.

Offensively, Brookins is optimistic."I think they have a few areas on their defense they have to be a bit concerned about," Brookins said. "We can score against them and I think we will score against them. If our kids come into the game with their heads on straight, I think we have a good chance to put up some points."We need to be double-barreled. We don't have the tools right now to dominate one way or the other (run or pass). We have to have a good mix and we need to avoid second- and third-and-long situations where they know we have to pass."