DISTRICT TIME ARRIVES FOR MISSOURI BASEBALL TEAMS

Some teams have scores to settle.

Others have something to prove.

Some have legitimate shots at making it to Columbia.

Others need a miracle to win one game.

But by the time Thursday rolls around, few will remain standing.

Many high school seniors will participate in the final game as prep athletes this week as the state baseball playoffs get underway with district tournaments.

Most district tournaments will begin Monday and end Thursday. But those tournaments with more than eight teams will have play-in games which will take place today.

CLASS 4A

District 1

The Class 4A District, 1 Tournament -- to be played at Cape Central -- should be highly competitive. State-ranked Sikeston (19-3), the top seed, the favorite to win it, but No. 2 Cape Central (18-7) is not far behind the Bulldogs. Sikeston, which has the best pitching staff of the five teams, beat hard-hitting Cape Central twice this year, once 4-2 in a game that was cut short due to darkness, and another time 4-3.

"Sikeston was the unanimous top seed, but that doesn't mean that anyone can't win it," said Central coach Steve Williams. "It's depends on how you play. If you show up on one day and make the plays and get people out you win. We've been playing pretty decent ball. We just need to keep playing baseball like we can."

"I think Cape's playing really well," said Sikeston coach Kevin Self. "It's pretty wide open between the top for seeds. I think it's stacked in our favor because we have a deep pitching staff. But anybody can beat the other on a given day."

Farmington (12-10) follows at the three spot, while Jackson (11-8) is fourth and will play No. 5 Poplar Bluff (5-14) in the play-in game.

CLASS 2A

District 2

(at Chaffee)

Top-seeded Notre Dame and No. 2 Chaffee are rivals and also the front-runners, but No. 3 Woodland, No. 4 Kelly and No. 5 Scott City are all capable of upsets.

Notre Dame (17-4) is the top-ranked team in Class 2A and has already beaten Chaffee (17-5) once this year. Notre Dame has been playing its best baseball of the season the past several games, which included a win over state-ranked Clearwater (14-3) this past week.

Chaffee suffered its most lopsided loss of the season this past week to state-ranked Sikeston (4A), but responded nicely with two wins to end the season.

"I'm very proud of these guys and they've won a lot of tight games," said Chaffee coach Brian Horrell. "That's what enables (small-school) teams like ours to get a lot of win. I've very pleased and hope we can continue to strive for such goals. For the size of school that we are and the schedule play, if you would have told me we'd be 17-5 going into districts, yeah I'd be happy with that."

Woodland (14-6) has put up some huge offensive numbers this season, but played a relatively weak schedule. Still, it has quality pitching and a win over state-ranked Advance (1A), which had Garrett Broshuis, the top pitcher in the region, on the mound.

Kelly (12-8) has improved throughout the season, but lack of pitching depth is a concern. Scott City (8-10) has a win over Woodland under its belt -- not to mention a solid ace in Bill Posey -- but its defensive inconsistency has been a problem all year.

East Prairie and Bloomfield round out the field at sixth and seventh, respectively.

CLASS 1A

District 2

(At Oran)

Advance (13-6) and Oran (11-10) have become one of the better baseball rivalries in this part of the state.

And if the tournament seeds play out like expected, the Hornets will get a rematch of last year's district finals with the Eagles.

Advance has been state-ranked for the entire season, while Oran, which started the year at 7-1, fell on hard times, dropping nine of 10 games at one point.

Oran, which took third in state last year after beating Advance 2-1 in the district championship game, has a very potent offensive attack and decent pitching. The Eagles, though, have played the toughest schedule of any team in the district. But at the same time, they haven't played sound baseball either.

Advance has Broshuis, the top pitcher in the area. Broshuis is heading to the University of Missouri next fall and is one of the area leaders in earned run average and strikeouts.

St. Vincent, the third seed, cannot be overlooked. The Indians are 7-13 but play a rugged schedule.

Bell City (6-8), which lost to Advance twice by the score of 4-3, is the fourth seed, followed by Oak Ridge, Valle of Ste. Genevieve, Richland, Delta (3-13) and Scott County Central.

District 3

(at South Iron)

Leopold, the top seed, will take on No. 8 Meadow Heights in the first round at 4:30 p.m. Monday.

The Wildcats (8-6) are led by ace Jason Van de Ven, one of the area's top pitchers.

Leopold has also shown the ability to hit the ball as it has four players batting better than .400.

Kingston got the second seed, followed by Van Buren, Lesterville, Viburnum, South Iron and Bunker.

CLASS 3A

District 3

(at West City Park, Festus)

Perryville (8-15) got the sixth seed and will play third-seeded St. Pius at 6 p.m. Monday.

Herculaneum, the tournament host and top seed, will play the winner of No. 4 Ste. Genevieve and No. 5 Windsor.

The winner of the Perryville-St. Pius game will play No. 2 Festus.

District 1

(at Dexter)

Fredericktown got the No. 1 seed and a bye in the first round.

The Blackcats will take on the winner of No. 4 New Madrid (8-9) and No. 5 Dexter (7-14) Monday at 3:45 p.m.

Third-seeded Doniphan and No. 6 Charleston will play for the right to challenge second-seeded Kennett.

BASEBALL DISTRICT GLANCE*

Class 4A, District 1

Where: Cape Central

Top seed: Sikeston

Play-in game: Jackson vs. Farmington, 4 p.m. Monday

Semifinals: Farmington vs. Cape Central 4 p.m. Wednesday; Sikeston vs. Jackson-Farmington winner, 4:15 p.m. at Notre Dame High School

Championship: 4 p.m. Thursday

Class 3A, District 1

Where:Dexter

Top seed: Fredericktown

First round: 11 a.m. Saturday

Semifinals: 3:45 p.m. Monday

Championship: 4:15 p.m. Wednesday

Class 3A, District 3

Where: West City Park, Festus

Top seed: Herculaneum

First round: 4 p.m. Monday

Semifinals: 3 p.m. Tuesday

Championship: 4 p.m. Thursday

Class 2A, District 2

Where: Chaffee

Top seed: Notre Dame

First round: 1 p.m. Monday

Semifinals: 2 p.m. Tuesday

Championship: 4 p.m. Thursday

Class 1A, District 2

Where: Oran

Top seed: Advance

Play-in game: Delta vs. Scott Central, 2 p.m. Saturday

First round: 10 a.m. Monday

Semifinal: 2:30 p.m. Tuesday

Championship: 4:30 p.m. Thursday

Class 1A, District 3

Where: South Iron

Top Seed: Leopold

First round: 10:30 p.m. Monday

Semifinals: 2:30 p.m. Tuesday

Championship: 4:30 p.m. Thursday

* All times represent the first games to be played on that day. Ensuing games generally begin 30 minutes upon the conclusion of the previous game. See 'Area Schedule' on Scoreboard' on Page 2B for further scheduling details.