HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL: HAYTI CHALLENGES ST. VINCENT'S DISTRICT REIGN

Before the season started, before anyone knew that Hayti would be 8-1 and ranked eighth in Class 1A, first-year St. Vincent coach Keith Winkler warned that a district championship wouldn't be a lock like it has been in the past several years.

Winkler's prognostication was right on the money as St. Vincent (9-0), ranked second in 1A, will have to pass a huge test tonight if it wants to continue its status as a state power and make another deep run into the playoffs as the two ranked Indian squads do battle at St. Vincent for the District 1 title.

"They're scary," said Winkler of Hayti. "They're quick and athletic and they do a lot of things well."

Hayti has made a remarkable turn in two years under the leadership of coach Jerry Bethune and his staff.

"That's why we took this job," Bethune said, referring to himself and his assistant coaches. "We wanted to try to get this program back on its feet. They've got tremendous talent here, but it has been misdirected over the years. I've got great, great coaches. We all do this together; we don't really have assistants."

"To do what they're doing is tremendous considering where they've been," Winkler said. "You have to tip your hats to the players and coaching staff for turning it around."

St. Vincent's biggest task will be to contain speedy running back Ortiz Banks.

"Ortiz does a good job," Bethune said. "He's a pretty shifty runner and he's a good kid."

But Hayti, which usually runs out of a double-tight wishbone, has some other talented players including Charles Gaines, a bruising fullback.

"We feel we have to bring 11 men to the football," Winkler said. "But we have to worry about the other backs. You pay too much attention to Ortiz and they'll hurt you."

Though Hayti may have more team speed, St. Vincent holds a huge advantage in the special teams department. While St. Vincent features two-time all-state kicker Derek Kutz, Hayti is often forced to go for two-point conversions because of a lack of a kicking game. And Kutz helps with field position too.

"If you pin a team to the 20-yard line all the time, it puts you in great shape," Winkler said. "To march down the field 80 yards consistently is very hard to do in high school football and that's been an advantage for us all year long."

Scott City at Charleston

The Rams and the Bluejays enter this contest with 2-0 Class 2A, District 2 district records and the winner will likely play Malden in the sectional round.

Though Scott City (6-2) has a better record than Charleston (3-6) and would be considered a slight favorite, the Bluejays have played larger schools like Sikeston, Kennett, New Madrid and Dexter so their record could be a bit deceiving.

The Bluejays will have more speed than the Rams, but Scott City will have a size advantage in the trenches.

Fredericktown at New Madrid

Of all the district title showdowns in Southeast Missouri this week, the Class 3A, District 1 championship game figures to be the most lopsided matchup.

Though the Blackcats (7-2) have had a great season, New Madrid, ranked fifth in 3A at 9-0, has more speed than any team Fredericktown has seen and a defense that is holding teams to an area's best 5.1 points per game.

Fredericktown will have to move the chains and keep New Madrid's speedy offense off the field as much as possible to have a chance in this game.