Indians look to fifth-ranked Pattonville for first victory

After a season to remember, the Jackson Indians have opened the 2002 season with two games they'd rather forget.

Off to their first 0-2 start since 1998, the Indians face the imposing task of playing Pattonville, ranked No. 5 in Class 6, on the road tonight.

The Pirates are hardly a doctor-recommended cure for a team struggling to find its way. The Indians have been turnover, penalty and mistake prone in losses to Sikeston and Rockwood Summit, which last week handed Jackson its first regular-season shutout in four years.

A strong Indian program recorded nine shutouts of its own since suffering its last shutout in the final game of the 1998 season.

"If we want a chance we're going to have to get better," Jackson coach Carl Gross said. "We can't really worry about who we're playing right now. We have to worry about the Injuns and try to get better and better."

Pattonville (1-1) is one of four Class 5 district champions added to a beefed-up Jackson schedule this year. The Pirates return senior running back Corey Henley and senior fullback Gerald Davis from last year's 8-3 team.

They are two-thirds of a dangerous Wing-T running attack that also includes junior Brian Quinn, who rushed for 133 yards last week in a 42-13 win over Ritenour. Henley averaged nearly 14 yards a carry in the win, finishing with 152 yards.

"They live and die by the run like we did a year ago," Gross said. "They have a good chance to score every time they hand off to Henley or Quinn."

Pattonville lost its opener to Columbia Hickman 21-14 and struggled to a 14-7 halftime lead against Ritenour, then flashed its ability with a 28-6 second half.

"In the second half they were un-believ-able, unbelievable," Gross said, still reverberating with amazement.

The Indians will have to contend with speed they've yet to see this season. They've been trying to simulate the Pirate offense in practice, but with just one drawback.

"Compared to what they're doing, we're running it in slow motion," Gross said. "And my kids are practicing hard, don't get me wrong, but there's no way to simulate that speed."

After experiencing fatigue in the opener, the Indians opted to start a large number of sophomores last week in a platoon strategy, but Gross is returning to the original plan of double duty.

"We had some young kids we played last week and played hard, but they're just not physically ready to play the Pattonvilles, and the Fort Zumwalt Wests and Graves County. It's just not fair to them," Gross said.

"We just told the older linemen they're just going to have to suck it up, play hard and give them breaks when they need to have them. But basically it's their season and it's their team and they're going to have to play."

Sophomore running back Jason Meystedt has led the Indians in rushing both games and will continue to start. He has 226 yards in two games. The Indians look to get their passing game on track as junior quarterback Tyler Profilet struggled mightily against Summit. He completed just 3 of 21 passes for 30 yards and threw two interceptions.

It's just one of many areas the Indians need to improve.

"We're not giving up," Gross said. "We've got eight more left and we're going to try to get better eight more times."

jbreer@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 124