INDIANS TRACK THE MISSISSIPPI NORTH TO PIRATE COUNTRY

When the Jackson Indians take the football field this afternoon in Hannibal to face the state-ranked Pirates, it'll be like looking in the mirror.

"It's a lot like Jackson playing Jackson," said Indians coach Carl Gross. "The two programs are extremely similar."

Both teams bring 2-0 records into the 2 p.m. game, with the bulk of their experience returning on the offensive lines. Hannibal, ranked seventh in Class 4A, returns seven offensive starters and six on defense from last year's 8-2 team that lost at Jackson 21-14.

"We've got a lot of experienced players coming back," said Hannibal coach Mark St. Clair. "We lost some very talented athletes at the skill positions, but we've got a lot of senior leadership."

The main skill player missing from the Pirates' lineup will be 2,300-yard rusher Antonio McGruder. McGruder graduated last year, requiring quarterback Lance Dorsey to lead the offense. Dorsey, considered by St. Clair, the Pirates' "best athlete", broke his arm in the first quarter of last year's loss to Jackson.

"Our scouts say he's a dandy player," said Gross of Dorsey. "He's a left-hander, he runs the option well and handles the team well."

Last week against Washington, Dorsey rallied Hannibal to a 27-23 win with a touchdown in the final seconds.

"We like to run the option, but in the second game we had to open up a little bit," said St. Clair. "Lance is our best athlete and throws the ball pretty well when we open up the offense."

Without McGruder in the backfield, Hannibal has used five or six different running backs in its running game.

"They're not going to make any mistakes to beat themselves," Gross said. "They're going to be fairly conservative on offense -- like we are."

Jackson running back Devree Flint has emerged as the Indians' feature back with 257 yards and five touchdowns. Quarterback Justin Keen has added 153 yards passing and four touchdowns.

"We look at Jackson as a team that will be one of our biggest challenges of the season," St. Clair said. "They'll be one of the best coached and fundamental teams we'll face. We hope to play the best we can play and stay in the ball game."

Gross said the same things about Hannibal.

"They're a lot like they were a year ago," Gross said. "They have a very good tradition. It's going to be a real challenge."

The Indians were scheduled to leave Jackson at 6 this morning for the long trip to Hannibal, leaving plenty of time for breaks along the way.