JACKSON'S `PIT' HAS BECOME THE PITS FOR INDIAN OPPONENTS

How important was it for the Jackson Indian football team to host Wednesday's Class 5A Sectional against Kirkwood?

Before the game, Jackson coach Carl Gross had an answer.

"It's huge," Gross said. "We call this place `The Pit' because our fans are vocal and they're rabid.

"They're going to make noise and this place is going to be rocking."

Despite frigid temperatures, The Pit was packed with Jackson fans for the Indians' first home playoff game since a Class 4A semifinal win over Mexico in 1995. Jackson beat Kirkwood 34-7.

"It's a great place to watch a football game and a great place to play if you're at home," said Gross.

Kirkwood coach Mike Wade, during a telephone interview earlier in the week, was actually looking forward to playing in front of the big crowd.

"We hear wonderful things about Jackson and the community so we're looking forward to it," Wade said before the game. "We've already played a game like this at Rolla. We hear there are a lot of similarities about the facilities and the big crowd."

Wade said packed stadiums are nothing new to his team. Despite the playoff loss, the Pioneers still have their annual Turkey Day game with Webster Groves coming up on Thanksgiving.

Said Wade: "Big crowds don't intimidate us because for that Turkey Day game we get 12,000 to 14,000 people at it."

Returning to glory

After missing the state playoffs last season with a 5-5 mark, Portageville's Dameon Gooden made sure the Bulldogs return to the Class 2A Sectional was a winning experience.

Gooden set up both Portageville scores with two 71-yard kickoff returns in the Bulldogs' 12-9 win over Brentwood Wednesday night in Portageville.

The Bulldogs (9-2) now advance to the quarterfinals for the second time in three years. Portageville will host Lutheran North (9-2) on Monday. Brentwood ended its season 4-6.

Gooden returned the game-opening kick down to the 10-yard-line to set up a short scoring run by Gerald Pickering to put the Bulldogs ahead 6-0.

Brentwood came right back with a field goal to trail only 6-3, but Gooden struck again on the ensuing kickoff. This time he returned the kick to the 15-yard-line. Quarterback Chris Robinson scored later on the short drive to make the score 12-3.

Brentwood scored a touchdown late in the third quarter, but a long drive by Portageville chewed up most of the fourth-quarter clock and the Bulldogs held on for the victory.

Portageville coach Kevin Freeman wasn't particularly satisfied with the way his team played, saying the Bulldogs played down to Brentwood's level.

"Our kids aren't stupid," Freeman said. "They see things on film and realize the teams they should beat and the teams that are better. We came out flat and a little overconfident."

Now the Bulldogs face a quarterfinal contest with an athletic Lutheran North team that lost at home to Jackson 49-7 earlier in the season.

North beat 10th-ranked Orchard Farm (9-2) in its sectional 32-17.

"Portageville always seems to meet a roadblock at the quarterfinals, but our kids are overachievers," Freeman said. "We've got a bunch of rug rats that have no business being here.

"With our size we don't intimidate anyone. We just have a bunch of players with hearts as big as the outdoors and that's why we're where we're at."

Revenge is sweet

New Madrid gained a measure of revenge Wednesday at home with its 12-6 Class 3A Sectional win over Ste. Genevieve.

The Dragons, ranked seventh in 3A, started the season with a 14-12 victory over the Eagles in Ste. Genevieve.

The victory advances New Madrid to the quarterfinals where the Eagles will host Mary Institute-Country Day School.

Country Day is 10-0 and ranked second in 3A. The Rams pounded previously undefeated Clayton, ranked ninth, 33-6 Wednesday.

One and done

St. Vincent's football team has made it to the state playoffs five times since the 1984 season.

Each time the Indians have lost their opening playoff game, including Wednesday's 21-0 loss to Marionville.

But considering the Indians (8-3) returned only one starter from last year's playoff team this season, the future looks awfully bright at St. Vincent. Paul Sauer has taken the team to the playoffs two of his three season as coach of his alma mater and the Indians will return several players from this year's surprising playoff team.

Remember the coaches poll?

New Madrid County Central was the only football team to prove the coaches in the SEMO Conference right by winning the SEMO Central with a 5-0 mark.

The Eagles were picked unanimously by the coaches of their division in a preseason poll conducted by the Southeast Missourian.

On the other hand, the coaches in the SEMO North were way off base. Jackson, picked to place third before the season, proved everyone wrong with an undefeated season. Sikeston (0-3) was picked to finish just ahead of Cape Central (1-2) for first place in the preseason poll.

In a mild surprise, Portageville -- picked to tie for second with Scott City -- went undefeated in the SEMO South to claim that title. Malden, the preseason favorite, got saddled with two conference forfeit losses and finished tied for third.