JHS INDIANS TRAVEL TO SIKESTON FOR OPENER

The Sikeston-Jackson football game tonight will be one of the more important season openers in the region this year.

More is at stake than conference standings and bragging rights when the teams meet at 7:30 p.m. at Sikeston High School.

This game will be about two young teams trying to gain some confidence.

Sikeston coach Charles Vickery, in his 22nd year, says this year's team is the most inexperienced team he has had in years. As many as four sophomores could start.

Jackson, likewise, is without a lot of experience.

The Indians have just 16 seniors on their team, but 27 juniors and 33 sophomores.

Jackson has seven defensive starters returning, but just three on offense.

And a handful of those 33 sophomores -- running backs Mario Whitney and James Love, center Kyle Perry, offensive lineman Pete Ressler, tight end Seth McDowell, wide out Bryan Austin, and line backer Brad Barry -- will likely see significant playing time.

The game will be especially important for Jackson considering it is coming off its worst season since 1993, a 4-6 campaign. Last year's squad lost the last game of the season 35-0 to Vianney.

Jackson coach Carl Gross said the team has apparently learned a lesson from a year ago and worked harder this past offseason.

"(A win tonight) would be important," Gross said. "It makes them think that all the hard work in the offseason has paid off. Basically a win is a reward for your hard work."

Jackson started last year with three straight losses, including a 17-14 loss to Sikeston in the opener.

Sikeston went on to win six of its first seven games before crumbling in the district.

"Any first game is important. It's important to us to be challenged and play well and see how much work we have to do," Vickery said. "It will be a good test out of the gate. We'll see how we stack up."

Sikeston -- which went 7-3 last year and shared the SEMO North Conference title with Poplar Bluff -- returns just a handful of starters from last year's team.

The Bulldogs' top running threat will be Justin Robinson, who ran for 506 yards and five touchdowns last year.

"He's got pretty good speed and he's built close to the ground," Vickery said of Robinson. "The thing will be if we can get him any holes."

Sikeston's biggest question mark is at quarterback where senior Ty Ferrell earned the starting spot among four contenders.

The Bulldogs lost this season's projected quarterback Doug Wiles, who transferred to Farmington.

In addition to the teams' youth, Sikeston and Jackson seem to have a lot in common.

Both teams figure to be strong at the linebacker position. Both teams will have good size on the offensive line. And both teams have inexperienced quarterbacks.

Although Jackson quarterback Chris Stockton, a junior, is relatively inexperienced, Gross has liked the way Jackson's passing game has looked in the preseason.

At the jamboree last Friday, Jackson scored its lone touchdown through the air -- a 29-yard pass from Stockton to speedy junior wide out Tory Meyr. Gross has also been impressed with split end Matt Wortman and a slew of tight ends. Senior tight end Kevin Brunke looked like one of the main receiving targets.

Sikeston, meanwhile, will likely be less of a threat to pass.