QUESTIONS ABOUND AT JAMBOREES; AREA TEAMS SEEK ANSWERS

Webster's Dictionary defines a jamboree as a boisterous party or noisy revel; a gathering or celebration with planned entertainment.

For anxious fans, today's high school football jamborees will fit the definition.

For coaches, the jamboree will be viewed less like a party and more like an audition.

By this point in the preseason, coaches know who their obvious starters are. But on every team, there are certain positions which are not yet definite. There may be as many as four or five players vying for the same spot.

And a jamboree -- a scrimmage consisting of four different teams -- gives coaches the perfect opportunity to see how their players perform under game conditions.

"We've got two good quarterbacks who are battling it out, we've got three running backs and we're not sure who's going to be starting there, so yeah we have a lot of questions to answer (tonight)," said St. Vincent coach Paul Sauer.

In this year's jamborees, Cape Central, Jackson, St. Vincent and Perryville will meet at St. Vincent High School; Scott City, Fredericktown and Portageville will compete at Dexter; and Chaffee will host Caruthersville, Hayti and Kennett.

All jamborees begin at 6:30 p.m. Each team will play every other team one quarter in the jamboree, but no scores will be kept.

Jackson is certainly one of the schools which has some depth-chart problems to solve.

Indians head coach Carl Gross said there are numerous positions which are up for grabs.

"What we'll do," Gross explained, "is we pretty much script the plays and the players for this jamboree so we can get as good an evaluation as we can. We'll give the kids a chance to separate themselves. Everyone will get their opportunities and if they take advantage of it, great. Everything they do from here on out, they will earn, it doesn't matter if they're senior or sophomores. We want to put in the players that we have the most confidence in.

"The depth chart will be set after (tonight)."

Well, maybe with one exception.

Gross found out recently that sophomore running back Mario Whitney will be eligible for the upcoming season. He won't play tonight however, because he hasn't had enough practices. Whitney moved from Georgia and Gross expects big things from the 6-foot-1, 170-pounder. Nathan Brown, an offensive lineman who played quite a bit last season, will also be out tonight because of a lack of practices.

Cape Central first-year head coach Lawrence Brookins will be eying several positions.

He will take a hard look at junior quarterback Jeff Dunaway to see how he handles his first experience as a varsity player.

The center position is up for grabs, Brookins said, between Eric Niswonger and Casey Dwyer.

"We must see strong play from them," Brookins said. "We really need them to step up and be more physical."

Other positions that are open for the taking are the wide receiver and flanker positions.

One of the Tigers who will be trying to make a name for himself is newcomer Casey Mueller (6-foot-2, 190). Mueller, a senior with football experience, transferred this year from the state of California and is competing for a spot at defensive end and tight end. He can also play linebacker, Brookins said.

"He's really picked up our schemes well. He ran a 40 defense at his old school so he's catching on fast. He's looking very good, especially to be new to the system and the community. If he can handle it, he'll work out.

"I'm anxious to see how all these kids respond to another team's jersey."

Perryville coach Jerry Tucker said he'll be looking at virtually every position.

"We've got seven or eight kids we can slide in and out on the offensive line," he said. "It's not so much a personnel thing as it is a position thing for us. Are you better off moving a guy from tackle to guard? We're not sure where we want to be yet."

Tucker also said the free safety and the linebacker positions will be contested.

"The main thing we'll be looking for is discipline, timing and team unity."

The linebacker position is also a questionable spot for St. Vincent.

"I'd say defensively, we have a number of linebackers and defensive tackles," Sauer said. "Offensively, there are a number of guards and tackles we need to take a look at (in addition to the two quarterbacks and three running backs.)"