READY TO BEGIN; AREA HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL TEAMS SET TO OPEN PRACTICE WEDNESDAY MORNING

It hardly seems possible. Has it really been a full year since area high school football players were gearing up for the 1995 season?

You bet it has. Which can only mean one thing: local gridiron hopefuls are now getting ready for the start of workouts in anticipation of the 1996 season.

Football practice for high school squads around the state officially gets under way Wednesday, the first day allowed under Missouri State High School Activities Association regulations. The first three days of workouts are specified as non-contact by the MSHSAA, with players donning helmets and shoulder pads. Full-contact practices with full equipment can begin Saturday.

"It's that time of the year," said Cape Girardeau Central coach Jerry Dement. "Everybody is excited and ready to go."

Most of the area's teams will jump right into twice-daily practices Wednesday, with many of them having full-contact scrimmages set for Saturday.

The season is scheduled to open Friday night, Sept. 6.

Following is a brief rundown of the early practice plans for some of the local squads:

Cape Central

Dement's Tigers, coming off a 4-6 season, will work out at 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Wednesday. That same schedule will take place Thursday and Friday, although Dement isn't certain if the Tigers will schedule a scrimmage for Saturday.

"We haven't decided about Saturday yet," he said. "We'll wait and see what happens the first three days."

School at Central starts later than at most area schools, with classes beginning Aug. 26. So the Tigers will have the option of holding two-a-days during that entire first full week of practice.

"We probably won't have two-a-days the entire week, but probably a few of the days," said Dement. "The first few days, we'll do a lot of teaching and of course start on our conditioning. Hopefully they'll be in good shape and ready to go."

Dement said he was pleased with the way things went over the summer, both with Central's summer camp and weight training.

"We were very pleased," he said. "We had more kids than ever work out and do the extra things and the attitude has been outstanding."

The Tigers returns numerous key players from last season, although there are some holes to fill. Dement is optimistic, but that's what the preseason is all about.

"Every coach is pretty optimistic this time of the year," he said.

Jackson

Coach Carl Gross's Indians are coming off two sensational seasons, Jackson having finished second as the Class 4A runnerup in both 1994 and 1995.

But 1996 will bring new challenges, mainly the Indians' first-ever venture into Class 5A.

"We feel like we have a pretty good football team back, but we have a really tough schedule and 5A is a whole new challenge," said Gross, whose team went 11-3 last year. "We have several kids who have already been two-year starters, who have played on both those championship game teams. They want to do something really good again."

The Indians will practice at 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. the first three days, then come back with a full-contact scrimmage Saturday morning. Teachers report to school for workshops Aug. 19 and school starts Aug. 21, so the first three days will be Jackson's only shot at two-a-days.

"You kind of miss the toughness of more two-a-days," Gross said. "We're used to having at least one full week of two-a-days, but this year, with the schedule backed up to Sept. 6, the practices start a little later."

Of the Indians' early goals in practice, Gross said, "One thing is we want to be physically tough. We're very fortunate because all our kids work pretty hard over the summer. But getting yourself in lifting and running shape is a lot different than football shape."

Scott City

The Rams' first season under Coach Terry Flannigan -- who took over for the legendary William Wilthong -- ended with a 4-6 record.

Although the Rams will be young and not very big this year, Flannigan looks for good things.

"Now things aren't as new. We've got a feel for each other," said Flannigan. "It was nice to come to (summer) camp and line up and call something and not have to explain everything. They retained a lot.

"We'll be young and small, but it's a fun group to work with. I think we'll be pretty competitive if they keep the same attitude they have, the same work ethic."

Scott City will work out at 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. the first three days, with a full-contact practice set for Saturday morning. School starts Aug. 21.

"We'll be able to have five days of a two-a-days before school starts," Flannigan said. "The kids have been at it pretty good in the offseason and summer. They've come a long way in the weight room."

Chaffee

Chaffee went just 1-9 last year and the program has been down for several years, but Brian Horrell hopes to eventually change that as he steps up to head coach from his previous post as veteran coach Mick Wessel's assistant.

"There is a lot of enthusiasm this year," said Horrell, a 1987 Chaffee graduate. "The kids have worked hard. We're very enthusiastic about the future. The future might be a couple of years away, but a good work ethic was established at camp and the kids worked really hard in the weight room.

"We're very young, with only about eight upperclassmen. But there's no reason we can't be real competitive right away."

The Red Devils will work out at 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. the first three days, then come back with a full-contact practice Saturday morning. With teachers in session Aug. 19 and school starting Aug. 21, the first three days will be the only time for two-a-days.

"Like a lot of schools, there won't be many two-a-days this year," Horrell said.

Perryville

After a sluggish first season under Coach Doug Smith, the Pirates rebounded to a 6-4 record last year.

"Last year we kind of knew our personnel a little better," said Smith. "You spend so much time that first year just getting to know the kids.

"We lost some real good seniors, but we feel like some kids are ready to step in."

The Pirates will hold somewhat unique two-a-day practices the first three days. Both workouts will be between 3:30 p.m. and about 8 p.m., with meetings also fit into that time period.

"We'll practice once, then kind of break it up with some things, then we'll practice again," Smith said.

There will be a full-contact workout Saturday morning.

"School starts Aug. 19, so we won't have many two-a-days," said Smith.

St. Vincent

Paul Sauer's first season as the Indians' coach was a good one as the Tribe went 7-3.

"We're pretty excited," said Sauer. "We had a real good first season. Our attitude was really good during camp and everybody is really looking forward to the season. We've got over half of our starters back, so that's a plus."

The Indians will not hold two-a-days, instead workout out once daily at 6 p.m. the first three days. There will be no practice Saturday. School starts Aug. 19.

OPENING DATES

AUGUST 30

* ANNA-J'BORO: at Massac Co., Ill.

* CAIRO: at Carterville, Ill.

SEPTEMBER 6

* CAPE CENTRAL: hosts Farmington

* JACKSON: at St. Louis Riverview Gardens

* SCOTT CITY: at Perryville St. Vincent

* CHAFFEE: at Malden

* PERRYVILLE: at Fredericktown

* CHARLESTON: hosts Kennett

* SIKESTON: hosts Carbondale, Ill.