SCOTT CITY, MALDEN TANGLE IN OPENER

Perhaps no football game played in Southeast Missouri tonight will have more meaning than the Scott City-Malden game.

The SEMO South Conference title will likely be on the line as the Rams and Greenwave are generally considered far better than the rest of the competition in the league.

These two teams have a history. Last year, Malden stunned Scott City 30-0 in the season opener, but the Rams demolished Malden 42-12 in a sectional game 10 weeks and 10 wins later.

"The kids would like to get a big win against Malden," said Scott City coach Stephen O'Brien. "They know Malden is going to be coming up here looking to give us one back for last year and they've been working hard to not let that happen."

Malden returns more skill players than Scott City, including quarterback Conrad Ivie, who passed for 1,000 yards last year.

Scott City will have an entire new backfield, but will be counting on a big, experienced line.

St. Vincent at Park Hills

The Indians beat Park Hills 36-6 last year and 10-6 in 1998.

St. Vincent, one of the top 1A teams in the state the last two years, went 11-2 last year before losing to the eventual state champs in the state semifinal game.

Park Hills went 2-8 a year ago. The Rebels have two running backs returning, including Gabe Nicholson, who rushed for more than 1,000 yards last year. Corby Scott, another running back, ran for about 600 yards.

"They're bringing those two back and from what I've seen so far, they're pretty tough," said St. Vincent coach Keith Winkler.

Chaffee at Grandview

The Red Devils destroyed Grandview 33-14 last year.

Chaffee was up just 21-14, when an interception return for a touchdown by Blain Swinford gave Chaffee the cushion it needed. The Red Devils went on to a 3-7 record and one of their best seasons in years as they could've easily been 5-5.

Chaffee, which has very little depth but some talent at key positions, is hoping to build off the confidence it earned last year.

Waynesville at Perryville

Waynesville and Perryville are both Class 4A schools which went 4-6 last year.

This will be the first meeting between the two schools.

Waynesville, located southwest of Rolla, will have to make a long trip.

Perryville, which will be playing its first game under head coach Lance Bell, will put its new offense to the test for the first time.

"They're very, very big up front," said Bell of Waynesville. "Right now, they outweigh us by about 40 pounds per man up front. Their quarterback is fast and agile. Their two fullbacks are big, strong kids and their tailback is about 200 pounds and elusive. They're very generic in what they run, but it's going to be tough. We'll have to play excellent ball."

Charleston at Kennett

Kennett, considered one of the stronger Class 3A schools in the area, drilled the Class 2A Bluejays 36-6 last year, but there is a lot of optimism in Charleston this year.

Charleston finished last year at 3-6, while Kennett went 7-3.

Kennett will not be at full strength, however, as running back Larry Green (6-1, 230 pounds), who ran for almost 900 yards last year, will not be playing due to undisclosed reasons.

Crystal City at Fredericktown

Fredericktown didn't play Crystal City last year, but the Blackcats should be favored to win considering Crystal City failed to score more than 10 points in nine of its games last year and were shut out six times in going 1-9.

Fredericktown, which went 6-4, is going for its first back-to-back winnings seasons in 37 years.

TONIGHT'S GAMES

(kickoffs at 7:30 p.m.)

St. Charles West at Cape Central

Sikeston at Jackson

Malden at Scott CIty

Chaffee at Grandview

Waynesville at Perryville

St. Vincent at Park Hills, 7 p.m.

Crystal City at Fredericktown, 7 p.m.

Kennett at Charleston

Poplar Bluff at Dexter

New Madrid at Mt. Vernon, Ill.

East Prairie at Hayti

Portageville at Gosnell, Ark.

Caruthersville at Cross County, Ark.

Herrin at Anna-Jonesboro

Cairo at Elverado, 7 p.m.