SCOTT CITY SET FOR PLAYOFFS; RAMS ENTERTAIN MALDEN IN 2A SECTIONAL TONIGHT

Scott City High football coach Terry Flannigan refers to tailback Matt Underwood as "the main mail carrier." In turn, Flannigan hopes the junior will go postal on visiting Malden tonight (7 o'clock kickoff) in a Class 2A sectional game.

In Scott City's season opener, a 39-12 victory over Malden, Underwood ran for three touchdowns. Nine games later, he stands as Southeast Missouri's leading rusher with 1,628 yards in 187 carries, an average of 8.7 yards per attempt, and has scored 24 touchdowns.

"He's the main mail carrier," Flannigan said. "If he can tote the mail for us he's going to have to be that hard, tough, physical kid and be ready to take the beatings when they're there and dish out punishment when he can."

Although Underwood is "a great back," Malden coach Mike Ivie said the Green Wave must concern themselves with the postal trucks carrying the mail carrier.

"You have to stop the linemen," he said. "They're huge and they're mobile. Those linemen -- that's what makes him go."

Whatever it is that makes Scott City go, it's evident they went. The Rams, who are ranked No. 4 in Class 2A, are 9-1 (their only loss, 13-12, was against Perryville) and they won those nine games by an average of 47-6. What's more, they dominated their three district games by an average of 59-4.

Malden, which is 6-4, dropped four of its first six games this season. But the Green Wave have played well of late and won their past four games.

"We have improved since the beginning of the year," Ivie said. "But they (Scott City) have gotten better as well. I don't know if we have made up any ground. We'll find out.

"They're so deep and so experienced that we're going to have some problems. But our kids are not afraid of humiliation."

Scott City features more than a running game. Quarterback Lance Amick has posted solid numbers; he has completed 54 of 103 passes for 874 yards and 15 TDs. His preferred target has been Brandon Amick, who has caught 23 passes for 444 yards and five touchdowns.

On defense, inside linebackers Steven Thomas and Jeremy Mouser have been the anchors. Although Rams starters have seen little playing time in the second half of a number of games, Thomas has recorded 61 tackles and 39 assists; Mouser 58 tackles and 34 assists.

Malden's offense is led by running back Brian Benford, who eclipsed the 1,000-yard milestone Friday in the Green Wave's 24-19 victory over Portageville. Ivie said quarterback Chris McCoy "has played in spurts" but he threw for three TDs last week.

"They (Malden) are a much-improved ballclub," Flannigan said. "I don't expect them to come in and lay over and play dead just because we beat them the first time. I think it's going to be a very tough, physical ballgame."

Football Playoffs

Tonight's Sectionals

7 p.m. kickoffs

Class 1A

St. Vincent vs. Cardinal Ritter

(at John F. Kennedy)

Class 2A

Malden at Scott City

Class 3A

New Madrid at Ste. Genevieve

Class 4A

North County at Perryville

Class 5A

Poplar Bluff at Kirkwood