Sneak previews: Area teams suit up for jamborees tonight

Coaches will get an idea of how their squads stack up against the competition.

The regular season is a week away for high school football and there are still plenty of schools facing major questions.

Area schools are no different, with inexperience a common theme among the six area high schools.

Only two schools bring back starting quarterbacks: Central starter Garrett Stevens is just a sophomore, while Chaffee, which returns senior Jeff Daugherty at quarterback, will be participating in its first jamboree in over two years.

The Red Devils will line up against Malden and Charleston at Malden.

"That will be a real good preseason test for us," said first-year Chaffee coach Charlie Vickery. "We need it just for the experience factor and game conditions. It's hard to simulate that in practice, the game stuff."

Scott City, coming off an eight-win season, has only three returning starters and will be one of the most inexperienced teams around the area. The Rams will be testing out new starters at the skill positions on offense, with Jonathan Barr's 101 yards rushing and Matt Backfish's eight receptions the only semblance of experience besides a pair of offensive lineman.

"It's going to give us a real test to see physically if some of our younger kids can mix it up with the older kids," Scott City coach Terry Flannigan said.

Scott City will take on Dexter and Kennett at Dexter. Scott City's junior varsity team will face Portageville's JV squad.

"When you line up against Dexter, you're going to find out real quick if you want to line up," Flannigan said.

Three of the four SEMO North division teams will meet when Jackson, Central, Poplar Bluff and Parkway North square off at Jackson. Line play will be a key area to watch for both Jackson, which lost nearly its entire offensive line to graduation, and Central.

The Tigers return just two starting offensive linemen and will be relatively young up front.

"It will be exciting, and also kind of tense, seeing how the young kids handle this," Central coach Lawrence Brookins said of the jamboree.

For Central, it is not only the line which will feature some up and coming players. The Tigers have two sophomores who figure prominently in the backfield in Joe Uhls and Derek Walker, and sophomore Derien Downing could be one of the prime receivers. Junior receiver Blake Slattery, who played primarily at quarterback last season, will also bear watching.

"There's some kids I'm excited to see what they do in the heat of the battle," Brookins said.

Defending Class 1 state champion St. Vincent will play host to Mississippi Area Football Conference blue division opponents Crystal City, Grandview and St. Pius. The Indians will play those three squads in consecutive weeks starting in week four.

At Sikeston, Perryville will get a sneak peak at district opponent New Madrid County Central. Sikeston and East Prairie round out the four teams.