Three local girls teams christen season tonight

~ Scott City, Perryville and Woodland get started on their schedules.

While the high school fall sports season still has two big days left -- the Show Me Bowl football championships will take place Friday and Saturday at the Edward Jones Dome -- area basketball teams are ready to hit the court.

Three local girls teams -- Scott City, Perryville and Woodland -- will all start their seasons today. Several other area girls teams will begin play this week, and Bell City, Meadow Heights and Leopold will begin play on the boys side.

"I'm excited," Meadow Heights boys basketball coach Tom Brown said. "I just can't wait."

Three area squads are returning from trips to the state final four, and seven area teams won district titles last season. Bell City's boys had the top area finish, bringing home a runner-up finish in Class 1.

The Cubs will play in the prestigious Riverbend Classic hosted by New Madrid County Central for the second straight year. Bell City will face Memphis (Tenn.) Central at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, followed by a 2 p.m. game Saturday against Byhalia (Miss.). Defending Class 5 state champion Vashon is one of eight teams in the field.

Bell City coach Brian Brandtner said he expects both Memphis Central and Byhalia to present tough challenges for the Cubs, who brought back four players with starting experience back from last year's team.

"We'll find out how good we are game No. 1," Brandtner said.

On the opposite side of the experience spectrum, the Meadow Heights boys basketball team will be able to use its three games this week to work in an entirely new starting lineup. The Panthers lost six seniors, including all five starters, and much of their scoring from last year in a season that saw them set the national single-game 3-point shooting record.

Meadow Heights will begin play Tuesday at home against Leopold. The Panthers also will play a pair of games at the Current River Challenge hosted by Van Buren. Meadow Heights will face East Carter County on Friday and Winona on Saturday.

Many of the remaining area boys teams will begin play at tournaments starting next week. The annual Oran tournament, Woodland tournament and Farmington tournament all will begin Nov. 27.

Among the opening games on the girls side today, Scott City will host Portageville, Perryville will host Dexter and Woodland will travel to Fredericktown. Scott City, Perryville and Woodland all play twice in the opening week. The area's three largest girls squads -- Jackson, Central and Notre Dame -- will begin play at the Farmington tournament, which starts Nov. 27.

Saxony Lutheran will play its first girls varsity game Saturday at home against Chris Our Savior Lutheran of Evansville, Ill. The Crusaders played at the junior varsity level last year.