WEEK 11 TOP 10: Cape Central enters top three, Caruthersville dominates its way up

The bye week is over, and the true heat of the playoffs has begun. We saw some interesting results throughout the first week of action, including a big upset in Class 4.

While many teams got time to rest, we got to see the first postseason action for a handful of teams. Some big wins, some tough losses but as we enter Week 11, there’s plenty left to play for.

Here is the Week 11 edition of the Semoball Area Football Top 10 Rankings.

__No. 1: Jackson (8-1, LW No. 1)__

Jackson exits the bye week still on top of the area and by a decent margin. The Indians’ eight-game winning streak will be put to the test this week, as Jackson hosts alum Nathan Norman and his Lindbergh (5-4) team at “The Pit” for both teams’ playoff-opening matchup. Jackson is a heavy favorite going into this game, but look for Norman to cause havoc if the Indians find themselves looking forward from this one and into the district championship.

__No. 2: Portageville (8-1, LW No. 2)__

Portageville got a well-deserved bye week following its big win against New Madrid County Central. As the top team in their district, the Bulldogs sat in Week 10 before taking on Pierce City in the district quarterfinals this week. As Portageville enters as a favorite of almost 50 points, the top-ranked Bulldogs have an opportunity to tinker with what they have entering the district semifinal.

__No. 3: Cape Central (7-3, LW No. 4)__

Cape Central continues its climb, this week up to third in the area after a big win against Mehlville. While the Panthers aren’t exactly the best team in the Class 5 postseason, there’s something to be said for the Tigers’ dominant win against a tough Mehlville defense. Allowing 26.2 points per game entering the matchup and a whopping 40.2 points per game after five weeks, this Cape Central defense continues to improve and looks to be the Tigers’ strong suit entering a tough playoff field. Next up: the St. Mary’s South Side Dragons, winners of back-to-back state titles but currently sitting at 2-7. Cape Central will have its hands full against a talented Dragons team in search of a big win.

__No. 4: New Madrid County Central (9-1, LW No. 3)__

New Madrid County Central sloops to fourth ahead of Week 11 after sitting idle in Week 10 kudos to a Malden forfeiture. The reality of the situation is that the Eagles reaped the benefits of a somewhat soft schedule but still sit pretty at No. 4 because of the strong roster of talent they hold onto. Entering Week 11, the first big challenge of the postseason may be coming sooner than expected as the streaking Scott City Rams come into town. It’s hard telling what could happen between those two, seeing as Scott City has won six consecutive games and New Madrid County Central hasn’t played for two weeks. Look for a Class 2 District 1 battle this week.

__No. 5: Poplar Bluff (5-4, LW No. 5)__

The top seed in Class 5 District 1 got the lone bye of the quarterfinal stage, now entering the field against the Farmington Knights. The Mules won this matchup just four weeks ago, winning 28-14 on the road for Farmington’s Homecoming game. Now, Poplar Bluff gets an opportunity to host the Knights for a chance to advance to the district championship game. Barring any setbacks, the Mules have a strong shot at a rematch with Cape Central or a dance with St. Mary’s South Side in the district title game.

__No. 6: Scott City (8-2, LW No. 6)__

Scott City blew the doors off of East Prairie on Friday night, winning 56-8 in a very telling matchup win that gave the Rams their eighth win of the year. Now, Scott City moves into a district semifinal game against the New Madrid County Central Eagles, who have been so revered for the length of the season. However, weaknesses have been identified in the seemingly fool-proof Eagles, and the Rams will try to take advantage of this in a Week 11 road showdown.

__No. 7: Dexter (7-2, LW No. 7)__

Dexter’s bye week came at a good time, giving the Bearcats an extra week to prepare for the third-seeded Ste. Genevieve Dragons. Now 7-3, Ste. Genevieve presents one of the biggest challenges of the season for this Dexter team. Thanks to a seeding advantage, the Bearcats have the opportunity to host. However, Ste. Genevieve has a plethora of great wins under its belt and has a solid chance to knock off Dexter. The hosts will have to do everything they can to prevent this.

__No. 8: Caruthersville (7-3, LW No. 9)__

Caruthersville started its postseason run in a big way, holding Kelly to just seven points in a 49-7 rout of the Hawks at home. The Tigers have been looking for that signature win all season long, and it looks like they’ve finally gotten it against Kelly. However, a big challenge looms for Caruthersville as it’ll now hit the road to take on the heralded Valle Catholic Warriors. This game is undoubtedly the biggest of the season for Caruthersville, as all playoff games typically are. There’s a long road to glory for the Tigers, but they’ll face the music in Week 11.

__No. 9: St. Vincent (6-3, LW No. 8)__

After earning the top seed in Class 1 District 2, St. Vincent gets the opportunity of a lifetime with a softball schedule into the district championship which, in reality, is a quarterfinal game due to the four-district nature of Class 1 this year. Heading into a matchup with Russellville, St. Vincent enters as a heavy favorite and has a chance to kick off its playoff run with a bang.

__No. 10: Sikeston (2-8, LW NR)__

Listen, I hear you. A 2-8 team sitting in this spot is hard to believe, even for us. The Sikeston Bulldogs have taken their fair share of losses this season – some to great teams, some to not-so-great teams. But on the heels of a two-game winning streak, including a dominant 36-14 playoff win at Perryville, Sikeston looks to be one of the most improved teams as of late. A team that prides itself on defense has made strides in preparing itself for the long road ahead.