Winless Perryville hopes to spring another surprise

~ One year after a stunning run to the Class 3 playoffs, the Pirates enter district play 0-7.

With his team carrying an 0-7 record, Perryville football coach Rick Chastain has a good reason not to get his hopes up about district play beginning this week.

But after last year's run to the Class 3 District 1 title, Chastain knows the importance of using the first seven weeks of the season to prepare for the final three games.

"I think there are a lot of comparisons to last year," Chastain said Tuesday. "We had won two ballgames and not many people gave us a chance, and we turned it around. That's what we're looking for this year.

"Our sophomores have had a lot of playing time. I like the way our kids are playing. They're getting better and better."

The Pirates are coming off a 15-14 loss to Fredericktown in which they surrendered the winning touchdown and two-point conversion in the final minute. Perryville also has had some close calls with fourth-period rallies that fell short against Fort Zumwalt North (24-14) and Park Hills Central (34-21).

"When you're young and inexperienced, you're going to get games where you play Zumwalt North really tough," Chastain said, "and you're going to get games like Park Hills where you don't play worth a darn at all."

Perryville opens district with New Madrid County Central (5-2) at home Friday night. The Pirates also host Kennett (3-4) in Week 9 before ending the season at Dexter (4-3), against whom the Pirates won a triple-overtime thriller to capture the district championship last season.

But Perryville lost several key players from last season, including all-state running back Matt Unterreiner, so the slow start this year wasn't unexpected.

However, it has forced Chastain to move some players around and put young players in key positions.

Junior Ryan Schilling took over at quarterback for Jacob Hayden, who has moved to receiver. Schilling was 9-for-12 last week for 95 yards passing.

Another junior, Joe Krietler, has become the primary running back -- and has been a leading defensive player.

"Our line has blocked better the last two or three weeks," Chastain said.

Krietler had the Pirates' best rushing performance of the season last week when he ran for 175 yards and a touchdown.

"We're making adjustments we were planning to make at the end of the season and prior to next year," said Chastain, who added that a few players decided to leave the team last week. "Since we got into a hole, we went ahead and made the adjustments. I have nothing but good things to say about the seniors who have made the transition."

Junior Tyler Bauwens has been one of the Pirates' top defensive players, and senior Ryan Regelsperger, who has 19 catches and leads receivers in the Southeast Missourian coverage area with 310 yards.

"He does a great job in the defensive backfield and as a receiver," Chastain said. "He has tremendous hands, and he's been a great leader for us."

The Pirates will have their hands full Friday against New Madrid.

"They have tremendous speed and size," Chastain said. "They line up and try to break off long runs, and we have to stop that big play."