Rachel Crader is the editor of semoball.com. She graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism in May of 2009 before spending the summer covering the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.

Highlights from Rachel's days in college include having a class down the hall from Chase Daniel and having NCAA wrestling champion Ben Askren hold the door open for her at Brady Commons, Mizzou's student center. She spent time covering Mizzou basketball, softball and baseball while working for the Columbia Missourian and is excited to return home to Southeast Missouri to cover local sports for semoball.com.

Rachel has covered three Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournaments for the Southeast Missourian and semoball.com, and she'll see you courtside again this year.

Semoball football poll: Sikeston regains top spot

Posted Sunday, September 15, 2013, at 12:22 AM

This poll is voted on by reporters, radio broadcasters and football fanatics around the region. It runs on the Sunday Audibles page in the Missourian each week.

1. SIKESTON (3-0, 22 points): Sikeston, which slipped to No. 2 a week ago, regained the top spot after a 34-0 win against Dexter. The Bulldogs have yet to give up a touchdown on defense this season and will face Farmington and Poplar Bluff the next two weeks before a showdown on the road against Jackson.

2. JACKSON (2-1, 21 points): Jackson overcame a slow start and eventually pulled away from Farmington for a 38-7 victory on Friday. The biggest question surrounding the Indians is the health of running backs Colten Proffer and Garrett Miller. Proffer rested this week while Miller played on defense but was limited to five carries on offense, which he made the most of by gaining 106 yards.

3. CAPE CENTRAL (1-2, 17 points): There was a lot of talk about the strength of Central's schedule while the Tigers started the season 0-2, and at least some of that talk seems warranted after the Tigers routed previously unbeaten Poplar Bluff on Friday night -- even without starting running back Mikey Jones. As a result, Central moved up two spots in the rankings this week. Fort Zumwalt East visits Central next week before the Tigers head to the home of rival Jackson the following week.

4. CARUTHERSVILLE (2-1, 9 points): Caruthersville dominated the fourth quarter in its 26-18 victory over Charleston on Friday night after the teams were separated by a single score for the first three quarters. The Tigers will be big favorites in their contest at Dexter next week before a visit to New Madrid County Central.

5. POPLAR BLUFF (2-1, 4 points): Poplar Bluff tumbled from third to fifth in the rankings after its loss at Central, and things won't get any easier for the Mules anytime soon as they host Jackson and Sikeston the next two weeks. Chaffee, which improved to 3-0 on Friday, made its case for a spot in the rankings this week and earned two points. A victory against Portageville next week could earn the Red Devils a spot.

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I understand that Sikeston is undefeated but you have to consider SOS. Jackson and Cape has played very good teams so far. Cape even beat Poplar Bluff who is #5 on the list by double digits. We will see where Sikeston stands when they play Bluff,Cape, and Jackson. Them games should be a really good gauge of how good Sikeston is. Should all be some really exciting games. If I were to rank teams right now I'd have them like this.

1. Jackson-Only loss was to a very good Vianney team

2. Sikeston-Hasn't played anyone in their class yet but still has taken care of business so far, esp on defense.

3. Cape-Play JB tough for a half, and loss a close one last week to SCW. Beat the Mules fairly easy.

4. Poplar Bluff-Still not sure on them yet. Beat two teams they should have beat but lost to Cape by 21

5. Caruthersville-Still uncertain about this Tiger team. They show signs of being really good but not consistent enough for a full game. O line has to block better, special teams really needs help and our secondary needs work as well. Still a very dangerous team though.

-- Posted by Cheesehead. on Sun, Sep 15, 2013, at 5:08 PM
Cheesehead That very good Vianey team got there butts beat Friday so what does that tell you. Just maybe Vianey might not be so good.

-- Posted by lastride67 on Sun, Sep 15, 2013, at 6:56 PM
Vianney got their butts beat?! A come from behind 10 point victory by a ranked 6A team doesn't sound like a butt beating to me

-- Posted by Indian town on Sun, Sep 15, 2013, at 7:14 PM
Yeah, Vianney is pretty good. DeSmet, the team that beat them, is a Class 6 contender.

-- Posted by sideline starter on Sun, Sep 15, 2013, at 7:26 PM
I have no problem with these rankings and its just where I would have them too. Sikeston's defense may be better than it was last year, their offense is improving, so for now with an undefeated record, I have no problem with them being #1.

-- Posted by Preacher Man Fan on Sun, Sep 15, 2013, at 10:43 PM
INdian town DeSmet hadn't won a game till they beat Vianney. There ranked because there DeSmet, just like Notre Dame is always ranked because there Notre Dame and we all know what rankings mean

-- Posted by lastride67 on Mon, Sep 16, 2013, at 8:41 AM
And let's look at who Desmet lost to lastride67.

Rock Bridge- They are the #2 team in Class 6. They just beat Har-Ber 55-29 this last week. A team that beat Webb City, and we all know about Webb City.

Hazelwood Central-They beat Webster Grove this season and they are ranked in Class 5.

So saying that hadn't won a game is a little mis-leading. Very tough schedule for anyone. Vianney only lost to Desmet by 10 so that's a pretty good effort in my opinion.

-- Posted by Cheesehead. on Mon, Sep 16, 2013, at 8:55 AM
DeSmet is a good team for sure. Cheese nailed it on the head with schedule. Har-Ber is scary good and I think they have three to five of the top high school recruits in Arkansas on their team which is just insane

-- Posted by Bunk on Mon, Sep 16, 2013, at 9:00 AM
What? Kelly not in there?

-- Posted by gostlrams on Tue, Sep 17, 2013, at 10:13 PM
When Sikeston FINALLY plays someone then maybe they can be #1.. until then I disagree. Just my opinion though

-- Posted by footballfan29 on Wed, Sep 18, 2013, at 12:31 PM
Sounds like Lastride67 doesn't know what he's talking about.. Yall get him! lol

-- Posted by footballfan29 on Wed, Sep 18, 2013, at 12:34 PM
@ Lastride67.. here's th4 two teams Desmet has lost too. Both of which are reanked in the top 10 in Class 6A!

Rock Bridge 3-0 1.000 144 78 3 W

Hazelwood Central 3-0 1.000 116 93 3 W

-- Posted by footballfan29 on Wed, Sep 18, 2013, at 12:38 PM
Jackson hasn't exactly defeated anyone. In the one game they played against stellar competition, they were put into place rather emphatically. Jackson may be better than Sikeston but the Bulldog defense has been other worldly so far this year and they are unbeaten. None of these other teams have any sort of win that says they are clearly better.

-- Posted by sideline starter on Wed, Sep 18, 2013, at 4:27 PM
Sikeston builds their wins playing subjacent competition! They have been doing this for the last few years. I liken their formula to what Bill Snyder was doing at K-State early in his first years coaching the Wildcats.

-- Posted by STRAIGHTOUTTACHARLESTON on Wed, Sep 18, 2013, at 7:03 PM
Yes your right, we probably need to drop Charleston just like we did Dexter after this year and every other team nearby. We should play all St Louis teams so they can sit on a bus for 2 hours before they play a game. Sounds good to me. Notice sarcastic remarks. Sikestons schedule has been a topic before.

-- Posted by TFA on Wed, Sep 18, 2013, at 7:41 PM
Why not all the other bigger schools do.

-- Posted by BIGELW on Wed, Sep 18, 2013, at 10:56 PM
I'm sure they will eventually but really what does it matter? So it has them supposedly get better so they can go farther or either they lose alot and their moral goes down? Who knows and who cares who plays who? Are ya from Sikeston? No so why do ya care?

-- Posted by TFA on Thu, Sep 19, 2013, at 4:38 AM
@TFA... BIGELW and STRAIGHTOUTTACHARLESTON have a point!!! Your making excuses about that weak schedule Sikeston has every year. All the bigger schools travel to St. Louis to play other bigger schools including Jackson who travels to Columbia every year as well.

-- Posted by footballfan29 on Thu, Sep 19, 2013, at 7:31 AM
I'm all for beefing up a schedule but Sikeston and Charleston has been playing each other for a very long time. NMCC hasn't always been down like they are now either. You have to remember, Sikeston hasn't always been a top team in Semo. They've taken their fair share of beat downs. It just so happens the teams they are facing are struggling some. Sikeston won't always be this dominate and Charleston will be very good again one day. Sometimes you have to keep traditions and Sikeston vs Charleston is one of them.

-- Posted by Cheesehead. on Thu, Sep 19, 2013, at 7:46 AM
My point is WHY DO YOU CARE? I could care less what other teams schedule is!

-- Posted by TFA on Thu, Sep 19, 2013, at 7:47 AM
Wasn't talking to you Cheese

-- Posted by TFA on Thu, Sep 19, 2013, at 7:49 AM
TFA, the poor, poor horse has been dead for years yet some continue to beat it.

-- Posted by sideline starter on Thu, Sep 19, 2013, at 7:50 AM
I know sideline I guess they have nothing else to say about us so that's what they have to talk about. I'm in an arguing mood so I thought I'd argue plus I'm bored. Lol

-- Posted by TFA on Thu, Sep 19, 2013, at 7:56 AM
Sideline and TFA, strength of schedule is an important point in rankings and this is a thread about rankings, so Sikeston's schedule is relevant. As I said earlier, I have no problem with Sikeston being #1 right now, but you can't just dismiss it as of no importance.

-- Posted by Preacher Man Fan on Thu, Sep 19, 2013, at 10:23 AM
I for one like Sikeston's schedule. They are doing it the right way. With the new system, wins are way more important than losses. If you lose by 1 point to Rock Bridge, it's still a loss. If you beat some winless squad, it's still a win, even if the loss would be more "impressive" to the eye test, the win is all that matters when it comes to district seedings.

-- Posted by semohoops on Thu, Sep 19, 2013, at 10:33 AM
Semohoops makes a good point. Not only is winning the most important thing, but you are also rewarded for winning big. Every school should schedule some tough games to prepare for the postseason, but the bottom line is you want as high a seed as possible come playoff time. Those who make Dexter's football schedule need to learn that lesson. The "murderer's row" that is our early schedule is just ridiculous.

-- Posted by Preacher Man Fan on Thu, Sep 19, 2013, at 11:33 AM
I kinda like how they save all the tougher games at the end, helps get the kinks out. And like what was said earlier some of these teams are in a rebuilding period you can never count out towns like Charleston and New Madrid and whoever else people are calling weak on here. Heck we have to train our quarterbacks every year from different positions. Now I'm tired of arguing it was fun but I'm out of the mood.

-- Posted by TFA on Thu, Sep 19, 2013, at 11:45 AM
People also need to remember that high school teams are cyclical. Sikeston is enjoying a good run of success currently. Dexter beat Sikeston 6 years in a row in the 2000s. People weren't clamoring then that Sikeston should drop Dexter. NMCC and Charleston also had success against Sikeston during that stretch. Charleston won three years in a row. NMCC won 4 or 5 times in a row. These are traditional rivalries that date back generations. It just so happens that Sikeston has been good lately and those schools have gone through down stretches. Sikeston and Dexter have played every year since 1960. Sikeston and Charleston every year since the dawn of time. Sikeston and NMCC every year since 1988. These are great local rivalries. So you take those three games, add in four conference games against Farmington, Cape, Bluff, Jackson....that leaves two open spots that you can play with. Sikeston has St. Louis schools Jennings and Cardinal Ritter (who beat Sikeston last year) to fill those spots.

-- Posted by semohoops on Thu, Sep 19, 2013, at 12:00 PM
No point in arguing about it. The next three weeks will tell us who is the best team in the area for sure! SIkeston maybe ranked #1 but played nobody. Jackson is ranked #2 and got that whoopin from a very good Vianney team, and Central who is third will either shine or fall the next few weeks so like i said earlier just wait and see.

-- Posted by Jax12 on Fri, Sep 20, 2013, at 12:40 AM
Yeah, at the end of the season, the best teams will be in the playoffs. Rankings are a good talking point but it always seems to sort itself out at the end of the day. I have no problem with Sikeston or Jackson being #1. You could make a case for either team. When they play, it will get settled.

-- Posted by Cheesehead. on Fri, Sep 20, 2013, at 10:49 AM

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