St. Louis all-area football collegians; and some scrimmage observations

Of all teams, Tennessee-Martin had two players on the list: wide receiver Roren Thomas, an all-OVC preseason pick; and offensive lineman Kevin Bannon, a team captain.

Another list has all the St. Louis area athletes playing college ball. Among that list, the Andersons, Victor and Vincent, of East St. Louis, and Eddie Calvin from Rockwood Summit, will be among the impact players in the secondary this year for Southeast.

Watching the first series for Cape Central's offense against Poplar Bluff's defense was pretty rough. The Tigers could not pick up a first down against the Mules in three four-down series.

Cantrell Andrews is fast and has a chance to be an explosive player, but he didn't find much running room against the Mules.

Linebacker Aaron Ellis looks like a good stopper in the middle for Poplar Bluff, and Kerey Smith put a big hit on John Ritter to break up a pass.

Poplar Bluff should be better than last season, when the Mules finished 5-5. I'm not sure if the win record will be much better because those first seven weeks are difficult, but the Mules have a good chance of grabbing a playoff berth.

For Cape Central, given its schedule, first-year coach Rich Payne will be doing well to match the two-win season of 2007.

Jared Van Slyke, who played briefly as a quarterback last year at Southeast Missouri State and was switched to receiver just before the spring game, has enrolled at the University of Michigan.

His father, former St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Andy Van Slyke, is a coach for the Detroit Tigers.

Today's Internet story of the day is about 9-year-old Jericho Scott, who is too good for his youth baseball league in Connecticut. Other parents protested, the league requested Scott's removal from the mound, and the rest, as they say, is fodder for a lawsuit.

You can read about it in this story in the New Haven Register.