It took a little longer than planned, but the statistics are posted through Week 3 of the high school football season.

The good news: More participation than ever, bringing a nearly complete record for football fans from Perry County south to the Arkansas border.

The interesting tidbits:

-- East Prairie's M.C. Williams took over the rushing lead with his 259-yard performance (on 19 carries) last week in a 35-0 victory against Scott City. He had five touchdowns and also tops the scoring list.

-- Jackson's Adam Zweigart, who had 439 yards in the first two games, was limited to 57 net yards on 23 carries in the 14-7 loss to Gateway Tech, according to Jackson's stats. Zweigart, the area's rushing leader last year as a junior during Jackson's 11-1 season, had just one under-100 game last season, when he carried just 11 times for 90 yards and three touchdowns.

-- Dexter quarterback Ben Mills has thrown more interceptions this season (7) than he did all of last year (5) during the Bearcats' 6-4 season. The area's passing leader last year as a sophomore, he is No. 2 behind Kennett's Blake Parr in passing yardage.

-- Among the full-time quarterbacks, Sikeston's Charlie Bohannon and Chaffee's Aaron Horrell both have completed more than 60 percent of their passes. Horrell, a senior in his first year as the varsity starter, has hit 30 of 49 (61 percent) and had three touchdowns in the first two games before throwing his first interception last week that ended a drive in the red zone during the second period of a 35-21 loss at Crystal City.

The Carr Trophy

Mike Buhler of the Dunklin Daily Democrat mentioned Parr as an early front-runner for the award given to the top high school football player in the SEMO Conference.

If there were preseason/early season candidates for this region's high school Heisman, Jackson's Zweigart and linebacker Blake Peiffer, Parr and East Prairie's Williams would be among the favorites.

(Farmington, certainly a contender for the SEMO North title in its first year in the league, might have some candidates as well.)

Parr has passed for 813 yards (44-for-78) with nine touchdowns and six interceptions for the unbeaten Indians. Last year, he finished third in the area in passing yardage at just 1,349 yards.

It's early to get into the handicapping of the race, but Kennett won't play a school in its own classification or larger until Week 7, when it hosts Class 4 Sikeston before beginning Class 3 district play.

Zweigart has two 200-yard rushing games, but Class 5 Jackson, a state semifinalist last year, has struggled against its tough schedule.

Peiffer, among the leading tacklers in Southeast Missouri last year with 112, is tops on the list this year with 40 and two sacks in three games.

With Williams, East Prairie is 2-1 this year after a 3-7 campaign last year that included an 0-6 start.

Kennett receiver Jarvis Finley also is off to a great start: 17 catches for 336 yards and five touchdowns. He's nearly halfway to the receiving yardage that led the area last year.

Week 4 showdowns

With Williams, Parr and Finley on the field Friday night in Kennett, the East Prairie-Kennett game ought to be interesting ... and offensive.

East Prairie lost its opener by three touchdowns to Hayti, which Kennett beat by a point last week, so the Indians likely have the upper hand.

I predict Kennett 42-21.

Another good clash Friday will be Sikeston (2-1) at Jackson (1-2), a meeting that wasn't close last year. In fact, it was one of those games Zweigart (who rushed for 151 yards and three touchdowns on just seven carries) could have run for as many yards as he wanted.

Sikeston is improved from last year, when it won two games all season, but the Indians are moving into the meat of the schedule after opening the year with smaller schools.

The Bulldogs are running a spread offense and will try to create mismatches to give Eli Jackson (523 yards rushing), Jordan Williams and Niquavious Dixon a chance to do something with the ball, but the Indians may use this home opener to make a statement.

My prediction: Jackson 42, Sikeston 14.