i really have to agree with BG on this one. the only upset that i can see coming is freddy/dexter. won't be surprised if we see some more though. i'm less of a homer than you are BG.

Have to agree with Daddy. While the Blackcats are tons better than last year, game experience the Bearcats have been gaining over the season has to account for something. Coach Pixley seems to be able to get the most out of the talent he has.

The other upset special I see is NMCC overcoming Potosi. I didn't see much when I saw NMCC two weeks ago, so the big win over Portageville is perplexing to me and Potosi lost to a down DeSoto squad.

In Class 4, I think the Festus - Cape game may be an upset for Cape.

I just got the feeling that the 4 & 5 seed games in all classes may be the best games this week.

REDDIRT DOG, I fully expect Dexter to show up and play as hard as they always do. There is no quit in these kids. I see no evidence the kids have checked out mentally. True, we have had some key players injured and suspended recently, but we actually had one of our best games offensively last week against Malden. Coach Pixley will have the Bearcats ready to play against Freddy this week.

I've seen dexter they have talent! Now I haven't seen them in 8 weeks but I'd say they have gotten better

"I want to ask that EVERYONE on this website stop saying teams or players "stink", "blow", and end the general bashing that has become more and more prevalent over the past few weeks. I really don't want to see another one of Crader's articles where she basically has to put everyone in the forums in their place. It also adds nothing to the conversation and brings down the general IQ of the discussions being made. Let the teams hash it out themselves over the next few weeks just how good (which apparently ranges anywhere from only state champions to every team which fields enough guys depending on who you ask) they are. Most of the people on here are adults. To the adults and even those who aren't, have the maturity to act like one. This place is a lot more fun when it is civil and the ribbing is friendly. Anyway, that's my take."--I wrote that in my column Sunday. I'd say it applies in this situation.

Jolly Dump I know Dexter is lacking experience this year but all I was saying was if there was a game that could b an upset it could b this game! Freddy is not playing there best ball right now and Dexter has nothing to loose! And at the beginning of the year I had a habit of saying things like awful, stink , sucks! But sideline is right! You could use other words like I do like Less experienced or being young! But I look for dexter to return next year for sure!!

I have to disagree with you my friend Bleed. The only bad play the Blackcats have done is the second half in Ste Gen. We could argue defensive strategy used by the Blackcats in the NoCo game, they got burned leaving a good passer with targets only in man coverage. NoCo is a VASTLY improved team, they played a defensive set that took FredMo's deep threats away.

I can tell right off Jolly Dump isn't from Fredericktown, he can't spell it properly.....

I think Jolly Dump is from Dexter and just giving the Bearcats some fuel.

Talked to Coach Henson today, he says Dexter has a really nice, quick QB and a couple nice recievers to throw to.

Preach, who are these kids so I can keep an eye on them?

AMEN!! jolly dump

Dexters kids will play hard. They have one of the top 5 receivers in the semo area in the Young kid. Their TB is pretty good as well as their QB. I don't know what their record is now but I do know they will play hard and if they get a lead, they could get a little amped up and play right with Fredtown.

Dexter had PHC 8-7 at the half. They are not a bad team, just young. I can very well see possibly having to play Dexter again in the district semi-finals. Freddy is a good team but this time of year anything can happen.

Just a side note on coaching a team up. I do not believe that Portageville is a "naturally" stellar team. I think they are a great example of taking a good team and making them a really good team by coaching them up and changing the program. That is how in my humble opinion, great programs are made. We have some great programs in our region.

Malden played up too. And you're right, Rick did a great job with the defense. It's ok to be down a couple years, that happens, my main gripe is that a team must adjust or make changes. Malden picked up a third class 3 team (one that beat Dexter, but was thumped by Malden).

Not taking anything away from Dexter but to say someone is coaching up a team that just got beat by 30+ is absurd. It would be different if a team started 0-5 and won 3 of last 4 but this team only beat a team that beat EP. Not exactly something you can hold your hat on. And to say a team would only have a few wins is awfully petty when they beat your team by 30+.

I got confused because of the lack of wins. Dexter only beat Kennett who only beat EP. Sorry.

Daddy you have no problem this year or for the next 2-3 years! There will be no coaching up when it comes to Dexter

I remember a couple years ago when the ole sideline starter was throwing armchair zingers at cape central fans in that 600+ comment forum. Back in his HS days anyway!

It was like the wild west on here back in those times. Had to fend for your territory.

Ain't that the truth, problem is now they doing to much learnin in the skoo!

Appreciate "some" of the respect shown to Dexter. Sideline starter hit the nail on the head that some are understating the talent Fred-town has. They have a **** tough QB, running back and will try to out-weight room you on the front. Plain and simple Dexter has some kids starting varsity that would have a hard time getting JV minutes. It's one of those years that a program (in the SEMO area) will have every once in a while. Just too young and too soft. Preach's boys are tough as nails and hit the weight room hard but Coach Pixley just has too many softies. Give them another year in the weight room and throw them out on the field next year and see what happens. Until then, in my opinion, this a 3 or more touchdown game. Hope I'm wrong. Good luck to all SEMO area teams.

As far as the Head Coach of a team agreeing or disagreeing I would HOPE that he believes in his team. Even I don't, I would hope the coach does.

One more time. Anyone who concludes there is zero talent on a struggling team needs to take a course in logic at their local university. To give just one example from Dexter. Chase Young has already signed to play baseball at UT Martin. Anybody who has seen him play football knows he is a great player as well and his stats show that he is one of the top WR's in Semo. Again, everyone needs to remember these are high school kids we are talking about. Most of them work very hard and none of them deserve to be belittled, even by those who want to hide behind cliches like "just stating the facts" or telling "the-truth."

Now, I did not belittle Malden. I said they have had a great season and have a very good team. What I did say was their strength of schedule is nowhere comparable to Dexter's. What's petty about that? If the Green Wave played Ste. Gen, PHC, Sikeston, and Poplar Bluff, how many of those games would they realistically have won?

As far as Dexter goes, I think I know this team about as well as any non-coach in town. I know about their struggles on and off the gridiron. They are better than their 1-8 record. We have had close games with Bluff, NMCC, and Charleston that could have gone either way. This year's team is young, inexperienced, and decimated by injuries. We have JV starters playing varsity minutes because of all the injuries and other issues. Two of our returning starters went down early with season-ending injuries and a third starter missed half the season. That said, no one is excusing poor play or some questionable coaching decisions this year. Mobrigade makes some valid points here. And Sonny, thanks for the kind words about my two boys.

I think everyone knows Fredericktown is a big favorite at home against Dexter. All I can tell you is that the Bearcats will show up and play hard as they have every game this year.

Finally, there are a number of posters who know what they are talking about in addition to Sideline, Cheese, and Beef. Guys like BuckMajor, REDDIRT DOG, BillShakespeare, The Daddy, and Zachattack are intelligent, well-informed, and witty to name but a few off the top of my head.

You've come a long way BG. Keep it up.

I don't think its important whether or not Malden would defete any of teams because they played a football game against Dexter and absolutely destroyed them. And mobridge is correct in the fact that the only TDs Dexter scored were against Malden's JV special teams and secondary. 4 TD margin was a destruction and in all reality it should not have been that close. Every year people like to overhype the Bearcats, and the same things people were getting fired up against is the same thing that is going on in this conversation.

Just to clear something up, Dexter's first score was a rushing TD in the first quarter when they were down 7. I doubt the JV was in JUST yet. The second did come from a kickoff return but Dexter was only down 11 at that point so, again, I doubt the JV had been subbed in. The next touchdown was a long pass to end the half when the cats were down 21. It is conceivable that the JV was in but very doubtful since it was still the first half. The final score came in the 4th with the cats down 31 so that was likely the JV but still the first 3 scores were not so to say that Dexter only scored on Malden's JV is inaccurate. This info came from an article written about the game so I can't personally confirm any of this, I'm just repeating what I read. Not that it matters. Dexter got rolled because they are not a very good team this year. The players are young, weak, and inexperienced. That's not a slam on them. It's just stating and unfortunate fact. They will most likely improve by next season.

I think Sikeston win tomorrow, but loses next game against Cape or Festus!!!

Also hope Ste. Gen gets eliminated early so BG will disappear into the sunset. At least until next year,,, I would rather hear from the guy from Scott City about there basketball team. At least he had his own thread and didn't ruin all the others with his talk about only his team.

Go Rebels!!!

Homer!!!

According to numbers on the jersey and the roster, half of the kick-off team is in fact JV, the last touchdown was against JV, the other two as stated before were legit offensive varsity against varsity touchdowns (the varsity starts four freshmen and several sophomores). Again, I'm not saying the players will not get better I am sure they will, but if you look at age and experience, Dexter and Malden are going to be close. I do not live in Malden, I am simply disagreeing that Dexter is the upset game to look for and gave my reasons as such attempting to keep my rhetoric hospitable to the players. In my humble opinion I believe coaching staff needs to look at making some major changes in scheme and etc. and judging from the past, that will not be the case. There are some players on that team with some great talent, but need to be put in a position they can win in. Last week that team started shutting down before the half, trash talking is always present in football, but players calling other players names that should never be used was (some teams have issues playing team with different demographics)....you could hear the quarterback screaming at a lineman in the huddle to shut his mouth from the stands (quarterback seems to have a level head on his shoulders). Not sure what game I'll watch tomorrow night.

I think most points have been hammered on while Dexter is having a less than average season, you should still go out and support your team and not be a bandwagon jumper depending on their success because true fans will support them no matter what. I know that this team will not be down for long and I really would have liked to seen them at full strength this year but they lost 2 guys with season ending injuries at the beginning of the year. They lost almost all of their offense from last year and any team is going to suffer because of that inexperience plays a big factor in a teams success and this team had little to no returning starters.

If you had told me before the season that Dexter was going to beat Kennett, New Madrid, Charleston, Malden, and Poplar Bluff for a 5-4 record, I don't think that would have been farfetched considering where all of those teams were coming from off of last season.

I agree that I don't think Dexter will ever quit. They never have in any sport I have watched. None of those kids will quit. But its not being a band wagon jumper just because you don't think the team is good. I said some about the Cardinals after they blew the NLCS, but that doesn't mean I stopped supporting them. I would like to think of myself as one of the most passionate Cardinal fan there is, but I will still say what's on my mind.

I'm thinking about going to the Cabool vs. Portageville game, heard their going to have the Blue Angels fly over lol.

I'm Joey Lewandowski

I'm Batman

Football playoffs finally start tonight! Who's excited, anybody!? andybody!? Leave all that BS outside, we're gonna celebrate all night, let's have fun tonight, no fights, turn that Dre track way up high, making you dance all night and I got some real heat for you this time, it doesn't matter if you're white or black, let's get crunk 'cause Buck's back, don't need no hateration, holleration, in this football game, let's get it perculatin' while you're waitin', toucdowns scored for me!!

Sorry, Semoball needed MJB'ed up today.

i'm marco scutaro.

Who is this Diddly P fellow you speak of!?

Cheese good luck to you as well! Sky's not looking to great right now! Hope all is well 3 hrs south

It was ugly, and not in a sloppy way. It was an absolute beat down.

Nice six seed

I didnt appreciate the name calling. It is what it is.

Jolly, I have no idea how old you or "The-Truth" is, but one day you may have a son who plays high school football. One day that son will walk off the field for the final time as a senior heart-broken over a tough loss. One day you may have to console that son like I did tonight. If or when that happens, you may learn a little compassion and a little less sarcasm. Congrats on your victory celebration.

Preacher, the shoe fits on the other foot too, explain to a senior playing both ways that gets beat why ppl (students) are using words that he learns in school were used in the 60s a lot but not appropriate now, some things change, but some towns don't. I wld sure hope that with a handle like Preacher you wldn't condone this, but there are far more who do.

I'm saying his team does, I am suggesting that due to your handle you do not endorse such behavior.

New Madrid to upset Potty. They must take their own fireworks

Mobrigade your post's have been structured and have alot of thought into them. I just seen something about race in your post and just thought negatively about it. But Jolly you need to grow up lol.

Beef how about you just mind your own business and stay out of mine. I made my comments because people were making the comments that Dexter had a good chance of upsetting Fredericktown and I was making the point that Dexter did not have the talent to do such a thing. I am not the one on the forums who went around and called people dumb, unintelligent, etc. because other people didn't agree with me. I only used those lines AFTER I was attacked in the first place. So for you to call me out while ignoring the other posters is out of line.

"I think all you are crazy as a bat from Hades. No way Dexter beats Fredricktown. I would say Dexter is awful, but that's giving awful a bad name. Dexter just doesn't have the talent this year. Its not the coaching, its the talent and Dexter has none!!"--Jolly Dump.

This is the comment that started it all. It was rude, insulting, and demeaning and I did call Jolly on it. Now Jolly wants to come on here and pretend that he was the victim and was just responding to others who attacked him first. There's an old saying that those who can't take it shouldn't dish it out!

Yes we both apologized and that was the end of that between us. I was just setting the record straight as to the order of events. In your response to Beef, you said others attacked you first, when the truth is that you fired the first shot.

You're just wrong BIG G. As far as I was concerned, it was over after the apologies. But then Jolly came back and had to rub it in and do his "victory celebration." When Beef called him on it, he tried to claim he was unfairly attacked first. It just wasn't so, so I set the record straight. Read the entire thread and you will see it for yourself. So, BIG G, why would you post something like that against me?

Thanks BG. I appreciate it.

Thanks Preach for the compliment the other day. I just now read it. I really appreciateit, and I really like getting on here and having good spirited conversations about high school sports!

Preach no one is questioning your beliefs or faith in your team. Those are to be admired. I would say only "mistake" you made was underestimating a very good Freddy team. Nothing against a dexter team that struggled but that Freddy team us very talented and very well coached

Hey mobrigad, sorry you got associated with the likes of myself.

Everyone loves their team but when one over states their teams ability one can expect negative comments. People are passionate and that's what makes this site work

99% of players at the freshman level just aren't ready to play varsity football. Couple that with having a weaker program with no way to protect him and your likely to get the kid injured. I don't presume to know if at 14 years old, Stevens was ready or not. I do know that Compton was ready, their QB was not doing the job, and McDowell had already pulled the kid up to JV so he was basically the 2nd string QB. NC at the time just did not have alot of options then. I'm glad NC is 7-3 and getting better. Makes our win over them this year that much sweeter.

I saw a comment somewhere on this forum about a controversial call in the SV Hayti game and now I can"t find it. Was I dreaming?

From my perspective, a Hayti player fielded apunt on the 2 or 3 yard line then took a couple of steps backwards into the end zone. The ref blew his whistle and called it a touchback. I thought that was a safety.