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Southeast Missourian Gridiron Guide: Marquee matchups for packed Week 2 football slate
The first weekend of high school football brought about some big changes for our local Southeast Missourian schools as we picked up the pieces from a year ago.
Some schools impressed, like St. Vincent in its 53-0 domination over Ste. Genevieve to kick off what should be a magical season for the Class 1 No. 3 Indians.
For others, like Jackson, a little gut punch changed the perspective for the season, with Cardinal Ritter throttling the Indians in St. Louis, exposing the youth of this year’s Jackson squad.
But as we move into Week 2, there are plenty of teams that are looking to impress, whether it be doubling down on some sensational efforts like Cape Central in its 42-0 win over New Madrid County Central or redeeming some disappointing performances.
Let’s go through the biggest headlines for the second week of football in our neck of the Bootheel.
All projections are based on computer data via CalPreps and consulting staff opinion.
Cape Central at St. Charles West, 7 p.m. Friday
Projection: Cape Central 56, St. Charles West 0
Last matching up in 2020, when the Tigers took a 28-point win over the Warriors in the early days of coach Kent Gibbs’ tenure, Cape’s got a familiar duel in Week 2.
The Tigers needed little help to dismantle the Eagles of NMCC in Week 1, and as they move into a “gimme” game against St. Charles West, little is expected to change.
The two-headed monster of KeyShawn Boyd and Zai’Aire Thomas lived up to the hype last week, combining for nearly 300 yards of offense in the big win over New Madrid County Central.
Last week at St. Dominic, St. Charles West dropped its season opener 41-6 against the Crusaders, beginning what could very well be a tough season after finishing 4-7 last year.
For Cape Central, Friday’s matchup represents a great chance to start 2-0 for the first time since the 2019 season, marking the dawn of a new era for the Tigers.
Charleston at Chaffee, 7 p.m. Friday
Projection: Charleston 28, Chaffee 14
It’s a battle of two rising small-school powers, and while Chaffee’s taken a step back from where it rose to last season, there’s hope yet for the Red Devils in the new year.
In a lightning-shortened loss at Grandview, which Chaffee dropped 21-2 after a restart plan fell through, the defense looked to be the bright side even with the disappointing night offensively.
Now, against the new-look Charleston Blue Jays that dropped a tight one against the upstart Kelly Hawks in Week 1, it should present an uphill battle to the Red Devils.
A year ago, Chaffee took this one 14-12 in Charleston. But with the new offense that the Blue Jays bring into the matchup, it’s highly likely that Charleston enters this one with some fire.
If Chaffee goes into this one without an offensive rhythm, the Red Devils will undoubtedly struggle to fight off the Blue Jays on home turf.
For Charleston, this is its chance to get back on even footing after a competitive loss to the Hawks, marking this one as an important game to watch for those dedicated Bootheel football fans.
Kelly at Scott City, 7 p.m. Friday
Projection: Scott City 28, Kelly 21
This is it – the undisputed matchup of the week between two teams that have a serious distaste for each other. In a battle for local supremacy, Kelly and Scott City have butted heads often and always.
Since the Kelly program’s inception a decade ago, Scott City has been all-gas, no-brakes against the Hawks, winning 7-of-8 matchups dating back to 2016.
The annual battle has finished close plenty of times, with Kelly grabbing its lone win in the 2020 season, but Scott City has typically dominated this battle.
Kelly, led by some great offensive talent, was supposed to be the team to beat in those parts, but after the two teams seemed to head in different directions in Week 1, it poses some big questions for this Week 2 matchup.
Last season, Scott City was unrelenting in a 63-6 beatdown in Benton, but plenty has changed since then. A new coach, lots of graduated weapons – you name it.
Kelly’s got a new hope for the 2024 season, led by the talent of Skyler Still. In its Week 1 win over Charleston, the defense dominated to push the Hawks to victory.
Similarly, the Rams defense stepped up heavy in a 22-0 victory over East Prairie, both teams freshly equipped with new coaches in a battle of some of the Bootheel’s best minds.
With the two matching up in Week 2, there’s plenty to look forward to – but we’re giving the edge to the "Green Up" Rams in a tight contest.
Expect Kelly to be competitive, but the Rams just have a chip on their shoulders in this rivalry, and this game looks to be trending north on I-55.
Perryville at DeSoto, 7 p.m. Friday
Projection: DeSoto 24, Perryville 21
After a huge opening win against Fredericktown, the Perryville Pirates have shown that they can compete with some of the tougher teams in that beautiful area between St. Louis and the Bootheel, where they so frequently compete.
That’ll include DeSoto this week, with the Dragons on the rise as one of the tougher teams in that area after a big win over the Midgets of Freeburg across the Mississippi River.
These two have clashed a few times over the years, with the most recent duel in 2019 resulting in a 14-7 victory for the Pirates, also in DeSoto.
But for the moment, it looks to be the Dragons who have a slight advantage, perhaps just by a field goal at home this Friday in a battle of 1-0 teams shooting for local clout and bragging rights.
Kayd Luckey, fresh off being named the starter for this Perryville squad, got his season started with a 70-yard rushing touchdown but little going in the passing game in the 14-point win over the Blackcats.
Moving into a crucial Week 2 battle against a tough opponent, it’ll take the Pirates opening up that passing game.
With some success through the air, who knows? Perryville could easily snatch this one up to start 2-0.
St. Vincent at Valle Catholic, 7 p.m. Friday
Projection: Valle Catholic 42, St. Vincent 21
Let’s not get it twisted: St. Vincent is no slouch this year, and the Indians proved that in Week 1 with their insane thrashing of the Ste. Genevieve Dragons.
But against what has been the best small school in the Southeast Missouri region for decades now, that’ll be tested on the highest stage in the second game of the season.
If anything, this is great scheduling for St. V’s, helping to test these Indians for the heavy, thick road to a Class 1 title that awaits them in November.
After being ranked No. 3 in this past weekend’s Class 1 media poll, St. Vincent looks across the line of scrimmage at the No. 2 team in Class 2, fresh off a runner-up finish to Lamar last year.
Valle’s a different animal. Even when they graduate their top men, the Warriors can reload just as fast as they lost that talent, and St. Vincent will see that first-hand on Friday.
But here’s an idea: If St. Vincent can keep that same swagger, energy and intensity that it brought into its matchup with Ste. Genevieve, what’s keeping it from getting the first blow against Valle and making it a game?
Against one of the toughest teams on this side of the state, the St. Vincent boys will get the full package against Valle Catholic.
But with some good game planning, nothing is keeping the Indians from coming out and making a statement in their Week 2 matchup with one of the state’s most renowned powerhouses.
Jackson vs. Cahokia, 4 p.m. Saturday
Projection: Jackson 35, Cahokia 14
Part of the Gateway Scholars Football Classic in East St. Louis, Illinois, the Jackson Indians travel to the home of the Flyers to take on the Cahokia Comanches at ESLHS.
Traveling into hostile territory, with Cahokia playing in a semi-home game with its home turf just 15 minutes away, Jackson’s got its work cut out against this tough Comanche squad.
But, in spite of what happened in Week 1 against Cardinal Ritter, this one isn’t gonna be as nervewracking for Jackson, even with the heavy heaping that Cahokia put on Lutheran St. Charles last week.
After defeating the Panthers 50-0 in their first game, the Comanches come into this one with some momentum, but Jackson is battle-tested and prepared to duel with the best of them.
Finishing 5-5 last season, Cahokia brings in an upstart squad that looks to be competitive in the Land of Lincoln to fight against Jackson, which is fighting to get back to its status from a year ago.
With the experience Jackson brings into this one from last week, paired with the release of weapons that weren’t able to make a big impact last week, the Indians enter as a heavy favorite to this matchup on neutral ground.
If Jackson lives up to its billing, even in the slightest, it should be able to crawl back to 1-1 ahead of a telling matchup with Edwardsville in a Week 3 home opener.