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Southeast Missourian Gridiron Guide: Conference clashes abundant among Week 4 schedule
We’re through the first third of the regular season in Southeast Missouri, and already a handful of our teams have made themselves out to be some of the toughest to beat both near and far.
Entering Week 4 action, there are a lot of teams that have games that seem easily in their possession, while a few others will have some battles to get wins this week.
For our two Perryville teams, both are heavily favored, with St. Vincent looking to stay unbeaten while Perryville looks to rekindle a winning streak, with a shot at 3-1 on the line.
Jackson is heavily favored against Farmington at home, while Cape Central has a chip on its shoulder going away and into the Mules’ house in Poplar Bluff.
With SEMO North matchups to lay the land this week, we’ll break down each of the weekend’s top matchups with some serious potential to shake up the standings.
All projections are based on computer data via CalPreps and consulting staff opinion.
Cape Central at Poplar Bluff, 7 p.m. Friday
Projection: Cape Central 34, Poplar Bluff 14
A district rivalry and one of the more intense yearly battles in the SEMO North, Cape Central enters this year’s duel with Poplar Bluff as a heavy favorite.
After Poplar Bluff’s loss to Farmington last week, while Central pounded Sikeston en route to a 46-point halftime lead, it feels like these two squads are headed in different directions.
Last season, Poplar Bluff went on the road and knocked off Cape Central in double overtime, one of the area’s top games of the year.
But when the two received the top two seeds in Class 5 District 1, Bluff being the top dog, the Mules couldn’t get past Farmington as the Knights went on to lose to the Tigers in the district title game.
In this year’s matchup, we see Cape retain most of the talent that made it so special last year while Poplar Bluff is still trying to find its footing under its first-year skipper.
While the home-field advantage makes Bluff an obvious favorite to keep it close, we’re sticking with Cape Central by a few scores as the Tigers look to build on their résumé as conference contenders.
Chaffee at Ballard Memorial, 7 p.m. Friday
Projection: Ballard Memorial 49, Chaffee 14
For the first time this year, one of our teams is crossing the border into the Bluegrass State as the Chaffee Red Devils head east into Barlow, Kentucky.
Taking on a Ballard Memorial squad without too much hype, the Red Devils once again have a chance at a victory but don’t match up as sizeable contenders just yet.
After last week’s loss at East Prairie which included a 21-point outburst from an offense that hadn’t yet put points on the board, it’s a step in the right direction for the Red Devils.
But even with that friendly trend, Chaffee still enters as a heavy underdog on its hour-long road trip to Western Kentucky.
We’re amidst a lighter part of Chaffee’s schedule, which includes some of the weaker teams in the Show-Me State while also lining up against a couple of regional opponents that could present a winning opportunity for the Red Devils.
With hope for a big game crossing state borders, Chaffee looks to break out of its slump and put together its strongest game of the year.
Farmington at Jackson, 7 p.m. Friday
Projection: Jackson 35, Farmington 21
In what was supposed to be Jackson’s home opener, the Indians spent last weekend going on the road and into hostile Edwardsville territory for the second consecutive year, and it went south quick.
The Indian defense showed some grit early, but when Edwardsville got rolling, it just couldn’t stop. Though some second-half fireworks gave Jackson some life, a 41-7 loss didn’t sit easy.
Going into a SEMO North opener against Farmington, fresh off a victory against Poplar Bluff, Jackson faces off against a Knights squad with momentum anticipating a victory at “The Pit.”
Though its been 13 years since the Knights defeated the Indians, pre-dating the Brent Eckley era at Jackson, there have been few times that these teams have been so close comparatively.
Not just that, but if there’s been any team that has an obvious chip on its shoulder against the Indians in the past few seasons, it’s been the Knights, who play Jackson close more than any other conference team.
Though the conference slate is supposed to present a comfortable time for Jackson to get right against some local competition, this year’s Knights squad is no slouch.
For a Jackson offense still looking to regain its footing after four consecutive games in which it’s shown signs of discomfort, Friday’s matchup is both an opportunity and an obstacle.
Kennett at Kelly, 7 p.m. Friday
Projection: Kelly 24, Kennett 21
It’s been rough sledding for the Kelly Hawks over the past two weeks.
After a punishing 35-13 loss at Scott City in Week 2, not just losing a rivalry game but getting swamped in the second half, the Week 3 woes just added on.
A shutout loss at Rolla has brought a lot of humility to this team that entered the season with so much expectation and presentation, but there’s still hope for the future.
Entering a Week 4 home matchup, their first since Week 1, the Hawks take on a winless Kennett team back in Benton with a chance to claw back to .500.
These two squads have never matched up before, with the Kennett of yesteryear being the team to beat out of the Bootheel while Kelly was just trying to field a competitive football team.
Now, with the teams seemingly hovering right around the same level in 2024, we’ll finally get the pleasure of seeing these two Bootheel staples match up in an exciting Week 4 matchup.
With its home field, and knowing the struggles Kennett has faced this season, Kelly manages to sneak into this one as a slight 3-point favorite, but the computer has been wrong before.
Plenty of times, at that.
We’ll look to this one as a big measuring stick within the SEMO Central, one of the more fun parts of the local gridiron season in one of the area’s top conferences.
Here’s hoping this one will be another thriller.
Perryville at Bayless, 7 p.m. Friday
Projection: Perryville 49, Bayless 0
Losing streak beware, the Pirates aren’t just heavy favorites on Friday, but expected to win by just about as much as they want to.
Perryville’s a team that entered the season with great expectations after a strong performance last season, looking to put together an impressive 2024.
They haven’t met them. They’ve exceeded them.
Against St. Vincent, perhaps the top team in all of Class 1 last weekend, the Pirates entered a muddy matchup with the Indians and put together one of the greatest halves we’ve seen in a while.
Unfortunately for the Pirates, that 19-0 first-half lead wasn’t enough to last through the second half. However, it is an omen of great proportions for this Perryville squad.
Moving into this Friday’s matchup with Bayless, it’ll be a great opportunity not only for Perryville to add another win to its repertoire but to build that confidence back up.
With any luck, there’s still time for Perryville to cement itself as an up-and-comer in the heavily-contested Class 4 ranks.
Scott City at Portageville, 7 p.m. Friday
Projection: Portageville 35, Scott City 14
One of the top SEMO South matchups of the year, it’s Portageville standing in the way of Scott City righting the ship after a loss against Hayti.
Entering that matchup with the Indians as heavy favorites, it all seemed to fall apart as the Rams could stifle Hayti late, with the Indians winning 32-20 in the Rams’ house.
Going into Friday’s matchup with an even better Portageville team, with the Bulldogs rising up from the ashes to become one of the most feared teams within the conference once again, it’s a familiar scene.
Last season, Portageville dominated this Week 4 matchup, scoring a whopping 56 points to put away a strong night for the Rams offense in a 56-32 victory to move out in front of the conference.
Though the Bulldogs’ top opponent for the conference isn’t necessarily the Rams right now, with Caruthersville expected to give them a run for their money, Scott City is still a stop on the way to that title.
For the Rams, this is a must-win if they want any chance at sealing up a conference championship this season, already sitting at 0-1 after last weekend.
The Bulldogs enter as favorites by a few scores, expected to use that home-field advantage to put the Rams out of sorts early and rally to a strong defensive victory, a hallmark of this year’s Bulldog squad.
But if Scott City can play up to its standard, using the hard-nosed running of Rustyn Underwood to punch a hole in that tough Portageville defense, the Rams could find their way back on the map with this one.
Herculaneum at St. Vincent, 7 p.m. Friday
Projection: St. Vincent 56, Herculaneum 0
For better or worse, this is the first time all season that St. Vincent has been projected to win by a landslide.
The Indians have been a misnomer all season, a hard read wherever they go. But at home against Herculaneum on Friday, St. Vincent enters as a monstrous favorite to go 4-0.
The Indians haven’t lost to Herculaneum since 2014, matching up annually with St. Vincent taking last year’s matchup 40-0 on the road.
With a win this week, followed by a win against Hayti next week, St. Vincent could notch its first 5-0 start since 2000, which even includes a state-championship season in 2004.
For such a generational start to the season for the Indians, it’s been nothing but the best so far, taking down archrival Perryville in a muddy masterpiece of a game last weekend.
Against a winless Herky squad at home this Friday, that wonderful start is only expected to march on as St. Vincent’s high-flying offense can fly once again in ideal conditions.