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WEEK 6 PREVIEW: Charleston, Sikeston football set to continue long-standing rivalry
Charleston at Sikeston
Records: Charleston 4-1; Sikeston 3-2
Series History: Sikeston leads 94-34-4
Last Meeting: 2017, Sikeston won 32-26 (OT)
Last Week: Charleston defeated Kelly 54-7; Sikeston defeated Cape Central 21-0
Notes: In a rivalry that is one of the longest-running west of the Mississippi, Sikeston has dominated the Bluejays recently, winning the last 11 games by an average score of 44-10. “It was an overtime game last year,” said Charleston coach Brett Blackman. “Sikeston is a really good ball club. They have a quarterback and some great receivers and they have a great running game this year.” Sikeston’s Gage Rolwing quarterbacks the Bulldogs and has completed 28 of 60 passes for 314 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions while also rushing for 259 yards and three touchdowns. Trent Elliott has caught nine passes for 117 yards while Ricky Scott has eight catches for 138 yards and two touchdowns. Jackson Kuykendall leads the Bulldogs in rushing with 284 yards on 51 carries, while Tra Ranson has 243 yards and five touchdowns on 40 carries. Defensively, Sikeston is allowing just 12.6 points per game and are led by Tyreke Jamison’s 30 tackles while David Rowland and Seth Copeland, each have 25. “(Sikeston) is always great on defense and plays with a lot of energy,” Blackman said. That defense will have to stop a Charleston offense averaging 44 points per game. Senior running back Q’Nairies Anderson has gained 1,056 yards with 16 touchdowns while James Durden, a big, physical running back, has come on as of late, gaining 71 yards on just six carries last week with a score, while also catching two passes for touchdowns. Kavion Thompson quarterbacks the Bluejays after missing the first few games with an injury and completed eight of nine passes for 54 yards and two scores last week. “I have a lot of respect for (Sikeston) and their program,” Blackman said. “We’re going to have to rise to the occasion because they’ve played and beaten some good teams.”
East Prairie at Chaffee
Records: East Prairie 1-4; Chaffee 1-4
Series History: Chaffee leads 45-38-3
Last Meeting: 2017, East Prairie won 38-0
Last Week: East Prairie lost to Malden 42-32; Chaffee lost to Scott City 32-0
Notes: Both teams come into the matchup having lost their last four after winning their opener. Scoring has been hard to come by for Chaffee, as the Red Devils are scoring an average of 10.8 points per game. Last week Chaffee was shut out in their rivalry game against Scott City, despite quarterback Kaleb Ballard rushing for 74 yards on 19 carries while completing four-of-nine passes for 31 yards. Kade Sullivan had 73 yards on 12 carries while Breven Yarbro was the Red Devils’ leading receiver with three catches for 32 yards. The Chaffee defense is giving up an average of 36.2 points a game and will be tested by an Eagle offense scoring 24 points a game. Senior quarterback Carson Aycock has completed 66 of 127 passes for 1,333 yards with 10 touchdowns. His top receiver is Derez Tipler, who caught seven passes for 189 yards last week, and added a punt return for a touchdown while rushing for 35 yards on four carries. Running back Mason Bryars is the Eagles’ top rushing threat, gaining 52 yards on 12 carries. Turnovers have been East Prairie’s Achilles heel all season and bit them again last week as three fumbles helped Malden rally to beat the Eagles.
Scott City at Portageville
Records: Scott City 4-1; Portageville 2-3
Series History: Portageville leads 48-26-3
Last Meeting: 2017, Portageville won 50-15
Last Week: Scott City defeated Chaffee 32-0; Portageville lost to Caruthersville 57-19
Notes: Scott City got back on the winning track last week in a big way, shutting out rival Chaffee 32-0. This week they look to knock off a Portageville team that has won the last seven meetings between the two schools with Scott City’s last win over the Bulldogs coming in 2011. The Rams balanced offense averages 38.4 points a game with running back Jimmy May leading the way. The junior has rushed for 677 yards with seven touchdowns while senior Sam Elders has rushed for 303 yards on the season but hasn’t had a carry in the last two games due to injury. Quarterback Spencer Stratman has completed 68 of 122 passes for 1,031 yards and 13 touchdowns with his favorite receivers being Eli Berry and Joe Panagos. “Scott City has a group of kids that play hard each and every play,” said Portageville coach Jeff Bullock. “Coach May always does a great job with his kids and we'll have our hands full. Our biggest priority at this point needs to be Portageville. We need to play four solid quarters of football.” The Bulldogs rely on a pass-heavy offense that is scoring 28.8 points per contest. Quarterback Connor Barham has thrown for 1,300 yards and 14 touchdowns with the majority of catches going to Jared Crafton, Terry Kirkwood, Bub Lance and Sam Riggs. Defensively Portageville allows 37.8 points a game and is led by Bryce Rone, Jared Crafton and Barham, with each player having registered over 40 tackles on the season.
Doniphan at Kelly
Records: Doniphan 0-5; Kelly 3-2
Series History: First meeting
Last Meeting: NA
Last Week: Doniphan lost to Dexter 42-6; Kelly lost Charleston 54-7
Notes: Doniphan is currently in the middle of their first season of varsity football since 1979 and are taking their lumps, something Kelly knows well, playing their first season of varsity football just five years ago. Doniphan has managed just 34 points in five games and last week was held to just 98 total yards against Dexter including only 17 rushing yards on 39 carries. Kelly, off to one of their best starts since starting varsity football, had trouble stopping the explosive rushing Charleston offense last week, allowing 426 yards, 372 of which came on the ground. For the season, however, the Hawks have played good defense, allowing 24.6 points a game. Offensively Kelly is balanced with quarterback Christian Worley leading the attack. The senior signal caller has completed 28 of 70 passes for 356 yards and five touchdowns with his favorite receiver being Landon Hahs. Evan Urhahn has shown the knack for the big play, and has gained 347 yards on 52 carries with seven touchdowns. Christian Williams will also get carries for the Hawks and has gained over 250 yards on the season.
Dexter at Caruthersville
Records: Dexter 2-2; Caruthersville 4-1
Series History: Dexter leads 43-37-3
Last Meeting: 2017, Caruthersville won 42-13
Last Week: Dexter defeated Doniphan 42-6; Caruthersville defeated Portageville 57-19
Notes: The Tigers have dominated this series of late, winning the last six meetings by an average score of 43-15 and come in averaging 40 points per game. “They’ve got a good team,” said Dexter coach Aaron Pixley in an interview with the Dexter Statesman. “Basically, (they are) what they always are: very fast, athletic, have good linemen and play hard. They’re winners. It’s a winning program.” Caruthersville has a plethora of weapons with Nicholas Moore leading the team in rushing with 648 yards on 88 carries with seven touchdowns while Ja’Marion Rodgers saw his first action in the backfield last week and rushed for 203 yards on 12 carries with four touchdowns. Quarterback Devin Russell, who took over late in the second game of the season, has completed 40 of 71 passes for 670 yards and eight touchdowns with six interceptions. “You can’t ever fall asleep on them because they’ll put 21 points on the board in a span of two minutes,” Pixley said. The Dexter defense, led by linebacker Corbin Strong, may be up to the challenge, allowing just 17.3 points a game so far this season. Offensively, Dexter’s run-oriented offense is paced by Caleb Hoggard who has rushed for 320 yards on 64 carries and Strong, who has gained 272 yards on 39 carries. Quarterback Peyton Driskill has completed 17 of 50 passes for 222 yards and four touchdowns. Last week, Seth Rogers returned from injury and made an immediate impact, returning a punt for a touchdown, catching a touchdown pass and scoring on a touchdown run. “We’re going to have to play our best game,” Pixley said. “They could quite possibly be the best team we’ve played to this date. We have to come ready to play.”
Kennett at NMCC
Records: Kennett 4-1; NMCC 4-1
Series History: NMCC leads 24-9
Last Meeting: 2017, Kennett won 34-22
Last Week: Kennett defeated North County 40-30; NMCC lost to Hayti 68-14
Notes: Kennett is coming off a come-from-behind win over Class 4 North County last week and enter their game with NMCC with an offense scoring 38.2 points a game. Running back Marsayv’aun Harrell has rushed for 471 yards and 10 touchdowns on the season while fullback Elijah Lemons has come on as of late, gaining 187 yards on 37 carries with six touchdowns. Quarterback Andrew Spence has completed 25 of 46 passes on the season for 270 yards and five touchdowns with only two interceptions. Carter Maddox has caught 11 passes for 211 yards and five touchdowns while Joquan Williams has eight catches for 69 yards and three touchdowns while adding a kick return for touchdown and two rushing scores. Despite getting blown out by state-ranked Hayti last week, NMCC has gotten off to one of their best starts in years and are led by an explosive offense with playmakers all over the field. “They came out of the gate with a great start,” Kennett coach Joel Wyatt said of NMCC in an interview with the Delta Dunklin Democrat. “Coach Fullhart has done a great job of changing culture at NMCC. They’ve improved so much this year. They put up a lot of points and we know it’s going to be a tough game going over there.” The Eagles average 44.4 points per game as quarterback Christen Phillips has completed 44 of 71 passes for 898 yards, throwing nine touchdowns against just one interception. He also has carried the ball 34 times for 181 yards and four rushing touchdowns. His favorite target is senior Johnnie Walker (13 catches, 439 yards, six touchdowns) while running back Quazavion Jackson has gained a team-high 384 yards on 53 carries. Austin Davis is a big-play threat for the Eagles, returning two kickoffs for touchdowns this season while also catching 10 passes for 246 yards.