AREA HIGH SCHOOL GRID SQUADS GET READY TO START DISTRICT PLAY

The high school football season is seven weeks old -- which in Missouri can only mean one thing.

Now it's time to really get serious as round-robin district play that will decide playoff berths gets under way.

Several area teams are off to fast starts -- namely St. Vincent and Scott City, who are both state-ranked -- while many others are struggling.

But once Friday night rolls around, everything that has happened in the past won't really matter. It's how teams fare over the final three weeks of the regular season that will determine their playoff fate.

Local squads are involved in seven districts, six of them consisting of four schools apiece and one consisting of three schools. Following is a look at the area districts entering this week's games:

Class 5A, District 1

No team has distinguished itself through seven weeks of the season, which means the district should be up for grabs.

Defending champion Jackson, Poplar Bluff and Vianney from St. Louis are all 3-4 while Cape Central is 2-5.

Cape Central is generally regarded as having the top talent in the district, but the Tigers have been inconsistent against an extremely rugged schedule. Poplar Bluff has also been up and down against a tough slate while Jackson is simply in a rebuilding mode after an amazing four-year run that saw the Indians go 42-8. Vianney appears to be mediocre at best.

Friday's games: Cape Central at Vianney; Jackson at Poplar Bluff.

Class 4A, District 1

North County, last year's state runnerup, and Sikeston -- previously a 5A team -- are both 6-1 and looking solid while Farmington has been coming on at 5-2. Potosi is 3-4.

North County has to rate as the favorite, but Sikeston and Farmington could both challenge.

Friday's games: Sikeston at North County; Potosi at Farmington.

Class 4A, District 2

Hillsboro, ranked second in the state, is 7-0, but there is talk that perhaps the Hawks are a bit overrated. Perryville is solid at 6-1 while Windsor (4-3) has won four straight. De Soto (0-7) brings up the rear.

Hillsboro might rate as a slight pre-district favorite over Perryville, but not by much. And Windsor probably can't be counted out.

Friday's games: Windsor at Perryville; Hillsboro at De Soto.

Class 3A, District 1

New Madrid (5-2) looks like the best team here, but Kennett (5-2) and Dexter (4-3) could also be dangerous and even Fredericktown (2-5) has shown flashes.

Friday's games: Kennett at New Madrid; Dexter at Fredericktown.

Class 2A, District 1

On paper, it looks like pretty much of a tossup between Portageville (3-3) and Malden (3-4), with East Prairie (2-5) and Caruthersville (0-6) probably lagging behind.

Friday's games: Portageville at Caruthersville; Malden at East Prairie.

Class 2A, District 2

Entering the season, it looked like Scott City and Charleston might rate as close to tossups in this districts.

But the 6-1 Rams are ranked seventh in the state and really looking like solid favorites while the 2-4 Blue Jays, largely because of injury problems, have struggled. But Charleston is always dangerous.

Crystal City (3-4) and Grandview (2-5) don't appear to be factors.

Friday's games: Grandview at Scott City; Crystal City at Charleston.

Class 1A, District 1

This district contains only three teams -- and really just one title contender.

It will be a major surprise if St. Vincent, 7-0 and ranked fourth in the state, has any trouble at all. The Indians are even carrying the look of a state title contender.

Chaffee and Hayti are both 0-7 and have been outscored by a combined 503 to 80.

Friday's game: Chaffee at St. Vincent.