Tonight's games

Grandview at Chaffee

Last season: Grandview 14, Chaffee 0

Outlook: The Red Devils will be playing their first game since a notable season-ending loss to Thayer. The 47-19 setback represented Chaffee's first playoff appearance since winning the Class 1 championship in 1983. Chaffee will be looking to build on that achievement when it looks to avenge last year's loss to Grandview, which was part of a 4-7 season. The Red Devils had won the previous four meetings with the Eagles.

Chaffee returns many key figures from last year's playoff squad, including senior quarterback Jordan Yahn and senior running back Tyson Estes, who closed his junior season strong when he rumbled for more than 400 yards in last year's three district games.

C.J. Todd and the Central Tigers will open at New Madrid County Central. (Fred Lynch)

Grandview finished the 2010 regular season with a 4-6 record. Mike Genge will be making his coaching debut for the Eagles after serving as an assistant the past three seasons. Andrew Holland split time at quarterback as a junior and has taken over the job this season. Junior Curtis Kellor, who shared the signal-caller duties last year, has moved to receiver and should be a primary target. The Eagles are expected to have a balanced attack.

Scott City at Malden

Last season: Malden 47, Scott City 41, OT

Outlook: The Rams are starting their third season under coach Jim May. Scott City will have two notable changes in this year's offense. Junior running back Travis Phillips should get the bulk of the carries after the graduation of Garett Schaefer, who topped 1,000 yards rushing the last two seasons. Junior Jonathan McFall will be taking the snaps at quarterback after the graduation of Jamie Scholz.

Last year's meeting was a tough loss for the Rams, who went 2-8 and missed the playoffs. Malden went on to an 8-3 record, ultimately losing to Herculaneum in the first round of the Class 2 playoffs. The Green Wave lost two all-state players off that team in the brother tandem of Dywhite Jackson and Quentin Jackson. All-conference quarterback Tanner Murphy, a junior, returns and will have a target in all-conference senior receiver Jonsha Robinson. The Green Wave will be without senior running back Raymond Wilson, who is ineligible for the season's first four games. Wilson scored two touchdowns against the Rams in last year's game, including the game-winner in overtime. Malden has won the last three meetings with Scott City and five of the last six.

Central at New Madrid C.C.

Last season: Central 41, NMCC 6

Outlook: The game marks the coaching debut of Central coach Nathan Norman, who served as an assistant under former coach Rich Payne, who coached the Tigers for three seasons.

Central sent out a message with last year's season-opening 35-point victory against the Eagles. Not only did the Tigers snap a 13-game losing streak, they launched an eight-game winning streak as part of a 10-2 campaign that stretched into the playoffs. The win proved to be one of nine times the Tigers' high-powered running attack posted more than 40 points in a game.

The Tigers hope to maintain a potent attack with many new faces. While the top two rushers graduated, Central does return a three-year starter at quarterback in senior Christian Cavaness.

NMCC will have a new quarterback after the graduation of all-stater G'Darius Stevenson, who rushed for 1,596 yards and scored 26 touchdowns last season. Senior Jimmy Ash and junior Corey Guest are expected to see time at quarterback this season. Senior running back LaMonte Nelson leads the running attack.

O'Fallon Christian at Jackson

Last season: Jackson 50, O'Fallon Christian 36

Outlook: O'Fallon Christian christened its varsity football program with a season-opening loss to Jackson last year. The Class 2 school, which finished 2-6, hung with the Indians for the first half before encountering the first varsity loss in school history. The win was the first of three in a 3-7 campaign for Jackson, which lost six of its last seven games and missed out on the playoffs for the second straight year after it reached the Class 5 semifinals in consecutive years.

Jackson has scrapped its spread offense and is making a return to a run-oriented attack. The personnel also has changed. Junior Lowgn Wren will direct the offense, and sophomore running backs Garrett Miller and Colten Proffer figure to have big roles in the run attack after the graduation of 1,000-yard rusher Ethan Ruch. Jackson also will have widespread changes on a defense that yielded 37 points a game last season.

Senior quarterback Brandon Norwine returns to direct Christian's spread offense. He passed for 1,744 yards, threw 16 touchdown passes and rushed for a team-best 386 yards last season. Sophomore Deantrell Prince was the team's leading receiver as a freshman with 564 yards and 10 TDs. Junior Logan Logsdan is expected to be a main option in the running game.

Park Hills at St. Vincent

Last season: Park Hills 41, St. Vincent 6

Outlook: Senior Tim Schumer returns at quarterback for the Indians after suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 3 last season. St. Vincent finished 3-7 and fell short of the Class 1 playoffs.

Schumer, a three-year starter, will be working behind a young offensive line that could include up to three sophomores. Senior Derek Joggerst was the Indians' top running back last season, rushing for 329 yards.

Park Hills has won the last five meetings with St. Vincent and returns all four of its starters on an offensive line that averages 240 pounds. The Rebels graduated three 1,000-yard rushers from last year's 7-5 playoff team, but the offensive line paved the way. Junior Jon Comfort takes over at quarterback and will be handing off to Derek Mitchell, Cody Harrison and Danny Waller. The Rebels also have a 6-foot-6 tight end in senior Kurt Richardson.

Herculaneum at Perryville

Last season: Herculaneum 49, Perryville 14

Outlook: Perryville will try to end a 12-game losing streak in its first game under coach Mike Wojtczuk. Last year's 35-point loss marked the start of an 0-10 season. Overall, Perryville has lost 20 of its last 21 games.

The Pirates have moved junior Chris Zahner to quarterback. Seniors Kirk Hadler and Wyatt McAfee will play prominent roles in the running attack, which will be emphasized after the spread offense was scrapped.

Herculaneum went 9-3 last season and returns 1,500-yard rusher Frank Abate, who scored 24 touchdowns during his junior season. Cody Petero is the only returner on an offensive line that paved the way for the Blackcats to average nearly 300 yards rushing a game last season. Senior Blake Womacks is expected to direct the run-oriented offense.

Herculaneum has won this matchup the past four seasons.

-- Jeff Breer