JAM SESSION TURNS OUT A HIT

Although no score was kept, there was certainly plenty of winners Friday night at the 1997 Football Jamboree at Sikeston Stadium.

The biggest winners of all were probably the fans who packed Sikeston Public School Stadium to watch the host Bulldogs scrimmage against the Cape Central Tigers, Jackson Indians and St. Vincent (Perryville) Indians. This was the first time in the history of Missouri that opposing high schools could scrimmage against each other before the beginning of the season.

It appeared to be an overwhelming success.

"I think Jamborees are the best thing to happen to Missouri football -- ever," said Jackson coach Carl Gross emphatically.

Pretty strong words, but most everyone involved appeared to enjoy the evening, which saw each team run 12 offensive and 12 defensive plays against each of the other three teams. No players were seriously injured, and there was plenty of action.

Jackson, the only team to score twice, looked especially potent on offense. St. Vincent, a Class 1A school, was the only team not scored on. Central scored once and allowed a touchdown. Sikeston scored once against Jackson in the first scrimmage of the night, but allowed the most touchdowns (two).

Jackson's offense, led by quarterback Justin Keen and running back Devree Flint, looked sharp. Flint had both of the Indians' touchdowns, scoring against Sikeston and Cape Central on short runs.

Keen and Flint, both seniors, also connected on the longest play of the night, a perfectly executed 49-yard screen pass against the Tigers.

"I was happy with some things we did," Gross said. "We played with pretty good intensity and we executed pretty well for an early scrimmage."

Penalties plagued Central most of the night. The Tigers were flagged the most of any of the teams.

"We were obviously not ready for a ball game tonight, but we were ready for a scrimmage," said upbeat Central coach Jerry Dement. "Overall, I'm real pleased because I thought the effort was there."

Tiger senior Justin Blackmon broke out for runs of 19 and 17 yards and Emmanuel Harris also had a 19-yard scamper. Central's only score came on a 16-yard pass from junior quarterback Frank McGinty to senior split end Ross Bennett.

"We had flashes of good play and then plays we didn't do so well," said Dement. "We'll go home and break down the film and see what good things we did and what things we need to improve on."

St. Vincent's stingy defense appears to need no improvement. The Indians held their own against the biggest schools in the area despite not being able to play their normal blitzing defense. Jamboree rules prohibited stunting or blitzing with linebackers.

"I was really shocked with or defense," said St. Vincent coach Paul Sauer. "We don't usually read and react (to the ball); we like to blitz."

The Indians, even scored a touchdown against Sikeston on their 12th play on a 28-yard pass from junior Joey Ponder to classmate Trent Sauer.

All the coaches agreed the Jamboree should help them as they enter their first official games Friday.

"We got an opportunity, with no pressure, to look at the things we want to do offensively and defensively," Gross said. "Some kids are practice players and other kids are gamers. Tonight, we had an opportunity to find some of that out."