SMALL SCHOOLS: SCOTT CITY, ADVANCE BOYS HOPE BIG SEASONS CONTINUE IN DISTRICTS

Scott City will be the favorite to win the Class 2A, District 2 Title at Bloomfield this week.

But just because the top-seeded Rams, ranked second in the state, have lost just three games and have beaten every team in the district which they have played, doesn't mean they're untouchable.

Kelly, the fourth seed, proved that earlier this month when it gave Scott City all it could handle and had a chance to tie the game with 1:30 left.

"Of all the teams in the district, we've given them the best game," said Kelly coach Kent Mangels. "Our kids get up for them and we hope we get the chance to play them in the second round."

Scott City (23-3) owns a lopsided win over Notre Dame, the second seed, earlier this year.

The Rams, who went almost three months without losing, have lost two in a row heading into district play once to 3A Dexter, ranked second in the state, and the other to Portageville, who was state ranked for about half the season and made the 2A Final Four a year ago.

Notre Dame (15-10), Kelly (12-12) and third-seeded Woodland (15-9) have been known for their upsets this season.

Kelly entered the University High Christmas Tournament as the 11th seed and ended up taking the consolation title. Woodland downed Class 4A Jackson in a major upset this year. Notre Dame, which carried the eighth seed into the Sikeston Tournament at the start of the season, knocked off top-seeded Sikeston.

Puxico, the fifth seed, has brought up some of its young players from the junior varsity squad and has come on strong of late and could pose a problem for Kelly in the first round. Puxico, however, doesn't figure to be a major player in the tournament.

Greenville got the sixth seed, followed by No. 7 Bloomfield, No. 8 East Prairie and No. 9 Chaffee.

East Prairie and Chaffee will play at 6 p.m. today for the right to play Scott City in the first round at 4 p.m. Monday. Kelly and Puxico will follow that game; Notre Dame and Bloomfield will play after that and Woodland and Greenville will wrap up the Monday night games.

The semifinals will be held at 6:30 and 8 p.m. on Thursday with the championship game to be held at 8 p.m. Friday.

CLASS 2A, DISTRICT 1

Top-seeded Portageville (21-3) will likely come out of this district, but will get stiff competition from No. 2 Hayti and No. 3 Twin Rivers.

Caruthersville got the fourth seed, followed by Senath, Malden, South Pemiscot, East Carter and Campbell.

The tournament, which will be played at Portageville, will get underway when East Carter and Campbell square off at 7 p.m. for a play-in game. The winner will face Portageville at 6:30 p.m. Monday. Hayti will play South Pemiscot at 8 p.m. Monday.

The other first-round games will be played Tuesday when Caruthersville and Senath do battle at 6 p.m. with Twin Rivers and Malden to follow at 7:30.

Should the seeds play out, Scott City and Portageville will get a rematch of Tuesday night's game where Portageville edged the Rams 73-68.

CLASS 1A, DISTRICT 2

After the first week or so of this basketball season, this district looked like a lock as Advance appeared head and shoulders better than everyone else.

But Scott County Central (16-9), the third seed, proved top-seeded Advance (21-4) was in fact beatable by a 1A school. The Braves, after the seeds were determined, knocked off Advance 68-62.

And Bernie, the second seed, battled Advance tough but lost at home to the Hornets.

Oran (15-9) could be dangerous as the fourth seed now that forward Travis Friga is healthy.

Scott County, Advance and Oran feature three of Southeast Missouri's most potent offensive threats. The Braves' Jreece Johnson is averaging about 28 points per game, Advance's Garrett Broshuis is at about 23 and Friga scores about 20.

Rounding out District 2 is fifth-seeded Bell City, No. 6 Delta, No. 7 Risco, No. 8 Richland and No. 9 Zalma.

Zalma and Richland play at 2:30 p.m. today for the right to play Advance at 4 p.m. Monday. Bell City and Oran will follow at 5:30, Scott Central and Delta will face off at 7; and Risco and Bernie will complete the first round games at 8.

Semifinal games will take place at 6 and 7:30 p.m. Tuesday with the championship game to be held at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday.

CLASS 1A, DISTRICT 3

South Iron got the top seed with a record of 17-4, followed by Viburnum (19-4) at No. 2 for the tournament which will be held at Fredericktown.

St. Vincent, at 16-6, picked up the third seed and will play sixth-seeded Valle of Ste. Genevieve in a first-round game at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

At No. 4 is Leopold (16-9), which will play fifth-seeded Marquand (11-11) at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Oak Ridge, seeded seventh at 6-16 will face Viburnum at 8 p.m. Monday.

Meadow Heights, which got the eighth seed, will face No. 9 Kingston in a play-in game at 6:30 p.m. Monday.

Semifinal games will be held Thursday with the championship game to take place at 7:30 p.m. Friday.