STANDARD DEMOCRAT GAME OF THE WEEK: Charleston Bluejays vs. East Prairie Eagles

EAST PRAIRIE - There may not be a matchup in all of Southeast Missouri where one team leads a series by as much as Charleston against East Prairie.

The two teams have played 62 games over the years.

The tally?

Charleston 56. East Prairie 4.

There were also two ties.

And Charleston doesn't usually just win. They win by a lot. The average score in their games with East Prairie is 26-4.

Out of the 62 games the two have played, East Prairie reached 20 points only three times and have been shutout 32 times.

The two have only played three times since 1991 when the series was resumed in 2000.

The Bluejays have since picked up where the series left off, winning 24-0, 47-0 and 48-15 last year.

But that is all the past.

These are different players and different teams here in 2003. East Prairie will try to make a dent in the series on Friday night when they host the Bluejays at 7:30.

The Eagles enter the game with a 3-2 record. It's East Prairie's best start since 1994.

Charleston heads into the matchup with a 2-4 record.

So far there are no common opponents between the two teams.

First year East Prairie coach Brett Blackman says this is the game his team has been pointing to.

"This is our rival," said Blackman. "This is a town that's 10 miles away from us. It's the battle for the county. From the standpoint of our seniors and our coaching staff, this is the game that we want to show that maybe we're turning this program around. If we're lucky enough to come out on top, then this would send shockwaves down the line."

So far it's unclear what the Eagles are made of. After starting 0-2, the team snapped a 19-game losing streak by beating Fulton County, (Ky.), and then beating Scott City and Chaffee. All three have combined to win just three games this year.

But there is no doubting that the team is improved.

Using a double-tight, Wing-T formation, the Eagles have kept things on the ground.

Fullback Josh Boyer leads the team with 491 yards rushing on 59 carries.

Freshman Paris Tipler follows up with 330 yards on 24 carries, averaging an impressive 13.8 yards per carry. He also leads the team with eight touchdowns, including two defensive returns.

Senior tailback Brent Harland is the third cog in the three-headed running machine, rushing for 333 yards on 53 carries.

"They're running the ball really well right now," said Charleston head coach Brent Anderson. "They've got a couple backs that can really hit it up in there. They've got decent speed and they're blocking well up front. The Harland kid is a real physical runner. He can get on the edge and get after you and the same goes with the Boyer kid."

Quarterback Dezrick Johnson has thrown for over 200 yards. His top target has been Kaleb Thurman.

Blackman says the Bluejays will be his team's toughest game yet, which includes Class 1 state ranked Hayti, who beat East Prairie 41-0 in Week 1.

"We haven't matched up yet with a team like this before," said Blackman. "By far this is our biggest challenge. I think we're an entirely different team than what you saw against Hayti. I think the wins have given us some confidence and we'll see if that plays off Friday."

Charleston, which plays the toughest Class 2 schedule in the area, traditionally kicks it into gear in Week 7.

The Bluejays have won 12 straight regular season games in Weeks 7-through-10 the last three years.

And they have won 29-of-34 games during those weeks dating back to 1994, winning six district championships.

Charleston will get a shot in the arm with the return of quarterback A.H. Marshall, who sat out last week's loss to Dexter with an injury.

"We're glad to get him back," said Anderson. "He's just such an emotional leader. He would do anything to play and it's hard to find kids like that today."

Marshall has thrown for 408 yards, completing 32-of-67 passes. He has three touchdowns and four interceptions.

The senior has also rushed for 119 yards with a pair of scores.

Freshman tailback Joseph Watts has been the leading ground gainer for the Bluejays, rushing for 409 yards on 83 carries with three TDs. He also has two defensive touchdowns.

Senior Trentez Lane follows up with 109 yards rushing from his fullback position and he is second on the team with three TDs.

Junior tight end Ashton Farmer (21 catches, 289 yards, 1 TD) and freshman wideout Justin Clark (7-136, 2 TDs) are the top receivers on the team.

With all the Bluejays' speed, Blackman is just hoping to keep them contained.

"That's one thing we've been preaching all week, is don't give up the big plays," he said. "We expect to swarm to the football like we have the last three weeks."

Anderson said he wants to make sure his team's emotions are in check and stay focused on the task at hand.

"It's one of those games where there's a lot of emotion," he said. "East Prairie and Charleston and right next to each other, very similar to the way Charleston and Sikeston are. Obviously it's not the rivalry that Charleston and Sikeston is, but there's a lot of bad blood and a lot of competitiveness between the two towns."