After an action-packed Week 1 slate this past weekend, one thing is for certain: We sure did miss high school football.

There was plenty of fun to go around in the first week of the new season, with a couple of big names taking tough losses while others made a name for themselves.

Teams like St. Vincent got right with some big wins to jump up the rankings, while others suffered tough losses and dropped in the poll because of it.

Moving into Week 2, we’ll see some new matchups that should shake up the rankings once again, led by some marquee matchups that have some big potential to make some statements for our teams on the rise.

For others, like Jackson, the stakes are high as ever as the pack continues to give chase to an Indians squad desperate to keep its position at the head of the table.

No. 1: Jackson (0-1, LW No. 1)

Against what very well could be the best team in Missouri, and the clear favorite in Class 5, Jackson showed its youth on both sides of the field. Cardinal Ritter exposed a lot of places that the Indians need work on, but at the same time, they also proved that they could hang with some of the state’s best, entering the offensive side of the field numerous times before fizzling out. While it was a debate to keep Jackson at the top, Saturday’s matchup with Cahokia should more than explain why Jackson stands at the top of this board. If not, it’ll send the Indians tumbling down.

No. 2: Cape Central (1-0, LW No. 2)

No team has given Jackson as much of a battle as Central has these past two seasons, and with the Tigers’ 42-0 win over New Madrid County Central to open up the season, the gap is as small as ever for the hard-nosed Tigers. The dynamic duo of Zai’Aire Thomas and KeyShawn Boyd continued to turn heads in the opener, accounting for north of 250 all-purpose yards, dicing up an Eagle roster struck by the graduation bug from last year and in search of new faces to lead the team. Traveling to St. Charles West for a Week 2 matchup, the Tigers are eyeing their first 2-0 start since the 2019 season as heavy favorites on the road.

No. 3: Dexter (1-0, LW No. 3)

One of the area’s top stories of the 2024 season, the Bearcats had a “taking care of business” week to start the season, opening the new year with a 57-8 victory over Malden on the road to reaffirm the Bearcats’ status among the best in the Bootheel. With the preseason expectations placed upon it, Dexter proved explosive against Malden with 438 yards on just 28 plays, taking little time to put away the Green Wave in the season opener. Going into a Week 2 clash with SEMO North’s Sikeston, led by a new staff with new expectations, the new week should be a phenomenal measuring stick for a Dexter squad still looking to make its name known statewide.

No. 4: Caruthersville (1-0, LW No. 6)

One of the area’s biggest risers over the offseason, Caruthersville has been making waves over the past couple of seasons. With its opening win, a strong 41-20 victory over Festus’ St. Pius X, the Tigers opened their 2024 season on the right foot, led by some great offensive talent and a returning cast that’s excited to match up against a loaded Class 2 District 1 field this fall. Rising from six to four after Opening Week, the Tigers are poised to become one of the better teams in the area this season and with a Week 2 clash against Malden could easily jump out to a 2-0 start, their first since 2019.

No. 5: St. Vincent (1-0, LW NR)

Leaving the Indians off the board wasn’t a popular pick, and for good reason. With plenty of uncertainty following the exit of their quarterback and top defender, St. Vincent put that doubt to bed in Week 1 with perhaps the area’s best win, a jaw-dropping 53-0 victory against the Ste. Genevieve Dragons, who have historically given local teams fits. Coming into a game expected to come down to a drive, St. Vincent rose to the occasion with a ridiculous end-to-end effort, proving that the Indians are not only one of the top teams in the area but a serious contender among the Class 1 ranks.

No. 6: Poplar Bluff (0-1, LW No. 4)

Against a phenomenal Valley View team out of Arkansas, Poplar Bluff never looked up to snuff as the Mules dropped that season-opening game for a second consecutive year. Marking the start to the new era under coach Jeff Mannon, the Mules are still looking for their stride, and it’s going to be a long process before Poplar Bluff can truly contend for a conference title once again. With some gret leadership, there’s still hope for a rise out of the Mules, but with the rising talent of the area and a lack of momentum, Poplar Bluff is once again slipping coming out of Week 1.

No. 7: Kelly (1-0, LW No. 5)

In a season that’s supposed to be one of much success for the Kelly Hawks, who’ve retained so much of that talent that made them a tough team to beat last season, the beginning wasn’t the most exciting one against an upstart Charleston team. Led by a monstrous defensive effort that kept the fast Blue Jays from adding on, helping Kelly recover from a slower offensive night. Moving forward, led by what should be one of the better offenses in the Bootheel, the Hawks will need to bring more intensity to match up with some of the greater forces both near and far, which was a problem for the squad a year ago. Against a Scott City squad that gave them fits last season, the Hawks have a great Week 2 opportunity to make their name known.

No. 8: Perryville (1-0, LW No. 10)

Making a late rise into the rankings last season, Perryville’s battled for respect for a while now among the local ranks, and this just might be the season that the Pirates rise to restore some of that long-chased respect that once used to surround the program. Perryville has plenty of weapons to utilize this year, and that was on full display in a gritty 28-14 winner over Fredericktown last Thursday, getting back on track with the program’s first season-opening win since 2019. Against a tough DeSoto squad, that record will be tested, but the Pirates stack up with just about anyone on their schedule, and this is a great opportunity to prove that.

No. 9: Portageville (1-0, LW No. 7)

Amid a talented top-10 field, Portageville slips a few spots this week in spite of its opening victory over the Kennett Indians on Friday night. Knocking off the Class 4 squad at home, it’s a solid start for a Bulldogs squad looking to regain its identity following so many key losses over the offseason, but it’s a meaningful one nonetheless. As Portageville continues to find its stride over the next few weeks, so too will it find a foothold among the local rankings, with a shot at a conference title still in the wings with a breakout 2024. Week 2’s matchup with Hayti could play a big role in determining that new identity.

No. 10: Scott City (1-0, LW No. 8)

Once again, another team that slips a few spots following Week 1’s biggest risers. Scott City entered its opening matchup with East Prairie as a heavy favorite, and it accomplished that feat with a shutout performance over the new-look Eagles, winning 22-0. In the first game under new ball coach Brian Beaubien, the Rams’ defense emerged as its biggest selling point, with the offense that entered the season with many question marks still looking to make its impact entering the new season. After slamming Kelly last season, Week 2’s rematch of an ugly Rams rout last season could rapidly change the tide for either of these two teams looking for a big break early.