St. Vincent's football team finished the 2023 season with a 9-4 record, including the most victories by the team in nearly two decades, the team's first district title since 2009 and the program’s second consecutive conference title.
Last year's run — which ended in the state semifinal round with a 38-7 loss to eventual Class 2A state champion Marionville — began with two consecutive losses to Thayer and Scott City by a combined total of five points and included a seven-game winning streak. They accomplished all this despite having to replace 10 seniors from the 2022 season.
This season, the Indians look to be in a better starting position with 17 starters — 10 on defense and seven on offense — expected to return.
The challenges are expected to begin early. St. Vincent's 2024 schedule opens on Aug. 30 with a home game against Ste. Genevieve. The Class 3 Dragons, who finished 2023 with a record of 8-4, ended their season in the third round of the state playoffs. They averaged 32.1 points per game for the season and allowed an average of 20.5.St. Vincent will be on the road for the next two weeks, facing a pair of familiar foes — taking on Valle Catholic on Sept. 6, followed by crosstown rivals the Perryville Pirates on Sept. 13.
Valle Catholic, which finished last season with a 12-2 record after a 35-28 overtime loss to Lamar in the Class 2 state championship game — owns an 18-game winning streak against St. Vincent, capped with a 54-0 shutout victory last season in Perryville.
Against the Pirates — which finished last season with only four victories — the Indians hold a 7-1 edge, including a 49-7 victory last season on their home field.
St. Vincent will then host Herculaneum on Sept. 20, before going back on the road to play Hayti on Sept. 27.
The following two weeks will see the Indians host Bayless on Oct. 4 and Cuba on Oct. 11 before rounding out the rest of the regular season on the road against Grandview on Oct. 18 and Jefferson on Oct. 25.
LOOKING TO IMPROVE
As for Perryville, Coach Brent Roth and the Pirates are looking to improve upon their 2023 season record of 4-6.
Perryville will begin the season at home Aug. 30, facing off against Fredericktown, who finished with a 2-8 record in 2023.
The following week the Pirates will be on the road, playing Desoto on Sept. 6 before hosting the dominant St. Vincent Indians at home on Sept. 13. The Pirates will attempt to best the Indians, who have won in the last six matchups.
Perryville will then be on the road for the next three weeks, hoping to beat Bayless (Sept. 20), Grandview (Sept. 27), and Jefferson (Oct. 4) on their opponent’s home turf.
Football will return home on Oct. 19, when the Pirates face off against Herculaneum for their Homecoming game.
The following week, Perryville will round out the regular season at home against Cuba on Oct. 25.
2024 ST. VINCENT SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT TIME
8/30 Ste. Genevieve 7 p.m.
2024 PERRYVILLE SCHEDULE
DATE OPPONENT TIME
8/30 Fredericktown 7 p.m.
9/6 at DeSoto 7 p.m.
9/13 St. Vincent 7 p.m.
9/20 at Bayless 7 p.m.
9/27 at Grandview (Hillsboro) 7 p.m.
10/4 at Jefferson (Festus) 7 p.m.
10/19 Herculaneum 1 p.m.
10/25 Cuba 7 p.m.
