Is it Scott Central or is it Scott County?

Scott Central or Scott County -- that is the question.

I was stopped by a Scott County Central fan the other day after an article ran in our sports section. The fan told me that the article didn't make any sense because the team is known as Scott Central, not Scott County.

The beginning of that story read, "Notre Dame Scott Countied Scott County," however it was written by someone at a sister newspaper, not anyone here at the Standard. It does bring up an interesting question though in regards to the Braves and how we at newspapers should refer to them.

I was born and raised in Southeast Missouri and have been here at the Standard for almost 12 years and I have never heard them called anything other than Scott Central. Fellow sports writer Chris Pobst is an alumni of the school and also said he has always heard them referred to as Scott Central, not Scott County.

As a matter of fact, I never even heard them referred to as Scott County until a few years ago, but that doesn't mean they weren't. After all,the official school name is Scott County Central, so calling them Scott County makes sense as well, especially with their being so many Centrals in the area. But with that in mind, should we refer to Cape Central as Cape Girardeau?

I admit, this is really much ado about nothing, but these names do really matter to some folks. I remember the first time I wrote about New Madrid County Central. In the story I called them New Madrid and 24 hours later I had been told by multiple people that is wrong and they are NMCC or Central but not just New Madrid since other towns help make up the school. I have never made that mistake again.

So it does matter to some people so I ask you, should it be Scott Central or Scott County?

Speaking of Scott Central, the Braves are now set to take on Sikeston on Feb. 10 at the Show Me Center at 7:30 p.m. in a rematch of last year's classic.

The luster of the game isn't what it was last year, but I'm sure the game will still draw a big crowd and have plenty of interest in the area. But why don't these two schools just put each other on the schedule already? The buildup of will they, won't they was entertaining last year as we waited to see what would happen. This year it was a little tiresome. Just put each other on the schedule and build the game up from the beginning of the season instead of trying to put it together in two weeks and forcing each team to make schedule changes.

I can't even keep up with all of the schedule changes for Sikeston this year. I've played in recreational softball leagues with less schedule changes. First they moved the Blytheville game back because of the football team's run in the playoffs and then a scheduling error kept them out of the Poplar Bluff Showdown. That left the Bulldogs scrapping to find games and eventually to the addition of Henry County, Tenn. and then Caruthersville on Feb. 10. Now the Caruthersville game has been moved to make room for the Scott Central game on Feb. 10. Hopefully there won't be any more changes since there is only a month left in the season but who knows.

One thing I can say for Sikeston coach Gregg Holifield and the Bulldogs is the scheduling hasn't seem to bother them. They have just taken it in stride and seem to be playing their best basketball of the season. In my mind they are currently the best basketball team in the area and my early prediction is Sikeston over Scott Central by eight. Or is it Scott County?