Staff photo by Mike Buhler Kennett's Jimmie Gooden (2) is tied for second on the Tribe with seven receptions and has 210 receiving yards, good for second on the team this season behind Jarvis Finley. [Click to enlarge]

The Kennett Indians are off to a 3-0 start for the first time since 1999 and are hoping to eventually earn their first playoff berth in 22 years at season's end.

But that doesn't mean they're looking past Friday's homecoming game against the East Prairie Eagles.

The Eagles are 2-1 on the year, with blowout wins over Scott City and Grandview and a 27-6 loss at Hayti on opening night.

"Just because it's homecoming means we've got to focus a lot harder," Kennett quarterback Blake Parr said. "We can't take them lightly. Hopefully, we can pull off the win."

Photo by Steve Frey/Special to the DDD Kennett's Blake Parr leads all of southeast Missouri with 813 passing yards on the season, and has already tied his passing touchdown total from last season with nine touchdowns in the Tribe's first three games. [Click to enlarge]

To do that, they will likely have to stop outstanding running back M.C. Williams. The senior racked up almost 400 yards rushing in the Eagles' first two games, but has been battling a nagging injury.

Meanwhile, East Prairie will be looking to stop the Tribe's wide open passing attack, which has racked up over 800 yards in just three games this season.

"It seems like we bounce back from powerhouse football to wide-open spread football," East Prairie coach Jason Aycock said. "We have faced wide open spread football this year, but I feel like Kennett brings something new to the table with their offense. One, they've got that quarterback -- the Parr kid -- that's very dangerous. We've not faced a quarterback like him … We've faced speed like Kennett has, but their quarterback just wasn't as good as the Parr kid."

Kennett also has one of the top receiving groups in the area, as Jarvis Finley has 16 catches for 334 yards and five touchdowns, while three more receivers -- Cameron Conder, Jimmie Gooden and Tevin Hampton -- each have seven catches.

"Those receivers, they go up and grab it," said Aycock. "It's going to be a very difficult night defensively for us."

To combat the Tribe's wide-open passing game, Aycock wants his team to get pressure on Parr.

"It's very difficult to get pressure on Parr," Aycock said. "One, he's very deep on the snap off the football. He's so deep on the snap of the football and it's so difficult to get pressure on him but we're going to try our best to get pressure on him."

Win or lose however, the Tribe is hoping to continue its early season success.

"I think we have a lot of senior leadership," Parr said. "I think we play as a team. Hopefully that carries over and we can make it to the playoffs."

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Metz Cherry Stadium.

Homecoming: Friday's homecoming festivities begin at 2 p.m. on Friday with the homecoming parade on St. Francis Street from Kennett High School to the Dunklin County Courthouse.

During halftime of Friday's game, the homecoming royalty will again be announced, followed by the halftime show presented by the Kennett Middle School and KHS bands.

There will also be a dance on Saturday night at KHS.

Opponents: The Tribe's opponents were 3-7 last week and are 9-21 this season. Here's how they did against their opponents:

Charleston (1-2) def. Portageville, 49-0
Caruthersville (0-3) lost to Piggott, Ark. 27-12
Hayti (2-1) lost to Kennett, 27-26
East Prairie (2-1) def. Scott City, 35-0
Portageville (0-3) lost to Charleston, 49-0
Malden (0-3) lost to Thayer, 41-12
Sikeston (2-1) def. Dexter, 49-27
NMCC (1-2) lost to Potosi, 28-18
Dexter (0-3) lost to Sikeston, 49-27
Perryville (1-2) lost to Ste. Genevieve, 41-17

Weather: The National Weather Service is calling for partly cloudy conditions with a slight chance of rain and a kickoff temperature in the mid-70s, dropping into the upper-60s by the end of the game. Winds are expected to be from the northeast, switching to the east-southeast at 3-6 miles per hour.