Lindy lets a SEMO name slip, plus a look ahead to the weekend

A national publication is picking SEMO defensive lineman Edgar Jones to be one of the best college football players on the Football Championship Series (formerly Division I-AA) level this year.

Trouble is, Jones graduated last year, a fact that must have gotten past the editors and forecasters behind Lindy's annual football guide. They made the same slip with Alex Miller of UMass, who also made Lindy's preaseason All-America team, even though he graduated, too.

Just in case that doesn't shake your confidence in Lindy's preseason predictions, the magazine picks Ohio Valley Conference member Tennessee-Martin No. 17 in its poll. Eastern Illinois is 19. Others of note are Southern Illinois at No. 12 and Appalachian State at No. 1.

Among things to do this weekend ...

• The annual Perry County Community Rodeo opens Friday and wraps up Saturday at the East Perry Fairgrounds near Altenburg. Events start both nights at 7:30 p.m. Four of the IPRA's eight points leaders are entered, along with a host of local competitors, including Jeremy Nice of Jackson, Matt Cissell of Perryville, Jerry Seabaugh and Brent Menz of Delta, Jeremy Brocke of Cape Girardeau, Chris Evans of Benton, Brian Glueck of Friedheim, Steve Reisenbichler of Perryville, and Carey Margrabe of Gordonville.

• Fredericktown Raceway hasn't held a night of auto racing since closing in late 2004, but the track is scheduled to reopen Friday night with new owners and management, who say the track will have a newer look after months of renovations. Racing starts at 7 p.m. Crate-style late models and open-wheel modifieds are among the weekly classes.