“font-size: 9pt; font-family: Verdana;”>State championship trophies will be handed out to seven high school football teams as the Show-Me Bowl returns to the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis. This season will mark my 25th Show-Me Bowl since becoming a sportswriter in the fall of 1986. During those 25 years, I have witnessed some great games and great performances in those state championship games. Here is a collection of my best Show-Me Bowl memories during my 25-year career. “font-family: Verdana;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Lutheran North 28 Branson 26 (1989) “font-family: Verdana;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Lutheran North trailed Branson 26-21 with 17 seconds left in the game and had the ball on Branson’s 46-yard line. In what has to be the gutsiest call in high school sports history, Lutheran North coach Mike Russell calls for a draw play instead of a long pass. Senior tailback Sean Morris takes the hand-off and weaves his way through the Branson defense for the dramatic touchdown and the Class 3A state title for the Crusaders, which was the second in their three-peat. Morris’ run culminated a Lutheran North rally from a 26-14 deficit in the final two minutes.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Clayton 27 Webb City 26 (2004) “font-family: Verdana;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Perennial Class 4A kingpin Webb City was a big favorite to take another state title against the Greyhounds. Before the game, a fellow reporter asked me if Clayton had any chance at all to pull off the big upset. I told him that Clayton had this superstar named Jairus Byrd, and if he could make six big plays, Clayton would stun Webb City. The phenomenal Byrd pulled it off as he threw three touchdown passes, ran for another score and stopped Webb City’s Andrew Stanley on a two-point conversion in overtime to give the Greyhounds the stunning victory and its first state title. The Byrd was the word on this day.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Hazelwood East 39 Raytown South 34 (2008) “font-family: Verdana;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>In one of the most dramatic finishes in Show-Me Bowl history, Hazelwood East defeated Raytown South on a 29-yard “Hail Mary” touchdown pass to senior Tarrell Downing as time expired. Ray South had just taken a 34-33 lead with 30 seconds left and appeared headed to the Class 5 state title, but the Spartans responded with their own dramatic play to bring home the state title. “font-family: Verdana;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Mehlville
15 Rockhurst
7 (1999)
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Mehlville
senior
linebacker Terrell Jones turned in one of the most dominant
performances of defense in leading the Panthers to the upset over
Rockhurst. The 5’10” 210-pound Jones manhandled the Hawklets with
10 tackles, two sacks while disrupting Rockhurst’s offense at every
turn. What made Jones’ performance even more impressive was that he
had suffered a broken nose and played part of the game with blurred
vision. Jones literally willed Mehlville to a state championship on
this night.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>DeSmet 48 Hazelwood Central 31 (2006) “font-family: Verdana;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>For the only time in the history of the Show-Me Bowl, two St. Louis teams squared off for the Class 6 state championship. And it was an offensive show. DeSmet rode the hot hand of senior quarterback Tommy Corwin to its first state title. Corwin threw for 482 yards and three touchdowns while receiver Wesley Kemp set a then Show-Me Bowl record with 11 receptions for 246 yards. Central quarterback Marvin McNutt closed out his stellar football career by throwing for 313 yards and three touchdowns.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Webster Groves
23 Raymore
Peculiar 22 (2002)
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Webster Groves
won the Class
5 state title behind an incredible postseason run by junior
quarterback Darrell Jackson. He had 556 yards of total offense in a
dramatic triple-overtime victory over McCluer North in the
semifinals. In the state finals, Jackson had 373 yards of total
offense and tossed the game-winning touchdown to Grady Wilson in
the closing minutes of the Statesmen’s one-point victory over
Raymore Peculiar.
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Riverview
Gardens 41
Jefferson City 34 (1997)
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Senior quarterback Christian Morton turned in a sparkling performance in leading the Rams to the Class 5A state title in a very entertaining game. Morton had nearly 400 yards of total offense and several breathtaking individual players as he outdueled Jeff City star quarterback Justin Gage. Both Morton and Gage would go on to play in the National Football League. Morton and tailback Damien Nash were truly a dynamic duo for the Rams during their run to the state title.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>MICDS 45 Harrisonville 42 (2004) “font-family: Verdana;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>The Rams pulled off the greatest comeback in Show-Me history in taking the Class 3 state title. MICDS trailed 35-10 in the second half before mounting their historic comeback to provide Hall of Fame coach Ron Holtman with his last state championship before he announced his retirement.
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Blue Springs
39 Parkway
Central 35 (1992)
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“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>This wildly entertaining Class 5A state title game had the fans at Faurot Field in Columbia on the edge of their seats from start to finish. Parkway Central rode the talents of quarterback Isaac Byrd, who almost singlehandedly brought the Colts their first state title. Byrd was spectacular, as he amassed 339 yards of total offense and accounted for four touchdowns. Even in a losing effort, Byrd put on a show that many have never forgotten. “font-family: Verdana;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>Hazelwood East 42 Blue Springs South 3 (1995) “font-family: Verdana;”>
“font-size: 9.0pt; font-family: Verdana;”>In the final game of his stellar career, Hazelwood East tailback Ricardo Rhodes rushed for a then record 253 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Spartans to the rout. The 5’4” Rhodes finished the season with a record 48 touchdowns. Hazelwood East finished the season with a dramatic “Hail Mary” pass to beat Hazelwood Central on the last play of the game in the quarterfinals and an equally dramatic goal-line stand in the final seconds to edge Mehlville in the state semifinals.
