There was some quality teams emerging in the Public High League this season. Although there are two divisions in the PHL, Gateway Tech, Soldan, Vashon and Miller Career Academy are waging a spirited battle to see who is the top team in the league this season.
Last Saturday, Soldan defeated Vashon 41-14 while Career Academy defeated Gateway Tech 21-0 in two big league showdowns. There are many good players in the PHL who have been providing a lot of excitement during the past two seasons.
Last season, it was Gateway Tech quarterback Paul Rice and Soldan wide receiver Paul McRoberts who provided big plays while leading their respective teams to the playoffs. Both players are now playing NCAA Division I football. The multi-talented Rice is now at Murray State while the ultra-athletic McRoberts is now at Southeast Missouri State.
There is more good talent in the league, led by Vashon senior Derrick Mitchell, Jr., who has already committed to Iowa. Gateway Tech senior Michael Ball has put up some big rushing numbers while quarterbacks Steven Irving of Soldan, Trevon King of Career Academy and Deion Davis of Vashon has emerged as prolific passers. Senior Gabriel Lloyd of Miller Career Academy is the returning PHL Defensive Player of the Year while junior lineman Demon Taylor of Soldan is a future Division I prospect.
*The Kirkwood Pioneers are starting to gain the reputation of being comeback kids during the season. The Pioneers are 4-0 and currently ranked No. 1 in the Missouri Class 5 rankings, but not without some drama along the way.
The Pioneers rallied from a 21-7 deficit to defeat Rockwood Summit 28-24 in the featured game at last weekend’s Great American Football Classic at the Edward Jones Dome. It was the second big comeback victory for the Pioneers this season. Kirkwood also rallied from a 22-6 halftime deficit to defeat Hazelwood East 32-22 at the City of Champions Classic in East St. Louis.
*I witnessed a big comeback victory myself last Friday night when Christian-O’Fallon rallied from a 26-12 fourth-quarter deficit to defeat Cardinal Ritter 34-26 in an AAA game at Ritter. Christian-O’Fallon has a very talented athlete in junior receiver Deantrell Prince, who scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to spark the rally. Prince is a physical spiceman at 6’1” and 190-pounds who can make big plays at any time. Prince has 268 yards rushing and 234 yards receiving in the Eagles’ 4-0 start.
*John Burroughs standout Ezekiel Elliott scored 42 touchdowns in leading the Bombers to a berth in the Class 3 Show-Me Game last season. Elliott is on a pace to surpass that total this season. The Ohio State-bound Elliott has already scored 17 touchdowns in four game this season, all Burroughs victories.
*Ritenour quarterback Terrance Hollins-White completed 22 of 31 passes for 421 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Huskies to a 34-29 victory over McCluer North. Hollins-White’s favorite target was Danny Askew who caught eight passes for 228 yards and three touchdowns. The Huskies are now 3-1, following up on their excellent 8-2 campaign in 2011.
*Top Games of the Week
Jefferson City at DeSmet, Friday, 7 p.m.
Hazelwood Central at Ritenour, Friday, 7 p.m.
Fox at Parkway South, Friday, 7 p.m.
Webster Groves at Parkway Central, Friday, 7 p.m.
Duchesne at St. Mary’s, Friday, 7 p.m.
Borgia at St. Dominic, Friday, 7 p.m.
Belleville East at Belleville West, Saturday, 1 p.m.
(You can catch Earl Austin Jr. talking high school football on KTVI-Fox 2 every Friday night on the Prep Zone with host Maurice Drummond at 10:20 a.m.).
