After a season’s worth or blood, sweat and tears that began with young men toiling in the hot summer sun and ended with those same young men battling in the early winter wind, the Big Show is finally here.
That’s right, the 41st MSHSAA Show-Me Bowl State Football Championships come to the Edward Jones Dome Friday and Saturday. And I for one just can’t wait!
This’ll be the 12th year I’ve had the honor of covering the Show-Me Bowl for the American, and this year’s event is looking like it might be one of the best ever.
This year’s Show-Me Bowl will feature three STL city champs (Cardinal Ritter, Hazelwood Central and Hazelwood East) fighting to bring home the championship trophy against top teams from every corner of the great state of Missouri. Here’s an inside look:
Class 6 Championship Game
Sat., Nov. 29 Hazelwood Central (11-2) vs. Blue Springs South (11-2) 6:30 p.m.
This very intriguing matchup will pit Blue Springs South’s high-powered offense against Central’s vaunted “Wolfpack” defense. Blue Springs South is led by Mizzou-bound QB Blaine Dalton. A 6’1, 195-pounder, who I think will be the next great MU QB (not Blaine Gabbert), Dalton was named the Gatorade State Player of the Year in 2006 after leading Blue Springs South to the state title that year. This year, Dalton’s been just as good. He was the KC area’s top-rated passer after throwing for 2,111 yards and 21 TDs. In last week’s win over Jeff City though, Dalton did it with his legs, rushing for 127 yards and two TDs in a 16-10 win. For the season, Dalton has rushed for 1,146 yards and 14 TDs. Other standouts on the Jaguar offense include, RB Winston Wright and WRs Nate Ingram and Trayvon Jones.
Central’s defense might be the most formidable group in the entire state. They’ve got five players that have been in on over 100 tackles this year. Their LB corps of Yomi Alli (156 tackles), Marcus Cotton (140 tackles), and Courtland Dunlop (146 tackles) is probably the best in the state, while roving DBs A.J.Chappelle (113 tackles) and Brian Walker (113 tackles, seven INTs) are the main reason why Central surprised everyone and won the Suburban North Conference championship this year. QB Kerry Gibson and Suburban North Conference leading rusher, Maurice Scott (1,818 Yards and 11 TDs) are the leaders of a Hawks offense that averages 28.5 points/game.
Ceddie says: Blue Springs S. 30 Hazelwood C. 21.
Class 5 Championship Game
Fri., Nov. 28 Hazelwood East (10-3) vs. Raytown South (12-1) 7:30 p.m.
These two smashmouth teams will no doubt play the hardest hitting game of the weekend. And like Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed in Rocky 2, this contest might come down to which city champ can still stand when the fight is over. My money’s on East. This Spartan squad is just built for this. They don’t have any player-of-the-year types, but they do have a bunch a real good players that when put together just might make East the best team in the state. Offensive standouts for East include, QB Eric Brown, RB E’lon Spight, FB DeJuan Owens, WRs Terrell Downing and Chris Weaver and TE Courtney Ward. On defense, the Spartans are led by DL Jamie Slaughter, LBs Dominique Fowlkes and Charles Edwards and DBs Weaver, Christian Kirksey and Donald Shumpert.
Raytown South is coming off one of the most thrilling wins by any team this season. The Cardinals were down 12 in the 4th quarter against Ray-Pec last week, but sensational junior QB Dennis Tanner led his team on three scoring drives in the final nine minutes to pull off a 27-18 win over the team everyone had favored to win the state title. RB Isiah Turner and WRs Ronnell Garner and Courtney Green have also been standouts for Raytown South.
Ceddie says: Hazelwood E. 21 Raytown S. 17.
Class 4 Championship Game
Sat., Nov. 29 Helias (12-1) vs. Webb City (14-0) 3:15 p.m.
Folks from the middle of the state are just salivating over this matchup. These two teams have been on a collision course all season and they’re finally gonna meet with all the marbles on the line.
Webb City is looking to reclaim the state title after winning it all in 2006, then losing in the first round last year. Senior QB Mack Kyle is a fantastic dual threat player. This season, Kyle has passed and rushed for a combined 1,834 yards and 23 TDs. The Cardinals also feature one of the state’s top junior RBs in Braxton Baker (1,832 rushing yards and 21 TDs). On defense, junior DB Boo Rodgers is Webb City’s top player. It was his blocked punt last week that sparked the Cardinals to a 14-7 win over top-ranked Kearney.
Helias put a hellacious whoopin’ on Gateway Tech last week. The Crusaders led 28-0 in the 1st quarter, and eventually won 58-19 thanks to QB Jay Shimmens’ three TD runs and RB Brad Lorang’s 110 rushing yards.
Ceddie says: Webb City 33 Helias 22.
Class 3 Championship Game
Fri., Nov. 28 Cardinal Ritter (13-1) vs. Cassville (11-3) 4:15 p.m.
Cardinal Ritter has already authored the single-most incredible single season turnaround I’ve ever seen in high school sports. The Lions were a 3-7 mess last year, and didn’t have a coach as recently as a week before the start of this year’s training camp. But longtime large-school assistant coach Brian Simmons took over and now has Ritter (which has always been thought of as a basketball school), on the verge of its first state football title ever.
It’s not like Simmons didn’t have anything to work with though. Ritter has a fine group of athletes led by potential player-of-the-year Maurice Taylor. A 5’9, 165-pound never-leave-the-field-type dynamo, Taylor plays RB/WR/KR/DB, and stars at every position with 2,093 all-purpose yards, seven INTs and 27 total TDs. QB Calvin Mooney has thrown for 1,027 yards and led the Archdiocesan league with 14 TD passes. While RB Trey Perry is a star in the making, with 1,284 rushing yards and 16 TDs. The 6-foot, 195-pound sophomore scored four TDs in last week’s 48-31 win over Sullivan.
The entire town of Cassville is on its way to the STL thanks to the Wildcats’ 14-13 upset win over top-ranked Chillicothe last week. These guys bang on defense, and have a knock for forcing turnovers, led by top players Joe Gouvion, Trevor Tanner, & Jon Haney.
Ceddie says: Cardinal Ritter 34 Cassville 20.
Class 2 Championship Game
Sat., Nov. 29 Clark County (14-0) vs. Maryville (13-1) noon
Of all the out-of-town teams coming in this weekend, the group I’m most rooting for is Clark County. The Indians are fun team to watch. They’ve got a huge offensive line that opens wide holes for their never-say-die little RB Javis Vineyard. For the season, Vineyard has rushed for 2,240 yards and 38 TDs. QB Ethan Allen is also a top player, having passed for 1,620 yards and eight TDs. On defense, Clark County is as good as any team in the state, having allowed just 57 points all season, which included eight straight shutouts. And I love Clark County’s fans. Those folks drove three hours from NE Missouri for last week’s semifinal game against Maplewood, and in deep-throated unison cheered their team on every play and chanted “one more week!” to the team throughout the game.
Maryville is a formible foe, though. The Spoofhounds were the state’s No. 2-ranked team all season, with their only loss being a one point defeat to Class 3 semifinalist Chillicothe. Top players for Maryville include QB Adam Mattson and DL Zach Sherry.
Ceddie says: Clark County 28 Maryville 24.
Class 1 Championship Game
Fri., Nov. 28 Thayer (12-1) vs. Orrick (14-0) 1 p.m.
The first game of the Show-Me Bowl might be the best. It’s a rematch of last year’s Class 1 title game, a thrilling contest won 20-8 by Orrick. Thayer dominated the first half of last year’s game, though, outgaining Orrick 170 yards to 48. But Thayer couldn’t turn that domination into many points, and the score was tied 8-8 at halftime.
In the second half, Orrick flipped the script. The Bearcats outgained Thayer 210 yards to 63. Class 1 State Player-of-the-Year RB Taylor Eubank was the star, rushing for 211 yards & three TDs. He’s since graduated and redshirting at Missouri Valley, but his little brothers Leslee (a star DL) and Logan (a speedy RB/KR) are back for a team that has three 1,000-yard rushers (Logan Eubank, Aaron Blyth and Kalija Rogers) and has won 29 straight games.
Thayer is led by dual threat QB Jacob Eckman. He might be the best small school QB in the state. This season, Eckman has passed for 1,244 yards & 19 TDs, to go along with 1,123 rushing yards & another 10 TDs. On defense, Eckman is a standout LB/DB, leading the team with 76 tackles and four INTs.
Ceddie says: Orrick 23 Thayer 21.