For a prep football fanatic like me, Show-Me Bowl Weekend is like Christmas, only a month early. I love it! I’ve been like a little kid all week, snooping around practices, hitting up anybody that might have some game film of the teams, hoping I can sneak a peek at what my metaphorical presents might be once the game’s start on Friday. It’s crazy, and so am I.
But it’s championship football, and there’s just nothing else like it. I know some have more love for the Mizzou-Illinois Border Wars, or maybe Cards’ Opening Day, maybe even the start of Rams’ Training Camp.
I love all that stuff too. But in my opinion, none of it comes close to the fun, excitement, and joy I get from being at the Show-Me Bowl every year. This year’s event will be the 16th I’ve attended, and the 14th I’ve covered as a reporter, and every year it seems is better than the year before.
The 2010 Show-Me Bowl State Football Championships is shaping up like one of the best ever. At least it is for us St. Louis folks, with an STL-coverage area team in all six games. We’ve never had so many STL teams playing for a state title, and if things break right, we could claim them all and prove once and for all that the best high school football in this state is played on the STL side.
I’m expecting to see all the big time STL fans down at the Dome this year, and just to get you ready for the games, here’s our Show-Me Bowl Preview, along with my picks for each game:
Class 6 Championship Game Sat., Nov. 27 Rockhurst (13-0) vs. Hazelwood Central (13-0), 6:30 p.m.
The marquee matchup of this year’s Show-Me Bowl, this is the showdown fans have been waiting for ever since the end of last year’s state championships. Most expected this would be the matchup for the Class 6 title this year, with Rockhurst expected to be the best team in KC this year, and with Central coming off its second straight state title, and bringing back its two brilliant LBs Cortland Dunlap and A.J. Chappelle, it was a no-brainer that the Hawks would be back a third straight time.
Fortunately for us fans, neither team disappointed and rolled their through their respective seasons with perfect 13-0 records. Central, led by the two stud LBs mentioned above, still has the best & definitely fastest defense in the state. The Hawks have held its three playoff opponents (Marquette, CBC, and DeSmet—three of the highest scoring teams in the STL this year) to a combined 21 points. That’s barely a touchdown a game.
The key, along with Dunlap and Chappelle stuffing the run game, has been the scintillating play of Central’s defensive backfield, which has allowed a mere 11 completions on more than 60 pass attempts in its three playoff games. The four primary secondary members include seniors Mike Jordan, Kevin Short, and D.J. Cameron, and junior Sean Wills. Each has more than a dozen pass break-ups this season, with Short & Jordan ranking among the area leaders with 8 INTs apiece.
Cameron, Short, and Jordan are also Central’s three primary pass-catchers, having combined for more than 1,600 receiving yards and 20 TDs. The main cogs in Central’s offensive unit though, are QB Jamal Flowers (2,301 pass yards & 19 TDs) and RBs Tra Brown (803 rush yards and 11 TDs) and Rocky Smith (1,001 rush yards & 10 TDs).
If Central can bring home its third straight state title, it will have to do so by knocking off the third of KC’s triumverate of powerhouse programs. The Hawks beat Blaine Dalton and Blue Spring South in 2008; Darrian Miller and Blue Springs in 2009; and this year they’ll have to do it against four-star, Oklahoma-bound DL Dan Tapko and Rockhurst.
The KC area city champ Hawklets earned that honor this year by pulling out wins over nearly every other ranked-team in the 816 this year, including two wins apiece over rivals Blue Springs & Blue Springs South.
Along with Tapko, Rockhurst features a number of talented players college scouts all over the country are chasing after, including 6’5″ junior QB Frank Arbanas, dynamic RB Noah Pearl, and speedy WR Mark Boushka on offense, and LBs Ryan Karlin and Alex Bales on defense.
Ceddie says: Haz. Central 27 Rockhurst 21
Class 5 Championship Game Fri., Nov. 26 Lee’s Summit West (13-1) vs. Webster Groves (13-0) 7:30 p.m.
In any other year, this Friday night finale would be the marquee matchup of the year. These Class 5 championship game combatants have been on a collision course all year, and like the Class 6 matchup, we fans will get to see the game we’d all hoped for ever since the ’09 Show-Me Bowl ended.
Like the Class 6 STL representative Hazelwood Central, Webster is back to defend its ’09 state title, after powering through this season with an unblemished record.
The Statesmen earned a trip back to the Dome with a dominant win over archrival Kirkwood last Friday night. And they did it with its bruising, big-hitting defense leading the way. Senior LB and 2009 St. Louis American Defensive Player of the Year, Jason Meehan was just incredible once again for the Statesmen. The 6’4″, 240-pounder was in on 18 tackles against the Pioneers. He also had four QB sacks (although the team statistician only credited him with two, I saw him with my own eyes Meehan sack the Kirkwood QB four times), along with a thrilling 85-yard catch & run that broke the game open and a SportsCenter Top Play-like diving interception that put the game away.
Meehan is a brilliant player and the main reason why Webster is in position to win its second straight state title.
On offense, the Statesmen rotate QBs and spread the ball around alot. Senior signal-caller Marquis Clemons is a fantastic runner, who can throw it some, while junior Rayshawn Simmons is a gifted passer, who will pull it down a run it sometimes as well. It’s an unusual situation and gives Webster a unique edge no other team in the state has.
Another key for the Statesmen offense will be the health of RB Aaron Daniels. He injured an ankle last week & didn’t return to the game. If he can’t go, Webster will have to rely on senior Ketrick Large as its primary ballcarrier.
Lee’s Summit West, is a balanced squad led by junior QB Luke Knott and senior RB Darnay Session. But its best player is probably top-ranked OL recruit Evan Boehm. A 6’4″, 285-pound behemoth, Boehm might be the most sought after lineman in the Midwest with offers from nearly every Big 12, Big 10, and several SEC schools.
Ceddie says: Webster Groves 23 Lee’s Summit W. 20
Class 4 Championship Game Sat., Nov. 27 Warrenton (11-3) vs. Webb City (14-0) 3:15 p.m.
The Class 4 title game is a classic David vs. Goliath matchup. The Warrenton Warriors didn’t even win their own conference, the GAC North, this season, but caught lightning-in-a-bottle in these playoffs, picking up upset wins over top 10 teams Ladue and Sikeston.
While Webb City is seeking its ninth state title, and fifth since 2000.
But don’t think Warrenton doesn’t have a shot. The Warriors are led by a dynamic, dual-threat player in QB Scott Lathrop. The 5’11”, 175-pound senior has passed for 2,059 yards & 22 TDs and rushed for 1,660 yards and another 22 TDs.
Webb City is led by QB Scott Rodrique, a near-1,000 yard passer with 12 TDs on the season, and RB Maddy Johnson, a tough runner with nearly 1,800 yards and 30 TDs on the season.
Rodrique is battling a foot injury and hopes to be healthy enough to play in the title game. If not, backup Breckin Williams will be charged with Webb City’s signal-calling duties.
Ceddie says: Webb City 41 Warrenton 21
Class 3 Championship Game Fri., Nov. 26 Richmond (14-0) vs. John Burroughs (14-0) 4:15 p.m.
John Burroughs is also seeking its ninth state title, but first since 2001. The Bombers are an especially explosive group on offense. They average 41.4 points a game. Five times this season Burroughs topped the 50-point mark, and three other times they topped 40 points.
That’s means more than half the time this season, these Bombers blew people right off the field.
The leader of this high-flying group is senior QB Sam Van Doren. This season, 6’2″, 215-pounder has been just phenomenal for the Bombers, ranking second in the entire STL area with 3.013 passing yards, while tossing an area-best 40 TD passes.
Van Doren’s favorite target, and one of the most productive WRs the STL has ever seen, is 6′, 180-pound senior Grant Wallace. The young man is simply there every time his team needs someone to step up. Heading into Friday’s championship game, Wallace has caught an area-best 73 passes for 1,046 yards and 16 TDs this season. Wallace has also earned a pretty solid rep as one of the area’s most dangerous return men. This season, he’s among the area leaders in return yards and has scored six times on kickoff and punt returns.
Richmond comes to the Dome having knocked off two-time defending state champ Cassville, ending the Tigers’ 27-game winning streak, in last week’s semifinal showdown in Richmond. The Spartans feature one of the best offensive and defensive lines in the state with two-way standout lineman Alex Luman leading the way. QB/LB Colby Bowles is also a standout on both sides of the ball for Richmond, as is WR/DB Kane Southwick. All three players were all-conference selections on both offense & defense this season.
Ceddie says: John Burroughs 32 Richmond 22
Class 2 Championship Game Sat., Nov. 27 Penney (14-0) vs. Maplewood-Richmond Heights (14-0) Noon
Possibly the most intriguing matchup of the entire event, the Class 2 title game features two teams that can light up a scoreboard. Maplewood put up more than 42 points a game, while the Penney Hornets scored better than 48 points a contest, including topping the 60-point barrier four times and the 50-point mark another three times.
Penney is back at the Dome for a second straight year. In ’09, the Hornets won the Class 1 championship and led by standout backfield mates Trevor Dixon and Dylan King, look to take home the Class 2 title after moving up in classification this season.
In Penney’s 47-28 win over Macon last week, Dixon and KIng were the stars. Dixon had 206 rushing yards & four TDs, while King added 168 yards and two TDs of his own.
MRH has got a couple standout runners of its own in Terron Dale and Austyn Ford. For the season, the two seniors have combined for nearly 2,100 total yards and 38 TDs. The real key though will be how backup QB Wes Williams handles the big stage.
MRH’s starting QB for most of the season, sophomore Kahlid Hagens was lost for the season a couple of weeks ago when his appendix ruptured. Now the Blue Devils must find a way to make plays without having their best playmaker on the field.
Ford will be counted on to make an impact defensively as well. He comes into the title game as MRH’s leading tackler, while teammate Marcus Taylor is the STL leader in QB sacks (21) and tackles for loss (28).
Ceddie says: Maplewood 26 Penney 24
Class 1 Championship Game Fri., Nov. 26 Valle Catholic (13-1) vs. Westran (14-0) 1 p.m.
The Class 1 title game is actually a rematch of the Week 6 contest when Westran knocked off then-No. 1 ranked Valle Catholic 21-14. Westran pretty much dominated that matchup with its defense, which bullied Valle almost the entire game.
Westran DB Matt George had two INTs in that game, including one he ran back for a TD late in the third quarter to give his team a 14-0 lead. Teammate Tyler Hunt was also a star in that contest, rushing for 196 yards & a TD and also throwing for another TD that proved to be the game-winner.
Valle Catholic could tie Jefferson City for the most state football titles in Missouri if it wins its 10th championship on Friday. The Warriors were in position last year against Penney, but couldn’t hold off the Hornets in a 21-17 last minute loss.
This season, Valle QB Alex Stoll, a dynamic dual-threat player, who was the backup QB last season, has made it his mission to get the Warriors back into championship position. Stoll is certainly capable of doing that much, but he’ll need a big-time contribution from RB/KR Luke Uding, whose made big plays for Valle on both offense & special teams this season.
Both Stoll and Uding were virtual non-factors in the previous matchup between Westran & Valle Catholic. Those two seniors will have to play the game of their lives if the Warriors are going to avenge that previous loss.
Ceddie says: Valle Catholic 28 Westran 24
