For the St. Louis American
The 2006 Show-Me Bowl State Championships took over the Edward Jones Dome last weekend. And what it weekend it was, with the best prep football teams in the state squaring off to determine who’s the champ.
For those who managed to get down to the Dome, I’m sure you enjoyed all the pageantry of the games and the passion of the players as much as I did. And we did get to see several of the top players in the state this year compete against players that may top the list in the coming years.
Neither of the St. Louis area teams (Kirkwood & CBC) managed to win, but it was still quite an enjoyable weekend for football lovers everywhere. For those who couldn’t get down to the Dome, here’s a quick recap:
Final Scores: Class 1 – South Shelby 34 Marionville 27 OT Class 2 – Blair Oaks 32 Hogan Prep 24 Class 3 – Harrisonville 56 Owensville 14 Class 4 – Webb City 26 Hannibal 0 Class 5 – Ray-Pec 42 Kirkwood 32 Class 6 – Blue
Springs South 41 CBC 7.
Best Game: For the second straight year, the best game of the weekend was the Class 1 game on Saturday between Marionville and South Shelby. These teams played a classic semifinal game in 2005, which Marionville won in
overtime for the right to advance to last year’s title game. This time it was South Shelby that prevailed in overtime, after a breathless 4th quarter that saw Marionville rally from a 20-7 deficit to take the lead. Only to
have South Shelby regain the lead, before Marionville scored a TD with 22 seconds left to tie it again. Marionville could’ve won it in regulation with the PAT, but with half the town of Shelbina in tears because it looked like
they were going to lose and the other half holding its breath hoping for a miracle, South Shelby blocked the extra point to send the game to overtime. Then in the OT, South Shelby scored on a 4th down play to take a 34-27 lead.
Marionville finally ran out of gas when it got the ball and was stopped on 4th down, setting off a wild celebration for the South Shelby fans.
Best Moment: The best moment came during the Class 1 championship trophy presentation when South Shelby gave star RB Ethan Harris a giant group hug, after he carried the ball 40 times for 228 yards & three TDs to lead the Cardinals to their first state title since 1970. It was only fitting that everyone hugged the young man because everyone in the town helped raise him. You see, young Ethan is one of only a few black kids in town and he lives in the Shiloh Family Christian Home in Shelbina. He has lived in the orphanage since he was very young and has never met his parents. Apparently they gave aliases at the hospital when Ethan was born and he doesn’t know their real names. Only days before the title game Ethan
found out where he was born. But the people of South Shelby love him because he’s a great player, top student, popular and quite funny. He was the comedic star of the post-game press conference.
Sometimes the best part of covering the Show-Me Bowl is finding out about some of the wonderful kids of this state.
Worst Moment: I really dislike Kansas City sports fans! I don’t like using the word hate, so I won’t. Nothing bothered me more than having to sit through the Blue Springs South 41-7 win over CBC. Not so much because once again our boys here in the StL got smashed on by another KC team. But the Blue Springs South fans were so obnoxious and irritating. They were loud, but not in a fun way. It seemed like they cared more about antagonizing the CBC fans than supporting their own team. And its that way with all Kansas City sports fans. They’re all obnoxious and I’ve got a theory about it.
Here in the STL, we learn how to be sports fans, strong supporters of our team, knowledgeable fans of the game, and respectful of the effort given by both teams by going to Cardinal games. No matter what, if you grow up here, you grow up a Cardinals fan. In KC, they love the Chiefs the way we love the Cardinals. But being a Chief fan is a whole lot different than being a Cardinal fan. Ask any NFL fan or former player, and they’ll tell you that some of the most obnoxious
behavior they ever see is when they go to KC for a game. They have all kinds of annoying little chants they do during a game and most of them were not created to support their team. Instead, the objective is to antagonize and irritate the opposing team and fans. That behavior has trickled down to all levels of sport in the KC area. The only way to shut them up is for somebody from around here to win one of these championship games – hopefully next year.
Best player: Derrick Washington-RB, Raymore-Peculiar
It didn’t make much news here earlier this fall when Washington committed to Mizzou, but that might be Gary Pinkel’s best signing this year. Washington is an absolute stud and is probably going to be voted the KC-area player-of-the-year, after leading Ray-Pec to its third straight state title. In Saturday’s win over Kirkwood, which might have had the best defense in the state this year, the 6’1”, 205-pounder was unstoppable, putting up 362 all-purpose yards and five
TDs. He had a dazzling 65-yard TD run early in the third quarter that might have been the play of the year, until he trumped it with a breathtaking 68-yard punt return with two minutes left that saved the game. I can’t wait to
see this guy lined up next to Chase Daniel in the backfield, with Will Franklin, Jeremy Maclin, Tommy Saunders, and Chase Coffman lined up wide. If everyone’s healthy Mizzou will win the Big 12 within two years. Also keep an ear out for Harrisonville QB Sean Ransberg. He’s only a junior and already lead the Wildcats to three straight Class 3 title games and two straight titles. He’ll probably be the top player in the state next year and would be a perfect choice to follow Daniel as Mizzou’s signal-caller in two years.
Best local player: Marcus Harris-QB, Kirkwood
With so many great players in the area this year, and Kirkwood’s history of choking in the playoffs, us so-called experts didn’t give nearly enough ink to Kirkwood’s fantastic QB.
But last Saturday, he almost pulled off a miracle in bringing the Pioneers back from a three TD-deficit against the two-time defending champs. And he might’ve pulled it off if his receivers could’ve held on to the ball better. Still, the 6’2”, 215-pounder with a 4.38 40-speed and a big-time arm, threw for 162 yards and ran for 111 more and two TDs in Kirkwood’s heartbreaking 42-32 loss to Ray-Pec. Harris still hasn’t made a college choice, but he’s got several D-1 schools interested and will begin taking his official visits next month. Good luck Marcus! I’m sure you’ll make us all proud wherever you go and whatever you decide.
Once again it the championship proves that we have great players here in St. Louis and probably more college ready players than anywhere else in the state. But the best teams, don’t play here they play in Kansas City. Blue Springs South wasn’t even in the KC-area top 10 preseason rankings, but went undefeated and is clearly the best team in the state this year. They knocked off rivals Blue Springs twice, Rockhurst, Jefferson City, and our city champ, CBC, to win its first ever state title. And Ray-Pec once again proved itself the class of Class 5.
Next year should be different with several St. Louis teams expected to contend for championships. Personally, I like Mehlville, SLUH, & Hazelwood Central in Class 6; Hazelwood East, McCluer North, & Parkway West in Class 5; Webster Groves & Jennings in Class 4; And Lutheran North & Miller Career Academy in Class 3. So our boys have a chance to get back next year. Hopefully it’ll all happen. And I can’t wait for it all to begin again. Until then, it’s off to basketball season.
