District playoffs set to begin next week in Missouri and first-round playoff matchups in Illinois.
Among the intriguing matchups between teams looking to tune up for the postseason is Saturday’s non-conference showdown between DeSmet and Vashon. The anticipated showdown is at noon Saturday at Gateway STEM.
The Wolverines also have a tough, hard-hitting defense, led by De’Marea Ball-Brown, who has a team-high 10 quarterback sacks.
Vashon, Public High League champions, enters the game with a 7-0 record. The Wolverines have been led on offense by fabulous freshman Dierre Hill, who has rushed for 643 yards and tallied 14 touchdowns. Hill is dangerous in the return game as well.
Quarterback Malious Cain has passed for 843 yards and 12 touchdowns, while wide receiver Zach Smith Jr. has scored 10 touchdowns.
The Wolverines also have a tough, hard-hitting defense, led by De’Marea Ball-Brown, who has a team-high 10 quarterback sacks. Defensive linemen T’Darrian Owens and Jaylin Hunter have each registered six sacks on the season.
While the Vashon Wolverines are the upstarts in this big matchup, DeSmet is an established powerhouse program that has played in the past two Class 6 state championship games. The Spartans are 6-2, with the losses coming to East St. Louis and CBC, the top two teams in the St. Louis metro area.
Junior quarterback Christian Cotton has passed for 831 yards and 14 touchdowns, while rushing for 524 yards and four touchdowns. Keyshawn Ford and Allen Mitchell are a formidable duo at running back, while Gavin Bomstad and Demetrion Cannon are productive receivers with four touchdowns each.
Seth Marcione, Kaleb Purdy, and Chris Skiljan are among the top performers on the Spartans’ defense.
*Flyers headed to Florida
East St. Louis will conclude its regular season with a visit to another nationally ranked powerhouse program. The Flyers will take on IMG Academy on Friday night, Oct. 22, in Bradenton, Florida.
IMG Academy is currently ranked No. 2 in the country in the latest USA TODAY High School Football poll. East St. Louis is currently 7-1, with its only loss coming to nationally ranked California school St. John Bosco in late September.
*Some Week 8 Top Performers
-Quarterback Brian Brown of Lutheran North completed 23 of 33 passes for 398 yards and five touchdowns in a victory over Bishop Miege.
-Running back Arlen Harris, Jr. of Lutheran-St. Charles rushed for 301 yards and six touchdowns in a victory over Lutheran South.
-Running back Donta Williams of Jennings rushed for 279 yards on 15 carries and three touchdowns in a victory over Affton.
-Quarterback Caron Spann of St. Mary’s completed 12 of 23 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns in a victory over Louisville Trinity.
*On Tap this Weekend
Lutheran North (5-3) vs. Soldan (4-2) at Gateway STEM, 6 p.m. Friday
Parkway West (6-2) at Parkway North (6-2), 7 p.m. Friday
Kirkwood (5-2) at Eureka (7-1), 7 p.m. Friday
Ladue (7-1) at Fox (3-5), 7 p.m. Friday
CBC (7-1) at Edwardsville (5-3), 7 p.m. Friday
O’Fallon (6-2) at Jackson (8-0), 7 p.m. Friday
Lift for Life (4-4) at Winfield (5-3), 7 p.m. Friday
Marquette (7-1) at Hazelwood Central (7-1), noon Saturday
Chaminade (4-4) at MICDS (8-0), 1 p.m. Saturday
*Mitchell-Day Commits to Dartmouth
One of the area’s top high school basketball players is headed to the Ivy League next season. Brandon Mitchell-Day, a 6’8” senior forward from MICDS, has given a commitment to Dartmouth College. A multi-skilled player, Mitchell-Day also received offers from NCAA Division I schools including Wyoming, North Texas, Indiana State and Louisiana-Monroe.
Mitchell-Day is a four-year starter who has led the Rams to back-to-back Metro League championships. As a junior, Mitchell-Day averaged 14.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 2.2 steals and 2.0 blocks in leading the Rams to a 20-4 record.
