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PREPCASTS FLASH OF August 20, 2012
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High School football kicks off their season this weekend. Yes...it does seem early to me too. Let's start off where it ended last year and then throw out some things to watch, with key questions regarding their success, as the wonderful 2012 HS football season unfolds.
....Class 6 was won by Blue Springs South over CBC 40-37 as Connor Harris put on a show! He rushed for 96 yards and scored a TD, passed for 106, had 2 interceptions for 40 yards, broke up another pass, punted 6 times for a 43 yard average and kicked two field goals for the Jags. One FG came as the first half ended and actually turned out to be the 3 point difference in the game. He seemed to be wearing a big "S" on his chest instead of his number! South always has the challenge with Blue Springs, the Lee Summit schools and Rockhurst in their district. Their program will stand up to the challenges and will be knocking on the post-season door again. More on district play later ...
.....CBC , while losing their QB-Dalton Demos(Coastal Carolina), returns several key playmakers-- Jonathan Parker,Aarion Penton and Corey Patterson on the o-side with both LB Zach Turnure and Cy Stoltz returning to lead the d-side of the ball. The Cadets, like all teams face multiple questions -- will they be able to maintain the balanced offense approach with a new QB(s)? Will defense be strong enough in the line?
....other strong Class 6 teams to key your eyes on through 2012... ....Francis Howell under Coach Bryan Koch has emerged as a powerhouse out of the GAC South. 9-4 last year, the Vikes got the monkey off their back when the tumbled FT Zumwalt West in the post season. They lost to eventual State Champ-BSS 28-21 in the semifinals last year. Coach Koch reloads his offense, shoves out some more talented athletes on both sides of the ball and hopes to lead them to one step further in the post-season. ...Rock Bridge Bruins (7-4 in 11) lost their 1st round STATE game to Rockhurst 10-9. Coach A.J. Ofodile (48-44) seems to always have a pool of good athletes to put on the field. Questions- can the Bruins get better play from their defense in key games (when they do, they win); will the Bruins rugged schedule prepare them for post season or erase some confidence if they all along the way? ...Can you ever rule out the Hawklets of Rockhurst? Coach Tony Severino has a fabulous record of 322-83-1 in his terrific career. Being in district with BSS, Blue Springs, Liberty & Lee Summit schools presents another big challenge but often the Hawklets seem to "find a way".
On a local level, some teams that may emerge to the STATE level.. ...Ritenour (8-2) won their first 8 games only to lose to Haz Cen and McNorth in the last 2 weeks. Can the Huskies build on that season and keep moving upward?
...Lafayette (8-3) won the Sub West with an 8-0 record
depite losing their QB early in the year. Coach Boyd Manne
(76-53) runs a steady, strong program year in-year out. Look for
a longer run in post-season for the Lancers this year.
Before class 5 notes.... ....attended Rams pre-season game last night. Pre-season games are so much more relaxed for players, fans, coaches--everyone. But....I did like the way that the o-line came out firing on all cylinders. The cut-back runs by Stephen Jackson on first drive were magnificent. Bradford did hit an early deep pass-GREAT! However, I don't remember many long completions in his career on straight FLY patterns down the field. His long completions are usually on some type of crossing pattern(like last night). It almost seems to me that the receivers outrun his throws on the FLY pattern or his throws go OOB (can't catch them there). KC looked weak to me on pass defense but heck...maybe they were "experimenting" or "evaluating". It really doesn't matter until regular season.
The Class 5 championship game stunned the east side of
the STATE as Staley beat the Kirkwood Pioneers at the Dome
35-21. That Kirkwood team demolished their first 11 opponents as
they averaged 41.9 ppg while permitting just 13 ppg. Coach Matt
Irvin (64-18) has another bevy of great athletes who he
organizes, drills and x-o them as he works for another
successful year. The Staley Falcons, under Coach Fred Bouchard
(176-58), have quickly
established themselves as
a STATE power during their short history as a school. Some other Class 5 teams with Dome dreams....
...Lee Summit West Titans (12-2) lost in 4 OT to the
Staley in the semifinal round. The Titans only losses were to
the Class 5 Champs (Staley in semifinal game) and to the Class 6
champ-Blue Springs South in midseason. Another offensive
juggernaut, the Titans averaged 41.8 ppg and never scored under
28 points in ANY game! LSW has become a traditional post-season
team under Coach Royce Boehm (80-21)
and I dont' see 2012 being any different. ...Hazelwood East Spartans(7-4) started slowly last year as they were 3-4 when district play began last year. Winning 5 straight games, the Spartans fell to Kirkwood in the Semifinals 40-21. Coach Brian Simmons (38-22) has a daunting schedule this year. He catches Kirkwood in his 2nd game (after a week layoff), Jeff City follows the Pioneers for game 3. Then the rough sailing through the Suburban North waters will make or break this team. I'm thinking that the Spartans will be ready. ...McCluer North slips back to Class 5. Coach Jim Schottenmueller hase sent several teams to the Dome. Now in class 5, instead of class 6, the North Stars immediately become part of the STATE contender jig-saw puzzle.
....some passing Cardinals thoughts prior to Class 4... ....what a tough week for the Cards. Coming home for a 9 game home stand against Ari, Pitt, Hou--you'd expect 7+ wins. Home stand begins with 2 nice wins over the D-Backs, then a 2 HR explosion in the 9th lets one win slip away. Ariz wins the next night followed by the Pirates winning 2 of 3 with great pitching, no hitting and beat us in a loooonnnnnggggg game. Now we're 3-3 for the stand...we should sweep Houston who is in a real funk right now. New Mgr, new coaching staff, same very young-weak team. I'm saying get the brooms out...it's what we need to regain some momentum for the last tough 6+ weeks.
Class 4 has been dominated by the Webb City Cardinals for a decade or so.. The Cards went 15-0 and outscored their opponents 660-187 for the year-WOW! Coach John Rodrique (176-19--read that record again!!) demands quick, precise execution on offense. His O-Line and backs explode off the ball. His defense is also very fast and fundamentally no one has been better. How can one look anyplace else but SW MO for Webb City to be at the Dome again.
Well, who will they face you ask? ...maybe MICDS? The Rams though face their widest rebuilding in the tenure of Josh Smith. Don't feel sorry for MICDS, they have a D-1 lineman and a speedy back (don't they always?) but will they be able to pass it as they customarily have done in the past? ...maybe Savannah? The Savages gave Webb City their only close contest of 2011 as they lost 28-24 to the Cards in the STATE semifinals. That game alone pushes them forward as a STATE contender. ...Harrisonville Wildcats have been a regular visitor to the Dome over the last decade and lost in quarters to Savannah last year.
Discouraging news (at least for me)....last week on a national radio interview, Victor Conti, Founder of Balco, expressed the view that MLB still has around 50% of the players using performance enhancing drugs. I checked the HR totals after that news...sure enough, HR per team/per game have risen in the last 2 yeasr from .9/game to 1.3/game. That's almost a 50% increase! Conte’s most disturbing assertion to USA Today was when he compared circumventing testing to “taking candy from a baby.” According to Conte, “The only people that get caught are the dumb, and the dumber.” Why believe him? Well...we discounted Canseco and others who made claims about the usage and they turned out to be right. Heck...we use to say, "It takes one to know one" and that's the case here.
The next thought that occurred to me is....OK...50% of players are using....which Cards would you guess? I don't think that the Cardinals are immune from using the "stuff" so I assume that their usage is typical of MLB. I'd focus in on players who've really improved in the last 2 years, whose numbers were never like he's performing now, real-real big arms for moderate sized men. Think and look....
Class 3 defending champs is Logan-Rogersville(13-1) who rallied to beat John Burroughs (13-1) in the Championship game 21-14 in a terrific game. JBS scored at 4:33 mark of 4th qtr to take a 14-13 lead only see the Wildcats drive right down the field and regain the lead 21-14 at 2:38 mark. The defending champs are predominantly a rushing team (287 yards in title game) and rely on fundamentally sound skills, quickness off ball and ball control. I don't see that changing for L-R so look for them in playoffs. Meanwhile JBS will send the premier running back in the area-Ezkiel Elliott, back on the field each week. Headed to Ohio State next year, Elliott raced for 2,403 yards and 32 TD as a Junior. ...other contenders will include Cassville (12-1) lost to L-R in quarters while having an established program year in-year out. ...Richmond (12-2) , Dome visitor a couple times in last 10 years, made it to the semifinals last year. Their goal will be to return to St Louis again in 2012. ...Boonville (10-2) hasn't made it the the final round of the Playoffs recently but annually the Pirates pile up plenty of points and wins. Look for them to "break through" and reach the Dome soon.
Quick quiz....remember Placido Polanco? Played for Cards 1998-2002 and has been in MLB since that time with Phils (twice) & Detroit. Would you believe that he has MORE hits than any other current Cardinal? He has 2042 (Beltran is on his heels at 2036 and Holliday at 1485)
Class 2 saw Lamar win big over Lafayette in the title game. It was an exciting time for the Lamar community. We had the opportunity to announce their HOME, semifinal game against Maplewood R-H. You could really feel the pride. Lamar had a huge line and rugged running backs, they'll be in the post-season hunt again. I'm looking for Maplewood Richmond-Heights, under new Coach Rich Nixon, to make it to the Dome. Blessed with some great stars, overall quickness and a deep desire to "go all the way", the Blue Devils will be tough to handle for any Class 2 team. Prepcasts has the terrific opening game of MRH vs MICDS on Saturday--dont' miss it. ...Blair Oaks (11-3) has established itself in its short history as a STATE power. No change there in 2012. ....Caruthersville comes out of the Southeast part of the STATE and annually fields an aggressive, quick team that marches into the post-season.
Class 1 has been dominated by Valle Catholic High of Ste Genevieve for years. One generation of players have passed the torch to the next generation. They crunched S.Shelby 49-7 in the title game last year. Many have graduated and I hear moans of "losing so many key players" as I have previously but...the Warriors find a way to win. Coach Judd Naeger's spread offense, sound defense improves week-week. Only key injuries will slow this high-flying offense down. Usually the Warriors face the Concordia Orioles along the way. I suspect it'll happen again.
That's it....here we go for High School football 2012! Sit bac, enjoy! Prepcasts Broadcasting Network will have 9 games for you this week...bounce around, listen to them all!
Your thoughts? If you want weekly reminders of the Flash, let me know at bryan@prepcasts.com
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