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Oct 27, 2008 Check Out previous Blogs
So many times "big" games between two powerful teams turn out to be duds. Not this time....the Jefferson City Jays and Ft Zumwalt West Jaguars had a really unbelievable game. As most across the state know by now, the Jags went for the game winning 2 point conversion but fell short and lost 56-55.Each team flexed their offensive muscles and moved up and down the field. The Jays, per their long time tradition established by the venerable Pete Adkis, rushed the ball. Meanwhile, the Jags TJ Moe passed for 571 yards! A rematch may occur!!
Yes...if all goes as anticipated, the Jaguars (as the #2 team of District 6) will face the champions of District 5-the DeSmet Spartans. Should the Jags come out victorious, Ft Z West would face the Jays again!! Does anyone wonder if the defensive coordinators were "holding back" some looks and stunts during this district game ? It doesn't take much courage to say that 111 points won't be scored should their be a rematch.
STATE SOFTBALL Prepcasts had the opportunity to bring all 4 state softball games on the mshsaa Internet Network last Saturday. Some impressions...IN Class 4: Blue Springs Freshman Pitcher, Kelsey Kessler, led the Wildcats to a perfect 31-0 season ! All unbeaten teams have a superior pitcher--NO EXCEPTION HERE! She's only a Freshman and she has a strong supporting cast! Blue Springs put together two big offensive innings and rolled past Parkway South Patriots 7-1. Kessler not only was fire balling on the mound giving up only 3 hits with 8 K's, she drove home four of the runs!
In Class 3, an unbeaten team was knocked from the ranks when the Platte County Pirates exploded for 6 runs in the 4th inning and romped past the now 28-1 Notre Dame (Cape) team in another 7-1 win. Brianna Corwin, the left handed catcher for the Pirates, led off the 4th with a double to left center and the flood gates opened up for 6 runs. Class 2 saw Palmyra make it a three-peat with a 4-1 win over the Kelly Hawks. Battery mates took things into their own hands. Jr. Taylor Baxter struck out 15 Hawks from the mound while catcher Macy Bross bombed a long 2-run HR and drove home a 3rd run on a single to lead the offense. Baxter has now been the winning pitcher in 3 state championships !!
The Jefferson Eagles squeezed home a run in the bottom of the 8th to win a thrilling 2-1 Class 1 Championship over the Crocker Lions. Crocker hurler, Katie Shockley, demonstrated the widest breaking curve ball of the day with several hooks that would have made Burt Blyleven proud in his best days! Listen to any or all replays on www.mshsaanetwork.com
Several districts have 2-0 (district play) teams matching up on Friday or Thursday. Both of these teams are advancing into STATE tournament. Sidenote...it seems as if many schools now prefer the Thursday game. Couple pluses...if you win, you have an extra day of rest. If you lose...why wait...look ahead to 09 ! This year with Halloween being on Friday, it's an extra added incentive to play on Thursday.
Anyway some of those matchups are: In Class 6 (only one) Fox vs Oakville. Four good teams with have tough games in Class 5-- Kirkwood vs Parkway North and Timberland vs Holt.
Class 4 sees the unbeaten Normandy Vikings(9-0) tangling with the U City Lions (4-5). Normandy is like Rodney Dangerfield...still seeking some respect. Festus, who struggled early against top notch teams, faces DeSoto also in class 4.
Two teams lost in the shuffle of a big urban city from Class 2, the Brentwood Eagles will square off against Principia to see which team is the district champ.
Two 8-1 teams take the field in a Class 1 game-- Greenfield Wildcats vs the Rich Hill Tigers. Another 2-0 matchup is the Adrian Blackhawks (8-1) vs the Appleton City Bulldogs (6-3).
While those 2-0 games are good, to me the real contests are the games where each team is 1-1. The winner plays on and the loser collects gear. These teams are fighting to stay alive in 2008. From that perspective, we have the Chaminade Red Devils and the Webster Groves Statesman playing on Friday. Whichever team wins could advance far down the state tourney road.
More do or die games with each team holding a 1-1 district record--Ritenour vs Mehlville; Ruskin(4-5) vs Grandview KC (1-8); Westport vs Platt County; Pattonville Pirates (4-5) vs McCluer Comets(6-3).
The "ultimate" competitive district is Class 6, District 4. All four teams are 1-1 in District competition! Hazelwood Central, Hazelwood West, McCluer North and Riverview Gardens who are all from the Suburban North have a winner-takes-all in the two games this weekend. It'll be West vs Central and McCluer North will face the Rams of Riverview Gardens! |
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