By Dean Backes
MaxPreps.com
With its move to the Class 5 football ranks in 2008, defending Class 4 champion Lee’s Summit West will see a schedule upgrade for the new high school football season.
Grandview is the only familiar face from a year ago on the Titan schedule this season. Now Lee’s Summit West will have to deal with such powers as Class 6’s Blue Springs, fourth-ranked Fort Osage and 2007 Class 5 runner-up Belton.
Royce Boehm’s team will also be playing in the Suburban Mid 6 Conference this season, an step up in competition from the Suburban Small 6 Conference that the Titans took part in a year ago.
Yes, there are some changes on the horizon for the Titans in 2008. But one constant hasn’t changed. The Titans still have the talent to allow Boehm and company to edge out Eureka for the top spot in the Class 5 preseason rankings.
The returning talent is especially heavy on the defensive side of the ball, where senior linebacker Adam Burton, who has committed to Missouri, and senior defensive end Brooks Mosier are set to wreak havoc on opposing offenses once again.
Seniors Stephen Welling (DL), Wil Richards (DB) and Ben Seabaugh (DB) will also lend a helping hand in stopping the opposition.
Senior quarterback Bryant Jackson returns to the helm of the Titan offense in 2008, and he should have plenty of help in putting points on the scoreboard.
Back to take handoffs from the honorable mention all-conference signal caller are senior running backs Aaron Vanderpool and C. J. Cobbins. Senior wide receiver Mark Robinson hopes to hook up with Jackson often in 2008.
Also returning is junior kicker Andrew Holt.
Waiting to pounce on the opportunity to claim a first ever state football title, if the Titans fail to seal the deal, are the Eureka Wildcats.
Leading the way for Eureka head coach Farrell Shelton is a talented and experienced stable of running backs that includes seniors Luke Thuston and Antonio Evans and junior Walter Williams.
On the defensive side of the ball senior defensive lineman Maurice Alexander is set to demoralize any offense that gets in his way.
After finishing 7-3 a year ago, third-ranked Park Hill is ready to push deeper into the Class 5 football playoffs this season. As usual senior offensive lineman Joe Bishop will have a big say in how well the Trojans finish in November.
Fourth-ranked Fort Osage has plenty of talented weapons returning for another season, including running back Dalton Krysa.
Head coach Ryan Schartz will have other offensive talent to rely on, starting with senior quarterback Brett Sutton and junior fullback Clayton Stewart.
Sutton will have a more than capable pair of receivers to play catch with in senior Parker Jones and junior Edward Pearl in the upcoming season. Also back are senior offensive tackle Tua Faletagoai and junior defensive back E. J. Gaines.
Defending champion Waynesville lost a lot of talent to graduation following the 2007 season. But the Tigers have enough experience and athletes coming back to land in the No. 5 spot this season.
Senior defensive back B. J. Ray is a good place to start for head coach Rick Vernon.
Here is a look at the Missouri Class 5 preseason football rankings.
1. Lee’s Summit West Titans 14-0
School Colors: Navy/Silver/White
Conference: Suburban-Mid 6
Head Coach: Royce Boehm
2007 State Playoffs: Defeated Parkway Central 35-0 in Class 4 State Championship Game
State Championships: 2007 (Class 4)
Record Last Five Seasons: 39-11
Top Players: Adam Burton Sr. LB, Brooks Mosier Sr. DE, Stephen Welling Sr. DL, Will Richards Sr. DB, Andrew Holt Jr. K, Bryant Jackson Sr. QB, Aaron Vanderpool Sr. RB, C. J. Cobbins Sr. RB, Mark Robinson Sr. WR, Ben Seabaugh Sr. DB
2. Eureka Wildcats 9-1
School Colors: Purple/Gold
Conference: Suburban-South
Head Coach: Farrell Shelton
2007 State Playoffs: N/A
State Championships: N/A
Record Last Five Seasons: 40-11
Top Players: Luke Thuston Sr. RB, Antonio Evans Sr. RB, Walter Williams Jr. RB, Maurice Alexander Sr. DL
3. Park Hill Trojans 7-3
School Colors: Red/White
Conference: Suburban-Big 6
Head Coach: Greg Reynolds
2007 State Playoffs: N/A
State Championships: 2003 (Class 5)
Record Last Five Seasons: 41-16
Top Players: Joe Bishop Sr. OL
4. Fort Osage Indians 10-2
School Colors: Red/White
Conference: Suburban-Mid 6
Head Coach: Ryan Schartz
2007 State Playoffs: Lost to Belton 35-22 in Semifinals
State Championships: N/A
Record Last Five Seasons: 20-31
Top Players: Brett Sutton Jr. QB, Dalton Krysa Sr. RB, Clayton Stewart Jr. FB, Parker Jones Sr. WR, Tua Faletagoai Sr. OT, Edward Pearl Jr. WR, E.J. Gaines Jr. DB
5. Waynesville Tigers 12-1
School Colors: Black/Orange
Conference: Ozark
Head Coach: Rick Vernon
2007 State Playoffs: Defeated Belton 17-7 in State Championship Game
State Championships: 2007 (Class 5)
Record Last Five Seasons: 37-18
Top Players: B. J. Ray Sr. DB
6. Jackson Fighting Indians 11-1
School Colors: Black/Red
Conference: Southeast Missouri-North
Head Coach: Van Hitt
2007 State Playoffs: Lost to Waynesville 25-14 in Semifinals
State Championships: N/A
Record Last Five Seasons: 33-17
Top Players: Adam Zweigart Sr. RB, Blake Peiffer Sr. LB
7. Timberland Wolves 10-2
School Colors: Navy/Hunter/Silver
Conference: Gateway-North
Head Coach: Craig Collins
2007 State Playoffs: Lost to Parkway Central 28-12 in Class 4 Quarterfinals
State Championships: N/A
Record Last Five Seasons: 30-20
Top Players: Montee Ball Sr. RB, James Wofford Sr. QB, Ian Hanson Sr. OL
8. Ozark Tigers 8-5
School Colors: Red/White
Conference: Central Ozark-Large
Head Coach: Chris Allison
2007 State Playoffs: Lost to Lee’s Summit West 21-14 in Class 4 Semifinals
State Championships: N/A
Record Last Five Seasons: 36-18
Top Players: Jordan Nuckolls Sr. QB
9. Camdenton Lakers 8-2
School Colors: Purple/Gold
Conference: Ozark
Head Coach: Bob Shore
2007 State Playoffs: N/A
State Championships: 1986 (Class 4A), 1987 (Class 4A), 1995 (Class 4A), 1999 (Class 4A), 2005 (Class 4)
Record Last Five Seasons: 47-8
Top Players: Kyle Simpson Sr. QB, Josh Glover Sr. RB, Jake Kirtley Sr. TE, Blaine Bach Sr. WR, James Clary Sr. DL
10. Hazelwood East Spartans 8-2
School Colors: Maroon/Gold
Conference: Suburban-North
Head Coach: Mike Jones
2007 State Playoffs: N/A
State Championships: 1989 (Class 5A), 1995 (Class 5A)
Record Last Five Seasons: 43-11
Top Players: Eric Brown Sr. QB, Dejuan Owens Sr. RB/LB, Darris Ford Sr. OL, Dominique Fowlkes Sr. LB, Charles Edwards Sr. LB