By Dean Backes
MaxPreps.com
Blue Springs’ minor upset of Rockhurst led to a shake up in the Class 6 rankings this week. In all, five teams in the week two top 10 lost, allowing undefeated Hazelwood West to sneak into the rankings for the first time this season.
Other than Rockhurst falling for the first time in 16 games, No. 3 Jefferson City, No. 4 Fort Zumwalt West, No. 5 St. Louis University High and No. 6 Blue Springs South all dropped contests.
After starting the 2008 campaign 1-2, Blue Springs South drops from the rankings, making room for Hazelwood West to enter at No. 8.
With the Hawklets high-powered offense standing on the other sideline, Wildcat coach Kelly Donohoe decided he wanted to play keep away, so he ran the ball. That meant sophomore running back Darrian Miller would get plenty of touches.
Miller responded by rushing for 176 yards and three touchdowns on 31 carries. As a team, the Wildcats shredded the Hawklet defense for 231 yards rushing on 48 attempts in the 28-21 overtime win.
In the extra session, Miller scored a touchdown to put Blue Springs up. Then, on Rockhurst’s possession, linebacker Aerre-Oen Tomlin tipped Hawklet quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase’s pass at the line of scrimmage and Mitch Perry made the interception to wrap up the victory.
While many high school football followers locally and around the nation were ready to hand the Class 6 title to the Hawklets, the Wildcats knew they were going to win this battle of No. 1 vs. No. 2.
“We created a mind-set from (last) Saturday on that we were going to win this football game, Donohoe told the Kansas City Star. “You have to versus Rock. You have to create a mind-set that you will win the game. That’s the only way you can beat them. They are a very special team.”
Here is a look at this week’s top games and the latest Missouri high school football rankings.
This Weeks Top Games
Class 6: No. 2 Rockhurst at Colorado 5A No. 5 Mullen, 7; Class 5 No. 4 Hazelwood East at No. 8 Hazelwood West, 1 p.m. (Saturday); No. 9 Joplin at Camdenton, 7.
Class 5: No. 5 Raymore-Peculiar at Lee’s Summit North, 7; No. 6 Park Hill at Liberty, 7; No. 9 Washington at Vianney, 7.
Class 4: Ozark at No. 3 Webb City, 7; No. 5 Union at Hermann, 7; Holt at No. 7 Helias, 7 (Saturday); Class 3 No. 7 O’Hara at No. 8 Smith-Cotton, 7.
Class 3: Hannibal at No. 8 Fulton, 7; No. 9 Mountain Grove at Houston, 7; No. 10 St. Pius X (KC) at Class 2 No. 1 Lawson, 7.
Class 2: No. 2 Maryville at Smithville, 7; Warsaw at No. 4 Blair Oaks, 7; Kansas Class 4A No. 2 Holton at No. 6 Hogan Prep, 7; No. 7 Centralia at Highland, 7; Class 1 No. 10 North Platte at No. 10 Plattsburg, 7.
Class 1: No. 2 Thayer at Mountain View Liberty, 7; Archie at No. 6 Rich Hill, 7; Midway at No. 8 West Platte, 7.
Class 6
1. Blue Springs (3-0) 95-59 2
Defeated No. 1 Rockhurst, 28-21 OT
2. Rockhurst (2-1) 91-63 1
Lost to No. 2 Blue Springs, 28-21 OT
3. DeSmet Jesuit (2-1) 52-35 7
Defeated No. 5 St. Louis University High, 35-0
4. Lindbergh (3-0) 113-21 10
Defeated Oakville, 36-14
5. Jefferson City (2-1) 126-80 3
Lost to Fayetteville (Ark), 42-37
6. Fort Zumwalt West (2-1) 137-28 4
Lost to fourth-ranked Bentonville (Ark.), 28-21
7. Mehlville (2-1) 47-45 8
Defeated Northwest (Cedar Hill), 27-21
8. Hazelwood West (3-0) 111-33 -
Defeated Northeast Transportation and Law, 53-0
9. Joplin (3-0) 140-104 9
Defeated Hillcrest, 42-28
10. St. Louis University High (2-1) 48-65 5
Lost to No. 7 DeSmet Jesuit, 35-0
Class 5
1. Lee’s Summit West (2-1) 94-47 1
Defeated No. 7 Fort Osage, 21-11
2. Eureka (3-0) 64-27 2
Defeated Webster Groves, 28-13
3. Timberland (3-0) 126-28 3
Defeated St. Charles West, 48-14
4. Hazelwood East (3-0) 83-16 4
Defeated Hazelwood Central, 24-2
5. Raymore-Peculiar (3-0) 122-68 5
Defeated Class 6 No. 6 Blue Springs South, 20-19
6. Park Hill (2-1) 103-69 6
Defeated Columbia-Hickman, 48-15
7. Waynesville (2-1) 84-38 8
Defeated Parkview, 49-27
8. Oak Park (3-0) 85-52 9
Defeated Truman, 27-22
9. Washington (3-0) 140-34 -
Defeated Fort Zumwalt East, 47-13
10. Raytown South (3-0) 120-23 -
Defeated Hickman Mills, 42-12
The top six teams in Class 5 won keeping the top of the lineup the same. Only No. 7 Fort Osage and No. 10 Kirkwood lost, falling to No. 1 Lee’s Summit West and Parkway South respectively. No. 9 Washington and No. 10 Raytown South enter the rankings.
Class 4
1. Carthage (3-0) 137-45 1
Defeated Seneca, 48-12
2. Kearney (3-0) 85-13 2
Defeated Grandview (KC), 16-6
3. Webb City (3-0) 105-68 3
Defeated Willard, 42-14
4. Harrisonville (2-1) 90-69 4
Defeated Excelsior Springs, 38-29
5. Union (3-0) 133-27 5
Defeated St. James, 63-6
6. MICDS (3-0) 109-17 6
Defeated John Burroughs, 38-0
7. Helias (3-0) 91-21 7
Defeated Farmington, 43-0
8. Smith-Cotton (3-0) 136-19 8
Defeated Marshall, 55-0
9. Carl Junction (3-0) 102-21 10
Defeated Mount Vernon, 20-14
10. Neosho (3-0) 92-52 -
Defeated Ozark, 17-14
There were no losses in the top eight allowing for no changes there. No. 9 Grain Valley fell to Class 3 No. 4 Chillicothe making room for Neosho to move into the No. 10 spot. Carl Junction rises to ninth.
Class 3
1. Monett (3-0) 110-12 1
Defeated Eldon, 35-0
2. Pleasant Hill (3-0) 99-25 2
Defeated Odessa, 49-6
3. Moberly (3-0) 79-58 3
Defeated Kirksville, 34-21
4. Chillicothe (3-0) 136-39 4
Defeated Class 4 No. 9 Grain Valley, 48-16
5. Oak Grove (3-0) 99-38 5
Defeated Raytown, 38-7
6. Cassville (2-1) 74-38 6
Defeated Prairie Grove (Ark.), 32-6
7. O’Hara (2-1) 101-41 7
Defeated Warrensburg, 31-13
8. Fulton (3-0) 54-40 8
Defeated Versailles, 28-21
9. Mountain Grove (2-1) 96-61 9
Defeated Mountain View Liberty, 42-26
10. St. Pius X (KC) (2-1) 87-43 10
Defeated Clinton, 22-0
No changes here. All 10 teams won.
Class 2
1. Lawson (3-0) 96-53 1
Defeated Cameron, 14-6
2. Maryville (3-0) 104-32 2
Defeated St. Joseph-Benton, 28-0
3. Maplewood-Richmond Heights (3-0) 125-29 3
Defeated St. Pius X (Festus), 55-7
4. Blair Oaks (2-1) 106-75 4
Defeated Osage, 48-35
5. Clark County (3-0) 130-6 6
Defeated Putnam County, 32-0
6. Hogan Prep (3-0) 88-37 7
Defeated Kansas City Central, 38-12
7. Centralia (3-0) 139-32 8
Defeated Monroe City, 39-0
8. Carrollton (3-0) 97-13 9
Defeated No. 5 Plattsburg, 27-7
9. Fair Grove (3-0) 116-39 10
Defeated East Newton, 34-14
10. Plattsburg (2-1) 86-48 5
Lost to No. 9 Carrollton, 27-7
Fifth-ranked Plattsburg was the only team to lose in this class, dropping the Tigers five spots to No. 10. The remainder of the top 10 maintained their ranking or rose a spot.
Class 1
1. Orrick (3-0) 106-14 1
Defeated Wellington-Napoleon, 24-8
2. Thayer (3-0) 89-31 2
Defeated Malden, 41-12
3. Tipton (3-0) 103-27 3
Defeated Hallsville, 37-0
4. Princeton (3-0) 95-14 4
Defeated Maysville, 24-0
5. Miller (3-0) 110-54 8
Defeated Greenfield, 43-27
6. Rich Hill (3-0) 121-19 9
Defeated Cass-Midway, 40-7
7. Hayti (2-1) 80-33 6
Lost to Kennett, 27-26
8. West Platte (2-1) 68-92 10
Defeated University Academy Charter, 27-26
9. Penney (3-0) 138-6 -
Defeated Braymer, 34-0
10. North Platte (3-0) 125-34 -
Defeated Gallatin, 27-14
The top four teams remain the same. No. 5 Marionville, No. 6 Hayti and No. 7 Concordia all lost, allowing Miller and Rich Hill to rise three spots. Hayti falls to seventh after a 27-26 loss to Class 3 undefeated Kennett. Marionville and Concordia fall out, making room for Penney and North Platte.