With one round of the Missouri State High School football playoffs in the books, all of the favorites in each classification have survived to play another day. In fact, the top five football teams in each class are in position to win state titles in 2009.
Top-ranked DeSmet Jesuit (Class 6), Fort Osage (Class 5), Potosi (Class 3), Centralia (Class 2) and Orrick (Class 1) are picked to take home the hardware in their respective classifications, while second-ranked Staley (Class 4) gets the nod in knocking off No. 1 Webb City in the semifinals, in a mild upset.
Of the six teams picked to claim football titles this season, Orrick will face the stiffest opposition Monday when Class 1 second-ranked Penney comes to town for a contest that could decide the small-school 11-Man championship in Missouri.
While Class 6 action doesn’t begin until Friday evening, several Class 5 squads got into the action Wednesday. All ranked teams in the Show-Me State’s second-largest class advanced into the sectional round except No. 8 Lee’s Summit West, who fell to No. 9 Raytown South 30-14. The Cardinals avenged a 21-19 regular-season loss to the Titans with the two-touchdown triumph.
MICDS was the lone casualty to the Class 4 ranks following a 26-7 loss to unranked University City. In Class 3, ninth-ranked Cameron and 10th-ranked Monett failed to qualify for Regionals. Sixth-ranked Cardinal Ritter and seventh-ranked Monett fell victim to unranked Priory (42-28) and second-ranked O’Hara (32-29), respectively.
Previously undefeated Warsaw fell to Pierce City 14-12 in Class 2 action, while 10th-ranked Lexington lost its battle with No. 6 Hogan Prep, 22-0. Class 1 No. 5 Wellington-Napoleon stopped 10th-ranked Westran from advancing.
Below is a look at some of Missouri’s top offensive performances, as well as Dean Backes’ round-by-round state football playoff picks.
Missouri's top first-round playoff performances
Rushing
Darrenn White of University Academy rushed for 277 yards and 5 touchdowns on 12 carries in a 49-28 win over Sweet Springs…Thayer’s Cameron Carey rushed for 242 yards and 3 touchdowns on 26 carries in a 36-21 win over Lockwood…Evan Williams of Mountain Grove rushed for 238 yards and a touchdown on 24 carries in a 28-20 win over Morgan County…Miller’s Dan Parscal rushed for 222 yards and 2 touchdowns on 35 carries in a 36-12 win over Jasper…Rob Standard of Chaminade rushed for 231 yards and 4 touchdowns on 31 carries in a 35-3 win over Rockwood Summit…Brentwood’s Andrew Erby rushed for 211 yards and 2 touchdowns on 35 carries in a 20-14 win over Northwest Academy.
Passing
Michael Rich of Staley completed 15-of-22 passes for 240 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 34-0 win over St. Joseph-Lafayette…Odessa’s Tommy Hotmer completed 12-of-25 passes for 243 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 35-34 loss to Pleasant Hill…Jordan Bryant of Greenfield completed 6-of-10 passes for 199 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 61-13 win over Archie…Bolivar’s Kolton Peavey completed 14-of-18 passes for 200 yards and a touchdown in a 60-29 win over Union…Justin Jack of Miller completed 16-of-33 passes for 270 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 36-12 win over Jasper…Hillcrest’s Mitchell Jenkins completed 13-of-23 passes for 281 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 42-16 win over Pacific…Zack Dorton of Westminster completed 15-of-32 passes for 205 yards and a touchdown in a 50-7 loss to Normandy…Principia’s Matt Jones completed 14-of-29 passes for 208 yards in a 14-12 loss to Maplewood-Richmond Heights.
Receiving
John Riley of Greenfield caught 4 passes for 150 yards and a touchdown in a 61-13 win over Archie…Bolivar’s Alex Talley caught 9 passes for 137 yards and a touchdown in a 60-29 win over Union…Mitchell Gibson of Pierce City caught 5 passes for 132 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 14-12 win over Warsaw…Miller’s Luke Nunez caught 5 passes for 116 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 36-12 win over Jasper…Dorial Green of Hillcrest caught 6 passes for 165 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 42-16 win over Pacific…Festus’ Cody Roberts caught 4 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown in a 19-14 loss to Poplar Bluff…Alex Cacciarelli of Westminster caught 7 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown in a 50-7 loss to Normandy…Principia’s Tim Gilman caught 8 passes for 136 yards in a 14-12 loss to Maplewood-Richmond Heights.
Missouri football playoff predictions
Class 6
Sectionals
Oakville (7-3) over St. Louis University High (5-5)
No. 7 Lindbergh (10-0) over Fox (8-2)
No. 5 Hazelwood Central (9-1) over No. 8 Christian Brothers (8-2)
No. 9 Lafayette (Wildwood) over McCluer North (6-4)
No. 1 DeSmet Jesuit (10-0) over Fort Zumwalt West (6-4)
No. 4 Jefferson City (8-2) over No. 10 Francis Howell (8-2)
No. 2 Rockhurst (8-2) over No. 6 Liberty (8-2)
No. 3 Blue Springs (9-1) over Lee’s Summit (4-6)
Quarterfinals
No. 7 Lindbergh (11-0) over Oakville (8-3)
No. 5 Hazelwood Central (10-1) over No. 9 Lafayette (Wildwood) (8-3)
No. 1 DeSmet Jesuit (11-0) over No. 4 Jefferson City (9-2)
No. 2 Rockhurst (9-2) over No. 3 Blue Springs (10-1)
Semifinals
No. 5 Hazelwood Central (11-1) over No. 7 Lindbergh (12-0)
No. 1 DeSmet Jesuit (12-0) over No. 2 Rockhurst (10-2)
Finals
No. 1 DeSmet Jesuit (13-0) over No. 5 Hazelwood Central (12-1)
Class 5
Sectionals
No. 2 Webster Groves (9-0) over Eureka (4-5)
No. 10 Hazelwood East (6-4) over Chaminade (8-3)
No. 5 Timberland (9-1) over Parkway Central (9-2)
No. 4 Parkway North (8-1) over No. 6 Rolla (10-1)
Camdenton (7-3) over Nixa (7-3)
No. 9 Raytown South (8-3) over Ozark (5-4)
No. 7 Raymore-Peculiar (7-3) over Winnetonka (7-3)
No. 1 Fort Osage (10-0) over No. 3 Park Hill (9-1)
Quarterfinals
No. 2 Webster Groves (10-0) over No. 10 Hazelwood East (7-4)
No. 4 Parkway North (9-1) over No. 5 Timberland (10-1)
No. 9 Raytown South (9-3) over Camdenton (8-3)
No. 1 Fort Osage (11-0) over No. 7 Raymore-Peculiar (8-3)
Semifinals
No. 2 Webster Groves (11-0) over No. 4 Parkway North (10-1)
No. 1 Fort Osage (12-0) over No. 9 Raytown South (10-3)
Finals
No. 1 Fort Osage (13-0) over No. 2 Webster Groves (12-0)
Class 4
Sectionals
No. 6 Sikeston (11-0) over Poplar Bluff (8-3)
Ladue (9-2) over Vashon (7-3)
Normandy (9-2) over University City (6-5)
No. 3 Jefferson City-Helias (11-0) over No. 10 Hannibal (9-2)
No. 8 Bolivar (10-1) over Hillcrest (7-4)
No. 1 Webb City (11-0) over No. 9 Carthage (9-2)
No. 5 Harrisonville (10-1) over Grain Valley (9-2)
No. 2 Staley (11-0) over No. 4 Kearney (9-2)
Quarterfinals
No. 6 Sikeston (12-0) over Ladue (10-2)
No. 3 Jefferson City-Helias (12-0) over Normandy (10-2)
No. 1 Webb City (12-0) over No. 8 Bolivar (11-1)
No. 2 Staley (12-0) over No. 5 Harrisonville (11-1)
Semifinals
No. 3 Jefferson City-Helias (13-0) over No. 6 Sikeston (13-0)
No. 2 Staley (13-0) over No. 1 Webb City (13-0)
Finals
No. 2 Staley (14-0) over No. 3 Jefferson City-Helias (14-0)
Class 3
Sectionals
No. 1 Potosi (11-0) over New Madrid County Central (8-3)
Priory (6-5) over Imagine College Prep (6-5)
No. 5 Bowling Green (11-0) over Trinity (8-3)
Fulton (6-5) over Mexico (5-6)
No. 3 Logan-Rogersville (10-1) over No. 8 Mountain Grove (9-2)
No. 4 Cassville (10-1) over Seneca (8-3)
Richmond (7-4) over Pleasant Hill (7-4)
No. 2 O’Hara (10-1) over Savannah (8-3)
Quarterfinals
No. 1 Potosi (12-0) over Priory (7-5)
No. 5 Bowling Green (12-0) over Fulton (7-5)
No. 3 Logan-Rogersville (11-1) over No. 4 Cassville (11-1)
No. 2 O’Hara (11-1) over Richmond (8-4)
Semifinals
No. 1 Potosi (13-0) over No. 5 Bowling Green (13-0)
No. 2 O’Hara (12-1) over No. 3 Logan-Rogersville (12-1)
Finals
No. 1 Potosi (14-0) over No. 2 O’Hara (13-1)
Class 2
Sectionals
Caruthersville (9-2) over Crystal City (7-4)
Brentwood (9-1) over Maplewood-Richmond Heights (9-2)
No. 1 Centralia (11-0) over Blair Oaks (9-2)
No. 2 Clark County (11-0) over No. 9 South Shelby (10-1)
No. 5 Fair Grove (11-0) over Liberty-Mountain View (9-2)
Pierce City (7-4) over Lamar (5-6)
No. 4 Carrollton (10-1) over No. 6 Hogan Prep (10-1)
No. 3 Maryville (10-1) over No. 8 Lawson (10-1)
Quarterfinals
Brentwood (10-1) over Caruthersville (10-2)
No. 1 Centralia (12-0) over No. 2 Clark County (12-0)
No. 5 Fair Grove (12-0) over Pierce City (8-4)
No. 3 Maryville (11-1) over No. 4 Carrollton (11-1)
Semifinals
No. 1 Centralia (13-0) over Brentwood (11-1)
No. 3 Maryville (12-1) over No. 5 Fair Grove (13-0)
Finals
No. 1 Centralia (14-0) over Maryville (13-1)
Class 1
Sectionals
No. 4 Valle Catholic (11-0) over Paris (6-5)
No. 8 Thayer (9-1) over Miller (9-2)
No. 7 Greenfield (10-1) over No. 9 Adrian (9-2)
No. 3 Tipton (11-0) over University Academy (9-2)
No. 5 Wellington-Napoleon (10-1) over Concordia (8-3)
No. 6 Marceline (11-0) over Knox County (7-4)
No. 1 Orrick (11-0) over No. 2 Penney (10-0)
Mid-Buchanan (7-4) over North Platte (7-4)
Quarterfinals
No. 4 Valle Catholic (12-0) over No. 8 Thayer (10-1)
No. 3 Tipton (12-0) over No. 7 Greenfield (11-1)
No. 5 Wellington-Napoleon (11-1) over No. 6 Marceline (12-0)
No. 1 Orrick (12-0) over Mid-Buchanan (8-4)
Semifinals
No. 3 Tipton (13-0) over No. 4 Valle Catholic (13-0)
No. 1 Orrick (13-0) over No. 5 Wellington-Napoleon (12-1)
Finals
No. 1 Orrick (14-0) over No. 3 Tipton (14-0)