Missouri: Champions Hold Top Spots

By Dean Backes
MaxPreps.com

After upending regular season Class 3 king Hogan Prep (25-5) in the semifinals, and mounting a furious rally from a 19-point first half deficit to knock off Lutheran North 56-55 in the boys Class 3 state championship game, Maplewood-Richmond Heights (28-4) finds itself comfortably on top of the Missouri boys Class 3 rankings.

The Blue Devils jumped two spots from third to reach the top spot, while Hogan Prep fell one spot into the No. 2 position. Cardinal Ritter (19-3) held the second rung following regular season play, but an early exit from postseason play drops Ritter to fourth behind the runner-ups (21-12). East Newton (19-5) rounds out the boys Class 3 top 5.

In Class 2, Harrisburg’s 51-44 triumph over second-ranked South Iron was enough to boost the Bulldogs (29-3) into the top spot, a promotion of two rungs in the rankings. South Iron (30-2) maintains the No. 2 spot it held before entering Missouri’s Show-Me Show Down last weekend. Formerly top-ranked Clever (28-3) falls to third following its win over West Platte in Saturday’s consolation game. West Platte (24-8) and Thayer (27-2) round out the top 5 at No. 4 and No. 5, respectively.

Jefferson (29-2) maintained its stranglehold on the No. 1 spot by winning its third-straight Class 1 state title Saturday with a 59-30 whipping of formerly fifth-ranked Glasgow (29-3). The Eagles squeaked by the former top-ranked team in the state by outlasting Scott County Central 70-68 in the semifinals. That tight decision lands the Braves (26-3) in the No. 2 spot ahead of the runner-ups, who finish the season planted on the No. 3 rung. Newtown-Harris (29-1) finishes the 2007-08 season at No. 4, while Scott County Central’s victim in the consolation game, Fair Play (28-4), nestle in at No. 5.

Skyline (29-3) took home all of the marbles in the Class 3 girls race with a narrow 44-43 victory over South Shelby (26-2), and the Tigers finish in the season-ending top spot. Because of that one-point difference, Skyline rises four spots. South Shelby also gets a promotion from third into the No. 2 slot thanks to their runner-up finish. Class 3’s former top two teams, Mount Vernon (No. 1) (20-4) and Blair Oaks (26-3) fall, but still wind up in the top five. Blair Oaks finishes the season at No. 3, while Mount Vernon falls four spots to fifth. Consolation game winner Hermann (23-7) makes the top five with its No. 4 ranking.

Penney became the only high school team in Missouri to finish the season with a perfect 32-0 record when the Hornets pulled away from Westran 47-39 in the girls Class 2 championship game. Because of that win, Penney gets a one spot promotion over Westran (30-1) and into the top spot of the season ending rankings.

The Lady Hornets would have finished the season with a perfect record, as well, had they upended the champions. Instead, they come to rest in the No. 2 rung. Osceola (26-1), who fell to Penney 59-48 in the quarterfinals finds itself with a one-place promotion and finishes the season ranked No. 3. Putnam County (20-7) and Canton (23-3) finish the 2008 rankings by moving into the No. 4 and No. 5 slots respectively.

Northeast’s 22-point win over Delta (25-3) vaulted the Lady Cats (27-3) into the Class 1 top spot ahead of Consolation game winner Meadville (30-1), who lost by 10 to Delta in the semifinals. Macks Creek (23-8) falls in at No. 3 just ahead of the runner-ups in large part because of its 68-61 double overtime loss to the champions, who knocked off Delta 54-32.

Delta finishes No. 4 despite its runner-up finish, while the former top-ranked team in Class 1, Rock Port (26-4), fills in the No. 5 slot.

Missouri Boys Basketball Rankings

Top 10
1. Webster Groves (29-3)
2. McCluer North (25-5)
3. Raytown (27-1)
4. Notre Dame (Cape Girardeau) (24-6)
5. St. Charles West (29-2)
6. Webb City (25-5)
7. Maplewood-Richmond Heights (28-4)
8. Hogan Prep (25-5)
9. Springfield Kickapoo (23-4)
10. Branson (23-5)



Class 3
1. Maplewood-Richmond Heights (28-4)
2. Hogan Prep (25-5)
3. Lutheran North (21-12)
4. Cardinal Ritter (21-4)
5. New Madrid County Central (17-11)
6. Bowling Green (27-1)
7. Bishop LeBlond (21-7)
8. Linn (27-5)
9. Highland (22-7)
10. East Newton (22-6)

Class 2
1. Harrisburg (28-3)
2. South Iron (30-2)
3. Clever (28-4)
4. West Platte (24-8)
5. Thayer (27-2)
6. Concordia (25-4)
7. Laquey (26-4)
8. Wellington-Napoleon (24-3)
9. Lee’s Summit Community Christian (21-7)
10. New Haven (18-11)

Class 1
1. Jefferson (29-2)
2. Scott County Central (28-3)
3. Glasgow (29-3)
4. Newtown-Harris (29-1)
5. Fair Play (28-4)
6. Bell City (25-4)
7. LaPlata (28-2)
8. Chadwick (24-5)
9. Pilot Grove (25-4)
10. Mound City (20-8)

Missouri Girls Basketball Rankings

Top 10
1. Bolivar (29-2)
2. Rock Bridge (25-6)
3. St. Joseph’s Academy (26-5)
4. Incarnate Word Academy (29-4)
5. Hickman Mills (29-2)
6. Blue Springs (25-3)
7. Notre Dame de Sion (22-9)
8. Marshfield (24-1)
9. McCluer South-Berkeley (27-4)
10. Springfield Kickapoo (19-5)

Class 3
1. Skyline (29-3)
2. South Shelby (26-2)
3. Blair Oaks (26-3)
4. Hermann (23-7)
5. Mount Vernon (20-4)
6. Metro (St. Louis) (20-12)
7. Greenville (22-5)
8. Springfield Catholic (19-7)
9. Palmyra (18-6)
10. Aurora (18-12)

Class 2
1. Penney (32-0)
2. Westran (30-1)
3. Osceola (26-1)
4. Putnam County (23-5)
5. Canton (23-3)
6. Clopton (23-8)
7. Smithton (26-3)
8. Crest Ridge (28-1)
9. Crane (22-8)
10. Naylor (24-3)



Class 1
1. Northeast (Cairo) (28-3)
2. Meadville (30-1)
3. Macks Creek (22-8)
4. Delta (25-3)
5. Rock Port (26-4)
6. Silex (20-9)
7. Gilman City (25-3)
8. Exeter (22-7)
9. Montrose (22-5)
10. South Nodaway (20-6)