While some have written off the Spartans after a slow start, head coach Mike Jones has his defending Class 5 state football champion playing at a high level.
While learning on the run during the early portion of Hazelwood East’s 2009 football season, the Spartans took some hits along the way.
However, the defending Class 5 champions are back in the game after winning five straight contests and clinching a playoff berth with a 34-0 win over Suburban North rival McCluer in Class 5, District 4 action last weekend.
During a four-game stretch to begin the season, Hazelwood East dropped to 0-4 while battling against the likes of Christian Brothers (7-2), DeSmet Jesuit (9-0), Hazelwood Central (8-1) and Hazelwood West (7-2), all Cass 6 schools.
Hazelwood Central was an early-season favorite to repeat as Class 6 state champions in 2009, while DeSmet Jesuit is considered by many to be the top-ranked big-school team in the state at this time. The Cadets and Wildcats were also ranked at some point during the 2009 season.
Hazelwood East rebounded with wins over Class 6 schools McCluer North, 41-28, Riverview Gardens, 38-24, and Ritenour, 32-14 before entering district play. With wins over Pattonville and the Comets, Hazelwood East now stands at 5-4 on the season.
"The guys have been playing really well these last few weeks," Hazelwood East coach Mike Jones said of the Spartan rally. "We had a lot to play for last week. Most people thought that the winner of the game between us and McCluer would more than likely be for the district championship. We also had an outside shot at the conference title."
Hazelwood East’s early-season woes began at the conclusion of last season when seven offensive and nine defensive starters graduated. Then entered the brutal schedule.
"There is no doubt we had a lot of growing pains early in the season," Jones said of the losses. "We were young and we weren’t executing. But we have a bunch of very good football coaches here, and the kids have really worked hard to get better."
Offensively, the Spartans have been able to build around receivers Walter Powell and Don Shumpert, who have combined for 1,394 yards on 68 receptions. Shumpert is also an excellent kick returner after gaining 420 yards on 30 returns this season.
The senior duo has also made life much easier for quarterback Trey Hill. The sophomore signal-caller has gone to his experienced receivers often while completing 98-of-171 passes for 1,749 yards and 24 touchdowns so far this season.
Duron Deloney has emerged from Jones’ running back by committee as the starter and has 438 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 66 carries this season. Defensively, Christian Kirksey and Ronelle McNeil lead the Spartans with a combined 15 tackles for losses. Kirksey also has a fumble recovery and two interceptions.
As for repeating?
"All we can do is look at the next game," Jones said. "We have to try to beat that football team in front of us. If we don’t play well, we can lose to any one of them."
The Spartans travel to Fort Zumwalt North on Friday to conclude the regular season and begin their run at a second straight Class 5 football title.
Timberland’s Demien gets invited to national all-star game
As one of the top 10 offensive linemen in the nation, Timberland’s Nick Demien received his invitation last week to play in the 10th annual U.S. Army All-American Bowl on Jan. 9, 2010 in the Alamodome in San Antonio.
Several college and NFL stars like Adrian Peterson, Reggie Bush, Mark Sanchez, Tim Tebow and Terrelle Pryor have used the nation’s top high school all-star contest to gain an edge in hoisting their game to that next level.
"It’s going to be great to play in front of the whole country on national TV, but I couldn’t have done it, and I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for the support of my family and my team," Demien said in a release sent to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Because of Demien’s invitation, T-Wolves coach Craig Collins will have the opportunity to attend the U.S. Army Coaches Academy, and partake in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl game week activities.
Reinagel perfect in state title game
Lauren Reinagel threw a perfect game and hit the game-winning home run in Notre Dame Cape Girardeau’s 3-0 win over Kirksville at last weekend’s Class 3 state title game. Bulldog assistant coach Ray Reinagel is her father.
"None of these other girls have gotten the experience I’ve had with my dad," Lauren Reinagel told the Southeast Missourian about playing for her father. "I’ve been with him every step of the way. He’s been with me, guiding me, telling me what to do. I owe everything to my dad."
Other top performances in Missouri
Rushing
Caleb Schaffitzel of Fair Grove rushed for 300 yards and 5 touchdowns on 22 carries in a 38-30 win over Strafford…Winnetonka’s Darrell Jobe rushed for 295 yards and 2 touchdowns on 25 carries in a 54-14 win over North Kansas City…Trey Millard of Columbia-Rock Bridge rushed for 250 yards and 4 touchdowns on 33 carries in a 41-34 win over Blue Springs South…Trenton’s Dalton Preston rushed for 249 yards and 4 touchdowns on 18 carries in a 47-7 win over Bishop-LeBlond…Trent Davis of Wright City rushed for 242 yards and 4 touchdowns on 31 carries in a 30-0 win over Hermann.
Passing
Brendan Weiler of Ste. Genevieve completed 40-of-62 passes for 452 yards and 7 touchdowns in a 54-48 triple overtime loss to Potosi…Riverview Garden’s Lavon Meeks completed 28-of-42 passes for 358 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 27-20 loss to Hazelwood Central…Cole Johnson of Willow Springs completed 14-of-20 passes for 315 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 44-16 win over Cuba…Lebanon’s Cole Matlock completed 24-of-37 passes for 288 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 28-27 win over Camdenton…Dalton Hewitt of Vianney completed 18-of-42 passes for 256 yards and a touchdown in a 42-14 loss to Webster Groves.
Receiving
Clint Harper of Willow Springs caught 5 passes for 201 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 44-16 win over Cuba…Ste. Genevieve’s Tim Lurk caught 9 passes for 188 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 54-48 triple overtime loss to Potosi…Keeston Terry of Blue Springs caught 8 passes for 153 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 51-21 win over Liberty…Reeds Spring’s Ben Selby caught 4 passes for 130 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 29-19 loss to Mount Vernon…George Hinkle III of Pacific had 126 yards receiving and 2 touchdowns in a 31-28 win over Union.
