Football Game Preview: St. Paul Lutheran Saints vs. Orrick Bearcats

The St. Paul Lutheran Saints will head out on the road to square off against the Orrick Bearcats at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Keep an eye on the score for this one: the two teams posted some lofty point totals in their previous games.

St. Paul Lutheran is coming in fresh off a high-stakes matchup with another one of Missouri's top teams: Wellington-Napoleon, who was ranked 12th at the time (St. Paul Lutheran was ranked 18th). The Saints received a blow on Friday as they fell 94-76 to the Tigers. The Saints have struggled against the Tigers recently, as the game was their seventh consecutive lost matchup.

Despite their loss, St. Paul Lutheran saw several players rise to the challenge and make noteworthy plays. Tate Kreisel, who picked up 348 receiving yards and six scores, and also rushed for 31 yards, was perhaps the best of all. Kreisel showed off some serious burst, cutting upfield on a catch for 66 yards. Another passer making a difference was Easton Sheets, who threw for 459 yards and six TDs while picking up 10.7 yards per attempt.

Meanwhile, Orrick was within striking distance but couldn't close the gap on Friday as they fell 38-34 to Santa Fe.

St. Paul Lutheran will have to contain Xavior Gaskins as he made an impact in Orrick's last game. He rushed for 134 yards and a pair of touchdowns, and also threw for 114 yards and a pair of TDs. 88 of those passing yards were hauled in by Parker Floyd, who also brought in a receiving touchdown.

St. Paul Lutheran's defeat dropped their record down to 3-5. As for Orrick, their loss dropped their record down to 2-6.

Everything came up roses for St. Paul Lutheran against Orrick when the teams last played back in October of 2024, as the squad secured a 51-0 win. The rematch might be a little tougher for the Saints since the team won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.