By Dean Backes

MaxPreps.com

Some of the top teams in Missouri positioned themselves for a state championship run in football last weekend during the first round of district competition. Others weren't so fortunate. Still, it is too early to tell who is in and who is out.

Schools decided during the last off-season that two teams would qualify for the football playoffs from each district. But that change won't take effect until the 2008 football season. So, for now, just one team from each district will continue its season and battle through brackets for the dream of a championship ending to their season.

Several districts in each class have multiple-ranked teams competing for that honor - therefore several of the state's top teams will have their seasons cut short. Here is a class-by-class look at district play and the playoff picture for the state's ranked teams:

Class 6

1. Blue Springs South (8-0) 327 - 62

Defeated Lee's Summit North, 38-0. Next: Joplin

2. Rockhurst (8-0) 307 - 110

Defeated Joplin, 49-21. Next: Lee's Summit North

3. Blue Springs (6-2) 234 - 107

Defeated Oak Park, 32-14. Next: Rock Bridge

4. Jefferson City (7-1) 332 - 149

Defeated Fort Zumwalt South, 55-7. Next: Fort Zumwalt West

5. Hickman (6-2) 186 - 145

Defeated Fort Zumwalt West, 32-29. Next: Fort Zumwalt South

6. Fort Zumwalt West (7-1) 326 - 113

Lost to Hickman, 32-29. Next: Jefferson City

7. Mehlville (6-2) 288 - 119

Defeated Fox, 34-7. Next: at Oakville

8. Joplin (6-2) 287 - 172

Lost to Rockhurst, 49-21. Next: at Blue Springs South

9. DeSmet Jesuit (5-2) 169 - 116

Defeated Howell Central, 30-14. Next: Howell North

10. Oak Park (5-3) 257 - 159

Lost to Blue Springs, 32-14. Next: Liberty

Only five ranked teams will earn a chance to play for all of the marbles in Missouri's largest class. Seventh-ranked Mehlville (District 1) and ninth-ranked DeSmet Jesuit (District 5) are the only ranked in teams in their respective districts - making them the frontrunners to make the playoffs. Both won first round games and sit atop the standings. In District 6, fourth-ranked Jefferson City, fifth-ranked Hickman and sixth-ranked Fort Zumwalt West are battling each other for a playoff opportunity. Jefferson City and Hickman are perched atop the standings, but the Jays lead by points. District seven features three of the state's top eight teams, including the top two teams in Blue Springs South (No. 1) and Rockhurst (No. 2) - meaning their district meeting November 2 will probably decide the state championship in Class 6. Eighth-ranked Joplin sits at the bottom of the standings after falling to Rockhurst. Third-ranked Blue Springs controls its own destiny in district 8 after knocking off tenth-ranked Oak Park 32-14.

Class 5

1. Kirkwood (7-0) 243 - 78

Defeated Beaumont, 42-6. Next: Chaminade

2. Jackson (8-0) 246 - 87

Defeated Eureka, 21-20. Next: at Parkway West

3. Waynesville (7-1) 289 - 90

Defeated Rolla, 35-13. Next: at Washington

4. Camdenton (7-1) 262 - 77

Defeated Washington, 29-21. Next: Rolla

5. Eureka (7-1) 216 - 88

Lost to Jackson, 21-20. Next: Seckman

6. Park Hill (6-2) 172 - 113

Defeated Truman, 31-10. Next: at Winnetonka

7. McCluer North (6-2) 154 - 109

Defeated Roosevelt, 28-0. Next: Troy-Buchanan

8. Hazelwood East (7-1) 261 - 98

Defeated Troy-Buchanan, 49-12. Next: at McCluer

9. Fort Osage (7-1) 264 - 122

Lost to Park Hill South, 21-6. Next: St. Joseph Central

10. Gateway (7-1) 219 - 93

Defeated Chaminade, 18-16. Next: at Roosevelt

At best, five ranked teams will qualify for the playoffs in Class 5 as well. Five of the districts in the state's second largest classification play host to two ranked teams. In district 1, both second-ranked Jackson and fifth-ranked Eureka are trailing Parkway West in the standings. Jackson and West each sport a 1-0 record, but the Longhorns lead in points. Eighth-ranked Hazelwood East stands atop the leader board in district 2 with a perfect 2-0 mark and is holding a commanding lead in points. Seventh-ranked McCluer North is deadlocked with McCluer at 1-1 in the standings. As long as top-ranked Kirkwood keeps winning in district 3, the Pioneers will get the opportunity to prove they deserve that billing. But tenth-ranked Gateway Tech still has hopes should Kirkwood tumble. Third-ranked Waynesville and fourth-ranked Camdenton sit atop the district 4 standings with 1-0 records. Waynesville has a five-point edge. Sixth-ranked Park Hill's 24-10 win over Park Hill South puts the Trojans in the driver's seat with a 1-0 mark. South is 2-1. Ninth-ranked Fort Osage sits at 1-1 in the standings.

Class 4

1. Webb City (8-0) 268 - 83

Defeated McDonald County, 47-10. Next: Neosho

2. Lee's Summit West (8-0) 264 - 61

Defeated Warrensburg, 35-0. Next: at Ruskin

3. Farmington (8-0) 307 - 85

Defeated De Soto, 31-6. Next: at Festus

4. Kearney (7-1) 283 - 70

Defeated Lafayette, 55-8. Next: at St. Joseph Benton

5. Helias (8-0) 292 - 80

Defeated Smith-Cotton, 27-13. Next: Mexico

6. Union (7-1) 394 - 223

Defeated Hillsboro, 49-28. Next: Pacific

7. Carthage (7-1) 306 - 147

Defeated Willard, 29-7. Next: at Republic

8. Carl Junction (7-1) 237 - 78

Defeated Neosho, 28-21. Next: McDonald County

9. Republic (7-1) 269 - 138

Defeated Hillcrest, 41-20. Next: Carthage

10. Parkway North (6-2) 241 - 106

Defeated Webster Groves, 35-20. Next: at Parkway Central

Six teams in Class 4 are the lone ranked teams in their respective districts. And each of them is either alone, in first place, or tied for the top rung in their district. They are: third-ranked Farmington (District 2), tenth-ranked Parkway North (District 6), sixth-ranked Union (District 9), fifth-ranked Helias (District 13), second-ranked Lee's Summit West (District 14) and fourth-ranked Kearney (District 16). Otherwise, seventh-ranked Carthage and ninth-ranked Republic are tied atop the standings in district 11 and top-ranked Webb City and eighth-ranked Carl Junction are the frontrunners in district 12.

Class 3

1. Harrisonville (8-0) 355 - 131

Defeated Center (KC), 48-24. Next: at O'Hara

2. Grain Valley (8-0) 314 - 113

Defeated Pleasant Hill, 15-12. Next: Southeast (KC)

3. Platte County (7-1) 277 - 120

Defeated Savannah, 34-6. Next: Cameron

4. Moberly (8-0) 305 - 55

Defeated Bowling Green, 42-7. Next: Winfield

5. Cassville (8-0) 241 - 84

Defeated Nevada, 26-0. Next: Monett

6. Monett (7-1) 176 - 88

Defeated Seneca, 22-20. Next: at Cassville

7. Owensville (7-1) 327 - 165

Defeated St. James, 48-20. Next: Sullivan

8. Clinton (7-1) 211 - 96

Lost to O'Hara, 34-28 OT. Next: at Center (KC)

9. St. Pius X (KC) (6-2) 200 - 197

Defeated Lincoln College Prep, 30-28. Next: Westport

10. Fulton (7-1) 256 - 128

Defeated Eldon, 42-0. Next: at Osage

As was the case in Class 4, six ranked teams won't have to compete against other ranked teams in their quest for a playoff berth. Fourth-ranked Moberly (District 6), seventh-ranked Owensville (District 7), tenth-ranked Fulton (District 8) and third-ranked Platte County (District 16) are in control of their own destiny atop their respective districts. Second-ranked Grain Valley (District 13) and ninth-ranked St. Pius X (District 15) are in first place in the won-loss column, but trail in points. Fifth-ranked Cassville leads sixth-ranked Monett by points in district 11. Both teams sport 1-0 records. Top-ranked Harrisonville holds the key in District 12, while eighth-ranked Clinton sits third in the standings.

Class 2

1. Lawson (8-0) 260 - 63

Defeated Maryville, 28-20. Next: at St. Joseph Bishop LeBlond

2. Mountain Grove (8-0) 297 - 93

Defeated Fair Grove, 34-14. Next: at Pleasant Hope

3. Centralia (8-0) 330 - 37

Defeated Twain, 50-6. Next: at South Callaway

4. Maryville (7-1) 267 - 140

Lost to Lawson, 28-20. Next: Plattsburg

5. Trenton (8-0) 314 - 104

Defeated Macon, 31-21. Next: Brookfield

6. Clark County (8-0) 342 - 65

Defeated Monroe City, 47-14. Next: at Palmyra

7. Blair Oaks (6-2) 263 - 129

Defeated Southern Boone, 54-0. Next: at Versailles

8. Brookfield (7-1) 314 - 91

Defeated Schuyler County, 48-6. Next: at Trenton

9. Plattsburg (7-1) 264 - 171

Lost to St. Joseph Bishop LeBlond, 34-20. Next: at Maryville

10. Maplewood-Richmond Heights (8-0) 313 - 34

Defeated Principia, 41-0. Next: Cuba

Five teams sit atop the standings as the lone ranked teams in their respective districts in the state's second smallest 11-Man classification. They are tenth-ranked Maplewood-Richmond Heights (District 3), third-ranked Centralia (District 5), seventh-ranked Blair Oaks (District 6), sixth-ranked Clark County (District 7) and second-ranked Mountain Grove (District 10). Eighth-ranked Brookfield leads fifth-ranked Trenton by points in District 8. The power of the class lies in District 16 where unranked Bishop LeBlond has a five-point advantage over top-ranked Lawson. Fourth-ranked Maryville and ninth ranked Plattsburg are also pushing for a playoff spot in that district.  

Class 1

1. Marionville (8-0) 340 - 90

Defeated Miller, 38-21. Next: Thayer

2. Orrick (8-0) 365 - 94

Defeated Wellington-Napoleon, 49-0. Next: at Santa Fe

3. Hayti (8-0) 352 - 110

Defeated Portageville, 55-14. Next: Chaffee

4. Tipton (8-0) 274 - 55

Defeated St. Paul Lutheran, 35-0. Next: at Sweet Springs

5. Thayer (8-0) 327 - 65

Defeated Greenfield, 54-0. Next: at Marionville

6. South Harrison (7-1) 249 - 58

Defeated Gallatin, Next: Princeton

7. Gallatin (7-1) 281 - 80

Lost to South Harrison, 19-7. Next: Albany

8. Concordia (7-1) 293 - 115

Defeated Sweet Springs, 13-0. Next: at St. Paul Lutheran

9. Paris (7-1) 287 - 100

Defeated Knox County, 42-20. Next: South Shelby

10. Adrian (5-2) 246 - 91

Defeated Drexel, 47-0. Next: Archie

Third-ranked Hayti (District 2), tenth-ranked Adrian (District 6), second-ranked Orrick (District 13) and ninth-ranked Paris (District 16) are the lone ranked teams in their district competition and stand atop their standings. Top-ranked Marionville and fifth-ranked Thayer are tied for the top spot in the District 3 standings. Fourth-ranked Tipton and eighth-ranked Concordia are battling for supremacy in District 8.

Class 8-Man

1. Worth County (8-0) 441 - 104

Defeated South Nodaway, 69-6. Next: at North Nodaway

2. Mound City (7-1) 402 - 64

Defeated Fairfax, 56-0. Next: at Nodaway-Holt

3. North Andrew (7-1) 390 - 178

Defeated Stewartsville, 54-6. Next: Union Star

4. St. Joseph Christian (6-2) 404 - 220

Defeated Northwest, 58-16. Next: at DeKalb

5. DeKalb (6-2) 330 - 232

Defeated Union Star, 48-2. Next: St. Joseph Christian