November 19, 2007                               Check Out Previous Blogs

MICDS has a very good team-no question there, they are 12-0, but are they living a charmed week or what?  Last Monday, New Madrid County Eagles scored with a scant 1.3 seconds left to make the score 28-27 MICDS. When the Eagles tried a run play to their right, it was stuffed by the Rams LB corp short of the goal line.  5 days later, these same Rams go not 1, not 2 but 3 overtime periods to edge the Borgia Knights (10-3) in a classic 42-35 win. This sets up the third championship game in 4 years between the Harrisonville Wildcats (13-0) and MICDS. The Rams won in OT in 04, the Wildcats in 05. Will the charmed life continue for one more week for MICDS? Well ? bryan@prepcasts.com

Ho-hum...five straight trips to the Dome for the Wildcats! Those Harrisonville Wildcats showed an offensive machine running at full throttle as they ran by the talented Grain Valley Eagles 51-35. KU bound QB, Sean Ransberg was a sizzling 10 of 13 for 251 while churning out 128 rushing yardage himself. Wildcat fans tell us about your team at bryan@prepcasts.com

ON the other side of the coin, the Maplewood Blue Devils had their historic 12-1 season come to a crashing halt when the defending state champs, Blair Oaks, blocked 2 early punts and coasted to a 42-14 victory. Will the defending champs repeat ? Your thoughts to bryan@prepcasts.com

 Ft Osage Indians came to a quick realization about something that most fans would agree-your first unit QB must stay healthy at this time of the year. When Ft Osage QB Bobby Wegener had his right hand injured early in the semifinal game against the Belton Pirates, the Indians offensive sputtered. Belton (9-3) went on to a 35-22 win. The win avenged an early season loss to Ft Osage and sends the first Belton team in ANY sport to the State Championship tilt. What do you belton fans think ?  bryan@prepcasts.com

 Another team making it to the Championship game is the Parkway Central Colts. Central has a veteran squad of 21 seniors and an outstanding running back in Jordan Myles. The Colts (12-1) whipped the Vashon Wolverines (10-2) easily in a 51-27 romp on Saturday. Waiting for the Colts is the talented Lee Summit West Titans. Quickly bursting onto the scene as a perennial state power, the Titans were the first ever school to make the state playoffs as a first year school in 2004 after going 0-7 in regular season. After losing in two consecutive state semifinal games in 05 and 06, the Titans forced the Ozark Tigers into 5 turnovers and claimed a 35-3 win. How does a new school establish this type of program ?  Your ideas on the key ingredients ?  bryan@prepcasts.com

OK...OK...the Rock lived up to expectations (and more) by pummeling the DeSmet Spartans 67-7. Couple thoughts here...Rockhurst, it seems, has the best class 6 team in the State of Missouri. They are well coached, have tremendous athletes, have established a terrific sports program with outstanding lower level coaches, have faced a tough schedule and without question, are the #1 team in MO right now. In addition, the Rock had a chip on their shoulder from 2 years ago against this same DeSmet team that upset them despite their high state ranking.  DeSmet won 2 years ago as QB Tommy Corwin lit up the Hawklet secondary, more of the same was needed this year for DeSmet to win. When Spartan QB Chris Nesbit went out early due to injury, the Spartans lost a possible key component necessary to score. Would the outcome have been different, I really doubt it but without 1^st string QB's- it is really bleak. If Rockhurst wonders why teams look elsewhere for games as these lopsided scores from Rockhurst appear on the scoreboard, why was first unit QB Nathan Scheelhaase in the game to score the 7^th TD of the game to make it 49-0 with 7:37 left in the 3^rd quarter. The outcome was settled; the running clock had been invoked. What was the point? In this current feeling of pro and college football-run it up whenever you can do so. One would hope that high schools would take a different approach. I do admit that after that 7th TD, Rockhurst substituted liberally and scored three more touchdowns so one might say "Did it matter"? As my Mom told me as a kid, "Its not always what you say but how you say it" Well, to paraphrase, it isn't how you win, it's how you do it." Your thoughts? bryan@prepcasts.com

 Always I hear comments from western side of the STATE about football superiority. One can't dispute that the western side of the state has won more than its share of state football titles. Our congratulations! Does that mean that all the great coaches live west of Columbia, or all the great athletes see Arrowhead more than the Dome ? Speaking as one on the east side, most of us really don't care or pay much attention to these territorial victories. We view each team, each sport independently. Basketball has its Vashon, Kickapoo, Ozark, Charleston powers. Wrestling sees Oak Park annually. Baseball has Webb City, Francis Howell, Frisco league teams has regular visitors to STATE. Certain schools seem to have state football dynasties rolling or developing-Harrisonville, Lee Summit West, Rockhurst, Webb City,  Blue Springs South, MICDS. Clearly at those schools, something powerful is happening by the football coaches and players in the off-season and during the season. There are a variety of reasons that these schools are winning and the KC side of the state does seem to have the upper hand in football currently. What do you think those reasons are ?  bryan@prepcasts.com

This weekend, the Prepcasts announcers will be behind the microphones of the newly established www.mshsaanetwork.com  for all 6 state championship games. All games may be heard on free audio anywhere in the country or MSHSAA unveils its pay-per-view for those fans anxious to see the game on this same Internet listing. Join us and pass the word.  You can get easily to this new website by going to www.prepcasts.com , hit our link and you'll be there!

Comments? Contact bryan@prepcasts.com  with your info.

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