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Hazelwood Central, DeSmet Meet Again; McCluer North Begins Griffin Era
By Jim Wieners
For the fifth consecutive year Hazelwood Central and DeSmet Jesuit will meet on the football field and it is the third time in five years, the first since 2011, they will open the season.
Central hosts the season-opener Aug. 23 (a week from Saturday) at 1 p.m., weather permitting. The game could start earlier if there is excessive heat or the game could be moved to DeSmet, which has an artificial playing surface, should there be any excessive rain and Hazelwood Central plays on grass. Two years ago the Hazelwood Central-DeSmet game moved from Central to DeSmet because of excess rains from the remnants of tropical storm-hurricane Isaac.
In the previous four regular-season meeting Hazelwood Central won at home in 2010 and at DeSmet last year while DeSmet won in 2011 and 2012. The teams also met in the Class Six postseason three times in the last four years, all at Central, as the Hawks won the 2010 State Semifinals and last District Two Semifinals while DeSmet won the 2012 District Two Semifinals. DeSmet won over Central in the 2005 Class Six Championship while Hazelwood Central won the 1977 Class 4A Quarterfinals.
Last year Hazelwood Central was a Suburban North Conference champion with a 7-0 record and a Class Six Semifinalist after winning District Two and was 12-1 overall while DeSmet was 6-5. Hazelwood Central had a streak of 15 consecutive State Semifinal wins including 1972 as Hazelwood High end with a 36-33 loss at eventual runner up Columbia Rock Bridge. In last year’s meetings Central won week two Sept. 6 at DeSmet 42-38 thanks to an 11-yard Mike Glass to Xavier Sneed touchdown pass with 15 seconds left while in the Hawks’ 35-28 District Two semifinal win Nov. 9 COURTLAND GRIFFIN DEBUTS AT JEFFERSON CITY — For only the third time in the 44-year school history, which began in 1971, McCluer North welcomes a head coach. Courtland Griffin, who was an offensive coordinator for most of nine years at McCluer South-Berkeley, succeeds 29-year veteran Jim Schottmueller, who led the Stars to a 220-104 career record and five state title game appearances (lost all five). Last year Griffin assisted McCluer South-Berkeley head coach Howard Brown to a 10-2 record and finished as a Class Three Quarterfinalist. Griffin is a 1999 McCluer North graduate and played for Schottmueller.
While the Stars are coming off a 6-5 season a year ago and was a Class Five, District Two Semifinalist in the final year for the now retired Schottmueller Griffin begins his career as McCluer North head coach with the same team Schottmueller started the previous six seasons, Jefferson City. The Stars open the season on a Friday night, Aug. 22, with a 7 game at Pete Adkins Stadium against the Jays, who have an 8-0 record over the Stars including two Class 5A State Championship wins and a 24-7 win last year at McCluer North in a game called early in the second half due to the heat.
Griffin will also have someone whom he is familiar at McCluer South-Berkeley and that is wide receiver Ryan Stokes, who caught 13 touchdown passes last year for McCluer South-Berkeley, is transferring to McCluer North to join another wide receiver in Harry Ballard.
OTHER WEEK ONE OPENERS — For the eighth, perhaps ninth, consecutive season Lutheran North and Clayton open the season against each other with Clayton hosting this year in a 7 p.m. game, Aug 22 at Gay Field. Last year Lutheran North lost their first four including Clayton 34-7 in extreme heat then win nine straight before losing the Class Two Semifinal to eventual State Champion Lamar.
For the third consecutive season Trinity Catholic opens the season at Wright City and for the second year in a row will host the game, Aug. 22 at 7 p.m. Last year Trinity was 3-7 but was a 31-19 winner over 4-6 Wright City, a team the Titans have defeated two years in a row.
McCluer, who was 1-9 last season, kicks off the season Aug. 22 with a 4:15 game at home against Public High League Champion and Class Four Quarterfinalist Miller Career Academy. Hazelwood West, who was 3-7 last season, opens at home Aug. 23, 1 p.m. against Northwest-Cedar Hill, who was 2-8. Hazelwood East — who was 7-4 last year and was a Class Five, District Two Semifinalist — opens at home Aug. 23, 1 p.m., against University City — 3-9. and was Class Four, District Five Runner Up.
