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Spartans, Hawks Represent Hazelwood in Show Me Bowl
BY JIM WIENERS
For the first time since 2004 Hazelwood East Football is in the Show Me Bowl. For the first time since 2005 Hazelwood Central Football is in the Show Me Bowl.
For the fourth time since 2000 two Suburban North Conference teams will be playing football in the Show Me Bowl in the same weekend at the Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis. However this Friday-Saturday marks the first time two teams from the Hazelwood School District will be playing for state titles in the same weekend, but not against each other.
Friday at 7:30 p.m. Hazelwood East will play against Raytown South for the Class Five State title. Saturday at 6:30 p.m. Hazelwood Central will play Blue Springs South for the Class Six State title. Each game is the last of the day at the Dome and Saturday’s game closes the prep fall season.
Hazelwood East (10-3) is in their fifth state title game. The Spartans were undefeated state champions in 1989 and 1995 while losing in 2001 and 2004. Interim head coach Mike Jones, who is coaching in his first state title game, was a former St. Louis Rams player and his tackle in the last play of Super Bowl XXXIV in 2000 secured the Rams an NFL World Championship.
Hazelwood Central (11-2) is in their 13th title game, tied for first for most championship games in Missouri State High School Activities Association history with eight-time champion Kansas City Rockhurst, but the first for head coach Richard Nixon. The Hawks have shared the 1972 title (as Hazelwood High) with Kansas City Southwest, was an undefeated champion in 1985 and most recently won in 1996. With nine runner up finishes (1977, ‘78, ‘80, ‘81, ‘83, ‘86, ‘87, 2003, 2005) Hazelwood Central owns the MSHSAA record for most times finishing second.
Blue Springs South (11-2) is in their third title game losing to Hazelwood East in 1995 and defeating CBC in 2006. Blue Springs South road to the Dome includes defeating Lee’s Summit North ousting 2007 Class Six Champion Rockhurst and eliminating 10-time champion Jefferson City. Blue Springs South lost the season opener, Aug. 31, to Rockhurst in a nationally televised game.
Blue Springs South is a very physical, senior-laden team with an option quarterback, Nixon said. On the other hand the Hawks are “playing with some swagger,” Nixon adds. “They’ve been forged by fire.”
Raytown South (13-1) is in their first-ever title game after defeating Winnetonka, Fort Osage and three-time Class Five Champion Raymore-Peculiar.
DeJuan Owens ran the ball 16 times for 161 yards and four touchdowns last Saturday at Gorzynski Field leading Hazelwood East to a 33-6 win over Jackson. Also last Saturday Kerry Gibson completed 10 out of 14 passes for 171 yards and a touchdown while running for 51 yards and another score in the Hazelwood Central won at home, 31-6 over Fox.
