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Jim Wiener’s Sports Roundup: Another State Semifinal Try
Lutheran North, Seeking First State Final Since ‘99, Hosts Lathrop
By Jim Wieners
It is 20 years since Lutheran High School North (1999) in their last Missouri State High School Activities Football Championship game and the Crusaders made four semifinal appearances since, only to lose each time.
Saturday, Nov. 30, 1 p.m. at LaMothe Memorial Field, Lutheran North gets one more state semifinal try as the Crusaders host 2018 Class Two State Runner Up Lathrop in a battle of Class Two unbeatens. Lutheran North is 12-0, including a forfeit win over Cardinal Ritter, Sept. 7 in East St. Louis, Ill., while Lathrop, in northwest Missouri and northeast of Kansas City, is 13-0, in their third state semifinal and is making a nearly four-hour, 254-mile trip to Lutheran North.
The winner advances to the Show-Me Bowl Class Two State Championship Game Dec. 6 at 3 p.m. Lathrop or Lutheran North plays Ava, first-time semifinalist, or Clark County, third-time semifinalist.
Lutheran North won five state titles, tying the North County combined record by Hazelwood High (1972 co-champions with the now-defunct Kansas City Southwest) and Hazelwood Central (1985 [undefeated], 1996, 2008 and 2009). Lutheran North won Class 3A titles in 1981, 1988, 1989 and 1990 while winning the Class 2A title in 1999. Lutheran North took Class 2A second place in 1993.
Lutheran North went 130 miles, just under two hours, Nov. 15 to Scott City and the Crusaders rolled to a 57-8 Class Two Quarterfinal victory. The Crusaders enjoyed their trips down Interstate 55 to Southeast Missouri and the boot heel during the 2010s as Lutheran North won two times over Caruthersville (64-7 in 2017 and 51-8 in 2018). In 2013, Lutheran North won at home over Caruthersville, 56-41.
The win over Scott City was the second time the Crusaders won over the Rams, including 47-21 in 1999. Leading 16-0 after one quarter, Lutheran North broke the game wide open by scoring 26 points in the second quarter (to eight for Scott City). However, the running clock rule started with 7:17 left in the third quarter.
Sophomore quarterback Bran Brown led the Lutheran North offense by completing 23 passes for 377 yards and four touchdowns, three of them the second quarter. About 11 Brian Brown passes were caught by senior Jordan Smith, for 202 yards and two touchdowns, the second coming in the third quarter prompting the running clock. Brown also threw second-quarter touchdown passes to sophomore Ali Wells, who ran for two touchdowns, and senior Cameron Griffin, to end the first half.
Smith was in a pair of first-quarter two-point conversions, a pass to senior Itavyion Brown and a run. Senior Jalen Head rushed for a first-quarter touchdown and a second-quarter two-point conversion. Senior Roni Rutledge ran for a first-quarter touchdown, junior kicker Jacob fuller kicked fourth-quarter extra point and the Crusader defense, with six total tackles by junior Travion Ford, added a fourth-quarter safety.
Lutheran North won their third straight Class Two, District Two title with a 6-0 shut out of visiting Lift for Life Academy Charter on Nov. 15. It is the second consecutive year Lutheran North shuts out Lift for Life in the Class Two, District Two Final (51-0 in 2018) and the 25th District title since 1979. The six points scored, on a Smith one-yard, fourth-quarter touchdown run with 7:59 left, are the fewest since losing the 2018 opener Aug. 24 at Illinois Class 7A State Champion LaGrange Park Nazareth Academy (20-6)
Lutheran North’s defense, with four quarterback sacks, was led by junior Chris Childs and sophomore Caldra Williford, with eight total tackles each.
