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By Jim Wieners

Despite winning back to back Missouri State Class Six Football titles the last two years Hazelwood Central High School seems to get no love from Ken Massey.

Massey, who uses algorithms to part of NCAA Division I Football Bowl Championships since 1999 to determine the national championship game, uses the same algorithm to determine high school football ratings nationwide and in each state. In Missouri Hazelwood Central is rated by Massey fourth in Class Six and Sixth overall statewide. Kansas City-Rockhurst, who was eliminated in the quarterfinals the last two years to Hazelwood Central’s title opponents the last  two years, is rated first overall statewide and in Class Six.

Blue Springs, runner up to Central last year, is rated second in state by Massey, overall and in Class Six. Blue Springs South, runner up to Central in 2008, is rated 21st overall and ninth in Class Six. DeSmet, Class Six semifinalist last year and who visits Hazelwood Central on Aug. 28 in the season opener and hosts Hazelwood East on Sept. 3, is rated fifth in state overall, third in Class Six.

Among area schools in Class Six Hazelwood West is rated 10th (27th overall) and McCluer North is 11th (28th overall). Among other Suburban North Conference teams in Class Six Pattonville is rated 26th (71st overall) while Ritenour is 28th (93rd overall).

In Class Five Hazelwood East is rated 13th (30th overall), Riverview Gardens is 15th (36th overall) and McCluer is 31st (78th overall). Also Normandy — a Class Four Quarterfinalist last year and who will battle East, Riverview and McCluer this year in Class Five District Three — is ranked 21st (53rd overall).

In Class Three Trinity Catholic is rated 34th (178th overall), Lutheran North is 35th (180th overall) and McCluer South-Berkeley is 36th (181st overall). Also, Cardinal Ritter — a state runner up in 2008 and who will compete against Trinity, Lutheran North and MS-Berkeley in District Four — is rated 14th (102nd overall).

Elsewhere Jennings is rated 33rd in Class Four (130th overall), University City is eighth in Class Four (25th overall) and Parkway North is third in Class Five (11th overall).

Other champions from last year — Webster Groves (Class Five), Kearney (Class Four), Cassville (Class Three) and Penney (Class One) — are each rated first in their enrollment class. In Class Two Centralia, semifinalist last year, is rated first while last year’s state champion Maryville is rated third. Statewide Kearney is rated fourth, Webster is seventh, Cassville is 24th, Centralia is 39th, Penney is 43rd and Maryville is 49th.

Among Missouri teams that will play area opponents Jefferson City, who will play Hazelwood East (Sept 11) and McCluer North (Aug. 27), is rated fifth in Class Six, ninth overall, Columbia-Rock Bridge, who will visit Hazelwood Central Sept. 11, is rated eighth in Class Six, 20th overall, and Harrisonville, who visits Hazelwood West Sept. 4, is rated seventh in Class Four, 18th overall.

Nationwide Massey rates Hutchinson, Kan., first while no Missouri team is in the national top 25 but in Illinois Wheaton Warrenville South is rated 15th in the nation, first in state overall and in Class 7A. Other teams rated first in each Illinois class are Maine South (Class 8A), Cary-Grove Community (Class 6A), Joliet Catholic Academy (Class 5A), Rochester (Class 4A), Wilmington (Class 3A), Morrison (Class 2A) and Tuscola (Class 1A). Belleville East, who hosts Hazelwood West on Aug. 27, is ranked 89th statewide but is ranked 28th in Class 8A.

Massey Ratings can be accessed online at www.highschoolsports.net. Click on Massey Ratings above Boys Football, click on “View By State,” click on Missouri and above 2010 Boys Varsity Football go to second Missouri from left and click it on to view the Class (One-Six) to Click on for Class ratings.

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