Blog

BY JIM WIENERS

For the second year in a row there will be no Suburban North Conference team playing in the Show Me Bowl, the Missouri State High School Activities Association championships.

Last year McCluer North was the last Suburban North team to fall out of the playoffs, losing 28-7 to eventual Class Five runner up Kirkwood in the Semifinals. Last Friday Pattonville, the final Suburban North team to have a shot at the Show Me Bowl, lost 19-13 to Mehlville in the Class Six Semifinals at Pattonville Stadium, Maryland Heights.

Pattonville overcame two forfeit losses in the first three games and ended the season with a 7-5 overall record. Pattonville completed a three-game sweep of Class Six, District Four with a 35-14 win Nov. 2 at Pattonville Stadium over Riverview Gardens. On Nov. 9 Pattonville went to Lafayette then went home with a 51-21 Quarterfinal win.

Pattonville head coach Doug Newton describes the 2007 season as “a complete success,” he said. “Not only once but twice, especially after the forfeits (to Parkway South and Hazelwood East for using an ineligible player). I could not be happier.”

Last Friday’s Semifinal game was the fourth for Pattonville since 1994 and has only won one semifinal game. The Class Six, District Four title was the first since 2002.

Meanwhile Mehlville (10-2) plays Kansas City-Rockhurst (12-0) Friday, 6:30, for the Class Six title. Mehlville, who won their third semifinal game in nine appearances, defeated Rockhurst 15-7 in the 1999 Class 5A title game while losing in 1994 to Jefferson City, 14-7 in Pete Adkins last game as Jefferson City head coach. Rockhurst, returning to the post season after a rare elimination during the districts last year, is making their 13th title game appearance and looking to win their eighth state title, their first since 2002.

The key play that secured the win for Mehlville was a goal-line stance by their defense. With 9:40 left in the fourth quarter Mehlville stopped Pattonville quarterback Colin Hanna short of the goal line four plays after Pattonville had a first and goal from the Mehlville five yard line.

“When you have first and goal from the five,” said Newton, “you got to get it in. (But) give credit to (Mehlville head coach) Gary Heyde and the Mehlville defense.” Heyde said “we needed to do that.”

Mehlville opened the scoring with two Tyrone Clark touchdowns, including an interception, while Pattonville got two touchdowns from Evan Knight, the second came in the opening minutes of the second half after Mehlville got an Alexis Reedus touchdown late in the first half. Pattonville turned the ball over three times, according to Newton, two in the second half and the last, with 4:38 left in the fourth quarter, resulted in Mehlville running out the clock even though Pattonville used all three time outs they had.

Here are the other games this weekend at the Edward Jones Dome, St. Louis.
CLASS FIVE — Belton (9-3) versus Waynesville (11-1), Saturday, 6:30 — Both are in their first state title game. Waynesville knocked out the top two teams in state, Kirkwood (14-7) and Jackson (25-14).

CLASS FOUR — Lee’s Summit West (13-0) versus Parkway Central (12-1), Friday, 3:15 — Lee’s Summit West is in their first state title game while Parkway Central is in their third after losses to Blue Springs in 1992 and Jefferson City in 1997.

CLASS THREE — Harrisonville (13-0) versus Mary Institute-Country Day School (12-0), Saturday, 3:15 — MICDS is in their 12th title game, their fifth after Country Day and Mary Institute merged and is looking for their eighth title, their third after the merger. Harrisonville is in their seventh title game, their fourth in a row and is looking to win their third in a row, their fourth in five years.

CLASS TWO — Lawson (13-0) versus Blair Oaks (11-2) — Friday, 12 noon — Lawson is in their second title game, losing to Centralia in 2003. Blair Oaks, defending state champions, also won in 2004 and is unbeaten in two previous title game appearances.

CLASS ONE — Orrick (13-0) versus Thayer (13-0) — Saturday, 12 noon — Orrick is in their first title game since winning the 1975 Class 1A state title.

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