Blog

By Jim Wieners

For the second time in three years Hazelwood Central and DeSmet will be meeting for the second time in a year but unlike in 2010 where Hazelwood Central defeated DeSmet 20-14 in a Class Six State Semifinal this Saturday, Nov. 3 at 1:30, they will collide in a Class Six, District Two Semifinal at Hazelwood Central.

The winner will advance to the Class Six, District Two Final Nov. 9, 7 p.m. against top-seed CBC or fourth-seed Ritenour. The only way the game is played Nov. 10, 1:30 at Hazelwood Central is if second-seeded Hazelwood Central (8-2) defeats third-seeded DeSmet (7-3) and Ritenour (7-3) defeats CBC (10-0).

It is a rematch from Sept. 1 when DeSmet won at home 21-0 in game that moved from Hazelwood Central due to remnants of what was Hurricane Isaac. Hazelwood Central head coach Van Vanatta wants the Hawks to show up as a full team for practice this week and “we got to cut down on our mistakes.” Doing so means the Hawks and Spartans are “going to be in a dogfight,” Vanatta said.

Central, according to Vanatta, “took care of business” Oct. 27 in a 28-7 home win over seventh-seeded Hazelwood West an 0-10 team Vanatta said is “trying to put things together” foe head coach Duane Hawthorne. Darrius Adams scored a pair of Hawk touchdowns. Meanwhile DeSmet whitewashed sixth-seeded and 1-9 Pattonville, 41-0, Oct. 26, as Conner Harrison threw two touchdown passes to Chris Klages.

CLASS FIVE, DISTRICT TWO — HAZELWOOD EAST, McCLUER ADVANCE — Playing on a cold, windy Friday afternoon, Oct. 26, in front of sparse crowds for rematches fourth-seeded Hazelwood East won 14-7 over visiting and fifth-seeded McCluer North (3-7) while a few miles west off Interstate 270 second-seeded McCluer High won 21-6 over visiting and seventh-seeded Riverview Gardens (3-7). Hazelwood East (6-4) played at 9-0 and top-seeded Kirkwood Oct. 31 the same night McCluer (8-2) played against 7-2 and third-seeded Webster Groves at Ritenour. The winners play for the district title Nov. 5, site to be announced at 7 p.m.

Despite the fact that a lot of Hazelwood East players were out with injuries and what head coach Brian Simmons said the Spartans were “down to the bare bones”  but won the game with a third-quarter touchdown (three-yard run) and two-point conversion by Ahmad Huddleston overcoming a 7-6 deficit. East, defensively, according to Simmons “stepped up” against the improving Stars and East was helped by key plays and the game clock which ran out on the Stars final drive 40-yards short of the end zone.

McCluer was playing against Riverview without Aaron Willis, who was injured Oct. 20 at Hazelwood Central, but Comet head coach Joe Henke thought McCluer “played sloppy, too many penalties (and) we did not tackle well” but Berlin Hollomon, Nate Miller and Wyatt Clark each ran for a touchdown in the win. While Kirkwood had a bye Webster Groves, Oct. 26, defeated sixth-seeded Chaminade, 28-0.

LUTHERAN NORTH ADVANCES IN CLASS TWO — Lutheran North, seeded fifth in Class Two, District Two, improved to 4-6 with a 41-32 win Oct. 26 at fourth-seeded Herculaneum who had five touchdowns from Dustin Johnson but Justin Baker threw for 371 yards and four Lutheran North touchdowns, two to Anthony Virdure. Lutheran North, coached by Mike Russell, was to play Oct. 31 at top-seeded Maplewood-Richmond-Heights, with former Hazelwood Central coach Rich Nixon at the helm, and the winner plays for the district title Nov.5, 7 p.m. against second-seeded Brentwood or third-seeded Carnahan.

McCLUER SOUTH-BERKELEY ADVANCES IN CLASS THREE — With 10 portable power-generated  lights, eight on the field, Oct. 26 third-seeded McCluer South-Berkeley (7-3) demolished 3-7 and sixth-seeded and visiting Trinity Catholic, 86-6, in Class Three, District Five with 11 touchdowns, nine two-point conversions and a safety. MS-Berkeley was to play top seeded and 9-1 Christian in O’Fallon Oct. 31 and the winner plays Nov. 3, 7 p.m., against second-seeded Duchesne or fourth-seeded Orchard Farm.