DeSoto Dragons at Festus Tigers (Class 4, District 1)
Russ Schmidt’s return to Midmeadow Lane as DeSoto’s head coach is a triumph in more ways than one. It was Schmidt’s mastery of DeSoto as FHS’s skipper that stuck in the minds of R-6 faithful in 2020, when Black & Gold’s boosters formed a revolt, and would not allow former athletic director Eric Allen to sign on the cellar-dwelling Dragons’ coach Chris Johnson for the job an incalculably better coach is holding now. On a broader level, Schmidt has spent the years before and after COVID-19 helping to build not one, not 2, but 3 local teams into organizations of growth and positivity. Schmidt is the MAN!
Regretfully, no power of Man can take the calendar and push it forward 2-3 years. On the football field, in the here and now, Schmidt is coaching a club that’s ill-equipped to tackle the #2 Tigers.
Festus High, prior to a long stoppage that chilled Black & Gold’s legs and put lumps in their throats, gave the Jackson Indians what-for all over the field in Week 9. The Tigers made legit defensive stands on opposing drives that did not end because of the Class 6 contenders having shot themselves in the feet, and mounted a drive to potentially make the scoreboard read 28-21 with a quarter left to play. Jackson and Cardinal Ritter are very comparable teams in 2023, making FHS’s performance in Week 9 as impressive as Hillsboro’s solid show versus Cardinal Ritter in Week 8.
It’ll be more than a ceremonial Week 10. Trey Lacey’s scary head-and-neck wounds weren’t the only injury woes that the Tigers took on against Jackson in Week 9. Defensive end Dante Bridgett has gone missing from the stat counter, and it appears that further nicks and scratches may have compelled A.J. Ofodile to juggle the Edwards’ boys roles as well.
Heck, the junior “rotation” QB Essien Smith hasn’t taken a snap since midseason, and yet it’s hard to gather much injury news on the Tigers without any recent interviews from Coach O. More than anything else, Week 10’s game is a chance to get a look-see at the Festus starting (and second-string) lineup to see who’s healthy for the postseason. PREDICTION: TIGERS 54, DRAGONS 7
Priory Ravens at St. Pius Lancers (Class 2, District 2)
When it comes to Priory’s chances to win at St. Pius X, it’s probably down to the Ravens’ ability to block and protect the pocket. The Lancers are fired-up again after whipping up on the upstart Perryville Pirates and drawing a favorable #4 seed in the District 2 bracket. That means any trip to Hill Valley is going to come with fierce opposing pass rushes. Priory’s offensive tackles may be the quiet key to Friday’s game.
It also makes it hard to predict a final score at SPX, because Priory’s blocking effort has been way up and down this season. Country Day’s pass rushers sacked Priory’s QB an ugly total of 10 times in the Ravens’ otherwise respectable 31-point loss to a powerhouse from a higher weight class. In the Varsity Ravens’ next similar meeting against John Burroughs, the winners recorded no sacks against Priory. But the obvious fact that Burroughs hurt Priory’s overall offense in other ways, withholding all but 175 yards and 1 TD pass versus 2 INTs, makes Mississippi Magazine think the Ravens were overcompensating.
All in all, a #5 seed that’s light enough on its feet to give up 20 points to Lutheran South probably has a hard way to go vs the St. Pius Lancers’ new level of physicality. PREDICTION: LANCERS 44, PRIORY 16
Northwest Lions at Oakville Tigers (Class 6, District 1)
We’ve got a hunch that Northwest will make hay in this Q-Final after getting the monkey off its back vs Mehlville last week. But that’s often what The Geek says before a low-ranked county school like Windsor or Northwest is beaten by 900 points late in the year. We’ll see. PREDICTION: OAKVILLE 28 OR 900, LIONS 21 OR 0
Kennett Indians at Herculaneum Blackcats (Class 3, District 1)
Once again, the simple fact that Dunklin R-5 is HOSTING A RELEVANT PLAYOFF GAME THIS YEAR is G-L-O-R-Y with 5 capital letters. But like the Fox vs St. Mary’s quarterfinal game in Class 5, the opponents are so devoid of commonly-played teams that it’s hard to analyze the contest. What we know is that Kennett hasn’t scored a meaningful touchdown since Week 7, and is not probable to score in a hurry on a Herculaneum defense that gets more stubborn every time another player goes down from injury. Herky’s offense can at least play its part presuming the ‘Cats aren’t so one-dimensional as to allow Kennett a goal-line defense without fear of getting burned. If QB Keaton Reeves builds on the final, fantastic turn of Week 9 to complete just a few more passes for HHS, anything’s possible vs an ailing powerhouse that may not be fully invested. PREDICTION: KENNETT 22, BLACKCATS 12
St. Mary’s Dragons at Fox Warriors (Class 5, District 1)
Who knows what to think about this mysterious meeting, except that Arnold seems due to win a few more close ballgames than it has. PREDICTION: WARRIORS 27, ST. MARY’S 24
Windsor Owls at Union Wildcats (Class 4, District 2)
The 4-5 Windsor Owls’ receiving corps has exactly 20 snags on the entire season. That’s no “Fun-ston” for a team that seemed poised for bigger things in ’23. PREDICTION: UNION 38, ALBINO BIRDS 20
Grandview Eagles at Lift For Life Hawks (Class 2, District 2)
It’s going to be a downer ending for a let-down of a Grandview Eagles team in ’23. The good news, though, is that most of the intimidating big men who we spoke about in August were sophomores and juniors all along, and could allow next year’s skill players to flourish no matter which combination of JV boys is promoted at RB and other spots.
Then it’ll just be a matter of keeping Grandview’s talent healthy and upright for a change…not to mention avoiding more injury to those hosses up front. PREDICTION: LIFT FOR LIFE 49, EAGLES 7