This week’s readers are aware that The Geek has made “schedule changes” of his own, while trying to preview all 12 of our Dirty Dozen’s football schedules for 2024. But don’t worry, unlike MSHSAA officials and weather-watchers on a rainy summer night, we’re not ONLY interested in delays!
Mother Nature isn’t done playing havoc with this Varsity season’s kickoff. Friday night’s forecast calls for an increasing chance of storms just as the sun goes down, which could cause some teams to hurry up and kick off at 5 PM or 6 PM, just hoping to get Week 1’s contest in before any lightning appears in Columbia Dittmer. DeSoto and Freeburg already moved their Week 1 game to this Thursday evening, which by accident, could help the Dragons and the Midgets (yes, the Midgets) avoid the potential downpour. It wouldn’t be unheard of for other pairings to move to Thursday.
We can’t leave DeSoto out of Week 1 just because of another Thursday game. But at the same time, it would stink to write a novel about this Friday’s matchups, and then have them all get moved to Monday afternoon, Tuesday morning, or quietly canceled without officially canceling moved to dates later in the season.
So – quite unexpectedly – here’s a special short-order “Quick Picks” version of 2024’s first predictions. May all of The Geek’s (single) paragraphs be as illuminating as needed, whether we’re all cheering or just waiting around bored this Friday night.
Week 1 Friday Night Predictions
Freeburg (IL) Midgets at DeSoto Dragons (Thursday)
This contest is a credit to DeSoto’s new CEO, and a neato way to help open the Tri-State pigskin year. It’s usually a no-brainer pick when a previously 8-3 team goes against a 1-9 outfit, and there won’t be anything about Freeburg’s look that suggests Illinois isn’t the favorite over Missouri this time. Make no mistake, that “Midgets” nickname is ALL irony for a Freeburg squad that averages 250+ pounds on the front line in most seasons. It’s like on a sitcom when they introduce a guy named “Tiny Fiddlesticks” and it turns out to be a massive ex-NFL linebacker. Russ Schmidt’s group, however, stands better prepared to take on a “Farmer’s Team” with more power than speed at this point, as opposed to a very fast team with less power. All things being equal, you can usually give MSHSAA teams about a 20-point natural edge over rural Illinois teams in state-versus-state competition, though Freeburg is good enough to overcome that. PREDICTION: FREEBURG 38, DRAGONS 21
Northwest Lions at Sullivan Eagles (Thursday)
UPSET WATCH. Sullivan’s 2000-yard man Franky Erxleben has erx-ited the High School stage, and the Eagles are much younger and greener than 2023’s contending unit. PREDICTION: SULLIVAN 27, LIONS 21
Windsor Owls at Herculaneum Blackcats
We don’t expect as much of a grueling defensive struggle between Herky and Windsor this time. But in a role-reversal from 2023, look for Windsor to be the team trying to slow things down, while Herculaneum works to increase the tempo and wear down WHS’s fledgling corps on a hot night. PREDICTION: BLACKCATS 27, ALBINO BIRDS 13
Country Day Rams at Hillsboro Hawks
We also have to remember that if Friday games are played – under sunny skies – that they’re going to be HOT, maybe a lot hotter than originally forecast. August heat benefits teams with ensemble casts, “backfields by committee,” and enough of a wide-open passing game to comfortably spread the ball around with plenty of substitutes. Hillsboro teams of the past, reliant on triple-option plays featuring 2 or 3 outstanding rushers, would’ve stood little chance against MICDS (which rushed for 2000 yards and passed for 2000 yards last year) on a dangerously hot field, with fatigued running backs. But with the type of Hillsboro offense we’ve seen under coach Bill Sucharski and QB Preston Brown, the Hawks could fight this one out to the bitter end. PREDICTION: COUNTRY DAY 39, HAWKS 28
St. Pius Lancers at Caruthersville Tigers
St. Pius is said to have temporary QB issues going into Week 1, tipping the scales in favor of CHS in a classic matchup. PREDICTION: CARUTHERSVILLE 24, LANCERS 14
Rolla Bulldogs at Festus Tigers
Rolla looked like a dangerous Week 1 visitor…at 85 degrees and breezy. With the Friday forecast changing to a temperature of above 90 degrees (if not storming), the Rolla Bulldogs may find themselves in the awful dilemma of a power team stuck in a hot-weather game, against a very deep lineup that spreads its touches around. There’s no opportunity to get the Flexbone really cranking in a 90-degree game vs comparable athletes, since at some point the substitutes have to come in, disrupting the unit’s fine-tuned execution over 48:00. PREDICTION: TIGERS 41, ROLLA 20
Crystal City Hornets at Sikeston Bulldogs
Will the “power team in the heat” syndrome curse Crystal City too? Not necessarily, because the Hornets’ offensive backfield is still deep, and Nolan Eisenbeis can toss the bean around if need be. Coach Adam Sims has installed an offense in which it’s easier to watch each kid’s workload. PREDICTION: HORNETS 26, SIKESTON 12
Seckman Jaguars at Parkway West Longhorns
Parkway West’s defense was quite vulnerable in 2023’s bouts against complete teams, in which the Longhorns couldn’t be disorganized and still force 3-and-outs. Seckman fits the bill of a visitor that can punish Parkway West at its weakest points, but there’s no question that Seckman has a tougher chore than Fox. PREDICTION: JAGUARS 32, PARKWAY WEST 19
Fox Warriors at Mehlville Panthers
Arnold may have a (cough) long road trip ahead of it to start the campaign, but a visit to Mehlville will feel cushy. PREDICTION: WARRIORS 49, MEHLVILLE 7
Chaffee Red Devils at Grandview Eagles
Chaffee has been hit hard by its graduations also, so this “retribution” game could turn into a GHS layup. That is, if the Birds of Prey each remember what it’s like to be surrounded by a team of healthy athletes. It’s not a dream – don’t stop to pinch at your arm, or Chaffee might un-pinch it for you. PREDICTION: EAGLES 28, CHAFFEE 0
Jefferson Blue Jays at Priory Ravens (Saturday)
Chalk this Saturday up for the Dirty Dozen as well. Priory has graduated half of a ton – literally – of mass from its previous OL/DL roster of 2023. PREDICTION: BLUE JAYS 36, PRIORY 6