Missouri Week 13 high school football notebook: Offensive-minded Howell eyes rare opportunity to reach title game

By Chris Geinosky

Few applications in Missouri have been as profitable as Francis Howell has been up to now decade and a half. In any case, the Vikings haven’t suffered a shedding season since a 3-8 marketing campaign in 2008, and in all however two of these seasons, they’ve received no less than eight video games.

Nonetheless, regardless of all these victories over time, this system has skilled a restricted quantity of postseason success. Up to now three seasons alone, the Vikings produced a powerful 29-6 document, however on all three events misplaced within the district championship spherical, shedding to eventual state finalist De Smet in 2019 and 2020 and falling, 23-21, towards upstart Troy Buchanan on the ultimate play of the sport final yr.

However this yr has been totally different. Francis Howell has put collectively an ideal 12-0 document, highlighted by a Class 5 District 3 title, and has earned the best to play at Carthage within the Class 5 semis this weekend.

There’s one prime purpose the Vikings will make their third state semifinal look in program historical past – their explosive high-scoring offense. Howell has scored no less than 5 touchdowns in each sport this season and averages practically 50 factors per contest.

Quarterback Adam Shipley, a junior who has dedicated to pitch at St. Louis College, has run the present, passing for 1,774 yards and 23 touchdowns and dashing for an additional 602 yards and 10 scores. Operating again Brady Hultman has rushed for 1,062 yards and 20 touchdowns. Jude James leads the receiving corps with 559 yards and 6 scores, whereas Jaylen Pearson and Kendall Gurley have each created massive performs on offense and particular groups. In the meantime, tight finish Brett Norfleet, a College of Missouri commit, and kicker Josh Deal, a Division I prospect, are thought of to be among the many greatest within the state at their respective positions.

Howell hopes all that firepower will probably be sufficient to show a Carthage protection that ranks among the many hardest in Missouri. The Vikings are enjoying of their first semifinal sport since 2014 and have aspirations of reaching the state championship sport for the primary time since 2012.

Kirkwood retains Frisco Bell with Turkey Day win towards Webster Groves

There’s a highschool soccer Thanksgiving Day custom like no different held in St. Louis. And Kirkwood continues to have the very best of it currently.

Generally known as the Turkey Day Recreation, one of many longest-running highschool soccer rivalries within the nation contains a Thanksgiving Day matchup between Kirkwood and Webster Groves. Historical past of the sport dates again to 1907, and this yr’s contest was the 117th installment of the rivalry.

The neighboring colleges sit solely 5 miles aside from one another, and thru the years, the 2 groups have historically performed on Thanksgiving Day. Since 1952, the successful group takes possession of the prized Frisco Bell – a trophy that has resided at Kirkwood for dearly the previous decade.

Kirkwood prolonged its win streak to a rivalry-record 9 in a row after this yr’s 56-7 victory. Webster Groves nonetheless leads the all-time collection, 58-55-7.

Senior operating again Deion Brown had a day to recollect, breaking this system’s single-season and profession dashing information. Coach Jeremy Maclin’s Pioneers completed with a 7-4 general document, posting one more successful marketing campaign for this system. Webster Groves completed 1-9.

Reeds Spring reaches semifinal spherical for first time since 1980

Most of the groups enjoying within the state semifinals this weekend know all about this time of yr. Defending state champions CBC, Smithville, St. Mary’s and East Buchanan nonetheless have their hopes alive to repeat.

However there’s one group that’s not used to enjoying right now of the yr. 

Reeds Springs has superior to the semifinal spherical of the state playoffs for the primary time since 1980. The Wolves will host Sullivan within the Class 3 semifinals at 1 p.m. Saturday. 

“Forty-two years in the past, the 1980 group made it to the semifinal, and so they misplaced that sport,” Reeds Spring coach Andy McFarland instructed Ozarks Sports activities Zone. “There have been numerous nice Reeds Spring groups up to now 42 years, particularly in current historical past, and so they misplaced to some robust opponents. We’re comfortable to take the banner ahead and characterize these guys that weren’t in a position to get thus far, regardless that they might have actually deserved to be right here.”

Reeds Spring (10-2) is having fun with this system’s greatest season in reminiscence. Two weeks in the past, when the Wolves captured the Class 3 District 6 championship it marked their first district crown in 25 years.

Winners of six straight video games, Reeds Spring has received extra video games up to now month and a half than any of the previous three seasons. The Wolves’ 10-2 document has matched their 10-2 campaigns in 2014 and 2015, however they fell brief within the district title video games in each these years.

Try the Missouri highschool soccer playoff brackets right here: CLASS 6 | CLASS 5 | CLASS 4 | CLASS 3 | CLASS 2 | CLASS 1

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