Missouri
Vote: Who is Missouri high school quarterback of the year for 2024?
Blink and you might’ve missed it, but the action-packed high school football season in Missouri has already come to a close. Previously, High School on SI asked you to vote on the top high school quarterback entering the 2024 season. Now, we’re asking you to vote on the top QB following the year that was.
We’ve compiled 25 of the top performers the state had to offer from the 2024 season. Now we are asking our High School on SI readers to vote which are the best of the best.
Check out our recaps on each player’s 2024 season and vote in the poll below. Voting closes Dec. 31, at 11:59:59 P.M.
Blane Branscum, sr., Rockwood Summit
The ball is the program, and perhaps no one knows that better than Branscum. He completed 61 percent of his passes this season for 2,297 yards, 24 touchdowns and only two interceptions. He led his Falcons to a 9-3 mark before being bounced in the district semifinals by another quarterback on this list.
Brayden Layman, sr., Lee’s Summit
In Layman’s terms, the Tigers quarterback had a fantastic season, passing for 2,577 yards and 27 touchdowns while leading his squad to an 8-3 record. He completed 63 percent of his passes.
Brett Ottensmeyer, jr., Parkway West
The Longhorns went an even 5-5 this season, but Ottensmeyer (6-foot-4, 185 pounds) amassed a whopping 2,484 yards and 22 touchdowns through the air – easily placing him amongst the state’s best performers.
Carson Boyd, sr., Cardinal Ritter [committed to Illinois]
The consensus top quarterback recruit in the state, Boyd (6-0, 180) turned in eye-popping numbers – completing 80 percent of his passes this season for 3,243 yards and 27 touchdowns. A dual threat, Boyd got it done with his legs, too, racking up 1,162 yards and nine touchdowns on the ground.
Cash Newberry, jr., Glendale
It was a tough season for the Falcons, who finished 3-8 despite dazzling play from their junior quarterback. Newberry netted 2.579 yards passing and 23 touchdowns on just 268 attempts, establishing himself as one of the top players to watch for the 2025 campaign.
Clayton O’Bryan, jr., Fort Zumwalt West
The Jaguars’ signal caller should have plenty of buzz coming off a strong junior campaign. He led his squad to a 7-6 mark behind 2,736 yards passing and 21 touchdowns – including a staggering 332 yards and six touchdowns against Francis Howell North Oct. 4.
Collin Sinclair, jr., Orchard Farm
Sinclair (6-1, 190) stormed onto the scene this season with 2,264 yards passing, 27 touchdowns and only four interceptions to go along with 985 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground.
Dakarri Hollis, sr., Lutheran North
Sharing time with sophomore standout Jonathan Moore, the dual-threat veteran still amassed 1,352 yards and 18 touchdowns passing with 895 yards on 110 carries (8.1 average) with 12 rushing touchdowns. A 2-star recruit by 247 Sports, he holds a Division I offer from Miami (OH).
Dillon Duff, sr., De Smet Jesuit [committed to Kansas State]
The 2024 Class 6 state champion and Missouri Football Coaches Association Class 6 Offensive Player of the Year selection, Duff (6-2, 200) guided the 13-2 Spartans with 2,735 yards and 26 touchdowns passing. He also carried the ball 80 times for 666 yards and nine touchdowns.
Dylan Washick, soph., Monett
One of five sophomores on the list, Washick had a season to remember for the Cubs in coach Ben Mauk’s new offense. Standing in at 6-2, 165, Washick amassed 3,269 yards and 22 touchdowns.
Gavin Johnston, sr., Mount Vernon
One of the top quarterbacks in Southwest Missouri, Johnson led the Mountaineers to a 9-4 mark in 2024 behind 2,850 yards passing and 28 touchdowns.
Hoyt Gregory, sr., North Point [committed to Lindenwood]
A hard commit to nearby Lindenwood University, Gregory (6-4, 215) helped the Grizzlies to seven wins while passing for 2,677 yards, 31 touchdowns and only five interceptions. He also rushed for 500 yards and three touchdowns.
Hudson Bailey, jr., St. Pius X (KC)
The imposing 6-3, 185 signal caller amassed 2,015 yards and a heaping 33 touchdowns through the air this season. His play helped lead the Warriors (10-2) to a perfect 6-0 mark in the Midland Empire District and an appearance in the third round of the Missouri Class 5 playoffs.
Jack Behl, sr., Lafayette (Wildwood)
While guiding the Lancers to a 12-2 mark and an appearance in the Class 5 final four, Behl passed for 3,428 yards – second-highest total in the state – and accounted for 32 touchdowns (26 passing, 6 rushing).
Jonathan Moore, soph., Lutheran North
One of the youngest players on this list, Moore (6-0, 200) led his Crusaders to a 13-1 mark and the Class 4 championship with one of the best seasons of any quarterback in the state. Completing passes at a 63.9 percent clip, Moore racked up 2,350 yards and 41 touchdowns through the air. He added 609 yards on the ground with seven touchdowns.
Adam McKnight, soph., Nixa
Get used to seeing McKnight’s name on this list. Guiding an offense featuring one of the most talented offensive lines in the state, McKnight’s talent was highlighted as he steered his team to a 14-1 season and a Class 6 runner-up finish. The dual threat passed for 1,733 yards and 22 touchdowns (3 interceptions) and rushed for 608 yards and eight touchdowns.
Kaden Clouse, sr., Seneca
Hidden along the Oklahoma line in the southwest corner of the state, Clouse stepped up on the big stage and proved why he’s one of the state’s top dual-threat quarterbacks yet again. In leading his Seneca team to a state runner-up finish in Class 3, Clouse amassed 2,834 yards of offense (1,132 yards rushing, 1,702 rushing) and accounted for 36 touchdowns (18 passing, 18 rushing).
Kobe Westphal, sr., Warrensburg
Led his Tigers to an 11-2 mark and the Class 4 quarterfinals behind a season that puts him among the state’s elite. Completing a staggering 75 percent of his passes, Westphal amassed 2053 yards and 19 touchdowns through the air, while adding 1,405 yards on the ground (8.7 average) and an additional 19 touchdowns.
Michael Scott, soph., Odessa
The newcomer made a name for himself this season, passing for 2,493 yards and 29 touchdowns for the seven-win Bulldogs.
Nick McClellan, jr., Christian Brothers
Ultimate protector of the football, McClellan (6-0, 180) guided the Cadets (10-2) to a district crown and a third-round finish in the Class 5 playoffs. He passed for 2,062 yards, 22 touchdowns and only one interception while adding 891 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground.
Owen Nesslage, sr., Kirkwood
While he didn’t factor much in the ground game, Nesslage more than made up for it with his arm. A regarded baseball recruit signed to Division-II Maryville, the 6-6, 210 southpaw turned heads on the football field this season with 3,991 yards, 39 touchdowns and only nine interceptions to lead the 10-3 Pioneers.
Preston Brown, sr., Hillsboro [committed to North Dakota State]
Brown was off to a fine start before an injury cut short his season after just six games. Despite that, he still managed to surpass 1,500 all-purpose yards, as he passed for 952 (and seven touchdowns) while rushing for 591 (10 touchdowns). The injury shouldn’t keep a player of Brown’s caliber off this list.
Rocco Marriott, jr., Platte County
There’s a reason why Marriott (6-4, 203) has received Division I offers from the likes of Kent and UNLV. Talented in all phases, Marriott led the Pirates to a perfect 14-0 season and the Class 5 championship, passing for 3,077 yards and 39 touchdowns (five interceptions) and rushing for 627 yards and 19 touchdowns.
Spensar Sieger, sr., Fair Grove
Forget calling him one of the best quarterbacks in the state, Sieger is one of the best overall athletes in the state. A dual threat at quarterback and a difference maker on defense for the Eagles, Sieger (6-3, 185) led his team to a 14-1 mark and a spot as Class 2 runner-up. He amassed 3,221 yards of offense (2,233 passing, 988 rushing) and 47 touchdowns (32 passing, 15 rushing).
Zane Thomas, jr., Park Hill
Guiding his Class 6 Trojans to a district title and a 9-3 record, Thomas passed for 3,231 yards and 38 touchdowns with only seven interceptions.
Missouri
Missouri lottery player wins $3 million, jumpstarts retirement dream
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – A Missouri resident plans to retire after stopping at a Clay County grocery store.
The winner purchased “$3 Million Supreme” scratchers ticket at the Price Chopper on Barry Road in Kansas City.
“I scratched the ticket before heading home,” the winner shared. “I knew I won, but the whole drive home I had a strange feeling something wasn’t right with that ticket.”
The winner thought he won $3,000 but after taking a closer look he realized he won $3 million.
ALSO READ: Andrew Lester’s attorney motions to prevent Ralph Yarl from being labeled ‘victim’
“I called my son and asked him if he was sitting down,” he said. “I’m pretty sure he fell out of his chair when I told him I won and I am finally retiring!”
Clay County residents have won more than $29.6 million in Missouri Lottery prizes in 2024.
Retailers received 43.1 millions and $10.1 has gone to education programs.
ALSO READ: 19-year-old who stole child’s backpack at gunpoint found, arrested in Missouri
Copyright 2024 KCTV. All rights reserved.
Missouri
Missouri Immunization Coalition advises to stay ahead of RSV this winter (LISTEN) – Missourinet
Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) is a common respiratory virus that can cause severe illness, especially in infants, older adults, and individuals with weakened immune systems.
Joining Show Me Today is Dr. Laura Morris with MU Heath, who is speaking on behalf of the Missouri Immunization Coalition to provide insight on the safety, effectiveness, and availability of RSV vaccines, particularly for high-risk groups like pregnant women, older adults, and young children.
Missouri
Missouri lawmaker wants to outlaw lethal weapons, require checkpoints at parades
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – When gunfire erupted just minutes after the Chiefs Super Bowl victory rally in February, many asked how it could happen with more than 800 law enforcement officers on hand in an effort to keep the event safe. It is something one local lawmaker wants to address when the Missouri General Assembly convenes next month.
State Representative Anthony Ealy, a Democrat from Grandview, was among the state and local leaders rushed to the basement of Union Station when the sound of shots punctuated the crowd.
Five days later, he introduced legislation to outlaw bringing readily lethal weapons to a parade and requiring parade sponsors to set up checkpoints for security screening. This session, he has pre-filed a new bill with the same language. He spoke to KCTV5 the day the original bill got its second reading.
“The fact that they were able to even have guns in their backpacks on their persons around hundreds of thousands of people it is just crazy and there has to be an answer to that,” Ealy said.
Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas ran when he heard the gunfire. He too wants a solution.
“It is an experience that many of us will not forget,” Lucas said. “I think it is important that we not just move on, but we continue to say, ‘How can we make our community safer?’”
The shooting injured at least two dozen people and killed Lisa Lopez-Galvan. Court documents associated with federal gun crimes charges a month later indicated that at least 12 people pulled out guns and six fired.
READ MORE: Three men charged in gun trafficking linked to mass shooting at Chiefs rally
House Bill No. 94 has two components. The criminal portion would add to what fits the crime of unlawful use of weapons.
It currently prohibits bringing a “firearm of any other weapon readily capable of lethal use” into a place of worship, an election precinct on election day, and any government building. The bill would add a “parade zone during parade hours” to restricted places.
That part, Lucas said, gives law enforcement a leg up.
“I particularly like the portion where it bans the carry of those types of weapons in those crowded areas,” he remarked. “I think that is something that could be helpful for all of us.”
The portion of the law that requires parade hosts to create secure checkpoints is one that Lucas concedes is impractical. It could be cost-prohibitive, and it’s logistically difficult to accomplish in such a large area.
The bill requires that people entering a parade zone pass through a metal detector or be “otherwise scanned by security officers to determine whether the person possesses a firearm.”
A checkpoint existed at the NFL Draft in Kansas City in 2023. They are standard at big stadium events and will no doubt be part of World Cup game security. But those are more confined spaces than a parade.
“When you fill up a good chunk of downtown Kansas City, that becomes something that’s harder to put up,” said Lucas. “I think there are a great many challenges relating to how you build a perimeter, how you set things up all around. But I am always willing to have a conversation about how we make our community safer.”
ALSO READ: Gov. Parson speaks on rally shooting; Rep. introduces legislation restricting firearms at parades in Missouri
The parade restrictions in the bill are limited events hosted by governmental entities. A parade zone is defined as the route and “any public area within one mile.”
The rally shooting was a source of physical and emotional trauma for so many who attended. But people sneak guns into places where it’s already illegal, which is why Lucas emphasized that there’s much more to a solution than checkpoints.
“I think for us long term, the real solution, is to figure it out how we get guns off the street, particularly crime guns, those that have been used in crimes again and again; how we make them harder to get for young people, including a lot of our youthful shooters who were involved in this incident,” Lucas said. “We don’t have to live this way.”
Missouri has some of the least restrictive gun laws in the nation. It no longer requires any training or permit to carry a concealed firearm. That went away in 2017.
KCTV5 reached out to Ealy to discuss HB94. He declined to make himself available, citing scheduling conflicts.
Copyright 2024 KCTV. All rights reserved.
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