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Week 1 Review

A pretty typical week 1.  Some shocking results, some teams looking just as good as advertised, some HUGE performances, some fresh faces emerging, some questions answered, and some questions still open.  The big question right now is “Who won between Ava and Strafford?”  Usually we’d be pretty set on this point but multiple sources are reporting the score different ways.  The score was 35-28.  And it did go to overtime.  That we know.  Everyone agrees.  But was it the Bears or the Indians?  That’s the point of contention.  Well I can say on good authority (i.e. someone who was actually at the game) that Ava did come out the winner.  Now that we have that out of the way, it’s the moment you’ve all really been waiting for since last year’s Show-Me Bowls.  Yes, we all enjoy the football games.  But everybody loves the Ozarks favorite game…

Continue reading Week 1 Review

2010 Week 1 Picks

It’s finally here!  Let the trumpets be sounded forth.  Slay the fatted calf.  Prepare to make merry uponeth the greenery of many fields as dusk settleth over the earth.  Yea verily, it is good and shall be good forevermore.  Bringeth forth mistrials to delight our ears with the anthems of our lands.  Set the musicians to play, the spotted hordes to cheer, and the young men who recalleth the titans of yore to clash within the arenas of our land as they seek to claim eternal, resplendent glory for themselves and their principalities!

In other words, let’s play some football.  I’ll be doing an SCA swing this weekend starting in Mountain Grove to watch the Panthers clash with defending state class 3 champions Cassville.  Then it’s off to Howell County for Hogan Prep and Mt. View-Liberty Saturday afternoon.  More great games this opening week than I think I’ve ever seen before.  So, town cryer, announceth the picks!

WEEK 1 PICKS

Game of the Week

  • Hogan Prep at Mt. View-Liberty – Saturday at 1 PM
    • The Rams gave eventual state champion Maryville all they wanted & more last year in the state quarterfinals eventually falling 35-32. Continue reading 2010 Week 1 Picks

2010 SCA Football Predictions

A three way tie for the conference title last year kept Mountain Grove’s string of championships alive.  Mt. View-Liberty will look to start a string of their own.  And familiar friend Thayer returns to the conference.

Team

Wins Losses Conf wins Conf losses
Mt. View-Liberty

9

1

6

1

Thayer

9

1

6

1

Salem

8

2

6

1

Mountain Grove

7

3

5

2

Willow Springs

6

4

4

3

Ava

2

6

2

5

Cabool

3

7

1

6

Houston

1

8

0

7

Yes, folks.  That’s a bold pick.  A tri-champion for a second consecutive year? Continue reading 2010 SCA Football Predictions

2010 OzarksSports.Net Football Preview

Schools are starting back up again, jamborees are tonight, and temperatures are still in the 90s.  Ah, football season in the Ozarks.  And so here begins the flood of football information over the next week.  Today is the preview with my entirely meaningless yet so much fun preseason rankings, week to week games to watch and why, and the players to go see.  Next will come my conference by conference previews & predictions.  And we’ll finish up with my entirely fearless predictions on who advances to the playoffs.  With that, away we go.

2010 OzarksSports.Net Football Preview

Continue reading 2010 OzarksSports.Net Football Preview

2009 MFBCA Football Academic All-State Team

Last year I was highly critical that the Ozarks wasn’t very well represented on the football academic all-state team.  A grand total of 16 teams and 47 players from the Ozarks made it last year.  Well let’s give a big round of applause to all the coaches who took the time to nominate their players this year because this year, the Ozarks are proudly represented by 27 teams and 88 players.  Leading the way is Webb City with 8, Lebanon with 7, Fair Grove with 6, Springfield Catholic and Thayer each have 5, and Nixa, Neosho, Salem, Seneca, and state champion Cassville each place 4 players.

Twelve players make their second appearance on the team.  They are Zach Cooley of Lebanon, Damian Fadl of Waynesville, Alex Wise of Neosho, Tanner Green and Ron Johnson of Nevada, Beau Bounous of Monett, Ben Selby of Reeds Spring, Ty Floyd and Kevin Presley of Salem, Max Jersak of Catholic, and Alec Hackett and Caleb Schaffitzel of Fair Grove.  Continue reading 2009 MFBCA Football Academic All-State Team

Regional football review

It was almost a perfect night to be an eagle on the gridiron.  4 out of 5 Eagle teams playing won including Pierce City knocking off undefeated Warsaw.  Fair Grove, Mt. View-Liberty, and Nixa also soared to wins.  Only Jasper falls from the feathered football ranks.

Enough with the bird puns.  A great night of football for Ozarks teams.  Some last minute finishes, huge performances, a big upset, 11 teams say goodbye to another football season, and 19 are still alive.

CLASS 1

  • Thayer 36, Lockwood 21
    • This game was 22-21 with just over 4 minutes left and would have been tied but for a missed Lockwood XP.  But a score, an interception, and another TD secured the win.  Cameron Carey was the wrecking ball for the Bobcats rushing for 232 yards and three TDs.  Josh Huckabee added 100+ rushing yards also.  Reports put Lockwood QB Blake Abbiatti at over 350 yards passing.  I’ll update this when I can verify.

    Continue reading Regional football review

2009 Regional Football Preview

“Playoffs?” - Jim Mora

Yes, coach.  We’re talking about the playoffs.  Because they’re here.  Thirty teams from the Ozarks seek the state championship in five different classifications.  Thirty teams are done for the year.  At least nine more schools will start basketball practice after tomorrow night.  Here’s what to watch for.

CLASS 1

  • Lockwood (6-4) at Thayer (8-1)
    • This one is simple.  Can Lockwood contain the running attack of the Bobcats?  Josh Huckabee is the big dog.  But Cameron Carey & Ethan Leisenring are equally able to run for big yards.  The weather should be good giving the Tigers and Blake Abbiatti a chance to make some yards through the air.  But if the defense doesn’t play their best game, it won’t matter.

    Continue reading 2009 Regional Football Preview

Week 9 review

Some teams rise up when the stakes are high.  Others fall flatter than a Kansas wheat field.  Seeing a team make the transition from one who falls to one who stands strong can be exhilarating.  Watching a team go the other way can be painful beyond all measure.   Friday’s action showed off some of both.  And for many of you, you don’t have to search your memory very much to find those teams who have changed lately.

A couple examples of teams that have changed for the better?  Cassville.  0-10 a few short years ago and a team that won only 1 district title from ’05 to ’07 despite losing only three games during that stretch.  Now, the defending state champs have consecutive wins over excellent teams to win their district title.  How about Lebanon?  After breaking a 14 year losing streak to Camdenton last year, they put a huge crimp in the Lakers playoff fortunes by starting their own winning streak in the series.  I won’t point out teams that have changed for the worse.  I’m sure you can come up with those on your own.

Remember to slow down and savor your next to last helping of…

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Week 8 review

What a week.  Class 3 #1 Monett goes down hard.  As does #6 Mountain Grove.  A team wins on a safety.  A running back averages almost 34 yards a carry.  Class 4 #1 Webb City and class 1 #5 Thayer make big statements about their intentions.  And 200 yard rushing games abound this week with at least 6 different runners hitting the mark.  Now here’s your piping hot version of…

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The Good

Week 6 review

When did basketball season start?  Seriously.  54-41? 60-41? 69-63?  7-6?  Oh wait, that’s more like it.  Yes it was an offense happy week 6.  But the defense was still out there.  Nixa & Camdenton played a 7-6 headknocker.  Pierce City & Miller only put up 25 points combined, and even #1 Monett only managed 14 points in their 14-7 win over Aurora.  Ava & Mt. View-Liberty setup a big matchup next week.  Osceola got a little help from the team they need to beat Friday.  And Ozark & Kickapoo got their district campaigns off to good starts.  Read all about it.

Because I’m still not happy, until all the ugly is eliminated from…

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The Good Continue reading Week 6 review