Each week the O-Zone staff will rank the top 10 area football teams based on dominance by class, aka how they stack up pound-for-pound with the other schools in their respective class.
1. Lamar (C2) – Domination would be an understatement for Lamar last year as they ran the table to their fifth straight Class 2 state title. Five all-state players are gone from that group, but many believe what returns could be even better. The offense was nuts last fall, scoring 731 points! But the defense wasn’t far behind, allowing 7.4 points per game. Several key contributors are back from that suffocating defense, including all-staters Luke Hardman, Anthony Wilkerson and Will Jeffries. PREDICTION: 15-0, 6th straight state championship
2. Webb City (C4) – The offseason must have felt like eternity for the Cardinals after seeing their five-year Missouri winning streak snapped in the final seconds of last year’s Show-Me Bowl. Gone are 13 All-COC Large players, but the good news, five all-conference players return, including senior DB Trey Gibson and junior center Landon Bebee. Some are describing the Cardinals as “human” this year. We’ll get a good idea of that statement week 1 as they travel to COC Large newcomer and long-time rival Carl Junction. PREDICTION: 15-0, state champions once again
3. MV-BT/Liberty (C2) – I recall head coach Darin Acklin saying last year was a “building year” for his young Eagles. Well, they lost only once and that was in the final seconds to eventual state champion Lamar. MOST of that squad is back and better than before. Class 2 Defensive Player of the Year Cale Cornman will be hard to replace on both sides of the ball, but Josh Pruett (3,500 total yards and 60 touchdowns) returning at QB along with a trio of play makers (Brenton Bush, Koel Orchard and Marcos Rodriguez) will certainly help. I expect the Eagles to run the regular season table. The real question is can they exercise their Lamar demons in the quarterfinals? PREDICTION: 12-1, state quarterfinals
4. Carl Junction (C4) – The Bulldogs wanted a more challenging schedule and they’ll get it. A move to the COC Large may have come at the right time though as CJ returns seven starters from a pretty stout defense. Junior D-1 prospect Zeke Wall leads that group. Senior QB Keaton Taber has some big shoes to fill from the graduated Ryan Devore. Sophomore running back Rayquion Weston is poised for a breakout season. Put the women and children to bed and go lookin’ for dinner! Webb City is coming to town week 1 and if the Bulldogs can pull the upset there, look out! PREDICTION: 10-2, district championship game
5. Monett (C3) – What’s not to like about the Cubs? After losing three games to three very good teams last year, Coach Uhl’s club returns several key pieces. Ian Meyer returns at QB. He’ll have all-state lineman Alex Turner and returning starter Kurran Bartkoski protecting him up front with senior running back Michael Branch poised for a breakout season after tallying 1,200 yards and 12 touchdowns last year. Class 3 is pretty wide open in the area and the Cubs have a good chance to make a deep playoff run. PREDICTION: 12-2, state semifinals
6. Mtn Grove (C2) – A championship pedigree is being formed in Mtn Grove, but if they’re to make a final four run this fall, they’ll have to do it with a new coach and in a new class (dropped to Class 2). Rich Adkins comes over after a successful run at Jasper. Adkins inherits several All-SCA players, including junior QB Carter Otwell and senior running back Trystan Short. The SCA schedule is a weekly grind, but I see the Panthers coming out with no more than one loss. Week 1 should be fun! The Panthers return to Aurora where they were upset 14-12 in last year’s Class 3 quarterfinals. PREDICTION: 10-2, district championship game
7. Kickapoo (C6) – Not many gave the Chiefs a chance in Class 6. Well, they went ahead and proved them all wrong by winning their predominantly Kansas City based district before falling to state runner-up CBC in the semifinals. Yes, they lost a lot from that group, but there’s some exciting pieces returning as well. Senior QB Chris Lawson is easily top 3 in the area. Maverick McGee is poised for a breakout season in the backfield. And Travis Vokolek is a 6’5” athlete that can make a huge impact on both sides of the ball. If Coach Thompson can develop some linemen quickly, I wouldn’t be surprised if Poo runs the OC table again. PREDICTION: 10-1, district semifinals
8. Fair Grove (C2) – There’s some good news and some bad news for the Eagles. First the good. They’re loaded enough to absolutely dominate the Mid-Lakes Conference on their way to an undefeated regular season. Now the bad. They’re in a district with Lamar. Austin Fodge, Dalton Cloyd and Brayden Lumley are three skill players reminiscent of the days of Schaffitzel. It’s going to be a lot of fun watching the Eagles this fall and a lot could happen by playoff time, so enjoy the ride! PREDICTION: 11-1, district championship game
9. Nixa (C5) – What happens when you lose a pair of FBS players from a district championship team? That’s what Rich Rehagen wants to know. The All-State duo of Logan Tyler (Florida St) and Chase Allen (Iowa St) are gone, but QB Andrew Rivera and RB Nicos Oropeza are seniors ready to establish themselves as the Eagles’ next superstars. Some newcomers on the line will have to grow up quickly as the COC Large is as physical as any Class 5 league in the state. The record may not be sparkling, but I see the Eagles as the crème of the crop in Class 5 come playoff time. PREDICTION: 9-3, state quarterfinals
10. Lincoln (C1) – The Cardinals are one of the best stories in the area; from 8-man football three years ago and winless five years ago to undefeated regular season last year. All of the area’s Class 1 powers lost major pieces from last year. The Cardinals lost only two players. Senior QB Boone Kronke leads an offense that averaged 48 points per game last year before getting throttled by Skyline in the district championship. I fully expect this group to once again run the regular season table against a relatively soft schedule. That should earn them the top seed and a great shot at getting over the district hurdle in November. PREDICTION: 12-1, state quarterfinals
KNOCKING ON THE DOOR: Carthage, Camdenton, West Plains, Bolivar, Diamond, Skyline, Lockwood