By Chris Parker
The O-Zone Football Power rankings will be released on every Monday throughout the football season. Rankings are a measurement of dominance within class and not a head-to-head comparison. Coaches are encouraged to send any information, including stats, milestones and records to Chris Parker (cparker@ky3.com).
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1. Lamar (Last Year: 14-0 – Class 2 State Champion)
This spot has been monopolized by the Lamar Tigers for the last several seasons, and there is no reason to think they will vacate it any time soon. They enter the season on a streak of seven consecutive state championships. In addition, Lamar holds the nation’s longest winning streak at 49 games. Coach Scott Bailey must replace 14 starters from last season’s team, but the Tigers have grown accustomed to reloading and not rebuilding. On offense, senior Duncan Gepner, junior Donte Stahl and sophomore Case Tucker will make things go. All-state senior Caleb Gouge returns to anchor the offensive line. Defensively, senior Travis Bailey will lead Lamar. The two-time all-state linebacker has led Lamar in tackles in consecutive seasons. There are three new teams on Lamar’s schedule this season thanks to Big 8 expansion. Rogersville (Week 1), Hollister (Week 2) and Nevada (Week 8) give a different look to the Tigers’ schedule.
2. Webb City (Last Year: 15-0 – Class 4 State Champion)
Webb City got back to the top of the Class 4 mountain in 2017 and won the program’s 14th state championship. This year the Cardinals will be going for a state record 15th state championship, which is a number they share with Class 1 power Valle Catholic. Webb City returns two first-team all-state seniors in Durand Henderson and Alex Gaskill. Henderson rushed for 1,703 yards and 23 touchdowns last year. Gaskill might be the area’s best two-way player. He caught 33 balls for 647 yards and nine touchdowns on offense. He also anchored the secondary with 87 tackles and six interceptions. Webb City opens with Carl Junction (No. 6 on this list) before traveling to Joplin (No. 4) in a highly anticipated renewal of an area rivalry.
3. Carthage (Last Year: 9-4 – Class 5 Semifinalist)
Carthage has become one of the area’s most consistent programs over the last several years. The Tigers earned a trip to the Class 5 semifinals for the second time in three years in 2017. This year, Carthage brings back 14 starters. That group is led by one of the area’s top quarterbacks in senior Zeke Sappington. Sappington threw for 2,129 yards and 18 touchdowns to go with 550 yards and seven touchdowns on the ground last year. His top target in Arkell Smith is gone, but senior Jayden Morgan is a breakout player to watch this year. Morgan hauled in 21 catches for 409 yards as a No. 2 option last year. All-COC linebacker Colton Winder will anchor the defense after pulling down 140 tackles last season. Carthage will look to defend its home field where the Tigers have won 19 of their last 20 games.
4. Carl Junction (Last Year: 10-2 – District Runner-Up)
Carl Junction was dealt a major blow when all-state running back and all-conference linebacker tore Rayquion Weston his ACL late in the summer. Senior Joe Kennedy will have to shoulder even more offensive responsibility at quarterback. The dual-threat quarterback is one of the best in southwest Missouri after throwing for 2,052 yards and rushing for 1,122 yards as a junior. Nine players who were at least part-time starters last season return to the defense. Replacing the graduated Zeke Wall and his all-state production will be the main task on that side of the ball. Carl Junction gets a big test Week 1 with a trip to rival Webb City.
5. Ava (Last Year: 12-1 – Class 2 State Quarterfinalist)
The Bears ran through the conference and district slates unblemished before facing Class 2 juggernaut Lamar in the quarterfinals. The Bears gave the Tigers one of the closest games of their now 49-game winning streak but ultimately came up short in a 28-22 loss. Ava returns a strong group of players from that team led by four-year starting quarterback Caleb Johnson who is also a terror on defense at defensive end. Kaden Myers will be a force after earning second-team all-state honors at linebacker as a sophomore. He will also see more carries in the backfield. Stephen Copeland gives Ava another dynamic weapon after he rushed for 1,106 yards last year while also anchoring the secondary. Ava will be the favorite in the SCA again.
6. Seneca (Last Year: 9-2 – Lost in District Semifinals)
Seneca was one of the biggest surprises last year by turning things around from three wins in coach Ryan McFarland’s first season to nine in season two. The scary thing for other Big 8 teams is that Seneca might actually have been a year ahead of schedule. The Indians return 14 total starters with nine of those on offense this season. Gavin Clouse will key the offense at quarterback after throwing for 785 yards and 12 touchdowns and rushing for 953 yards and 13 touchdowns. Junior Trey Wilson will join him in the backfield after rushing for 986 yards and 124 carries as a sophomore. The Big 8 has sent a team to the Class 3 state championship game each of the last two years, and Seneca is an early favorite to make it three. The schedule-makers didn’t do the Indians any favors in the expanded Big 8. In addition to a tough west division schedule that features Lamar, Seneca got matched up with the No. 1 and 2 teams from last year’s COC Small in the first two weeks with Catholic and Reeds Spring.
7. Joplin (Last Year: 8-2 – Lost in District Quarterfinals)
Joplin left the Ozark Conference and took the regular season championship with it last season by winning the final eight games of the year. The Eagles were a young team in 2017, which has expectations high in 2018. They return 16 total starters from last year’s 8-2 team as they enter the brutal Central Ozark Conference. Zach Westmoreland is the top returning player after earning Class 6 all-state honors as a sophomore. He was one of two underclassmen to be named all-state in Class 6 last year. Games in the COC are won up front, and Joplin returns four senior offensive linemen. That unit projects to weigh an average of 255 pounds. Eli Eminger will lead the defense after pulling down 95 tackles and four interceptions as a defensive back last year. The new conference should help better prepare Joplin for a grueling district in Class 6. This year the Eagles will be in a district with five St. Louis-area schools along with Kickapoo and Ozark.
8. West Plains (Last Year: 8-3 – Lost in District Semifinals)
Few teams have higher expectations this year than the West Plains Zizzers. They return 16 starters from last year’s team that finished 8-3. The head of that group is junior running back Brayden Lidgard who rushed for 2,424 yards last year while accounting for 39 total touchdowns. Quarterback Conner Rackley is also back. Up front there are five seniors leading the offensive line. Defensively, nine starters return with coach Steve Ary saying he expects the Zizzers to be the best defensive unit in the league. Nobody was happier to see the new district alignments than the Zizzers. West Plains was moved out of the grueling local Class 4 district featuring Webb City and Carl Junction and into Class 1 District 4 with schools from the bootheel and south of St. Louis. This district will still be very tough, but it doesn’t house a team aiming for a 15th state championship in program history.
9. Thayer (Last Year: 9-3 – Class 1 Quarterfinalist)
Thayer has been one of the most consistent small-class programs for years. The Bobcats typically drop a couple regular season games as a Class 1 team in a tough Class 2 & 3 conference in the SCA, but that always prepares them for the postseason. Last year was no different in earning another district title. Five offensive and defensive starters return led by two-way standout Ayden Stone. The Bobcats have won three straight district championships. They have also had their season ended by Valle Catholic in the quarterfinals each of those seasons.
10. Mt. Vernon (Last Year: 10-5 – Class 3 State Runner-Up)
Mt. Vernon lost 11 all-district seniors from last season’s state runner-up squad, which could have some people thinking this year will be a rebuilding year, but don’t sleep on the Mountaineers this year. The run to the district championship game as a district No. 5 seed was one of the stories of the postseason last year. That run has helped numbers immensely in the Mt. Vernon program. At the end of last year, Cox was expecting a senior class of about six players this year, but that number has ballooned to 16. Reigning Class 3 Defensive Player of the Year Will Boswell will be the leader after a 240-tackle season last year. He will also see time on offense in the backfield. Mt. Vernon also has the pride of the traditional Big 8 to play for, as they are in the East Division with Aurora and then the five former COC Small schools.
Knocking on the Door: Strafford, Catholic, Lebanon, Reeds Spring, Pierce City
