The new playoff format for Missouri schools has proven a huge success. The idea of advancing two teams from each district into the playoffs was to strengthen the postseason field by putting deserving teams that happened to be in very tough districts into the playoff bracket. In Year One, two district runners-up won state titles, Cassville in Class 3 and Hazelwood Central in Class 6.

The system also created better playoff games throughout the postseason, especially after the first week of the playoffs in which many of the weaker teams were eliminated. The championship series of six 11-man games was the best in many years. With the exception of Cassville’s 31-7 victory over Cardinal Ritter, every 11-man game was a great one. Consider:

Class 1 … Orrick 34, Thayer 28 in double overtime

Class 2 … Clark County 10, Maryville 7

Class 4 … Webb City 41, Helias 34

Class 5 … Hazelwood East 39, Raytown South 34

Class 6 … Hazelwood Central 25, Blue Springs South 20

My player of the weekend trophy would go to Tarrell Downing, the Hazelwood East receiver who had a monster game from start to finish. In the same game, Ronnell Garner of Raytown South left quite an impression. In a losing cause, Maurice Taylor of Cardinal Ritter was all over the field, on offense and defense, and was the best player in that game. And waterbug Maurice Scott of Hazelwood Central, all 5-foot-5 (yeah, right) of him, was unforgettable. … If Mike Jones isn’t offered the fulltime head coaching job at Hazelwood East, it will be a real shame. I mean, what more could he have done? And his kids love him.

Signing off from the Edward Jones Dome.

Cameron