Intriguing matchups that highlight the seventh week of the high school football season include DeSmet’s trip to Jefferson County to take on the Festus Tigers. Festus enters the week at 6-0, but the Tigers are stepping up in weight class to take on the powerful Spartans, who are one of the top Class 6 programs. Kick-off is at 6 p.m.
Perennial small-school powers Lutheran North and Maryville will play their annual mid-season game. Saturday’s contest will be played at Chillicothe at 1 p.m.
On Friday night, undefeated Cardinal Ritter will take on Bishop Miege, which has been one of the top programs in Kansas for many years. Kick-off is at 7 p.m.
Standout performers from Week 6
Running back Messiah Smith of Parkway North scored four rushing touchdowns in the Vikings 53-21 victory over Parkway South.
Quarterback Jeremy Ingrum of Jennings passed for 220 yards and three touchdowns in the Warriors 46-15 victory over Duchesne.
Running back Jordan Taylor of SLUH rushed for 184 yards and two touchdowns in the Jr. Bills 21-20 victory over Vianney.
Quarterback Nick McClellan rushed for 131 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 193 yards and a touchdown in the Cadets 37-23 victory over Lipscomb (TN).
Quarterback Jayden Ellington of Althoff passed for 330 yards and six touchdowns in the Crusaders 34-14 victory over Collinsville.
Quarterback Preston Brown of Hillsboro passed for 358 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for 105 yards and three touchdowns in the Hawks 64-24 victory over Windsor.
Linebacker Aneas Smith of Fort Zumwalt North had three quarterback sacks in the Panthers’ 52-14 victory over Fort Zumwalt East.
What’s on tap for Week 7
Friday, October 11
CBC at Vianney, 6 p.m.
SLUH at Chaminade, 6 p.m.
Fort Zumwalt West at Troy, 7 p.m.
Orchard Farm at Principia, 7 p.m.
DeSmet at Festus, 7 p.m.
Mehlville at Oakville, 7 p.m.
Ritenour at Webster Groves, 7 p.m.
Bishop Miege at Cardinal Ritter, 7 p.m.
Eureka at Lafayette, 7 p.m.
Belleville East at Edwardsville, 7 p.m.
Triad at Highland, 7 p.m.
Marquette at Kirkwood, 7 p.m.
Alton at East St. Louis, 7 p.m.
Saturday, October 12
Lutheran North vs. Maryville at Chillicothe, 1 p.m.
Hazelwood East at McCluer North, 1 p.m.
Lift for Life at Roosevelt, noon
Earl’s World
Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of Public High League basketball legend Jim Gant, who recently passed away. Gant was a star player at Hadley Tech. In 1962, he helped Hadley Tech make history as it became the first all-black team from the PHL to advance to the Final Four of the state tournament. Gant also enjoyed a tremendous collegiate career at Missouri State University, where he scored 1,316 points….Gant was best known for his coaching career at Central High in the 1970’s and early 80’s and later at Roosevelt. If you enjoyed up tempo, fast-breaking, scoreboard busting basketball, then you enjoyed a Jim Gant coached team. Central was a dormant program when he took over in the early 1970’s. He quickly transformed the Redwings into one of the top programs in the state. He led the Redwings to nine PHL championships, five district titles and three Final Four appearances….Those great Central teams in 1974 and ‘75 were led by the duo of Johnnie Parker and Arthur McFadden. Central returned to the Final Four, led by the trio of Richard “Bird” Hamilton, Reggie Clabon and Chuckie White…Gant’s most entertaining team came in 1981 when the Redwings, led by legendary point guard Daryl “Pee Wee’ Lenard, averaged more than 100 points a game. I witnessed a few of those games in person. The pace at which that ‘81 team played was breathtaking….Gant was also a stylish coach who made a fashion statement every time he walked the sidelines. His clothing style rivaled New York Knicks guard Walt Frazier. He also coached with a chip on his shoulder as he filled reporters’ notebooks with brash quotes.. He was confident in himself and his teams and he wasn’t shy about letting everyone know about it. Jim Gant was one of a kind.
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