Well, as I often do at 4 a.m. in the morning, today I was thinking about the upcoming high school FB match ups. (No really, I have no life and have nothing better to do in the predawn hours of the morning). This is THE round that decides who gets to go off and play in the state championship venue. A real "Win or Go Home" situation. Which by the way, is one of my most hated cliches I hear from athletes and coaches.

Seriously. What's so bad about your home? Why don't you want to go back there?  And even if you win the game, at the end of the night, aren't you going home anyway?  I know when folks say it, they're just expressing that a win means they move on and a loss means the season's over. ... which would be terrible. So I think a proper sports cliche, that would show the awfulness of losing, should be like "Win or Not Be Able to Show Your Face in The School Cafeteria Again" or Win or Start Getting Ready for Pre-season Basketball and Suicide Sprints" and my personal favorite: "Win or The Smart Kid in Mr. Wilson's History Class Will Stop Letting Me Cheat Off His Work." To me, these would suck a whole lot more than simply going home. But hey, what do I know. ... I was one of those student athletes who went "home" far before reaching semifinal rounds. So here's to all our local teams playing for the right to go to the state title game... and not going home.

Here's the latest Bulletin Board Material. I went 7-2 last week (Louisburg and Harrisonville did me in) which isn't bad but I'm raising the ante this go around. I'm picking winners and final scores. Enjoy!

Kansas 6A semifinals, Olathe North at Blue Valley: This is neither here nor there, but why does undefeated Olathe North have to travel to Blue Valley? The way these state associations seed playoff games are beyond me. Anyway. Winner: Olathe North 40-35

Kansas 5A semifinals, Gardner Edgerton at St. Thomas Aquinas: I'm a little torn. I know I should go with traditions... if a team loses a match up in the regular season, expect them to win the one when it matters in the playoffs. So I should pick Aquinas, right? Plus, throw in the fact that G-E plays every game on field turf but this time it'll be on Aquinas' natural grass, which could be patchy come Friday giving the Saints a true home field advantage. But I'm going against better judgement and picking ... Winner: Gardner Edgerton 14-10

Kansas 4A semifinals, Bishop Miege at Paola: I saw Paola get beat up by G-E earlier this season. But I liked what I saw in the first half, the Panthers' Skylar Hawkins is a hard-to-tackle running back. Miege did a good job silencing Louisburg last week but I just think  this one will play out differently. Winner: Paola 21-16

Missouri Class 6 semifinals, DeSmet at Blue Springs: I'm from the greatest city in this state, ST. LOUIS!, but sorry fellow Lunatics, you're not celebrating a big-class state title this year. Winner: Blue Springs 38-10

Missouri Class 5 semis, Raytown South at Fort Osage: Three cheers for the Mid 6 Suburban Conference. For the third time in as many years, the conference will have a representative in the state title game. By the way, the two of the most underrated QBs in our city will be playing in this game (Fort O's Ed Pearl and Ray South's Dennis Tanner) Winner: Raytown South 21-14

Missouri Class 4 semis, Kearney at Webb City: They're the undefeated and undisputed champs until proven otherwise. Winner: Webb City 20-17

Missouri Class 3 semis, O'Hara at Cassville: The Celtics have had a wild ride in the playoffs, winning by close margins. Last week, they survived 50-49 over Plez Hill. This one should be no different. Winner: O'Hara 28-27

That's all for now. As always, remember to catch me at www.twitter.com/KCCandace. So my "Monster Ballads" promotion didn't exactly pull in the followers that I was expecting. But this time, I'll throw in a leopard-print snuggie if you're my 89th follower. C'mon! Classic Rock AND a Snuggie?!?! Who doesn't want that?

The power of the bulletin board lives on... even when I haven't posted a thing in weeks. You'd be surprised - or maybe not - about the number of e-mails from folks who have taken offense with something I've written or that I haven't written. It's kinda confusing but I just think it's the playoffs. Puts people on the edge. So.... why not add fuel to that paranoia fire, eh? Here's some Bulletin Board material!

Unfortunately, I'll be covering Mo state swimming and diving this weekend in St. Louis so I'll miss all the football action but here are my predictions for Missouri Friday and Saturday quarterfinal games and Kansas action

Olathe North v Lawrence Free State: I saw these teams the first go around and Free State made the score respectable late, but trust... they got it handed to them. Barring a massive letdown, I just can't see Olathe North losing a game this season. Winner: Olathe North

Blue Valley Northwest v Blue Valley: I won't mention names but earlier this season, a Blue Valley parent told me he'd be surprised if the Tigers would win another game for the rest of the year. That would've given them just two wins, but hey... now they've got 4 on the season AND a first-round playoff upset over Shawnee Mission West. Why stop now? Blue Valley has more playoff experience than their neighbors to the Northwest and I think they've finally pulled it together.  Winner: Blue Valley

Gardner Edgerton v Topeka Seaman: Can't we just get to the Gardner-Aquinas rematch already? (That would be Nov. 20 in the semis if the Blazers and Saints win their Friday match ups). Winner: Gardner Edgerton

St. Thomas Aquinas v Tecumseh Shawnee Heights: Read above. Winner: St. Thomas Aquinas

Bishop Miege v Louisburg: With Division I talent around the roster (Justin McCay, Oklahoma football) and Trevor Releford (Alabama, basketball), you'd think that Miege is a lock to win a small-class football title. But as Lee Corso would say, Not so fast, my friend. Despite their sterling 9-2 record, I think Miege could be in trouble facing a team like Louisburg, a team that likes to run the ball and does a darn fine job doing so. Trap game. Winner: Louisburg

Rockhurst v Blue Springs: After reading my Nov. 7 column, a caller and e-mailer implored me to remember Blue Springs. Blue Springs? Hmmm. Who are they? Oh!!! You mean those Wildcats, ranked No. 1 in the preseason in our poll and the state's. That same team who I've picked to win the Class 6 football championship. Oh yeah, I remember now. Yes, it's true, I called Rockhurst is the "most dangerous" team in the state. For sure. And any team that plays the Hawklets will go up against the best team they've faced all season. With that being said, I think Blue Springs learned its lessons from the Week 3 loss against Rockhurst. And whatever bad mojo was working against the Wildcats' offense back then (when they scored just 3 points, seriously) is gone. Game of the night and the winner of this one wins the state title. There I said it. Winner: Blue Springs

Raymore-Peculiar v Fort Osage: This Fort O defense comes at you in so many different ways. I just saw them lock down Park Hill to just 198 yards of total offense in the sectionals playoff win. And with EJ Gaines patrolling the back, he makes any QB think twice about throwing to his side. Earlier this year, I felt that Ray-Pec was going to the Class 5 title game but now I think Fort O has been tested more and passed every single one. So, Fort O remains undefeated and meets Raytown South (playing at Nixa) in the semifinals. Winner: Fort Osage

Harrisonville v Kearney: Big win for the Bulldogs to completely shut down Staley 28-0 in the sectionals while Harrisonville struggled beating Grain Valley 14-12. I'll say this... it was the second time H'ville and Grain Valley had played in 10 days and it can be difficult to beat a team twice in one season. So I'm not bothered by the margin of victory. Winner: Harrisonville

Pleasant Hill v O'Hara: Plez Hill started the playoffs with a 6-4 record and has since survived behind two one-point postseason wins. But the storybook season is coming to an end. Winner: O'Hara.

Enjoy the games and remember to follow me on www.twitter.com/KCCandace. If you're my 88th follower, I'll send you an autographed CD of Monster Ballads... because you know you love "Every Rose Has Its Thorn" as much I do.

Until later. Have a great week!

Bishop Miege at Blue Valley North. The Mustangs had a nice bounce-back win last week over BV West and RB James Hennahane, especially, stepped up. But if Miege shuts him down, who will North turn to? So... Winner: Bishop Miege

Blue Valley at St. Thomas Aquinas. Silly us for picking Blue Valley as the fourth-ranked team in the preseason poll. I think we put so much stock into QB Anthony Abenoja coming back that we overlooked the glaring holes on the Tigers. Like... Abenoja can't do it by himself. Winner: St. Thomas Aquinas

Blue Valley Northwest at BV West. Trust me, I'm not trying to pick all EKL games but I especially find this one intriguing. These are both offensive-minded teams and although BV West has taken a left turn this season, I think it's going to be a fun shoot out. Winner: BV Northwest

Grain Valley at Pleasant Hill. Grain Valley's turnaround a season could end in disappointment when the Eagles enter districts against Sedalia and Harrisonville. Better get some mojo this week and hope it lasts. Winner: Grain Valley

Lee's Summit at Blue Springs South. Don't call it an upset. Winner: Lee's Summit

Winnetonka at Park Hill. Griffin RB Darrell Jobe hasn't been stopped yet. He has 16 of the team's 24 touchdowns and well over 1,200 yards already. Dude's gooood. But Park Hill is physical and will most definitely key on Tonka's top weapon. I think Jobe will have to put up video game-like stats to pull this one out. Winner: Park Hill

Lincoln Prep at Central. For the past two seasons, this match up helped determine the Interscholastic League champion. But now, the teams only have one win between them. Winner: Lincoln Prep

Park Hill South at Platte County. Two shutouts this season for the Panthers, which is as many as they've had for the past four years combined. Winner: Park Hill South

Well, that's it. Have a good Friday. I'll be out at the Olathe North-Law Free State game. Should be fun. If you can't make it, just follow my updates at www.twitter.com/KCCandace

Today's a writing day for me - got a big story brewing - but I just wanted to pop in for a quick spell. I know last week I didn't post any Bulletin Board Material but I'll get around to Week 7 picks tomorrow (Thursday)

Also, I just want to answer my new friend "Leonides," he's the one with the dude from "300" in his avatar. Here's what he sent me:

"Candace,
I have a question: Can't any of the Kansas Metro high Schools put anybody up to beat the Hutch Salthawks? 3 6A/ 2 5A champs and with all the talent in the schools around here and no one has stopped them? Any thoughts on why? Seriously..."

Well, Leo, even before I learned of your affiliation with Gardner Edgerton, my first response would be: The Blazers can challenge! On my radio spots on 1030 AM every Friday afternoon, I've constantly picked G-E to emerge out of the East to meet Hutch in the Class 5A state championship game. The Blazers, as you know, have the winning components 1.) big veteran D and O lines and overall a good defense, 2.) solid running attack with Jensen and Starling and other guys who can get some positive yardage on limited carries and finally 3.) good coaching and the "want to."

I know the Blazers would love nothing more than to beat Aquinas and step up in the Class 5A playoffs. But you specifically said who can "beat" Hutch... and you saw how I sidestepped that and said G-E can "challenge" the SaltHawks.

Let's be realistic. Although I "expect" G-E to beat the likes of Aquinas, until the Blazers actually do it -- which they couldn't last year -- they still have a lot to prove in our eyes. And although G-E has that balanced running attack and can play ol' school football right with Hutch... have you seen those Salthawks?!?! Their dudes look like grown men. When Rockhurst got it handed to them this season by Hutch, coach Tony Severino half-jokingly told my colleague that it should be illegal for some of the Hutch guys to play HS ball... simply because they're soooo big.

So does G-E have that size? Will G-E be able to stop Hutch's unrelenting running attack when no one has yet? And what will happen if Hutch jumps to an early lead and G-E has to abandon the run, are you confident to stand behind Starling's arm? There's a reason why he's a running quarterback. These are questions I think if you answer honestly, are troubling for G-E.

It just seems that every year, whether the SaltHawks are 6A or 5A, whoever makes it out to represent the East side will be the sacrificial lamb in the Hutch Bowl. They are a a tough, tough football team and seriously... I think the way G-E is built gives the team the best chance to COMPETE with Hutch but I just don't see any one on the East side beating them.

I'm just being honest.

Yes, friends. Last Friday night, my predictions started out a bit rough with losses from Blue Springs South and Winnetonka but I rallied back to go 6-3 overall. Not bad, I guess I've got mad skillz (notice the "z" that makes it sound much cooler). POINT PLANKN!

So let's get to the picks, shall we?

Bishop Ward at Lansing. Let's hear it for KCK football, eh? I haven't paid much attention to Ward since the Chris Wing days (2007) but the team is off to a decent start. A setback last week against Turner doesn't dissuade me from believing that Ward, a Class 4A team, can handle Class 5A Lansing. Winner: Bishop Ward

Blue Valley Northwest at Bishop Miege. Gotta feel happy for BV Northwest coach Mike Zegunis. Since he's became head coach, he's had two solid teams but since 2005 the Huskies have struggled a bit. Now, BV Northwest is off to an undefeated start and the defense looks unshakeable. But I do recommend this: Don't throw single coverage on Justin McCay. BV West learned that last week the hard way. Winner: BV Northwest

Blue Valley West at St. Thomas Aquinas. Keeping it in the EKL for now, there are a lot of great things going on for the Aquinas athletic program. The girls x-country team looks like one of the best in the state, the volleyball team is on a roll, the boys' soccer squad is undefeated and just beat Rockhurst and then there's the football team. Really, name another metro-area sports program that has won more conference, district and state titles than Aquinas? The football Saints are my pick to add another EKL championship banner to the gymnasium so... Winner: Aquinas

Harrisonville at Pleasant Hill. A pair of 3-1 teams battling for the MRVC West crown. But take a closer look at Plez Hill, they're the great escape artists. Three wins by a total of only nine points. While Harrisonville looks better every week they step on the field, especially after just humbling big-class and improved Winnetonka by two touchdowns. Winner: Harrisonville

Platte County at Hickman Mills. Here's my upset pick for the week. Yeah, it seems kinda weird that a team that has been shut out the last two weeks could beat a 3-1 team...but I just got a feeling. Winner: Hickman Mills

Raymore-Peculiar at Blue Springs. When Ray-Pec gets its running game in order, then holla at me. Winner: Blue Springs

Rockhurst at Jefferson City. Five weeks into the season and I'm finally picking Rockhurst to win a game. Even more than their upset over Blue Springs, the Hawklets' 17-7 loss to Mullen has actually persuaded me that they're a much better than I thought. Yeah, a loss did it for me. If there truly exists such a thing as a "good loss," that would be it. Winner: Rockhurst

Shawnee Mission East at Lawrence. Two 0-3 teams. Hey, somebody's gotta win this one. Winner: Lawrence

Saturday, Lawrence Free State at Shawnee Mission West: Thanks to a new rule in Kansas that allowed coaches and players to work more together in the summer months, the Vikings look far more advanced offensively this early in the season than they have in previous years. But the goal on this day will be stopping the free-flowing Firebirds. Camren Torneden (coolest name in the city), Kirk Resseguie, Keene Niemack to name a few. This week, SM West made their season debut in our Star top 5s poll. So, er, don't mess up now. Winner: SM West

As always, thanks for reading. Leave a comment if you feel the urge. My bosses will be happy to know that actual human beings are reading these blogs. And again, follow me at twitter.com/KCCandace Till later, peeps!

Tuesday: Park Hill at Truman volleyball. It's a quick turnaround but tonight I recommend coming out to Truman to watch one of the most prolific setters in Missouri prep volleyball history. Truman senior Taryn Nash recently served up her 2,000th career assist and tonight I understand that the school plans to recognize this accomplishment. If you're a volleyball fan, it's worth checking her out. Taryn's only the second area setter EVER to reach 2,000.

Wednesday: In Kansas City, you can not seriously talk about soccer without taking about St. Thomas Aquinas and Rockhurst. These teams are defending state champions in their respective home states and they clash on this night at the Blue Valley District Activities Center @ 7 p.m. It's held here because this game always draws a huge crowd. So get there early. It's worth it.

Friday: It's rare that we get to see No. 1 take on No. 2 but that's exactly what we'll get Friday night at Northtown when Staley hosts Kearney. Staley tops our Star small-class poll and Kearney, previously No. 1, comes in at second this week. Last year, Staley could not beat Kearney but a win Friday would continue a perfect season and go a long way towards building confidence in Class 4. Kearney's only loss is to big-class No. 2 Fort Osage.

Saturday: Rim Rock Farm Classic XC Invitational Whatchamacallit. I've seen this cross-country meet called 1,500 different names and I honestly have no clue what the correct name is... all I know is that when you say 'Rim Rock,' you mean 'torture.' Fun for us, not so much for the hundreds of runners climbing up those devastating hills. But if a runner survives and actually places high in this race, that kid has done something. If you want to see the area's best of the best... this is the weekend to do so.

That's all for now. Be sure to check back later for the latest edition of "Bulletin Board Material."

So of course, that means I'll be posting live updates on my twitter page. Follow along, why don't you.

It would make my night if we can make #Bubba a trending topic.

These days it seems like all the cool kids are giving public apologies for their transgressions. Now, I never shouted like a fool "YOU LIE!" to the leader of the free world or threatened a diminutive line judge with my racket or even drunkenedly crashed a teenybopper's acceptance speech (seriously, Kanye, why hate on Taylor Swift? That's like spitting on a teddy bear) ...

But I can join the "apology parade" after last week's horrible showing with my football predictions.

Blue Springs?!?! What in tarnation happened?

Olathe East?!?! How about making me look good next time?

Grain Valley??! Thanks for nothing.

As it turned out, I only went 5-4 last week. So I must apologize for getting those teams wrong. Lo siento. I'm sorry. Mea culpa. I was wrong, Rockhurst, SM West and Chillicothe.

I'll try to do better with this edition of 'Bulletin Board Material.' Remember, to the untrained eye, these are just simple football predictions by some bum sports reporter. But to the paranoid fan/coach/player, this is further proof of a vast media conspiracy against you and your team. If your team isn't picked, use it as motivation to prove to the world that yes, you are somebody.

Blue Springs South at St. Joe Central. Real talk, I didn't think the Jags would be 2-1 at this point in the season. And let's be honest, Jag fans, did you really think the season would be going this well? South still has more challenges in store but hey, ride this thing till the wheels fall off and get that third victory. Winner: Blue Springs South

Blue Valley at Salina Central. What's the deal, Stilwell? Your Tigers are 0-2 and desparately needing a win on the road. Never count out good coaches, so I have to believe that Steve Rampy will not let his team go down three games. Winner: Blue Valley

Lee's Summit North at Raymore-Peculiar. Here's another team that was featured in our preseason Top 5s but has fallen down, down, down. Ray-Pec's 1-2 but this really is a good team. In a couple weeks, I think they're round into shape, especially when they can steady their running game. Winner: Ray-Pec

Odessa at Oak Grove. Quite possibly the last great rivalry on the KC side. This game means something to both towns. Pay no attention that Oak Grove's winless and Odessa's 1-2. This game will be one of the more fun and passionate match ups of the night. Winner: Odessa

Winnetonka at Harrisonville. Believe it, Winnetonka's a solid football team this year. And running back Darrell Jobe is the truth. He's on pace for a 1,900-yard season. Winner: Winnetonka

Sedalia Smith-Cotton at O'Hara. I'm happy for coach Jim DeMarea and his Class 3 Celtics. In the preseason, he felt that they'd almost be back at square one while depending on young players to carry the season. But the veterans have stepped up, especially on the O-line, and the Celts are 3-0. But Smith-Cotton is a Class 4 team and they're very, very good. Sorry, but the first O'Hara home game will disappoint the fans. Winner: Sedalia Smith-Cotton

Shawnee Mission Northwest at Lawrence. SM Northwest is one of those teams that's hard to figure out year after year. And this game probably won't solve many mysteries either. Winner: SM Northwest

Lawson at St. Pius X. So I hear that St. Pius X sells the best concession brats you'll find in the metro area. Hmmmm. Tasty! ...Yeah. You know it's bad when I'm up here talking about sausages instead of the football team. Winner: Lawson

and finally... Mullen (Colorado) at Rockhurst. Three weeks now, and I've yet to pick Rockhurst as a winner. Hawklet fans, I'm not hating. Trust me. Kudos on upsetting Blue Springs, that was mighty impressive. But now you're facing the defending big-class Colorado state champions...who by the way, have only allowed 14 points to their opponents through three weeks. Winner: Mullen

So that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Remember to follow me on Twitter, maybe I'll say something worth the 140 characters. Hit me at twitter.com/KCCandace.

Till later

So let's try this again. Remember, I pick 'em and you post 'em on your bulletin board.

Gardner Edgerton at Baldwin. No match. Gardner has the depth and talent to play with the best in the state in 5A and will easily roll over every small-class opponent remaining on the schedule. Winner: Gardner Edgerton

Grain Valley at Chillicothe. Here comes Grain Valley's first real test of the season. Chilli' made it to the Class 3 semis last year so if Grain Valley wants to start showing some muscle as a Class 4 team, better start this Friday night. Winner: Grain Valley

North Kansas City at Belton. A pair of 0-2 teams coming off close losses. But Belton looks closer to figuring things out than NKC. Winner: Belton

Oak Park at Truman. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice...er, still shame on you. I still believe that Truman is not dogawful so I'm going to roll with the Patriots again. Oak Park could barely put away Belton last week so Truman needs to wake up and become the team they claim to be or I'll just start thinking that I'm a fool for believing in them. Winner: Truman

Olathe East at Shawnee Mission West. Isn't it a shame that we didn't get this match up last season? Both were 9-0 in the regular season then went ka-put in the playoffs. But this could still be a tasty match up after both teams showed up well in week 1. Winner: Olathe East

Shawnee Mission Northwest at Olathe North. The Eagles aren't the top team in Kansas for nothin'. I love how Aaron Barnett coaches up his SM Northwest boys but I think Olathe North's on a mission this year and the Cougars are just in the way. Winner: Olathe North

University Academy at West Platte. Did you know that TWO Univ. Academy players are in the Rivals top 20 players list of the city? Alright, Auston LeBlanc and Darrenn White lead your team to 3-0. Winner: University Academy

Lansing at Turner. Call me simple, but I always roll with a team that has a legit kicker and Turner has that in Nick Rodriguez. In the high school game, the kicker brings so many intangibles, it's ridiculous. Winner: Turner

Rockhurst at Blue Springs. Coach Tony Severino told me before the season that they'll be facing a lot of angry teams this year after what Rock did to all of them a year ago. So last week, it was Hutchinson and now it's time to meet Angry Team No. 2. Winner: Blue Springs

Have a happy Friday night and remember follow me at www.twitter.com/KCCandace where I'll live blog from my game, St. Thomas Aquinas at Bishop Miege.

First, I want to talk about football. Last Friday, I watched Liberty turn into a real-deal team as the Blue Jays shut down Raymore-Peculiar, 42-6 ... the second consecutive 42-6 score of the season for Lib. Their QB Kevin VanEgdom was quite impressive. At first, I thought he was overthrowing his receivers but he threw a couple fade patterns for TDs that just looked beautiful. Those weren't rookie passes either. He and Marcus Lucas look to be on the same page. I can't say the same for Cameron Coffman and his receivers. Although THE PANTHERS* put up big offensive numbers in Week 1 against Truman, their passing game couldn't get going against Liberty. The Panthers, previously the top-ranked Class 5 team in the state, have two glaring kinks in their armour

1.) Running game: One reason Coffman couldn't find rhythm against Liberty is because he had no run support to open up the passing lanes. The revolving running backs contributed just 40 yards on the ground. In the preseason, I thought THE PANTHERS would have plenty of folks to replace junior Deron Washington, Derrick's little brother who's out for several weeks with a broken wrist. Ray-Pec has tried Anthony DiIorio and Martin Booze and even pulled Marc Harrison from his linebacker spot to take some carries. But without a clear cut No. 1 back, their running game is unsteady. It showed against Truman and it bit them where it hurts against Liberty.

2.) Special teams: Simply put, Ray-Pec doesn't have a place kicker. Although THE PANTHERS scored first on Friday, they missed the PAT and later in the first half, also missed a 30-yard FG very badly. On top of that, Coffman has to handle punting duties and that's not a bad thing b/c the kid can boot. But... it can place their most prized possession in the line of fire like in he did during one particular sequence in the third quarter. Already woozy from two consecutive sacks, Coffman had to punt away from his end zone. Marcus Lucas, showing he can do more than catch, nearly blocked the kick  but it gets down field and the Liberty returner finds the cracks in Ray-Pec's wall and the last man remaining between the end zone and the 5-yard line is ... Cameron Coffman. So Coffman, as the punter, had to fly in and make the touchdown-saving tackle. But Coffman really had no business being on the field at that time and after making that tackle, he takes off his helmet and leaves the game for good. After the game, coach Tom Kruse did not have a prognosis on Coffman, just saying that he had his "bell rung." No place kicker and the punt return team putting Coffman in the line of danger will be concerns down the road.

Well, on to some other sports. I caught up with several of our Missouri defending champs recently. Rockhurst swimming, Lee's Summit West girls' x-country and O'Hara volleyball. All three teams have big weekends coming up.

First, Rockhurst. This weekend in Springfield, the Hawklets get a look at some teams around the state -- or I should rather say, the state will get a look at Rockhurst. Because really, who can beat the five-time defending champs? Rockhurst has at least five TOP boys back from last year's team and appear to be loaded once again. When you talk about Missouri prep dynasties, you have to mention Rockhurst swimming.

The LS West Titans won their first meet of the season, all without Liga Blyholder who was on a recruiting trip to Wisconsin. Again, here's another team stacked and should be considered as the favorite to win this year. Besides Blyholder, there's Chelsey Phoebus, Joanna Kleinsasser and new kid on the block Ashley Wolkomir, who really isn't new at all since she's previously ran for Lee's Summit Community Christian at state. This weekend, their in Columbia at the MU XC Challenge.

Finally, there's O'Hara, the two-time Class 3 volleyball champs and arguably the best regular-season tournament coming this weekend. O'Hara returns to the Mo-Kan tournament (at LS West) for the first time in two years. As one of the smaller teams in competition, it will be interesting to see how the team led by Tori Hurtt, Lindsey Hanaway and Michala Boehm will compete against the big dogs. And again, here's another team I see winning another title this year. Should be a busy fall for our champions, so I suggest getting out and seeing some of these teams in action before the big November send offs.

Till later. That's all for now. Tomorrow, I'm recapping my football picks from last week and will post a fresh round of 'Bulletin Board Material.' Also, don't forget to follow me at www.twitter.com/KCCandace ... it's a great way to stay in contact with me, ask questions, send your thoughts or just shoot the breeze. Feel free to join the party.

* Refer to a previous blog to explain i must bold THE PANTHERS at every reference.

If you can't make it, you can follow my updates on the game at www.twitter.com/KCCandace

That's where I come in... Coaches and players, I'm making your jobs easier! Introducing the first edition of "Bulletin Board Material" - where I predict the winners of several upcoming Friday night games. To the layman, this is just a picks list but to the trained and paranoid eye of the football fan, this is "bulletin board material" ... if your team isn't picked as the winner, you can view it as a clear and apparent diss and in thus, this perceived slight will motivate your team to play harder.

Trust me, I'm sure somewhere these picks will be printed out and displayed in somebody's locker room. So "You're welcome, Coaches!" I'll provide the bulletin board material and y'all can just worry about playing the game.

Kansas opens this week, so let's start there:

Bishop Miege at Atchison. Hmmm. Miege has a kid committed to Oklahoma (Justin McKay), Atchison doesn't. Easy. Winner: Bishop Miege

Lawrence Free State at Olathe East. I just don't see Olathe East falling off much from its 9-1 season, plus the Hawks should be better balanced offensively. Winner: Olathe East

Shawnee Mission West at Olathe South. Just like Olathe East in many ways, I don't worry about SM West falling off after losing good players. D.J. Balazs is a solid enough QB and the running game's always there. Winner: SM West

Rockhurst at Hutchinson. Rockhurst looked good against a depleted Blue Springs South team. But the Hawklets' best player Sal Belfonte is still nursing a hamstring tweak and really how can you get the most out of your other top player, Illinois recruit DB Dexter McDonald against the run-happy SaltHawks? Gonna be a loooooong ride back home for Rockhurst. Winner: Hutchinson

Kearney at Fort Osage. I believe in Fort O even after Dalton Krysa. The team showed a flair of the aerials last week so I like where they're headed. Winner: Fort Osage

Lee's Summit at Park Hill South. This Friday, the Tigers will match their entire win total from last year. Could get out of hand early if PHS comes with another defensive effort they put up in week 1. Winner: Lee's Summit

Truman at Lee's Summit West. The final score might've looked lopsided last week but the Patriots were tied with Ray-Pec 7-7 at halftime. Truman's better than you think and LS West is rebuilding. Winner: Truman

O'Hara at Oak Grove. O'Hara coughed up the game last year against Oak Grove but I doubt that even the home advantage from the Panther faithful will stop O'Hara from handling bizness this year. Winner: O'Hara

Westport at Northeast. Gotta give the IL some love sometimes. Last year, I attended this game for the Dan Stanley feature I wrote. He's doing Saint's work in trying to build up that Westport program and against equal opponents, his Tigers compete. Winner: Westport

Follow me at www.twitter.com/KCCandace

By I digress. Hey Kids! Welcome back to another Fall season and yes, football is back in the great state of Missouri. Just one more day. The good folks in Kansas will have to wait one more week till they get their kicks, but surely there will be plenty of decent games around this Friday night worthy for them to cross over the state line.

I will be at the revamped Ted Chittwood District Stadium for the intriguing match up of Class 5 state runner-up Raytown South and Class 4 Staley. I like this game because I'm interested in how Raytown South will back up all that championship talk (forget the "one game at a time" nonsense, these guys have been obsessed with getting back to the title game since day one). They need to show themselves that they're ready and Staley will be a good first test. Staley's only a Class 4 team but realistically has Class 5 numbers and with 22 starters back (not a typo) from a 9-3 team, you better believe that the Falcons should do some damage this year.

So yes, Mr. Williams, Jr., I am ready for some football. Okay, I just wanted to drop in with a quick 'hello' here ... we haven't updated Varsity Zone much over the down period. But you'll find all of our KCMO FB preview stuff online already along with the capsules from every single team we cover (Kansas, too) and our preseason Top 5 poll. Lots of stuff to occupy your time.

Oh and shameless plug time. Don't forget to get a Sunday paper this weekend for our special Football section...we've got Chiefs, colleges and of course preps covered. Good stuff, trust me you'll enjoy it.

Also, I decided to jump off a bridge just because everyone else is doing it and so I started my own Twitter page. Since I'm a follower, why don't you "follow" me too? Look me up at www.twitter.com/KCCandace. I'l post pics and running commentary from every Friday night FB game I cover, and every day post some unfiltered thoughts about the local prep scene and just about anything you want to talk about.

Also, Wichita's got some athletes you should know about (Blake Bell for one) so follow the good folks from the Wichita Eagle Joanna Chadwick and Jonathan Long.

And finally, if you're not sick and tired of me yet, I'm still answering all your questions in the Q&A forum. Remember, there's no such thing as a stupid question ... unless it's really, really stupid. Then if you ask such question, you should drop your keyboard and slowly back away from your laptop, my friend.

Till later

So you'll read in tomorrow's paper (March 28) that Brad Oyler is leaving the Liberty Blue Jays girls' basketball program after 11 years as head coach. Oyler, simply put, is the reason why Liberty girls' basketball is significant. Today, he reflected on what he wanted to do when he took over and he said he wanted to build Liberty into one of the elite girls programs in the metro - Bishop Miege, St. Thomas Aquinas, Blue Springs, Hickman Mills. I would say, mission accomplished.

Under Oyler, Liberty got the invite to the HyVee Shootout several times and the Blue Jays have an impressive winning record in those games. In 2007, Liberty had its most successful year ever, winning 27 games and the Missouri Class 5 state championship. Basketballheads will always remember Liberty's semifinal game against Columbia Hickman when the Blue Jays came back from 20 points in the THIRD QUARTER to win 50-49. Yes, it was completely awesome and one of those high school games that should be replayed for-ev-er.

Just two years after winning the title, Liberty struggled with consistency this season but even so, Oyler led those inexperienced girls to the state quarterfinals.

Talking to him this afternoon, it definitely sounds like he's ready for a break (key word there: "break"). You can hear it in his voice. The man's tired. But I would not doubt if you see Oyler with another team soon. Maybe not the 2009-10 season but after that. He's only 48 years old and he's a proven program builder. You just don't stop being who you are, and he's a coach. I strongly believe he'll pop up somewhere.

 I've covered high school sports for about seven years now but on those rare occassions that I get to work a college or pro event, I know that sometimes before the game an announcement will be made: "...No cheering from the press box."

Sports reporter's Rule No. 1: Be a professional, not a fanboy (girl). And this is actually pretty easy to do. Because, in truth, all sports reporters care about is writing a great story and beating deadline. And especially in my case, I'm not from Kansas City so I don't have emotional ties to the Chiefs, Royals or Wizards. But in my seven years, I've never had to hold fast to that rule no more than I did at the Missouri Class 5 boys' state championship game.

On Saturday night, I had a problem and his name was Prentice Ivy. He's a senior backup guard for Chaminade and 18 years ago, I was there at the hospital when he was born. He's my mother's sister's only child. My first cousin.

Back when he was born, I thought he had an alien head and I was jealous that he was now the baby of the family and would steal my shine.  I helped babysit him, ate at the kids' table with him every holiday and watched him grow into a truly great young man that he is today. And there he was Saturday night, throwing me a fist pound when he saw me seated at press row. I was extremely proud to see him on the biggest stage possible for high school hoops - but I had to smile, shake my head no and say "I can't."

No cheering on press row, remember? Even if you did change that dude's diapers once. I guess it was bound to happen. My colleague Cole Young, the pride of Adrian, Mo., had to put on the stoic face last week when he covered his alma mater's sectionals game against Southeast. I thought he did a fantastic job staying neutral ... except for that one line where he wrote: "ADRIAN BASKETBALL ROCKS! WOOOHOOOO!"

Kidding. Cole is such a professional stud, he even watched the game alongside the AD from Midway, Adrian's rival. So on Saturday, it was my turn to act nonchalant and do my best Larry Fitzgerld, Sr. impression. As you can read in my column from the championships, I still focused on the home teams. I couldn't care less about Chaminade, really. When I was growing up in St. Louis, I went to public school so my cousin is the only reason why I know that place even exists. So when Saturday came, my rooting interest was for the game to end fast enough so we could get the story in the state edition of the paper. And, of course, for my cousin not to trip over his laces and break his face. 

Thankfully, he did not.

Prentice only played about six minutes in the game. He missed his only free throw attempt (must've got his shooting skills from his cousin) and checked Grandview stud Alec Burks twice on one-and-one. Alec hit a coldblooded J in his eye the first time (definitely got his defensive skills from his cousin) and the second time, Prentice stayed with him and forced a miss at the end of the half. I'll be honest here, I'm human. So everytime he checked into the game, I nudged Cole sitting next to me and felt my feet tap dancing under press row. But I never broke out the pom poms and started the P-R-E...N-T-I-C-E chants.  

Prentice may not be the last of the Ivy/Jones/Buckner clan to come around the big stages. My little cousin Larry, Jr. wants to play ball at CBC next season. Trust me, I won't cheer if he does but that doesn't mean I won't be the proudest journalist on press row.

image from stltoday.com

Prentice Ivy (2), pictured left, has better defensive skills than his cousin Candace Buckner and celebrated winning the Missouri Class 5 boys' state championship with his Chaminade teammates on Saturday night.

This will be a busy weekend for me as I will travel to that booming and colorful metropolis known as Emporia for a Friday column and the next day, possibly cross back over the border all the way to sunny Columbia, Mo. for state championship coverage. That brings us to our topic of the day: The Grandview Bulldogs.

The team makes its first-ever appearance at the Show-Me Showdown this weekend. Grandview takes on Oakville on Friday for the rights to play in the state title game. First-timers on the cusp of a championship! Ooooooo, the drama. Who wants to miss witnessing that? Apparently, not even Bulldog fans.

Once an ambivalent bunch that showed as much interest in Grandview basketball as it would for studying for a Biology test, the Bulldog Nation is now loud and proud. Thanks, of course, to team success. But also by the efforts of senior players JaVon McGee and Arsenio Valentin (doesn't he have the coolest name in the metro?).

So McGee, student council president, and Valentin, the vice, started their senior years by saying 'ENOUGH!' They were sick and tired of seeing a lack of school enthusiasm for the athletic teams.

 "When you got the visiting team having more fans than us, it was (becoming) disrespectful to us," McGee said.

McGee, as well as senior teammate Pierre' Poplion, remember one particular game last season when Grandview hosted Raytown, and the Bluejays' fan section dwarfed the home team's.

 "(That) hurt us bad," Poplion said.

So McGee, Valentin and another student-athlete decided to change the culture at Grandview and formed the GHS Spirit Club. Together, they worked the administration, dressed up real business like and presented their plans for the potential club. The school approved their ideas so the boys got busy recruiting fans to attend and cheer together at home football games. During the winter, the GHS Spirit Club gained steam when the basketball Bulldogs hosted and swept districts. By the time I saw Grandview defeat Lee's Summit West in sectionals, the crowd had swelled to such a point that it took up an entire block of bleachers at Staley. The kids were organized, energized and looked like a model "student section."

Okay, so yeah, you can call them bandwagon fans. But this is exactly the happy ending McGee and the crew envisioned when they formed the Spirit Club. On Monday, he was pleased to report that three spirit buses were already filled up with fans heading to Columbia. Bandwagon or not, who cares? This shows you that anyone can make a big change if they only try. Instead of just complaining about the fans, McGee and his friends did something about it and they certainly deserve all the fans' love coming their way.

"I hope it will continue to be as good as it is now," McGee said. "And we'll have a sense of pride about our school and community."

What happened to growing up in the neighborhood and going to the high school you're supposed to attend? It seems that some prep basketball players move around more than free agents. NBA All-Star Amar'e Stoudemire attended FIVE high schools in four years and I doubt we have any cases like that but we do have our own High School merry-go-round.

Last Friday, I almost did a double take inside Center's gymnasium when I saw senior forward Eric Austin wearing blue and gold. Wasn't he wearing Hogan Prep black just a year ago?

My eyes weren't fooling me. Austin did indeed transfer from Hogan Prep to Center... and the crazy thing is, he was a Hogan Prep Ram when this 2008-2009 basketball season started. How is that even allowed you may ask? Well, I was curious too. I asked both coach Benny Moore and Center athletic director Brad Sweeten.  Mr. Sweeten told me that earlier this year, Austin's home burned down so the family moved within the Center district. During that time, he was still attending Hogan Prep but the traveling to and fro became too much for his mother and so she enrolled him in Center at the end of first semester. Sweeten says Austin was eligible to play for Center because of the family move.

 Okay, now let's review. As a junior, Austin played at Milestone Christian Academy, then transferred to Hogan. Senior year, he starts at Hogan only to transfer to Center. And to be honest, I don't know where he attended as a freshman and sophomore, but that's at least three transfers in four years of high school. Center teammates Cortez Barrett (Center to Milestone back to Center) and Christian Williams have also transferred in and out of schools at least two times. And that's just a small sample. Don't get it twisted, I'm not picking on Center - the Yellowjackets are a swell team and I can't wait to see them play in districts. However, I just find it interesting that they have so many move-ins. I understand the unfortunate extemporaneous situation that forced Austin to transfer but you just hope that these kids are getting a true high school experience. It's hard to do that when you're constantly on the move.

Now, moving on to other random stuff I've been thinking about:

•  Kids and tats. I watched the Sumner Academy and Atchison boys game last night (2/13) and couldn't help but notice the ink. And not just any ink, mind you, but the kind that would make their Sunday School teachers proud. Atchison senior guard Daris Calhoon had one visible tattoo, an image of praying hands on his left bicep. Calhoon's senior teammate Dylan Watts sported a green cross with what appeared to be the word "Jesus" written over the top. (I've never seen that before.) And then I noticed Sumner junior Reese Holliday with something I could only describe as a medieval, squiggly-thing cross on his bicep. Tattoos are the fad but it's always funny to me to see young people all tatted up. Because what's cool when you're 16, probably won't be so hot when you're 36. But hey, call me old fashioned. I guess the best way to convince mom to allow you to get a tattoo is to find common ground with a religious symbol. But seriously, kids. Do you have to prove your love for Jesus by getting Him inked on your body?

• Lee's Summit West senior guard Michael Dixon had a busy week. He surpassed 500 assists and 1,700 points for his career but before that he was the Tigers' No. 1 fan at the big MU-KU thriller. Dixon sat directly behind the bench in a yellow t-shirt and rushed the court along with all the other fans. Check out this link (http://www.kansascity.com/934/gallery/1026310.html) and go to the last photo in the gallery, can you spot Dixon? If you have the game DVR'd go to the moment when J.T. Tiller forced the critical jump ball. Check out Dixon's excitement! (...just don't read his lips too closely). Gotta love his passion for the game and his future school.

• Truman senior Tyler Sevy, a former All-Conference player, is no longer with the team. This happened last week and I confirmed it with coach Billy Guinnee. Sevy was a key contributor to the Patriots' state run last season so as the team embarks on districts, it will be interesting to see who steps up in his place.

Well, till later. Enjoy the week ahead. I'll catch up with Missouri hoops for next Saturday's column and hope to see you there. (...Of course, I have no clue where I'm going yet so I may not see you "there," but hey, thanks for reading.)

So on this glorious day, I've been watching wall-to-wall NBA action, listening to reflections about the great man Dr. King and now, catching up on the prep scene. On Friday, I saw the undefeated Bishop Miege Stags take down Blue Valley. The Stags started red hot, making 14 of 18 shots in the first quarter and scoring 29 points! Those are amazing numbers for a high school team but it also helps when most of your field goals are scored two inches away from the hoop. I counted 10 lay ups in that quarter - rarely did Miege have to run a halfcourt set but who cares? The Stags converted steals into fastbreaks and even when Blue Valley missed, they were off running and getting good looks under the hoop. There was one point in the second half, when Blue Valley converted a free throw and four seconds (!) later, Miege had scored a lay up. How do you get a transition bucket after a made free throw? Now that's quick.

To Blue Valley's credit, Miege couldn't blow open the doors until the fourth quarter. The Tigers have some good shooters and the leading EKL scorer in Ryan Magdziarz. (Ten bucks if you can pronounce his last name correctly on the first try). He can score 'em a lot of ways but when you're going up against an athletic team like the Stags, it's easy for your 24 points to get overshadowed. Also, if you're an old school fan like myself, you'll appreciate senior Tyler Van Gerpen's eye wear. Nobody wears goggles these days but Van Gerpen was rocking a set, which if I'm not mistaken he wears for football, too. When you think of bespectacled players, you think of the dudes who grab offensive rebounds, take charges and set screens

 but kudos to Van Gerpen for being the first high school goggle-wearer I've seen. And the kid actually has a nice game.

On Saturday night, I saw a couple of 8-6 teams in Rockhurst and Raytown South. The Cardinals have a couple of good wins (and bad losses) so they're still a mystery to me. Another mystery was where were all the student fans? I know it was a Saturday game but Ray South has had one of the livest student sections around and on that night, a couple of guys were loud and proud but there was really no buzz in the gym.

Which brings me to my final item: Student cheering sections are awesome until a couple knuckleheads mess it up for everyone. Check out this story from Orange County, Calif., where fans from Servite High, an all-boys Catholic school, heckled African-American players with racist taunts. The insane thing about this is, there are people of color in the Servite student section and also on their own team!

http://www.ocvarsity.com/video/index.php?bcpid=1126062229&bclid=1134010117&bctid=8278512001

http://www.ocvarsity.com/ocvarsity/sports/basketball/gotw/b/article_2284054.php

Let's make sure nothing like this ever happens around here.

Well, till later kids. I highly, HIGHLY, recommend you find and listen to Dr. King's final speech, "I've Been To The Mountaintop." It is brillant and prophetic and beautiful and tragic all at once. It's worth the 27-minute listen. 

So I covered the Olathe South/Gardner Edgerton tournament championship on Friday night, just thinking I would write about two city rivals ranked among the state's best (OSouth #8, ONorth #9 in Class 6A). But I came out so impressed with Olathe North senior Gary Watts' game, I had to shine a light on him. (Get it? Watts...light?!! I tell ya, these puns are super awesome!)

The game itself was also good, Olathe North holding off South 54-53. It's funny, the OSouth student section came dressed in rain gear, shower caps, bath robes and one clever dude with an umbrella hat, to drive home the point that jumpers would be raining down. But that forecast didn't come true until the third quarter (South scored only FOUR points in the second and trailed by 14)...that's when the Falcons splashed three after three after three to claw back in. With 7:06 remaining in the fourth, South finally tied the game on two made free throws before Gary Watts came back down the floord and nailed a three. Watts may score a lot but he's also a point guard and for the next few possessions, he dropped dimes to his cousin/teammate Lance Chandler. It helped that South missed its final six three-pointers down the stretch (the last being a despertion fling at the buzzer) and North survived the comeback.

But back to Watts, who's trying to become the best KC player you've never heard of. Last week, he scored 41 against Blue Valley West and he's really just a point guard...correction, a skinny point guard. He wears one of those Under Armour shirts under his jersey and although he says it's a size XL, I'm willing to bet that thing is much smaller. But What Watts lacks in size, his game makes up for it. He has an array of floaters and moves that create enough space between him and the defender so that he can take jump shots. Great arc shooter, too, and when he's on, that shoot looks very good. I didn't see him take the ball to the rim with much success but with two football players on the low block (Trey Walker and Doug Peete), Watts can just dump the pass off, which he did several times on Friday night.

 Here's a fun story Watts told me yesterday. I noticed the word 'DiRenna' written on his left wrist and he told me that that is his motivation for this season and former DiRenna award winner Marcus Denmon is his role model. Watts admires Denmon so much that he tracked him down on Facebook and requested to be his friend a while back.

"I've always looked up to him," Watts said.

 The two didn't really know each other but were brought together by a girl Watts knows. The story goes that one day Watts and the lady friend were out and about when she caught Denmon's eye. He thought she was Watts' sister so he asked him to hook them up. Watts jumped at the chance and so playing match maker brokered a friendship between he and Denmon. Now they talk and Denmon offers advice to Watts like: "Just stay level headed." So here's a lesson for you kids... if you aspire to meet your basketball idol, first track him down on social networking web sites then make sure when you do meet him, hang around pretty girls so that you get his attention. Works everytime.

So my story in Saturday's Star got trimmed for length (bummer), I want to post it here in its entirety to show a little more context about Watts' game and maturity. In there, I describe another moment when Watts' dead-eye shooting held back South.

By CANDACE BUCKNER

The Kansas City Star

OLATHE – There are a lot of things about Olathe North senior Gary Watts, when you first see him on the court, that could paint him as a normal high school super star player. Through a 32-minute game, he can make observers shake their heads in amazement and roll their eyes in dismissal.

 Watts has the swagger and confidence to believe he’ll make every shot. And when he doesn’t, that’s alright, because when at first he doesn’t succeed, he’ll shoot, shoot again He has a strong will and oftentimes when he feels that the referees missed a call, he’ll slap his hands toward their direction as he did during the Olathe North’s tournament championship win over Olathe South 54-53, on Friday night.

 He plays with the letters M-V-P scribbled on his right wrist and the word ‘DiRenna’ scrawled on his left. DiRenna, by the way, is the annual award given to the best player in the metro area.

 Yes, this is Gary Watts. The volume shooter who fancies himself as the best player on the floor. But that’s not all there is to him.

 So since you may not know him all that well, allow me this introduction.

 Kansas City, Gary. Gary, Kansas City. He’s been dying to meet you.

 “Basically I’ve flown under the radar my whole high school career,” Watts said. “No one know who I am, at least I think, and this (season) is my motivation.”

 If Watts keeps playing like he did on Friday night, shooting rain-making three-pointers, staying cool under pressure, setting up teammates and leading all scorers with 25 points (he’s actually shooting well over 50 percent for the season) and getting named the Olathe South-Gardner Edgerton Most Valuable Player, then that word written above his left shooting hand may be his by the time the season’s up.

 While Watts’ super-star act comes out on the floor, after the final buzzer, he turns into a young man you wouldn’t mind seeing your daughter take to the winter dance. Watts, the son of a preacher, smiles and says ‘yes ma’am’ when addressing women and also pushes for teammates’ names to get into the paper.

 “Lance (Chandler), my cousin, I feed off him,” Watts said of his teammate who with 1:28 remaining in a tight game stole the ball and nailed a crucial free throw to give the team a 54-51 advantage. “I’m more a laid back player and he’s more energetic. His defense leads to offense.”

 In his first full season at Olathe North, Watts has balanced team and individual success. As starting point guard, Watts has the team on a four-game winning streak, its best start in a while, while he has already broken two school records. Watts transferred in from Olathe Northwest last season but did not start immediately. And when he got into the game, coach Gabe Davis noticed some trends.

 “It was evident that he didn’t respond well to harsh criticism,” said Davis, who also noticed the same Watts’ reaction when adversity arose. “I figured out how to talk to him. He wanted to be talked to like a man. I said, as long as you act like a man, I’ll treat you like one.”

 Now he’s the man.  Just from that time to the first four games of the season, Watts has matured. When Olathe South slashed the 14-point Eagle halftime lead, senior Rustin Dowd nailing a three to bring the Falcons within the same margin, Watts coolly dribbled down court, asked for a clear out, threw an entry pass to senior T.J.Sheble, called for it back and made a three-pointer of his own.

 “It was contagious,” Davis said. “He came down and answered and you can tell by his swagger going back, by his body language, ‘Guys, we’re going to be alright.’”

 The Eagles survived a 25-point South third quarter and a desperation three at the buzzer couldn’t pull the Falcons back to the winner’s circle. A spot enjoyed immensely by the North fans who rushed the court at game’s end. Watts never got too crazy, he humbly accepted his MVP award and smiled his thanks to everyone who wanted to shake his hand afterwards – the proper introduction to a player everyone should get to know.

 CANDICE_______I HAVE BEEN PLAYING AND WATCHING HIGH SCHOOL
FOOTBALL FOR NIGH ON 50 YEARS  AND LAST NIGHT'S BLUE
VALLEY______OLATHE NORTH GAME WAS BY FAR THE BEST!!!!GAME I HAVE EVER SEEN!

I'll forgive Eugene for spelling my name wrong because clearly my friend here was still excited. I hate putting "best," "greatest" and other labels like that on things but I see Eugene's point.

THAT GAME WAS AMAZING!

Holy Touchdown, Batman, I was expecting a good game but nothing like this. My 550-word column did not do it justice. I mean, with all the big plays happening left and right. I had to leave out so many in the original story so here are some moments that Eugene was talking about: 

• First play of the second half, Olathe North senior James Franklin touches the ball and races 59 yards for the touchdown. On Olathe North's very next possession, the first play goes to Franklin again. He takes it from the BV 42 and runs into a crowd at the 40. He looks to be stopped cold then suddenly springs free and bounces toward the BV sideline...Houdini, meet James Franklin! Olathe North coaches were screaming 'UN-BE-LIEV-A-BLE!' in the press box as Franklin scores again. Ol' boy should just send college coaches tape of those two carries...that should get him a full scholarship and pizza money.

• Okay, so Olathe North's up at this point by two touchdowns but Blue Valley needs just five minutes to tie the game again. First, QB Anthony Abenoja splits two tacklers, who should've sacked him on 3rd-and-11, and hits Tyler VanGerpen in the end zone. Then, RB Treveor Cornley says "not so fast, James Franklin" and labors 52 yards for a touchdown. He actually got caught from behind and was pushed into the end zone. Eh. It's still six points no matter how you score it.

• Now here's where things got crazy. After Cornley's touchdown, Olathe North can't keep moving the ball and has to punt. BV's Ben Wilmes is standing deep in his territory but can't catch the punt cleanly and Olathe North recovers. However, the dudes in black and white stripes step in. The play is nullified and Olathe North has to re-kick. Till this day I'm not exactly sure what they called...somebody in the pressbox said an inadvertent whistle ruined the punt but I'm not 100 % positive. So now Olathe North coaches are screaming mad, as they should be, and their punting team goes back out. This time, Wilmes calls for a fair catch and he muffs it again. And Olathe North recovers it again! When was the last time you saw this happen? Talk about weird. Four plays later, Olathe North scores the go-ahead touchdown ... but misses the extra-point attempt. I wrote in my notes "ooooo could come back to haunt them." And, it did.

• Remember, all of this offensive action happened in the third quarter. In the final frame, the defenses settled in. Unbelievable, especially for this game, but each defense spent time forcing four consecutive three-and-outs to open the fourth. BV head coach Steve Rampy does all his duties from the press box (so he can better see his offense). He was a couple rooms down from us reporters so I got a little insider's view on what it's like to be Rampy's QB1. And now I'm frightened. When Abenoja got on the headset, The Voice of Rampy reverberated throughout the pressbox. Remember, I'm separated from the BV coaches' box by a good distance and I can hear Rampy yelling in that deep baritone of his for Abenoja to stop trying to throw the bomb. Abenoja listened (wouldn't you?) and next time out,  he led an 8-play, 55 yard scoring drive. Great pass and better catch to Luke Rampy, Steve's son, diving in the back corner of the end zone. Okay, so Steve Rampy may not be the kind of guy who likes to snuggle under a blanket, pour a cup of Passion Fruit tea and watch "The Notebook" but he sure can coach. Geno Waters, Zach Rampy, now Abenoja. The man makes quarterbacks. ...and scares 'em, too.

After Blue Valley goes up 42-41, Olathe North has 4:54 to win the game but a couple plays later, the Eagles face a 4th-and-6 at BV's 28. After a timeout, QB David Blazevic fakes a handoff to Franklin and rolls out of the pocket. He throws it downfield, the pass is tipped but Olathe North's Bryan Shepherd catches the ball while falling down at BV's 5. Now, THAT was the best play of the night. Everybody's going nutty on the Olathe North sideline but you know what happened next. The Eagles get to the 2-yard line and face a fourth downwith 12 seconds left. They go for a field goal. And...it's no good!

What a game. Both teams should make state and with Olathe East and Shawnee Mission West also rolling, I can't wait for the real 6A playoffs to begin. Alrighty, kids. That's enough for me. Till next week, leave a comment. I'm sure Eugene would appreciate it.

Ya know, nothing makes me happier than writing a blog wrap up from my week in HS football and watching 90s R&B video clips on YouTube.

And yes, this is just a cheap way to post a highly random yet genius Karyn White song. You can't listen to this without breaking out into the Running Man.

But as to not completely alienate my 17-and-under readership, let's move on to the week that was in preps football, shall we? On Thursday night, I went to the 'big' matchup of Rockhurst-Minnetonka (that's not a typo of Winnetonka, btw). Minnetonka is some team from Minnesota, eh. Which reminds me that Minnesota native Prince had some pretty decent 90s offerings but I can't post any YouTube links to his songs because he'll sue me.

So anyway, I understand that Minnetonka is a pretty good team. The Skippers (not the most intimidating nickname I've ever heard but let's play along) came to KC ranked fifth in the largest class of football by the Minnesota Associated Press. But they should really fire the dude who does their schedule. Last week, they played a team named Eden Prairie that was on a 33-game winning streak. Only to turn around on a short week and drive seven (!) hours to play the defending large class Missouri champs. That's just brutal. The only thing coming out of that is a ride on the L-train for two straight weeks.

So Minnetonka is honoring a two-year agreement with Rockhurst and got nothing out of the deal. Last year the Hawklets went up there and beat 'em, and on Thursday, the Skips got skunked in front of like 25 moms and dads. ... and on national TV. Fox Sports Network picked this game to broadcast, and let's be honest here and realize that all these networks are showing up this season for the Hawklets because of one Nathan Scheelhaase. Still... couldn't these guys pick a better game? Yeah, they're trying to showcase Scheelhaase but I'm certain FSN wanted something other than a running clock and a cameo appearance by sophmore backup QB Frank Arbanas. Plus, where's the drama and excitment in looking at empty stands and a match up between out-of-state teams? I don't have to use my bachelor's broadcast degree to say that ain't good TV.

But Rock's looking good going into districts. Coming off a 41-0 shutout at CoMo Hickman then this latest 38-7 victory. The running game was working so well, that one of my favorite WRs in the area, Keith Langtry, didn't really get a ball thrown his direction until the the second quarter. He ended up with 115 yards and 2 TDs. Langtry's fun to watch because of his athleticsm and awareness out there. The kid's got spiderman gloves for hands and he's always looking to make that extra move up field. I've yet to see him make the cardinal sin of taking his eyes off the pass while trying to make some spectacular cutback and dropping the ball because of it. ..which I witness a lot at this level.

On Friday night, I got to see another team looking mighty good heading into districts. Liberty. This game was held at the new District Activity Center at Staley High. Nice joint! Big, spacious press box, which is essentially all I care about, and good Oak Park people running it. They were too good, really. I was an annoying guest. They let me drink the last Coke in the fridge and I was sitting right next to the team's video coordinator and I'm certain that I messed up their shots by chatting up the camera guy. So if Keith Ross and his crew watches game tape and hears some girl saying 'WOW!' at least three times, they'll know it's me.

That's right, there were three plays when Liberty juniors Garrett White and Marcus Lucas made me audibly voice my surprise. Early in the game, White had three touches and two 80-yard touchdown runs. Seriously, how do you let a dude break off TWO runs like that before halftime? On virtually the same play? Then right before intermission, Lucas comes up with the best punt return I've seen all year. And he didn't even score. Lucas (6-5) can run fast for a big guy and so he's zipping along. Then he looked to be wrapped up near the OP 20 yard line, guys swarming around him and somehow he breaks free and drives with defenders hanging on him to the 6. Amazing.

But what's more amazing is Liberty's turnaround from a year ago. They started that season 0-4 then lost the ninth game of the season to Oak Park. But here they are, 6-1 and legit favorites to come out of districts for a playoff spot. I don't count them out. It's also stunning that this was the same defense that gave up 60 points to the Raymore-Peculiar PANTHERS but they were swarming the line of scrimmage and Oak Park's quick hitters. Disregard those 14 fourth-quarter points they gave up, the game wasn't that close.

Well, thanks for reading and enjoying Classic Karyn White with me. I also recommend "Romantic" and the next song I'm gonna kill at Karaoke night... "Super woman."

Till later, peeps.

Now on to teams that ya'll care about. First, a thousand apologies going out to the Raymore-Peculiar PANTHERS. In my Saturday morning column, I referred to Tom Kruse's boys as the 'Tigers.' Maybe I had Tigers on the brain because Ray-Pec's finest were back in town, Chase Coffman and Derrick Washington, enjoying their bye week and decked out in Mizzou Tiger gear. Or maybe I'm waging a one-woman campaign against the unethical treatment of the Panthera and am secretly trying to change the Ray-Pec mascot. Whatever the case, I'm sorry, Ray-Pec fans. I definitely know better. So from here on out, I will refer to your team as THE PANTHERS, only in bold type. There.

So THE PANTHERS came up short in knocking off The Star's No. 1 ranked Wildcats, losing 28-21. I like that Cameron Coffman-Gavin Lutman connection but you could tell they weren't clicking all night. The youngest Coffman has the tools - pocket presence and a good strong arm - but many times he and his receievers just weren't on the same page.

Too bad, because THE PANTHERS were holding on to that 7-0 lead for the longest and a couple more body blows could've hurt Blue Springs.

But as I wrote in the story, Blue Springs has this knack for starting slowly and making almost every game exciting with some sort of comeback or hold-on-for-dear-life defensive moment. The Wildcats are super talented, Keeston Terry and Darrian Miller impressed me again. Scary to think how good the 'Cats are now and they'll still have guys like Terry and Miller around next year. Blue Springs has played a killer schedule but you'd like to see them put together a complete game before it's too late.

As for THE PANTHERS... THE PANTHERS will do whatever THE PANTHERS want to do. Because they are THE PANTHERS. (overkill now). Wouldn't be shocked to see Ray-Pec make a nice run deep into the Class 5 playoffs.

Other thoughts:

• How 'bout them Raytown South Cardinals, eh? Are the Cardinals for real? They just answered that on Friday night by beating Lee's Summit West. They're now 5-0 and enjoying their best start in four years.
• Congratulations to East High for getting that first win. East High re-opened to take Van Horn's place in the KCMO district, so it's nice to see the boys winning a game after three tough losses.
• And is this the year that St. Thomas Aquinas will finally get past the Kansas Class 5A semifinals? Who knows but the Saints are looking good in this regular season.

Before I check out, I just want to salute my guy Bob Luder. He worked at The Star for about as long as I've been alive, making sure your kid got his or her name into the paper. But he did more than that, he was a valuable asset to the high school beat and also Bob split time covering professional tennis and soccer in KC. Now, Bob has moved on to better and brighter endeavors. I'll miss his off-color humor in our staff meetings and his Monday morning movie reviews. He really is a great guy. You're my boy, BLu.

Anywho. Let's start in KC and the game that I attended, Rockhurst-Hutchinson. Great game. Be sure to catch the replay on Metro Sports, it's worth it. (And you tell me if that should've been a touchdown or a fumble for Josh Smith) When Rock scored in three little plays on their first offensive series I thought, "Wow, that was easy. Rock's gonna blow this one open." Then Hutch came right back with their rushing attack and scored. It wasn't so much that they scored, but how they marched down the field that impressed me then I finally realized, "Uh oh, Rock's in trouble."

It was the second straight series where they pretty much handled Rock's first line and did everything they wanted to do offensively. That Deveon Dinwiddie is something special, the kid had over 100 rushing yards before halftime. Whenever Hutch called a sweep, he was around the corner with a full head of steam and whenever they lined him up as a receiver, he was so far ahead of secondary defenders that it seemed like they forgot to cover him. So considering all this, and the fact that Hutch actually led this game at one point, you could feel the uneasiness throughout Dasta. That Hawklet student section (show me a better one in the city) had to break out their 'Rock Don't Quit!' chant earlier than usual. And guess what? Rock didn't quit. The Hawklets played the best game I've ever seen them play and Nate Scheelhaase was a boss, running with purpose and making the right passes... that third-quarter scoring drive should be watched, dissected and used in lecture rooms across the city on How to Lead Your Team. In the fourth quarter, the Hawklets contained Dinwiddie in the fourth quarter and of course made the defensive play of the night on that 4-and-14 stop. Overall, great game, kids.

Now, moving on. So I read through some box scores from other games and found some crazy stuff.

• What in the world are they feeding those Coffman boys up in Ray-Pec? Did ya'll see Cameron Coffman's stat line against Liberty: 18 for 21 for 534 yards and five touchdown passes.

Let's have that sink in for a minute.

• Kevin "Mr. Accuracy" McConnell from Oak Park was a perfect 16 for 16 in his passes. Are you feeling the same way that we've got a great class of quarterbacks in the area?    http://www.kansascity.com/187/story/784421.html

• Kansas finally joined the football foray this week ... Aquinas played "pretty good" in beating North Kansas 76-0 (that's just nasty), Olathe East and Olathe North played a stunner that came down to a failed PAT and the defending Class 5 champs from BV West keeps on rollin.

Alright, so I'm spent. Keep visiting our blogs and reading The Star (remember, literacy is fun). We'll keep this space updated. And coaches, don't forget to call in your box scores every Friday night so lil Johnny can get his name in the paper. The number is 816-234-4355, help us help you and just dial the number, alright?

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