First things first.

I had been lucky most of the season when it came to watching close games. I was there when Rockhurst and Blue Springs went to overtime and at several other close games. 

This weekend wasn't the case though. I headed out to see two of the remaining four unbeaten teams on the Missouri side of the line, Orrick and Hogan Prep.

Orrick cruised to a 62-0 win and Hogan Prep won 65-8.

If you are keeping score at home that collectively is 127-8. The two teams were up by a combined 103-0 after the first halves.

While I sat there trying to keep the box score during these blowouts I got to thinking. At what point do you call off the dogs.

Basically, my opinion varies depending on the level of football.

In high school, I think you call it a day when you are up by 35-40 points. That's what Pat Richard and Phil Lascuola, two of the coaches I have nothing but respect for, did. It got to the point where both of their teams started taking knees on extra points. 

What that allowed Orrick and Hogan Prep (and their opponents St. Paul Lutheran and Van Horn) to do was get in some young guys to get some pretty valuable experience.

After a team put 90 on Maranatha Academy earlier this year it certainly cemented my opinion on this.

There's no reason for a team to impose their will in high school by trying to hit triple digits.

Now I know what you are saying. It’s not the offense’s job to stop scoring, it’s the opponents job to stop them. I agree – in college.

College is a whole different story. When a team only brings 55 or so players on the road for a game, it isn’t like you can go deeper than the second string. Plus, for all the money the defensive coordinators are making, yeah, it is your job to stop them.

Still, even at that level, most college coaches have the decency to get up by 40 or 50 points and have mercy. 

And the NFL… well, if the coaches can figure out a way to score 50 or 60 on the Chiefs, go for it.

On a happier note

I don’t keep an official list of the best players I see each year, but I’m confident I watched the best freshman in the city play at Hogan Prep on Saturday.

Phillip Collier, all 5’5 of him, is jaw-dropping fast. He doesn’t see the field much though, not with 3 other stud running backs ahead of him.

On Collier’s first run of the game, he went all the way across the field making cuts eventually scoring on an 80 yard run.

Just keep an eye on him. He’s legit.