Yahoo Sports Friday night lights: Liberty North escapes Blue Springs South behind fantastic finish
The 2024 high school football season is underway on the Missouri side of the state line. (Kansas teams open next week.)
Here are some highlights from opening night around the Kansas City area:
Liberty North 21, Blue Springs South 20
Until the final bell rings, you can’t ever count out the champ.
Liberty North, the defending Missouri Class 6 state champion, survived a scare by No. 25 Blue Springs South in the opening weekend of high school football in Missouri on Friday night.
The Eagles, No. 1 in the 810 Varsity Top 25, nudged the Jaguars 21-20 on last-minute heroics in Liberty.
Trailing 20-12 with just 4:11 left, Liberty North took over with one seemingly last gap to tie at its own 20. After two missed deep shots downfield by senior quarterback Tillman Martin, Martin went deep again on third down and hit junior receiver Trashundon Neal at the Jaguar 40; Neal was wide open and jaunted into the end zone for a 20-18 deficit.
However, Martin slipped while rolling out on the two-point conversion attempt — plus there was a holding penalty that was declined — to keep the margin at 20-18.
Following a timeout on third-and-9 the ensuing Blue Springs South possession, Liberty North’s Motie Williams wrapped around quarterback Ayden Wilhelm, who was trying to scramble. Williams swatted the ball down for a fumble and an Eagle recovery.
Suddenly, North took over with 2:52 left at the Jags 26. North was able to run the ball inside the 10, then senior kicker Bleu Renfrow knocked through a 24-yard field goal for the game-winner with four seconds left.
“We knew we’d get Blue Springs South’s best shot. They were young last year but good and we knew it would be a battle,” said head coach Andy Lierman. “But our kids rose up and were big in all three facets down the stretch. This game will go a long way for our season ahead.”
Liberty North (1-0) held a 9-0 halftime lead, but Blue Springs South mounted a comeback on a third-and-3 at its own 23 just 56 seconds into the second half. Wilhelm faked a handoff to Gary Hill, then took a keeper up the middle for 77 yards and an 9-7 deficit.
Following a stop, the Jaguars took over at their 41. Senior running back Kendrick Hawkins followed Wilhelm’s path of success, taking a handoff up the middle and breaking loose for a 59-yard score and 14-9 lead with 8:54 left in the third period.
Liberty North countered with a field goal to pull to 14-12 entering the final stanza.
The Jaguars looked to have North in a corner, when in the final minutes of the fourth, South took over at its own 33. Three plays later, the Jags marched to the Eagle 35 before junior tailback Darius Morgan took an inside handoff, stumbled through the line and escaped the box for a score and 20-12 lead. But a muffed extra point kept the game within a score.
Liberty North will take on crosstown rival Liberty (0-1) next Friday, while Blue Springs South faces Park Hill South (1-0).
Rockhurst 24, St. Pius X 12
In a matchup 50 years since its last chapter, Rockhurst and St. Pius X didn’t disappoint.
The two longtime Missouri Catholic schools faced off for the first time since 1974, with the Hawklets winning 24-12 at Severino Field at Dasta Stadium on Friday night. The two will face again in 2025 in the Northland.
After an early lockdown, the No. 4-ranked Hawklets pounded at the ground game while clamping down on No. 14 Pius. The quartet of Van Pham, Pierce Fisher, Cash Lewandowski and Beau Neuburger combined for 221 rushing yards, while the defense held Pius to just 65 on the ground.
“Pius is a really good football team, and we knew that coming in,” stated head coach Kelly Donohoe. “For the first game with a whole bunch of new players, really proud of this group. Better days are ahead and this is going to be a really good football team for us.”
The Warriors (0-1) did take an early 3-0 lead, but the Rock ground game eventually led to a Neuburger 38-yard run to set up a Fisher 5-yard touchdown and 6-3 lead with 1:13 left in the first quarter.
The Hawklets pushed the margin to 12-3 at the end of the half when senior quarterback Charlie Loose found tight end Kevin Sullivan for a 7-yard score to a cap a 13-play, 77-yard drive with 4:36 left. Pius concluded the half with a 35-yard field goal before intermission for a 12-6 deficit.
Rockhurst opened up the second half with another scoring drive, capped by a 12-yard run from Lewandowski for an 18-6 lead with 8:20 left in the third.
The Warriors didn’t go away, as multiple connections from quarterback Hudson Bailey to Jackson Rotterman set up a Larry Cascone 1-yard touchdown tote to trail 18-12 with 11 minutes to play.
After a trading stops, the Warriors got the ball back with five minutes left, looking to drive for a late touchdown. But Lewandowski played savior once again, stripping the ball away for a Gage Nelson fumble recovery. The Hawklets put the game away with Loose finding Michael Tafoya for a 20-yard gain and key first down, followed by Pham punching it in from 11 yards away to go up 24-12 with just 3:27 remaining.
Fisher led the Hawklets with 106 rushing yards and a score, while Lewandowski paced the defense with five tackles, a sack and forced fumble. Rockhurst will travel to Raymore-Peculiar (0-1) next Friday.
Bailey led the Warriors with 159 passing yards. St. Pius X will take on St. Michael the Archangel, a 35-28 comeback winner over Summit Christian on Friday.
Lee’s Summit North 35, Raymore-Peculiar 0
Lee’s Summit North didn’t make Jason Rogers sweat much in his debut as head coach.
The Broncos, No. 2 in the 810 Varsity Top 25, steamrolled at Raymore-Peculiar 35-0 on Friday night. Lee’s Summit North entered off a 10-1 season that saw head coach Jamar Mozee depart in the spring, eventually taking an college assistant position at Nebraska.
As usual for North, a healthy diet of a ground game, Isaiah Mozee making plays via air and ground and the Bronco defense produced the opening week blowout.
North opened the scoring with a long drive, capped by a 1-yard touchdown plunge by Mozee with 5:34 left in the first period. Mozee found the end zone again on a 12-yard strike by junior quarterback Mikhi Mitchell over the middle, pulling ahead 14-0 with 51 seconds to play before halftime.
Quade Chatmon got the scoring started in the second half on a 2-yard touchdown run with 2:09 left in the third quarter. Mitchell called his own number for a score in the fourth quarter on a 5-yard keeper.
The Bronco defensive pressure was relentless all night, with Javion Douglas, Ka’Mouri Moore and Kai Reed getting in the Panther backfield seemingly every other play.
The Broncos will entertain Staley (0-1) at home next Friday, while Ray-Pec will host No. 4 Rockhurst (1-0).
HS football scores across Missouri
Thursday’s result
Park Hill South 38, Grandview 8
Friday’s results
Adrian 43, Sherwood 8
Belton 41, Excelsior Springs 23
Blue Springs 37, Lee’s Summit West 0
Boonville 27, Clinton 14
Butler 30, North Platte 20
Carrollton 34, Fayette 14
Chillicothe 40, Marshall 6
Grain Valley 34, Raytown 12
Harrisonville 41, Richmond 6
Holden 41, Crest Ridge with Chilhowee 6
Kearney 21, Fort Osage 0
KIPP KC Legacy 32, St. Mary’s Academy (Kan.) 6
Knob Noster with Leeton 40, Versailles 0
Lafayette County 45, Penney 6
Lathrop 27, Lexington 20
Lee’s Summit 40, Liberty 27
Lee’s Summit North 35, Raymore-Peculiar 0
Liberty North 21, Blue Springs South 20
Mid-Buchanan 38, Midway 12
North Kansas City 34, Battle with Columbia Independent 14
Northland Christian 36, Cornerstone 6
Northwest (Hughesville) 58, Santa Fe 14
Oak Grove 19, Cameron 18
Oak Park 28, Staley 21
Orrick 56, Southwest (Livingston County) 0
Park Hill 46, Columbia Rock Bridge 45, 3OT
Pembroke Hill 38, Southeast 6
Platte County 58, William Chrisman 0
Pleasant Hill 14, Savannah 12
Rockhurst 24, St. Pius X 12
Ruskin 56, Truman 19
Smithville 49, Raytown South 0
Southern Boone 32, Odessa 25
St. Joseph Benton 62, Northeast 20
St. Joseph Central 45, Winnetonka 19
St. Joseph Lafayette 34, Center 0
St. Paul Lutheran 37, Knox County 30
St. Michael the Archangel 35, Summit Christian Academy 28
University Academy with Kauffman Charter 6, Lincoln Prep 0
Van Horn 49, East 7
Warrensburg 42, Sedalia Smith-Cotton 26
Warsaw 33, Lawson 0
West Platte 35, Polo 26
Windsor 56, Lone Jack with Kingsville 8
Saturday’s game
East Buchanan at Central, noon
For playoff brackets, stats, recaps, online broadcasts and more, visit 810Varsity.com.
