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Around Metro with Jeremy Crabtree

By Jeremy Crabtree, 10/05/17, 10:30AM CDT

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Jeremy Crabtree looks at key Metro matchups

810 WHB Game of the Week
No. 13 Kearney (6-1) at No. 2 Staley (7-0)
7 pm on Sports Radio 810 WHB

The last true test for Staley in the Falcon’s hunt for an undefeated regular season is this week when a quality Kearney squad comes calling. Staley has been rolling, putting up 50 points in the last two weeks and averaging 46 points a game in its seven victories. The only time the Falcons have been tested was against a stout Fort Osage defense, but this should be a trial for Staley’s explosive offense led by player of year candidate John Raybourn. Raybourn, Staley’s quarterback, has already passed for 1,571 yards and 24 scores, but more importantly he’s only thrown one interception. He’ll need to be big again against a Kearney squad that has won six straight after losing in week one to Fort O. During that six-game winning streak, the Bulldogs have given up an average of only 10 points a game and have held opponents to seven points or less four times.

 

Other key games
No. 11 St. James (5-0) at No. 7 St. Thomas Aquinas (4-1)
St. James has pulled two of the biggest upsets this season. The first coming in week one against two-time defending 5A state champ Mill Valley and then last week truly dominating Blue Valley in a game that wasn’t as close as the final score indicated. It doesn’t get any easier for the Thunder, though, because if they want to prove they’re legit contenders for the 5A crown and a top-10 team they’re going to have to pass another big test against Aquinas. The Saints’ only loss came in a tough battle against No. 1 Bishop Miege and last week they blew past Mill Valley 42-21. This will be an old-fashioned grind it out game with both teams loving to run the football. Aquinas does it running the option with a much-improved Will Swanson, while St. James uses bruising back Jack Petz, who had five TD runs last week against Blue Valley. Both teams have solid defenses, so this game will likely turn on who wins the turnover battle.


No. 19 Blue Springs South (3-4) at No. 4 Blue Springs (5-2)
Don’t let the earlier season results fool you, because this is going to be a heck of a game against two of the hotter teams in Kansas City. Blue Springs South battled a ton of injuries out of the gate, including quarterback Brody Parker, and lost its first four games. It didn’t help South also installed a new offense and things didn’t click right. They are now, though, as the Jaguars have rolled off three straight wins and almost beat second-ranked Staley in Week 5. On the flip side, Blue Springs’ two losses came to No. 6 Park Hill and to one of the top teams out of Arkansas. Since then, the Wildcats have three quality wins over SM West, Rockhurst and a much-improved Lee’s Summit North squad. The Wildcats have the better defense and should be able to slow down the Jaguars’ offense, but you also have a little bit of an unknown factor with it being a rivalry game.

 

No. 9 SM East (4-1) at No. 37 Olathe East (3-2)
SM East is kind of the team everybody in the city has somewhat forgotten about. Yes, the Lancers did lose to Rockhurst, but they’re one of the best teams on the Kansas side and many think they’re the class of 6A. Their biggest remaining test of the regular season awaits next week against Lawrence High, but Olathe East is playing good football right now and will be a formidable opponent. Olathe East has won three of its last four games and is starting to gain some momentum. The Hawks only losses came in games they led in the second half of both games. Liberty rallied from down 13-7 to win 34-13, while Hutchinson scored in the final minute to win 22-21.

 

Jeremy Crabtree served as the Senior Recruiting Writer for ESPN and Rivals as well.

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