Princeton makes first appearance in Top 10, with Lexington rising in Class 2, Chillicothe sliding in Class 3

With the top of the state polls staying relatively clean after Week 6, the most movement in Missouri’s high school football media rankings is found from the middle of the pack down to the 10 spot, in the state’s smallest class sizes.

In Class 1, the unbeaten co-leaders of the Grand River Conference, the Princeton Tigers, have moved to #10, replacing Fayette, with the Falcons moving up to #9.  The top 5 remain unchanged, with #1 ranked Valle Catholic (12 first-place votes) followed by Monroe City, Marceline, Penney, and Lincoln.

Taking the most significant leap up the Class 2 rankings are the Minutemen of Lexington High School.  Lexington, sitting at 6-0 overall, and 2-0 in the Missouri River Valley Conference, is up to #5 this week, rising two spots from one week ago.  Lexington jumps Centralia, as the once-beaten Panthers hold at #6.  Unbeaten Higginsville is 10th this week, while Lamar, with 13 of 15 first-place votes, is slated #1.  Lathrop has 3 votes in the Class 2 poll, good for 14th place, while Lawson’s defeat at East Buchanan dropped the Cardinals out of the ‘receiving votes’ category.

Chillicothe’s loss to St. Joseph Lafayette hurt the Hornets in the Class 3 poll, but not as much as some might have feared.  The 5-1 Hornets fell two spots to #6, ironically one spot behind the team they shutout in Week #3, Maryville.  Hogan Prep is 6-0 and joins the state poll at #10.  McCluer South-Berkeley from the St. Louis area is top-ranked, followed by Jefferson City Blair Oaks.

Missouri Media football rankings

Statewide high school football rankings, as compiled by a 15-member panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. First-place votes in parenthesis. Panel is made up of Dion Clisso, PrepsKC; Sam McDowell, The Kansas City Star; Dave Kvidahl, STLHighschoolsports.com; Jim Powers, High School Sports Caravan;

Cameron Teague, The Columbia Tribune; Tom Rackers, Jefferson City News-Tribune; Mike Scott, Ozone Sports; Harrison Keegan, The Springfield News-Leader; Tim Leible, The Rolla Daily News; Thomas Huitt-Johnson, The St. Joseph News-Press; J.B. Connoley, KRES radio; Chris Pobst, Sikeston Standard-Democrat; Matt King, The Daily Journal; Jason Peake, The Joplin Globe; Josh Mlot, Southeast Missourian.

First-place votes in parenthesis.

CLASS 6

Rank, team, Rec., Pts., LW
1. CBC (14), 5-1, 148, 1

2. Eureka (1), 6-0, 130, 2

3. Blue Springs, 4-2, 117, 4

4. Lee’s Summit West, 5-1, 104, 6

5. Kirkwood, 4-1, 100, 5

6. Park Hill, 4-2, 75, 3

7. Lindbergh, 6-0, 51, 8

8. Rockhurst, 4-2, 39, 7

9. Hazelwood Central, 5-1, 26, 9

10. Rock Bridge, 5-1, 20, NR  

Dropped out: No. 10 Francis Howell

Also receiving votes: Ritenour (6-0), 13; Francis Howell (4-2), 2

CLASS 5

Rank, team, Rec., Pts., LW

1. Vianney (15), 6-0, 150, 1

2. Staley, 6-0, 130, 2

3. Fort Zumwalt North, 6-0, 125, 3

4. Fort Osage, 5-1, 101, 5 

5. Battle, 4-2, 80, 6

6. Liberty, 5-1, 77, 4

7. Pattonville, 3-2, 67, 7

8. Webster Groves, 3-1, 48, 8

9. Poplar Bluff, 6-0, 21, NR

10. Sedalia Smith-Cotton, 6-0, 10, NR

Dropped out: No. 9 Nixa, No. 10 Carthage

Also receiving votes: Nixa (5-1), 7; Lebanon (4-2), 4; Chaminade (2-3), 3; Glendale (4-2), 1; William Chrisman (4-2), 1

CLASS 4

Rank, team, Rec., Pts., LW

1. Webb City (15), 6-0, 150, 1

2. Carl Junction, 5-1, 131, 2

3. Kearney, 5-1, 119, 3  

4. Platte County, 5-1, 110, 4 

5. Parkway Central, 5-1, 76, 6

6. Ladue, 4-2, 71, 7

7. Parkway North, 3-3, 46, 5

8. Camdenton, 5-1, 45, 9 

9. Smithville, 6-0, 29, NR

10. St. Francis Borgia, 6-0, 27, NR

Dropped out: No. 8 Harrisonville, No. 10 West Plains

Also receiving votes:  MICDS (4-2), 14; Hannibal (4-2), 4; St. Mary’s (5-1), 2; Harrisonville (3-3), 1

CLASS 3

Rank, team, Rec., Pts., LW

1. McCluer South-Berkeley (15), 5-0, 150, 1

2. Blair Oaks, 6-0, 134, 2

3. Park Hills Central, 6-0, 117, 3 

4. Seneca, 6-0, 91, 6

5. Maryville, 5-1, 89, 5

6. Chillicothe, 5-1, 78, 4

7. Center, 5-1, 65, 7

8. Mt. Vernon, 5-1, 45, 8

9. Eldon, 5-1, 35, 10

10. Hogan Prep Academy, 6-0, 18, NR

Dropped out: No. 9 Miller Career

Also receiving votes: Springfield Catholic (5-1), 2; Mexico (4-2), 1   

CLASS 2

Rank, team, Rec., Pts., LW

1. Lamar (13), 5-0, 148, 1

2. Trinity (2), 5-0, 137, 2

3. Lutheran North, 6-0, 117, 3

4. Ava, 6-0, 105, 4

5. Lexington, 6-0, 76, 7

6. Centralia, 5-1, 62, 6

7. Cardinal Ritter, 5-1, 61, 8

8. North Callaway, 5-1, 48, 9

9. South Callaway, 5-1, 24, T10

10. Lafayette County, 6-0, 20, T10

Dropped out: No. 5 Mountain Grove

Also receiving votes: Mountain Grove (4-2), 14; Palmyra (5-1), 5; Brentwood (4-1), 4; Lathrop (5-1), 3; Malden (5-1), 1    

CLASS 1

Rank, team, Rec., Pts., LW

1. Valle Catholic (12), 6-0, 145, 1

2. Monroe City (3), 6-0, 133, 2

3. Marceline, 6-0, 122, 3

4. Hamilton-Penney, 5-1, 100, 4

5. Lincoln, 6-0, 89, 5

6. Pierce City, 6-0, 77, 7 

7. Hayti, 5-1, 57, 6

8. Thayer, 5-1, 51, 8

9. Fayette, 5-1, 34, 10

10. Princeton, 6-0, 8, NR

Dropped out: No. 9 Lockwood

Also receiving votes: Lockwood (5-1), 3; Sarcoxie (6-0), 3; Westran (5-1), 3