Friday Night Lights
by Sam Kombrink
Martin City Telegraph Sports Columnist
The smell of popcorn, the band playing in the background, with friends and families touching base….. those are just some of the things that bring us under the lights on Friday nights.
For some fans, they just really enjoy the sport of football. Sure, they could stay home and watch whoever is playing on ESPN, but there is something special about watching local high school football that makes it better. Maybe it’s because it takes people back to those years.
Here in south KC, we enjoy watching high school football and we have a wide variety of football to watch. And, Oh Yes, it’s FREE. So, what game should you go to? Well, in this area there’s quite a few to pick from. Here are some of the local high schools:
Rockhurst Hawklets (3 – 1)
- Week 1: L 21-23 vs Rock Bridge
- Week 2: W 17-0 vs Blue Springs
- Week 3: W 31-10 @ Raymore-Peculiar
- Week 4 : W 35-0 @ Blue Springs South
Week 5 Matchup: vs Blue Valley (2-1)
Grandview Bulldogs (2- 2)
- Week 1: L 23-30 @ NKC
- Week 2: L 20-30 @ Grain Valley
- Week 3: W 46-21 vs Winnetonka
- Week 4: W 46-24 @ Pleasant Hill
Week 5 Matchup: vs Kearney (3-1)
Center Yellowjackets (3-1)
- Week 1: W 46-0 @ Central
- Week 2: L 13-20 @ St. Joe Lafayette
- Week 3 : W 28-13 vs Oak Grove
- Week 4 : W 21-6 vs Van Horn
- Week 5 Matchup: @ Bolivar (2-2)
Ruskin Eagles ( 0-2 )
- Week 1: L 61-6 @ Belton
- Week 2 : L 48-0 vs Smithville
- Week 3 : L 48-7 @ NKC
- Week 4 : L 16-20 @ Oak Park
- Week 5 Matchup: vs Raytown (3-1)
According to 247Sports.com – ” 2019 Top Football Recruits in Missouri”, there just so happens to be quite a lot of talent scattered throughout Kansas City. Starting with Rockhurst High School, ranked at 2nd in the state, they have a 6-6, 300 pound Offensive Tackle, by the name of Danielson Ike. Ike is a senior at Rockhurst High school, and is being recruited by Alabama, as well as Miami(FL) University.
As for other players headed to the next level:
#17) Adetomiwa Adebaware – Defensive End – 6-2, 251 pounds – North KC – Committed to Northwestern
#22) Desmond Hutson – Wide Receiver – 6-4, 190 pounds – Raytown – Committed to Iowa
#25) Conrad Rowley – Offensive Guard – 6-4, 275 pounds – Blue Springs – Committed to Northwestern
#26) Vonzll Kelley – Safety – Lee’s Summit – 6-0, 175 pounds – Committed to Iowa State
#38) Tristan Roper – Offensive Tackle – Blue Springs – 6-5, 270 pounds – Has interest from Missouri State
#42) Skyler Myers – Outside Linebacker – Blue Springs – 6-3, 200 pounds – Has interest from Illinois State
#47) Joel Stevens – Offensive Tackle – Lee’s Summit North – 6-7, 322 pounds – Committed to Indiana State
Grandview has sent a player to Manhattan, pass rusher Cartez Crook-Jones, ranked 33rd in the state. Crook-Jones is a 6’;5”, 230 pound pass rusher, and is playing for Bill Snyder at Kansas State, joining former teammate Shane Cherry, a 6’.6”, 315 pond offensive tackle.
So, get out and support your local High School football teams. After all, you gotta love how sports brings people together.
=====
In other Football news, Kansas City Chiefs Defensive Tackle, and former Grandview Bulldog, Xavier Williams got his day, I mean he literally has his own Xavier William Day. “We hereby proclaim the day Sunday, September 16th, 2018: Xavier Williams Day!” said Grandview Mayor Leonard Jones Jr. When asked how Xavier will spend his day he said, “Oh that’s the millon dollar question. I don’;t really know right now. I’m going to have to do something very Kansas Citian, maybe get some barbeque, have a little grill out. I’m not sure.”. As for playing for his hometown team, Williams stated “Everybody has that dream growing up in Kansas City if they’re a football fan, you know, one day running out of the stadium, playing on the field, stuff like that, getting to wear the Chiefs logo. And you know, it’s wild that it actually got to be me.”
Williams began his football career right here in south KC, excelling on the football field, as well as the wrestling mats. The 26 year old was drafted in 2015 by the Arizona Cardinals in the 3rd round, after playing college football at Northern Iowa University.