High school football season recap of South Kansas City

By Max Goodwin

Center High School

In the first round of the Class 3 state playoffs, the Center Yellowjackets faced Summit Christian Academy, a team that is 9-1 this season. Center lost 23-18 without its starting quarterback or running back playing due to injury. Despite trailing 17-0 at half, Center made a gutsy comeback in the second half and ended just five points shy as the clock ran out on the season.

Center graduates just three seniors off this year’s team and will return next season with this year’s team almost fully intact. Center finished this season with a record of 5-4.

Grandview High School

The Grandview Bulldogs struggled through its first season with a new coach in charge. Dan Joiner’s team finished 3-7 in his first year as head coach of the Bulldogs. Grandview ended its season on a three game losing streak and was knocked out of the Class 3 state playoffs in the first round after a 51-15 loss to Harrisonville. It was the fourth time in school history, and third time this decade that Grandview faced Harrisonville in the state tournament, and the Bulldogs are now 0-4 in that matchup.

Ruskin High School

The Ruskin Golden Eagles were 2-6 this season, with the two wins coming over Wyandotte and Raytown South. In the first round of the Class 5 state tournament, Ruskin lost 35-12 to Smith Cotton.

Rockhurst High School

The Rockhurst Hawklets finished the season 4-5, with a 21-13 loss to Park Hill in the first round of the Class 6 state playoffs. It was the first season since 2015 that Rockhurst finished under .500. 

There were ups and downs throughout the season, as Rockhurst began with a three game losing streak then followed with a three game winning streak including what seemed like a momentous win at the time over Bishop Miege at the end of September. 

Belton High School

The Belton Pirates were 7-4 this season, and 2-3 against the Suburban White Conference finishing fourth in conference standings. Raytown ended Belton’s season, 52-23, in the District Semifinal round of the Class 5 state playoffs. Belton defeated Raytown South, 47-28, in the first round of the state playoffs.

Belton had no trouble scoring this season, nearly averaging 40 points per game. There were seven games that Belton scored over 40 points, Belton won each game. Belton scored under 40 points in four games, losing each one. 

Raymore Peculiar

The Raymore Peculiar Panthers finished the season 8-3 and reached the Class 6 District Semifinals before losing to Lee’s Summit North, 21-14. 

Two of Ray-Pec’s three losses this season were against Lee’s Summit North. The Panthers defense showed vast improvement from the game played earlier in the season, in September, when Lee’s Summit North beat Ray-Pec, 41-14. 

Ray-Pec finished third in the Suburban Gold Conference, behind the only two teams it lost to all season, Lee’s Summit North and the conference winner Liberty North. It is one of the toughest conferences in the state to play in, with Liberty North and Lee’s Summit North both among the eight teams still alive in Class 6 as the district championships kick off tonight, November 12.