How SBLive Missouri's Power 25 teams fared in Week 8: Two Top 10 teams suffer first losses

Nixa and Lebanon both lose for the first time this season

By Chris Geinosky

Here’s a look at the Week 8 results for the teams in the SBLive Missouri Power 25.

1. Christian Brothers College (7-1) defeated Warren Central (Ind.) 52-25

The Cadets fell behind 8-0, but it didn’t faze them in the least. CBC answered with four touchdown drives in the first half to take a 31-11 lead at the intermission. Jason Wiley tossed three touchdown passes, two of which went to Dakota Mayo. Jeremiah McClellan scored a pair of touchdowns, one rushing (a 73-yarder to get the Cadets on the board in the first quarter) and one receiving. Jeremiyah Love, Ralph Dixon and Dylan Van all rushed for scores as well.

2. Liberty North (8-0) defeated Raymore-Peculiar 44-14

With the game tied 7-7 in the second quarter, the Eagles scored the game’s next 31 points – 10 in the second quarter to take a 17-7 halftime lead and 21 in the first six minutes of the third quarter to make it 38-7. Sam Van Dyne passed for 276 yards and two touchdowns, a 50-yarder to Xavier Horn and 65-yarder to Keelan Smith, who hauled in six catches for 172 yards. Kaden Durso recorded his second pick-six in as many weeks, and Blake Craig booted three field goals, including a 52-yarder.

3. St. Mary’s (6-2) lost to Trinity (Kentucky) 34-13

For the second time this season, the Dragons lost to an out-of-state opponent. St. Mary’s actually trailed 27-0 in the third quarter before breaking up the shutout with a pair of touchdowns that trimmed the deficit to 27-13, but that was as close as the defending state champions would get in this one in Louisville. The Dragons’ other loss this season came Week 3 at Neuqua Valley (Ill.).

4. Lee’s Summit North (7-1) defeated Lee’s Summit West 21-0

This crosstown bragging rights game turned into a defensive struggle, but the Broncos came out on top in convincing fashion. Tanner Howes rushed for 102 yards and a touchdown, while Quincey Baker added 57 yards and a score on the ground. The Lee’s Summit North defense was the real story, though, posting its first shutout of the season by holding West to 124 yards of total offense and forcing a pair of turnovers.

5. Nixa (7-1) lost to Republic 36-35 (OT)

Late in the fourth quarter with 3:29 left on the clock, Nixa passed on a short 20-yard field goal attempt and instead turned the ball over on downs, leaving the game tied 28-28 at the end of regulation. The Eagles scored first in overtime on Ramone Green Jr.'s 25-yard touchdown run, but Republic answered and then cashed in two-point conversion for the thrilling upset victory. The Nixa defense could not stop the Tigers’ power run game all night.

6. Francis Howell (8-0) defeated Francis Howell Central 63-6

Brady Hultman rushed for three touchdowns in the first half when the Vikings opened a 49-0 lead. Jaylen Pearson also scored three touchdowns, two on the ground and the other on a 61-yard punt return. Adam Shipley threw a touchdown pass to Taj Gurley and also rushed for a score as Francis Howell clinched the Gateway Athletic Conference South title.

7. Carthage (7-1) defeated No. 11 Joplin 34-28

In a wild turn of events in the game’s final seconds, the Tigers pulled out an improbable victory. With Joplin setting up for potential 42-yard, game-winning field goal with 2.5 seconds left in the game, Carthage burns all three timeouts in an attempt to ice the kicker. Then the Tigers block the kick, and Mason Frisinger picks up the ball and returns it 80 yards for a walk-off touchdown with no time remaining.

8. Cardinal Ritter (8-0) defeated Hillsboro 26-13

In a battle of undefeated teams, the Lions’ shutout streak ended at 15 quarters in a row, but the defense limited an explosive Hillsboro triple-option attack to two touchdowns. Fredrick Moore caught a pair of touchdown passes, a 13-yarder from Antwon McKay Jr. to open the scoring in the first quarter and a 23-yarder from Carson Boyd in the third quarter to give Ritter the lead for good. Boyd also rushed for a 53-yard touchdown and tossed a touchdown pass to Ryan Boyd to put the game away.

9. Lebanon (7-1) lost to No. 14 Camdenton 45-28

For the second week in a row, the Yellowjackets fell behind early and were forced to play catchup, not ideal for a team that would prefer to dictate play with its powerful running game. Lebanon was able to recover last week and pull out a tight 45-41 victory against West Plains, but there was no comeback in the cards in this week’s high-profile matchup of undefeated teams.

10. Kearney (8-0) defeated Grandview 63-12

The Kearney defense generated five turnovers, constantly putting the team in scoring position. Casey Rooney completed only four passes in the game, but three of them went for touchdowns – one each to Manny Linthacum, Danny Petree and Zach Grace. Four different players rushed for scores including Cameron Emmons, Grace (two), Petree and Vann Grimes. 

11. Joplin (6-2) lost to No. 7 Carthage 34-28

Trailing all night, the Eagles had a chance to take their first lead of the game with a 42-yard, game-winning field goal on the game’s final play. Instead, Joplin had the kick blocked, and then lost the game when the ball was returned for a touchdown after time had expired. Quin Renfro rushed for three touchdowns for the Eagles.

12. Smithville (7-1) defeated Pittsburg (Kan.) 35-0

Not even an out-of-state road trip could slow down the Warriors. In a matchup of one-loss teams, Smithville led 20-0 at halftime and eventually posted the team’s fifth consecutive running-clock victory. The Warriors’ defense has surrendered a grand total of 21 points during a current five-game win streak.

13. Troy Buchanan (6-2) defeated Ft. Zumwalt West 45-10

On their first offensive play from scrimmage, Brett Smith broke off a 65-yard touchdown run, and the rout was on. Charros Sutton tossed a pair of touchdown passes to Shane Hopmann (48-yarder on the final play of the first half and 76-yarder on the first play of the second half), and he also busted loose for an 88-yard rushing score.

14. Camdenton (7-0) defeated No. 9 Lebanon 45-28

In a battle of undefeated teams, Camdenton quarterback Bear Shore had another big game by rushing for four touchdowns in a winner-take-all game for the Ozark Conference championship. He also tossed a key 46-yard touchdown pass to Kam Durnin in the second half to help put the game away. The Lakers’ defense also did a nice job slowing down a Lebanon rushing attack that had been averaging better than 400 yards per game.

15. Blair Oaks (8-0) defeated Hallsville 55-0

Blair Oaks avenged last year’s 56-51 loss at Hallsville in a big way. Dylan Hair completed 8-of-9 passes for 172 yards and three touchdowns, and he also rushed 10 times for 91 and three more scores – by HALFTIME. Zach Prenger caught two passes for 75 yards, and both went for touchdowns.

16. MICDS (7-1) defeated St. Dominic 35-0

In a rare Friday night appearance, the Rams finally posted their first shutout of the season. Senior standouts Steven Hall and Winston Moore scored two rushing touchdowns each in the first half as MICDS took a commanding 28-0 lead into the locker room at the break.

17. Valle Catholic (7-0) plays Vianney on Saturday

The Warriors have run roughshod over almost everyone this season, and it should be more of the same Saturday afternoon when they take on winless Class 6 Vianney.

18. Holt (7-1) defeated No. 20 Jackson 34-21

Quarterback Owen Merrill accounted for all five Holt touchdowns as he ran for three scores and passed for two, one to Gabe Cunningham and the other to Ty Williams. Holt’s defense came up with multiple interceptions, the biggest in the third quarter to set up Merrill’s 50-yard TD run that made it 34-14.

19. De Smet (3-4) plays at Thornwood (Ill.) on Saturday

De Smet’s tough schedule continues with its third straight road game. The Spartans, who are teetering on the edge of falling out of the Power 25 for the first time this season, will try to move their record back to the .500 mark.

20. Jackson (5-3) lost to No. 18 Holt 34-21

Tony Williams opened the scoring with a 2-yard touchdown run, but Jackson then fell behind 21-6. Adrian Fox threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Kai Crowe to make it 21-14 at halftime, but Jackson didn’t score again until garbage time.

21. Seneca (8-0) defeated McDonald County 28-21

It wasn’t the Indians’ most impressive performance of the season, but it was a win all the same. Seneca survived an upset bid and also averaged last year’s 35-7 loss to McDonald County.

22. Lamar (7-1) defeated Cassville 41-13

Another week, another convincing victory for the Tigers. Lamar has won four games in a row since suffering a Week 4 loss at Seneca (36-33), and each of the wins have been by 20 points or more.

23. Lutheran North (5-3) lost to Lutheran St. Charles 20-18

Leading 18-7 and seemingly with victory in hand, the Crusaders gave up a pair of touchdowns in the game’s final minute. Lutheran St. Charles actually scored twice in 10 seconds after recovering an onside kick.

24. Rock Bridge (7-1) defeated Hickman 49-0

As expected, the Bruins pummeled the Kewpies in the annual Providence Bowl, locking up the title as the top large-class team from central Missouri. Rock Bridge will take on Francis Howell in a big Week 9 matchup of ranked teams.

25. Union (8-0) defeated St. James 46-0

Wyatt Birke rushed for a pair of touchdowns, and Liam Hughes tossed two scoring strikes to Ryan Rapert in the Wildcats’ second shutout in as many weeks. Hayden Parmenter also rushed for an early touchdown, helping build a 26-0 halftime lead.