Top 25 Missouri high school football rankings (9/27/2023)

De Smet headlined the biggest move with a blowout victory at Metro Catholic Conference rival CBC. The Spartans move into the Top 5 with Top 25 matchup with St.

Paul Halfacre | Sep 27, 2023

De Smet headlined the biggest move with a blowout victory at Metro Catholic Conference rival CBC. The Spartans move into the Top 5 with Top 25 matchup with St. Louis University High coming up this week.

Unbeaten Seneca enters the Power 25 after a blowout win over Monett.

SBLive Missouri Power 25 high school football rankings

PREVIOUS RANKINGS: PRESEASON | AUG. 30 | SEPT. 7 | SEPT. 14 | SEPT. 20

September 27, 2023

Top 25 Missouri high school football rankings

September 27, 2023

1. Lee's Summit North (5-0)

Previous rank: 1 Last week: Def. Blue Valley Northwest (Kan.) 34-22

Standout junior wide receiver Isaiah Mozee torched the Blue Valley Northwest defense for 163 receiving yards and three touchdowns as top-ranked Lee's Summit North improved to 5-0. Senior running back Tanner Howes gobbled up 148 yards on the ground on 15 carries.

Next game: vs. Raymore-Peculiar (3-2), Sept. 29

2. Liberty North (4-1)

Previous rank: 2 Last week: Def. Park Hill 52-14

Liberty North pitched a shutout in the first half before cruising to a 38-point victory over Park Hill.

Next game: at Blue Springs (2-3), Sept. 29

3. De Smet (5-0)

Previous rank: 5 Last week: Def. No. 3 CBC 49-14

De Smet dominated Metro Catholic Conference rival CBC on the road. It was the Spartans' first win over their since 2020. Junior quarterback Dillon Duff ran for 113 yards and two scores and completed six passes for 94 yards and a touchdown. DJ White totaled 69 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries.

Next game: vs No. 17 St. Louis University High (4-1), Sept. 29

4. Cardinal Ritter (5-0)

Previous rank: 4 Last week: Def. Lutheran St. Charles 58-6

Junior running back Jamarion Parker, a University of Arkansas commit, ran roughshod over Lutheran St. Charles for 205 yards on 12 carries. Sophomore wide receiver De'Shaun Stevenson topped 100 yards receiving while junior wideout Dejarrion Miller had 99 yards on four receptions.

Next game: vs Borgia (4-1), Sept. 29

5. Nixa (5-0)

Previous rank: 6 Last week: Def. No. 19 Joplin 35-27

Nixa rolled up 279 yards of offense on the ground in an eight-point road victory. Dylan Rebura carried the ball 26 times for 166 yards while the offense racked up nearly 400 yards of offense. Rylan Michael had three receptions for 32 yards while Spencer Ward had 62 yards through the air.

Next game: vs. Carl Junction (1-4), Sept. 29

6. Christian Brothers College (3-2)

Previous rank: 3 Last week: Lost to No. 5 De Smet 49-14

CBC lost at home to De Smet for the first time since 2020. Senior Cole McKey and sophomore Nicholas McClellan combined to go 10-for-16 for 154 yards and two touchdowns. Junior wide receiver Corey Simms rolled up 77 yards and a touchdown in the loss.

Next game: at Lipscomb Academy (Tenn.) (2-3), Sept. 29

7. St. Dominic (5-0)

Previous rank: 7 Last week: Def. Borgia 34-24

Thomas Pulliam continues to lead the way for St. Dominic as it notched its fifth win in as many weeks. Pulliam carried the rock 16 times for 201 yards on the ground while recording three receptions for 76 yards. The senior running back's 277 total yards broke the school's single-game record for total yards.

Next game: vs. Springfield Central (1-4), Sept. 29

8. Lutheran North (5-0)

Previous rank: 8 Last week: Def. Lutheran South 63-0

Lutheran North rolled up 229 yards of offense on the ground in a blowout victory over Lutheran South. Junior quarterback Dakarri Hollis carried the ball seven times for 67 yards while going 7-for-10 for 158 yards and three scores through the air.

Next game: vs. MICDS (5-0), Sept. 29

9. Hillsboro (5-0)

Previous rank: 9 Last week: Def. Festus 42-21

Payton Brown and Preston Brown combined to carry the ball 39 times for 273 yards after the Hawks doubled up Festus in a rivalry victory. Preston Brown also completed five passes for 148 yards and two scores.

Next game: vs. Windsor (Imperial) (3-2), Sept. 29

10. Rockhurst (4-1)

Previous rank: 11 Last week: Def. Bishop Miege (Kan.) 21-14

Rockhurst eeked out a seven-point win over their rivals west of the border. Senior quarterback Ethan Hansen opened up the scoring with a 32-yard touchdown strike to Maeson Tunley.

Next game: vs. St. Thomas Aquinas (Kan.) (4-0), Sept. 29

11. Francis Howell (3-2)

Previous rank: 10 Last week: Def. Troy Buchanan 31-14

Senior quarterback Adam Shipley aired it out in a 17-point victory over conference rival Troy Buchanan. Shipley went 10-for-14 for 282 yards and four scores through the air while University of Missouri recruit Jude James had three receptions for 101 yards. Cameron Cason had four receptions for 103 yards.

Next game: vs. Fort Zumwalt West (3-2), Sept. 29

12. Lamar (4-1)

Previous rank: 12 Last week: Def. East Newton 28-0

Lamar bounced back from its first loss of the season by blanking East Newton. The Tigers got a 75-yard interception return for a touchdown.

Next game: vs. McDonald County (3-2), Sept. 29

13. East Buchanan (5-0)

Previous rank: 13 Last week: Def. Penney 35-0

Mason Brown got the homecoming festivities started early with a kickoff return for a touchdown. Gage Busby found Trevor Klein on a screen play who took it the rest of the way for a touchdown. Klein also added a touchdown on the ground in the shutout win.

Next game: at West Platte (2-3), Sept. 29

14. Blair Oaks (4-1)

Previous rank: 14 Last week: Def. Boonville 56-27

Blair Oaks used a ground-and-pound attack in a 29-point win over Boonville. The Falcons had three rushers run for 100 yards or more on the ground in the big win. Tyler Bax led the way with 169 yards, while Eli Luckett had 137 yards and Hayden Lackman had 100 yards.

Next game: vs. Seaman (Kansas) (2-2), Sept. 29

15. Grain Valley (4-1)

Previous rank: 15 Last week: Def. Def. Blue Springs South 30-20

Senior running back Ty Williams had another big week with four touchdowns in a 10-point win over Blue Springs South. He rolled up 235 yards on 25 carries and caught four passes for another 125 yards.

Next game: vs. Belton (4-1), Sept. 29

16. Jackson (4-1)

Previous rank: 17 Last week: Def. Cape Girardeau Central 50-0

Jackson shut out rival Cape Girardeau for the eighth-straight victory in the rivalry. Jackson held a 50-0 lead at halftime and cruised to the win.

Next game: vs. Sikeston (0-5), Sept. 29

17. St. Louis University High (4-1)

Previous rank: 16 Last week: Def. Vianney 48-6

Sophomore wide receiver Zach Allen gashed the Vianney defense for 174 yards through the air on five receptions. Senior quarterback Marco Sansone went 13-for-16 for 314 yards and four scores in the Metro Catholic Conference.

Next game: at No. 3 De Smet (5-0), Sept. 29

18. Lebanon (5-0)

Previous rank: 18 Last week: Def. Waynesville 51-6

Lebanon jumped out to a 31-0 lead in the first half before cruising to the blowout victory.

Next game: at Glendale (3-2), Sept. 29

19. Helias (4-1)

Previous rank: 21 Last week: Def. Rock Bridge 20-10

Helias rebounded with a 10-point win over rival Rock Bridge. Mason French led the way on the ground with 124 yards and a touchdown.

Next game: vs. Capital City (3-2), Sept. 29

20. Lee's Summit West (4-0)

Previous rank: 20 Last week: Lee's Summit 53-21

Caden Carter had a field day in a blowout win over rival Lee's Summit. He threw for four touchdowns and racked up 278 passing yards to go along with 135 yards on the ground and two scores. Tayveon Simms accounted for 141 yards through the air.

Next game: vs. Blue Springs South (0-5), Sept. 29

21. Nevada (5-0)

Previous rank: 22 Last week: Def. Mt. Vernon 55-34

Jack Cheaney had a monster game as Nevada rolled to a 19-point victory. Cheaney rolled up more than 300 yards of total offense. Mt. Vernon cut the deficit to just 40-34 early in the fourth quarter before Nevada pulled away with an interception late in regulation to create some breathing room.

Next game: at Cassville (3-2), Sept. 29

22. Webb City (4-1)

Previous rank: 23 Last week: Def. Ozark 38-0

Webb City limited Ozark to just 78 yards of offense on 34 plays. Webb City rolled up 309 yards on the ground and 507 total yardage. Jackson Lucas completed five of his six passes for 119 yards.

Next game: at Willard (3-2), Sept. 29

23. Oak Park (5-0)

Previous rank: 24 Last week: Def. Platte County 35-14

Oak Park intercepted six Platte County passes in a dominant defensive performance. Aiden Hinkle scampered for 90 yards on the ground while scoring twice. Travon Pankey rolled up 88 yards and a touchdown.

Next game: vs. Lee's Summit (2-3), Sept. 29

24. South Shelby (5-0)

Previous rank: 25 Last week: Def. Clark County 44-14

South Shelby continued to hand teams their first loss. After defeating Monroe City in Week 4, it handed Clark County their first loss of the season with a 30-point beatdown. Kendall Hammond racked up 204 yards and three touchdowns on 30 carries.

Next game: vs. Highland (3-2), Sept. 29

25. Seneca (5-0)

Previous rank: NR Last week: Def. Monett 56-0

Seneca followed up its biggest win of the season with its fourth shutout. Jackson Marrs scored twice in the first half while quarterback Gavyn Hooper scored once on the ground and threw two touchdown passes in the second quarter.

Next game: vs. Reeds Spring (4-1), Sept. 29

Dillon Duff, De Smet defense dominate CBC in road win

Photos: Rockhurst tops Bishop Miege in Missouri-Kansas showdown

Missouri high school football: Top standouts, best performances in Week 5

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- Paul Halfacre | latsch@scorebooklive.com | @SBLiveMiz

Published Sep 27, 2023

PAUL HALFACRE