Top 25 Missouri high school football rankings (final 2023 rankings)

Liberty North finishes season with 13-game win streak and first state title

Liberty North topped CBC to win the 2023 Missouri Class 6 title / Photo by Nate Latsch, SBLive

The 2023 Missouri high school football season concluded with seven champions crowned in Columbia last weekend, including Liberty North and Park Hills Central, which both won the first state football titles in school history.

Here is the final SBLive Missouri Power 25 rankings of the high school football season. 

• PREVIOUS RANKINGS:  PRESEASON | AUG. 30 | SEPT. 7 | SEPT. 14 | SEPT. 20 | SEPT. 27 | OCT. 4 | OCT. 11 | OCT. 18 | OCT. 25 | NOV. 1 | NOV. 8 | NOV. 14 | NOV. 21 | NOV. 29

SBLive Missouri Power 25 high school football rankings

1. Liberty North (13-1)

Previous rank: 1 Last week: Def. No. 5 CBC 38-7

The Eagles won their first football state championship and got touchdowns from offense, defense and special teams. The latter included a MSHSAA title game record 52-yard field goal by Bleu Renfrow.

2. Cardinal Ritter (14-0)

Previous rank: 2 Last week: Def. No. 15 Republic 38-25

The berth in the finals was the fourth in the program history and the Lions came through with a second consecutive state championship after taking first last year in Class 3.

3. Rockhurst (11-2)

Previous rank: 3 

The Hawklets’ run of beating top-5-ranked teams ended on a missed PAT in overtime against Liberty North.

4. Lee's Summit North (10-1)

Previous rank: 4 

Since going 4-6 in the 2020 season, the Broncos have posted three straight seasons with 10 or more wins. Lee’s Summit North has won 33 games and lost just five during that span.

5. Christian Brothers College (11-3)

Previous rank: 5 Last week: Lost to No. 1 Liberty North 38-7

In three full seasons, the senior class for CBC went 37-5 with three trips to the state championship game (and two titles). The Cadets were attempting to become the first team since the 1970s to win three straight state titles in MSHSAA's largest classification.

6. De Smet (10-2)

Previous rank: 6

The Spartans led going into the fourth quarter against CBC in the state semifinals, but couldn’t hold off the Cadets’ late comeback attempt.

7. Nixa (10-1)

Previous rank: 7 

The senior class for the Eagles won 38 games over the past four years.

8. Kearney (12-2)

Previous rank: 24 Last week: Def. No. 8 Hillsboro 68-28

The Bulldogs had only 20 more yards than Hillsboro but posted 40 more points to win the Class 4 championship.

9. Hillsboro (12-2)

Previous rank: 8 Last week: Lost to No. 24 Kearney 68-28 

Payton Brown had a team-high nine tackles, 90 yards receiving and 79 yards rushing with a touchdown in the Class 4 championship game.

10. Lutheran North (11-2)

Previous rank: 9 

The Crusaders lost in the semifinals to Hillsboro in the second meeting between the two in 42 years.

11. Park Hills Central (10-3)

Previous rank: 25 Last week: Def. No. 16 Seneca 

The Rebels won the school’s first football championship and only the second in a boys sport – joining the 1982 baseball team that won 2-3A crown.

12. Blair Oaks (11-2)

Previous rank: 10 

After winning the Class 2 title in 2022, the Falcons reached the semifinals in Class 3 this year.

13. Jackson (10-2)

Previous rank: 11 

In five of the past six years the Indians have won 10 or more games.

14. Francis Howell (9-3)

Previous rank: 12 

The Vikings, last year’s Class 5 champion, have posted a 42-7 record over the past four seasons.

15. Lamar (13-1)

Previous rank: 14 Last week: Def. Valle Catholic 35-28 in OT

Junior quarterback Alex Wilkerson scored the game-winner in OT to help the Tigers claim their eighth state championship since 2011.

16. Seneca (13-1)

Previous rank: 13 Last week: Lost No. 25 Central Park Hills 48-34

Cody Hilburn led his alma mater back to the state title game – the eighth trip in program history. He’s 32-8 in three years at helm.

17. Republic (12-3)

Previous rank: 16 Last week: Lost to No. 2 Cardinal Ritter 38-25

The Tigers made their debut in the state finals – the fifth Central Ozark Conference school in a title game since 2014.

18. Webb City (10-3)

Previous rank: 15

The chance to reach state title game No. 20 ended when the Cardinals came up short this year.

19. Bowling Green (13-1)

Previous rank: 17

The Bobcats came up short of a return to the state championship game after 13 years, but went 36-3 the past three years.

20. Oak Park (11-1)

Previous rank: 18 

The first playoff trip in 10 years ended at the hands of the top-ranked Eagles. The Northmen have won 19 games in the past two years — after winning 19 combined from 2015-2021.

21. Helias (10-2)

Previous rank: 19 

The Crusaders’ two losses this season were by a combined eight points.

22. Hannibal (11-2)

Previous rank: 20 

Notre Dame-bound running back Aneyas Williams capped his career ranked No. 2 all-time in touchdowns (148) and points scored (937) — trailing former Wyoming running back Kellen Overstreet, from Hamilton Penney, in both categories.

23. Grain Valley (10-2)

Previous rank: 21 

Ty Williams finished the season with 33 touchdowns and more than 2,000 yards rushing.

24. Marionville (14-0)

Previous rank: NR Last week: Def. North Platte 29-0

The Comets defense gave up eight points or less in 13 of the 14 wins and their season-high was 14 points allowed. Paden Grubbs has now won a title as a player (2003) and coach.

25. East Buchanan (11-1)

Previous rank: 22 

The winning streak for the defending two-time Class 1 champions ended in the quarterfinals in the first year in Class 2.

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2023 Missouri football championships

Missouri high school football: Top performances from Show-Me Bowl games (12/2/2023)

Liberty North pounds CBC to win first Missouri Class 6 title

Lamar rallies to beat Valle Catholic in overtime to win Missouri Class 2 football championship

Kearney runs past Hillsboro to win Missouri Class 4 football title

Cardinal Ritter tops Republic to win Missouri Class 5 football championship, second straight title

Marionville shuts out North Platte to win Missouri Class 1 football title

Jobe Bryant leads Park Hills Central past Seneca in Missouri Class 3 football title game

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- Cody Thorn