In terms of volume of good games, there’s maybe no better week than district championship and quarterfinal weeks.
For me, what makes this week stand out is we finally get a chance to see some of those games that we’ve long hoped would happen thanks to both teams winning out.
The game at the top of the list for me is North Kansas City and Staley.
It really wasn’t that long ago that Staley was the new kid on the block.
Now the Falcons are the defending state champs and it’s the oldest school in the district that’s the team trying to make its mark.
Add in C.J. Price and it’s bound to be a fun one.
Just to add to the fun was a tweet the North Kansas City student section sent to Oak Park and Winnetonka students asking them to join them in rooting against Staley.
Another fun thing about this time of year is seeing teams that have played two polar opposite schedules matching up.
That’s Odessa and Pembroke Hill to me.
Odessa cruised through a schedule full of Class 3 and 4 schools and has been at the top of the state polls all season. The Raiders meanwhile have played a handful of Class 2 teams. That said, all Pembroke Hill has done is beat every single team that’s been put in front of them.
Friday is its chance to get in the discussion for legitimacy.
Finally there’s the games where you know it’s just going to be a matchup of two great teams.
Lathrop and Lawson match up in what could be two of the top five teams in the state.
Cass-Midway and Lincoln both have been somewhat under the radar but have been on a collision course since the districts were announced.
Then, there’s the battle of 92 Highway.
Platte County wants nothing more than to make it to the state championship this year after falling in the semifinals to Webb City. Smithville’s only loss is to the Pirates in the regular season, by a single point.
Two teams, a combined 20-2, this one should be fun.
