Photo Credit: Cole YoungWith high school football practices beginning on August 7, the clock will begin immediately ticking toward a season that will be filled with new teams in new classes, many local teams expected to compete for state titles and more.
Just 18 days after practices begin Kansas City area football fans will be treated to some of the best games of the season in the first week.
Here’s four of the best games for the first week, all rematches from season openers last year.
Fort Osage at Grain Valley- Last season Fort Osage handed Grain Valley two of their three losses, including in the Class 5 state quarterfinals. This season Grain Valley gets to take on the Indians at home compared to going on the road both times last season. The Eagles will also enter with transfer quarterback Sal Caldarella as they try to unseat Fort Osage as the top Class 5 team (assuming both teams remain in Class 5) in Eastern Jackson County. Fort Osage meanwhile has had Grain Valley’s number the last two seasons, defeating the Eagles twice in each season.
Lee’s Summit North vs Liberty North- Two of the premier teams in the metro face off in the first week of the season. It’s unlikely these two will face off again before the playoffs, though the district assignments won’t be released until the day of the season opener. What we do know is that they’ll both be top five teams in Class 6 this year with teams loaded with Division I talent.
Platte County vs Kearney- These two make up two-thirds of the 92 Highway Football trinity with the third member being Smithville. Over the first three weeks each team will play the others in what were all fantastic games last season. Last season the three games were decided by a total of 11 points (with seven of those being in overtime). None of the teams seem to be poised for a setback this season.
Raymore-Peculiar vs. Rockhurst- If the Lee’s Summit North and Liberty North game features three of the top 10 players in the state, this game features two of the top five in Georgia verbal commit Jaden Reddell, a tight end from Ray-Pec, and Andrew Sprague a lineman from Rockhurst that is verbally committed to Michigan. The Hawklets came alive late in the year winning four of their last five games, while Raymore-Peculiar is looking to tighten up its defense that allowed at least 26 points a game and allowed over 40 points five time.
