Missouri high school football championship and semifinal preview

The Missouri football playoffs continue this week. The Star breaks down the five matchups involving local teams:

Class 6 championship: Blue Springs vs. Kirkwood, Memorial Stadium (Columbia), 7 p.m. Friday

Blue Springs is back in the Missouri Class 6 state championship game for the third time in five seasons.

The Wildcats, 11-2, have sidestepped injuries to key players this postseason and relied on a seemingly unstoppable running game. They have rushed for 1,209 yards and 23 touchdowns across four playoff victories.

As offensive lineman Daniel Parker put it, “We try to come out and smack you in the mouth.”

Coach Kelly Donohoe added that it feels his team is peaking at the right time, and it would be tough to disagree. Blue Springs is averaging 47 points per game in the playoffs.

A week after blowing past one St. Louis team (Christian Brothers College), Blue Springs will take on another program from the eastern side of the state.

Kirkwood has won 11 straight since dropping its season opener to Chaminade. It defeated Rockhurst 24-17 in last week’s semifinals.

Class 5 semifinals: Staley at Vianney, 7 p.m. Friday

The Staley Falcons hit a bump in the road in September, losing twice in a three-week stretch. But it’s been a relatively smooth ride ever since. Nobody has played the Falcons within 10 points during their six-game winning streak.

Staley, 10-2, has one of the most talented players in the state in halfback Julian Ross, and it’s consistently winning the battles up front on both sides of the ball. Ross has rushed for 2,188 yards and 34 touchdowns this season. Add to that, the defense has allowed only 35 points in three playoff wins.

Vianney, 7-5, took a losing record into the playoffs before winning three straight to reach the semifinals.

Class 4 semifinals: Kearney at Ladue, 1:30 p.m. Saturday

The Kearney offense has been on a torrid pace since its October loss to Staley. In the five ensuing weeks, the Bulldogs averaged 48.4 points per game.

Quarterback Anthony Pritzel has passed for 2,197 yards and 25 touchdowns, and he has rushed for 786 yards and 15 touchdowns.

The Bulldogs, 12-1, are the defending Missouri Class 4 champions and are aiming for the fifth title in school history.

Ladue, 12-1, is on an 11-game winning streak. It is 4-0 in games decided by one possession.

Class 4 semifinals: Parkway North at Harrisonville, 1 p.m. Saturday

Harrisonville finally got over the playoff hurdle known as Webb City.

After back-to-back playoff exits courtesy of Webb City, Harrisonville defeated the Cardinals 27-21 on Friday.

Harrisonville, 10-3, has been a drastically different team since an unexpected three-game losing streak in September. It enters the semifinals on a seven-game winning streak.

The Wildcats’ formidable ground game doesn’t rely on just one player to get the job done, though Morgan Selemaea has 1,157 yards and 16 touchdowns. Selemaea has four straight 100-yard outings.

Class 2 semifinals: Trinity Catholic at Lawson, 1 p.m. Saturday

Lawson has had its offense clicking for three months. The Cardinals, 11-2, have topped 30 points in 12 consecutive games.

They rolled past a red-hot Summit Christian Academy team over the weekend, getting touchdowns from a variety of sources.

Trinity, 11-0, has steamrolled its opponents, playing only one game decided by fewer than four touchdowns.

Lawson last reached the state championship in 2012, when it lost to Lamar.

This story was originally published November 15, 2016 at 12:51 PM with the headline "Missouri high school football championship and semifinal preview."