Lee’s Summit, Kearney reach Missouri state-title games in high school football

Two Kansas City-area high school football teams will play for Missouri state championships next weekend.

Lee’s Summit advanced to the MSHSAA Show Me Bowl games with a one-touchdown victory over Jackson, while Kearney reached the title round with a more comfortable win against Festus.

Lee’s Summit 35, Jackson 28

The host Tigers saved their best for last Saturday afternoon, scoring 21 unanswered points in the final 17 minutes of a Class 6 semifinal against Jackson.

Lee’s Summit (9-4) opened the season with an 0-4 record but recovered from injuries and has since won nine straight. The Tigers’ run continues on Saturday, Dec. 6 at Spratt Memorial Stadium in St. Joseph, where they’ll face Nixa for the Class 6 state championship at 7 p.m.

Jackson’s Indians (12-1) took a 28-14 lead on Jaylen Hampton’s 50-yard touchdown run with 6:52 left in the third quarter. But Lee’s Summit started its ensuing possession at midfield and Karsten Fiene ripped off a long run to set up Preston Hatfield’s TD touchdown.

Lee’s Summit held a Jackson threat in its territory, then Hatfield scored again. The PAT attempt was blocked, however, so Lee’s Summit still trailed by 1, at 28-27.

Hatfield’s fourth and final TD run put the Tigers ahead for good in the final period. He finished with 251 yards and twin Peyton Hatfield tacked on the 2-point conversion as the final points of the game.

Kearney 56, Festus 24

After weaving across Missouri on a four-hour drive — and then waiting another two hours for a weather-delayed kickoff — Kearney walloped Festus in the Class 4 semifinals.

Now the Bulldogs can head west on Highway 92 and north on I-29 to the state-title game. The drive to St. Joe will take them less than an hour next Saturday.

Kearney (13-0) scored five touchdowns to erase a 17-15 second-quarter deficit against the host Tigers. Quarterback Temple Carter rushed for a game-high 237 yards and three TDs and running back Corbin Emmons added 147 rushing yards and two TDs.

Dryden Hendrix had 70 rushing yards and two more TDs as Kearney finished with 472 yards on the ground.

Kearney will face the winner of St. Mary’s South Side and Hannibal — teams that were to play Sunday, Nov. 30 (due to a weather postponement Saturday).

Lift for Life 48, St. Michael 28

Lift for Life wasn’t an uplifting sight for first-time final four participant St. Michael the Archangel.

The St. Louis-area charter school scored six straight touchdowns to take a 42-0 lead before the Guardians were able to get on the board in a Class 3 semifinal at Lee’s Summit North.

St. Michael (10-4) found the end zone on Luis Tellado’s 3-yard TD run late in the third quarter. A junior, Tellado scored his team’s only other TD — on another 3-yard run — with 7:05 remaining.

He finished with 170 yards.

Missouri football state semifinals

All state finals are at Spratt Memorial Stadium, St. Joseph

CLASS 6

Semifinals

Lee’s Summit 35, Jackson 28

Nixa 45, Pattonville 0

Championship: Saturday, Dec. 6

Lee’s Summit vs. Nixa, 7 p.m.

CLASS 5

Semifinals

Platte County 64, Kirkwood 35

Carthage 20, Cardinal Ritter 8

Championship: Friday, Dec. 5

Platte County vs. Carthage, 7 p.m.

CLASS 4

Semifinals

Kearney 52, Festus 24

Hannibal at St. Mary’s South Side (Sunday)

Championship: Saturday, Dec. 6

Kearney vs. TBD, 11 a.m.

CLASS 3

Semifinals

Lift for Life 48, St. Michael the Archangel 28

Seneca 57, St. Clair 20

Championship: Friday, Dec. 5

Lift for Life vs. Seneca, 11 a.m.

CLASS 2

Semifinals

St. Pius X (Festus) 40, Monroe City 36

Blair Oaks 42, Liberty (Mountain View) 0

Championship: Saturday, Dec. 6

St. Pius X (Festus) vs. Blair Oaks, 3 p.m.

CLASS 1

Semifinals

Tipton 26, West Platte 0

Putnam County 53, Hayti 22

Championship: Friday, Dec. 5

Tipton vs. Putnam County, 3 p.m.

8-MAN

Semifinals

Rock Port 46, Concordia 7

Worth County 36, Archie 34

Championship: Thursday, Dec. 4

Rock Port vs. Worth County/NE Nodaway, 7 p.m.

This story was originally published November 30, 2025 at 2:00 PM.