KC Metro Sports released their annual pre-season Top 25 earlier in the week. Here is how they ranked the top 25 teams in the area. Sunflower League teams are in bold, with the byline that Metro Sports included underneath each team.1. Blue Springs
2. Olathe North
"Best team in the state of Kansas not named Hutchinson. The Sunflower League is theirs to take. The Eagles start up front with a dominating offensive line. Then it is David Blazevic’s job to hand the ball of to James Frankin and watch him run. A Simone Finalist last year, he returns almost 2000 yards rushing and 22 touchdowns. Defensively, Missouri bound Lucas Vincent anchors the line. The Eagles close out the decade how they started it, state champions." - Metro Sports
3. Ray-Pec
4. Rockhurst
5. Blue Valley
6. Liberty
7. Fort Osage
8. Lawrence Free State
"Went to the 6A title game last year. Expect plenty of points with Camren Torneden at quarterback and Michael Lisher on the line." - Metro Sports
9. Staley
10. Lee's Summit West
11. Kearney
12. Bishop Miege
13. Raytown South
14. Garnder-Edgerton
15. Harrisonville
16. Blue Springs South
17. O'Hara
18. St. Thomas Aquinas
19. SM West
"Went undefeated in the regular season last year. Callaghan can coach." - Metro Sports
20. Park Hill
21. Hogan Prep
22. Mill Valley
23. Winnetonka
24. Chillicothe
25. Olathe East
"Lost a lot of players. Always good." - Metro Sports
My thoughts:
I don't really disagree too much with these rankings, and besides, like all pre-season rankings they are purely based on returning players and the previous seasons. It's good to see four Sunflower League teams making this list, although that number has been much higher in previous years.
2009 is playing out (at least on paper) to be a top heavy year. You have Olathe North, Free State, and SM West returning very talented squads--and all three of those teams have a strong pedigree to work with. Meanwhile, Lawrence, SM Northwest, and Olathe East have alot of question marks surrounding them for 2009, but they are good enough programs that they most likely will be successfull this upcoming year. And then there are the other six teams in the league who don't show a ton of promise, but could always surprise.
Back to the Metro Sports...I love the whole premise of the Time Warner Kansas City channel. In all honesty, Metro Sports has done more to promote high school sports in Kansas City then well...everyone. The Metro Sports HyVee High School Game of the Week is something thousands upon thousands of high school football players, families, and fans have looked forward to on a regular basis every fall Friday night for years.
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