This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Schools

Patch Exclusive: Can't-Miss 2011 Prep Football Story Lines

Our high school football breakdown includes teams and star players to follow this season, and how Patch will help you stay atop of everything.

Despite the uncomfortable 90-degree temperatures and 8 p.m sunsets, it is still time to revel in the reality that football season has taken firm grasp across the St. Louis metropolitan area.

With one week of the high school football season officially in the record books, there is no better time to look ahead at the splendor that awaits in September, October and November as area programs look to fulfill the dreams of students, families and fans.

Patch is devoted to bringing the best of our community sports coverage to each of you this football season in a variety of ways. But, ultimately, we are relying on you to let us know what you most want to see on your local Patch, so never hesitate to drop us a note with your suggestions, criticism and, when deserved, your positive feedback.

We are very proud of our network of web sites in the area, and football fans can get a snapshot below at the biggest stories to follow this prep football season in each of our 24 Patch coverage areas.

We’ve already provided you with season previews, and will continue to supply weekly game previews and thorough, multimedia coverage on game day and beyond. Also, don’t miss our new football audio streaming partnership with Prepcasts.

-- Prepcasts Patch Game of The Week: Please click here.

Wentzville Spotlight 

: Timberland will go as far as junior quarterback Ryan Bainbridge can lead the Wolves, and by putting up 62 points in a Week 1 over Francis Howell North, things look promising. Running back Lucas Jordan (241 yards in Week 1) will provide Timberland with offensive balance. Timberland went 4-6 last season as Bainbridge threw for 1,484 yards.

: Can new Holt (0-1) coach Ken Moore get the Indians to be a winning team again in the 2011 season? It won’t be easy, as he has very few returning impact players from last season’s 6-5 squad. The defense will need to carry the load, while the offense will showcase returning junior running back Tray Mitchell, who ran for 468 yards on 73 attempts in 2010.

Quick-Hit Tour: Patch-Area Football Highlights

Affton-Shrewsbury: Affton went 4-6 last season, but the Cougars did win three of their final four games to make a splash in the Class 4 playoff picture. Head coach Dan Oliver is back for his 15thseason, but has to replace his top four offensive performers from last season and faces an enormous uphill battle in 2011. Affton lost to Union in its opener, 48-7. Consider Affton an underdog that is relying on its veteran coach to keep them battling.

Arnold: All eyes in Jefferson County are squarely on a diminutive running back with very large numbers. Seckman senior Blake Pepper turned many heads last season by rushing for 1,575 yards on an eye-popping 284 carries. He is the Suburban South Conference’s leading returning rusher.

Pepper, 5-foot-7 and 155 pounds, was heavily covered by Patch last spring as one of Seckman’s top wrestlers. He finished fifth at state at 140 pounds. The Jaguars hope to improve on last year’s 3-8 mark which featured a strong finish. Their season opener is at home against Parkway Central this Friday at 7 p.m.

Ballwin-Ellisville: There is a proud football tradition at Parkway West, and third-year coach Jeff Duncan is eager to prove he will have the Longhorns back on track in 2011. Parkway West has had two straight losing seasons, but with a veteran nucleus on offense, a winning season seems within reach. Look for running back Ed Carter to anchor the offense, along with an experienced offensive line. Carter ran for 489 yards last season on just 43 attempts and helped West beat U. City, 47-33, in Week 1.

Chesterfield: Prep football fans are very eager to get a glimpse of Parkway Central star receiver Brandon Shepard, who had 11 yards in Week 1. So, the question is whether Colts coach Mark Goldenberg will continue to get the ball into Shepard’s hands more often. He had 20 receptions for 440 yards last season, adding another 137 rushing yards. It was enough to get the attention of several elite Division 1 college football programs, who may be evaluating him as a safety. 

Clayton-Richmond Heights: The prevailing story for Clayton (0-1) is the debate surrounding the May dismissal of coach Sam Horrell, who was accused of violating Missouri State High School Activities Association rules. New head coach Scott Weissman will guide a team that went 8-4 last season, and he will be looking for junior running back Tyler Walker to be the Greyhounds’ got-to player. Walker had 322 rushing yards and 226 receiving yards in limited action in 2010. Also, he led Clayton with 114 total tackles on defense as a safety.

Creve Coeur: This central part of the St. Louis area is full of top-notch football, but topping this list in 2011 is versatile De Smet senior star Durron Neal. He led De Smet to an 8-5 mark in 2010, but the Spartans could have had a championship season with a few breaks. Long-time coach Pat Mahoney will again showcase Neal all over the field. Last season, Neal scored 23 touchdowns and had 1,408 total yards.. That does not include 700 return yards. He even played quarterback, and was a mainstay as a defensive back. The Oklahoma recruit should see more carries in 2011. Neal scored three TDs in a 28-0 Week 1 win over Hazelwood Central.

Eureka-Wildwood: Eureka’s 2010 season ended with an agonizing 14-6 loss to Lindbergh in a Class 6 sectional playoff game. Still, the Wildcats’ 9-2 season was full of highlights and big victories, including four shutouts. Eureka coach Farrell Shelton, in his 12th season, will look for running back Spencer Stein to pace his offense, and complement the stifling Wildcats defense. Stein rushed for 1,182 yards in 2010 and he had 137 yards in a 35-28 loss to Lafayette in Week 1 as the Wildcats defenses struggled.

Find out what's happening in Wentzvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Fenton-High Ridge: Rockwood Summit (0-1) went 6-5 in 2010, and there are plenty of reasons to think the Falcons can surpass that mark in 2011. Offensively, senior receiver Joey Schenk returns after caching 49 passes (583 yards) in 2010. Junior fullback Eric Beisel had 529 total yards on offense, but it was his team-best 116 tackles at linebacker that is drawing attention from scouts.

Florissant: First-year head coach Van Vanatta will attempt to lead Hazelwod Central (0-1) to the Class 6 state championship game at the Edward Jones Dome for the fourth consecutive season. The 2010 state runner-ups have plenty of size up front on both sides of the ball. It will be up to senior speedster quarterback Sean Wills to pace the offense. Willis, who also starts at cornerback, ran for 290 yards on 26 carries last fall in limited offensive action

Hazelwood: Hazelwood West (0-1) went 1-9 last season, and new coach and ex-NFL player Duane Hawthorne is under quite a bit of pressure to get this program back on track. The offense scored just 8.1 points per game in 2010, and it will be a daunting challenge for either sophomore Chase Pullaro or freshman Aaron Davis to step in and rev up the Wildcats’ offense.

Find out what's happening in Wentzvillewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Kirkwood: Coach Matt Irvin had a solid 9-4 first season at Kirkwood, leading the Pioneers to the 2010 Class 5 semifinals. If Kirkwood makes a run at a state title in 2011, it will be up to do-it-all senior B.J. Buckner to lead the way. Buckner, who plays all three skill positions, threw for 1,535 yards and 20 touchdowns last season while also rushing for 398 yards. Senior receiver Mike McHugh had 614 yards receiving. The Pioneers beat Summit, 36-7, in Week 1.

Ladue-Frontenac: Ladue enjoyed an 11-2 season in 2010, losing in the Class 4 state playoff quarterfinals. Senior star receiver Jehu Chesson is back, but will have to adjust to a new quarterback now that Kortland Webb has moved on to college. Senior QB Brandon Carr takes over for Webb one season after throwing just 36 passes. Chesson, a hotly-recruited player, had 53 receptions for 605 yards and 11 TDs in 2010. The Rams lost, 31-14, to Parkway Central in Week 1.

Maplewood-Brentwood: The goal for Maplewood Richmond Heights is very clear, and that is to win the Class 2 state championship. Brandon Gregory's first season yielded a 14-1 mark and MRH’s first trip to the state title game. The Blue Devils return seven key starters on offense, and junior quarterback Kahlid Hagens will run the show. Hagens missed the final four games in 2010, but still managed to throw for 1,937 yards with 24 touchdowns. Look for Hagens to be in the metro-area spotlight all season. MRH lost to MICDS, 36-35, despite 309 rushing yards in that classic Week 1 tilt.

Maryland Heights: It is unique for a defensive player to be at the center of attention in high school football, but that is precisely the case for Parkway North. Middle linebacker and Missouri recruit Donavin Newsom will anchor coach Bob Bunton unique 5-3 defense, while also taking over as the Viking’s feature running back. This will be fascinating considering Newsom ran for 249 yards vs. Webster Groves in the 2010 season finale, a 29-24 loss that gave North a 7-3 mark. He had 150 yards in North’s 38-35 win over SLUH in Week 1.

Mehlville-Oakville: Coach Arlee Conners enters his seventh season at Oakville with the goal of reaffirming his Tigers’ program as one of the area’s best Class 6 schools. Oakville stumbled to an 2-8 mark in 2010, but that followed a state seminal appearance in 2009. Conners has his entire offensive line back, and a veteran defense, so if QB senior Javon Henderson can be a playmaker, the Tigers may return to prominence. Oakville lost, 42-0, in Week 1 to Lindbergh.

O'Fallon: The anticipation surrounding Fort Zumwalt West and its high-powered offense has folks in O’Fallon thinking about a Class 6 state championship. Senior quarterback Drew Hare guided the Jaguars to an average of 39.5 points per game and a 10-3 mark in 2010. Hare, who passed for 3,201 yards and 24 TDs, is re-joined in 2011 by senior running back Ray Harris. In 2010, Harris had 1,438 rushing yards and 572 receiving yards. Senior Kyle Echols completes this triumvirate. Echols had 1,123 receiving yards last season.

St. Charles: Can St. Charles finally turn in a winning season? Coach Joe Leibner went 2-8 in his inaugural campaign with the Pirates, who have not had a winning season since 2003. St. Charles does not possess many known commodities, but senior Brandon Howard returns as the team leader. He’ll start at QB after throwing zero passes in 2010 when he played wide receiver. He’ll also anchor the secondary at cornerback.

St. Peters: Fort Zumwalt East went 9-1 last season, but is facing a change at quarterback for the first time in four seasons. Senior Brandon Barrett takes over for departed Marvin Byrd III, and he does have some experience after throwing 27 passes (five TDs) last season. He also had five interceptions playing defense in 2010. But Byrd dominated the ball the past three seasons, so the Lions must hope Barrett becomes a go-to player right away. He’s off to a great start with 471 total yards in a Week 1 win over Washington.

Sunset Hills-Crestwood: Lindbergh senior quarterback Peter Simpson is clearly the hinge that will dictate whether the Flyers can duplicate their 11-2 mark in 2010. The Flyers were co-champions of the Suburban West Conference, and ended the Wildcats’ season with a hard-fought 14-6 win in the Class 6 sectionals before losing to De Smet, 44-12 in the quarterfinals. Simpson threw for 2,219 yards in 2010 in his first year as a starter, but threw 19 interceptions (and 19 TDs). He is the only playmaker back on offense for Lindbergh, which pounded Oakville in its opener.

Town and Country-Manchester
: CBC QB Dalton Demos did not disappoint in Week 1, completing 15-of-27 passes in a wild 52-49 win over Fort Zumwalt West in what many considered the week’s best game. He finished with 323 yards and three TDs. In 2010, Demos, a 6-foot-5, 185-pound uncommitted recruit, threw for 2,038 yards. CBC is a legitimate title contender in Class 6.

University City: After a 1-9 season in 2010, the Lions can only improve, and signs are they will have a much better 2011 season. The U. City passing game did very little last season, but senior Deandre Williams made quite a statement in Week 1 by completing 19-of-27 passes for 294 yards and 3 touchdowns against Parkway West in a 47-33 loss. Receiver and runner Damarko Harvey had 10 catches for 175 yards.

Webster Groves: Statesmen fans are focused this season on the spectacular tandem of senior QB Rayshawn Simmons and senior wideout Demetrius Robinson, who had 888 receiving yards on just 36 receptions in 2010. Simmons, meanwhile, threw for 1,857 yards and 15 TDs with only five interceptions last season. Webster started 1-0 with a with an easy win over McCluer.

(Have some local sports news, or story ideas? Please email Patch sports editor Brian Doolittle at briandoolittle@hotmail.com)

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Wentzville