A poll of a dozen sports writers who cover Missouri high school football put the Carthage Tigers at No. 1 in class 5 for the first time in program history.
The poll jumped Carthage from fourth after losses by all three of the teams ahead of the Tigers.
Carthage Head Coach Jon Guidie said it’s the first time in his Carthage coaching career that the Tigers have been this high.
“We may have climbed as high as second in Class 4 early in my career, but this is a first,” Guidie said. “It certainly is quite an honor and a big credit to a lot of people, the coaches, the players, the community. It also makes you step back and say we’ve got to step it up in practice, playing and coaching.”
Carthage has a bye this week after finishing the regular season with a 56-6 win over Ozark at home.
The panel is made up of Dion Clisso, PrepsKC; Dave Kvidahl, STLHighschoolsports.com; Jim Powers, High School Sports Caravan; Eric Blum, The Columbia Tribune; Tom Rackers, Jefferson City News-Tribune; Corey Riggs, Mediacom Springfield; Tim Leible, The Rolla Daily News; Thomas Huitt-Johnson, The St. Joseph News-Press; J.B. Connoley, KRES radio; Matt King, The Daily Journal; Jason Peake, The Joplin Globe; Cody Thorn, Platte County Citizen
First-place votes in parenthesis.
CLASS 5
Rank, team, Rec., Pts., LW
1. Carthage (9), 8-1, 117, 4
2. Staley (1), 7-2, 98, 1
3. Vianney, 6-3, 81, 3
4. Raytown, 8-1, 79, 7
5. Fort Zumwalt North (1), 8-1, 77, 5
6. North Kansas City, 8-1, 67, 2
7. Jackson (1), 9-0, 64, 6
8. Fox, 8-1, 33, 8
9. Timberland, 7-2, 28, 9
10. Lebanon, 7-2, 14, 10
Also receiving votes: Battle (5-4), 2
