Wildcats, Titans to be area's two best teams

Based on returning experience this could be a down year for area high school football.
Some perennial powers will not do as well and some just as well. And there could be some surprises.
Now, that I have caught your attention it’s time again for the Prep Predictor to come out of hiding and forecast the likely finish of conference races and the won-lost record of the 14 area schools. Just remember, I do this for interest and fun.  Anyone who takes the predictions seriously should have to run 50 laps on a quarter lane track.
The first order of business is the likely conference finishes.
Suburban Big Seven: 1. Blue Springs; 2. Liberty; 3. Blue Springs South; 4. Raymore-Peculiar;  5. Lee’s Summit North; 6. Lee’s Summit; 7. St. Joseph Central.
Suburban Big Six: 1. Park Hill; 2. Park Hill South; 3. Truman; 4. Oak Park; 5. William Chrisman; 6. Winnetonka.
Suburban Middle Six: 1. Lee’s Summit West; 2. Fort Osage; 3. Raytown South; 4. Raytown; 5. Belton; 6. North Kansas City.
Suburban Small Six: 1. Kearney; 2. Platte County; 3. Hickman Mills; 4. Staley; 5. Grandview; 6. Ruskin.
Crossroads: 1. Lone Jack; 2. Sherwood; 3. St. Mary’s; 4. Maranatha Academy.
Missouri River Valley Conference West: 1. Harrisonville; 2. Pleasant Hill; 3. Excelsior Springs; 4. Oak Grove; 5. Grain Valley; 6. Odessa.
Missouri River Valley Conference East: 1. Carrollton; 2. Holden; 3. Richmond; 4. Knob Noster; 5. Higginsville; 6. Lexington.
Now what you have all been waiting for.
BLUE SPRINGS: The Wildcats, with no offense to Lee’s Summit West, will be the area’s top team.
Six returning offensive and four defensive starters give the Wildcats a solid core. There’s talent at the skill positions, especially at quarterback in Jared Lanpher and at wide receiver in Keeston Terry.
Big things are forecast for sophomore running back Darrian Miller. And Gus Toca will be a beast on defense.
Summit it up the Wildcats will win nine, Lee’s Summit West, St. Joseph Central, Lee’s Summit, Raymore-Peculiar, Park Hill South, Lee’s Summit North, Blue Springs South, Liberty and Columbia Rock Bridge and fall only to Rockhurst.
BLUE SPRINGS SOUTH: The Jaguars compete in the state’s toughest conference in the Suburban Big Seven.
It could be a tough season because there are only 10 letter winners from a standout 9-1 team. Even worse, no starters return on defense and only four on offense.
A rebuilding year is in store. The many newcomers will have to grow up fast. Many question marks await to be answered.
At football tradition-rich Blue Springs South the reloading begins well in Blaine Dalton, who should be one of the state’s top quarterbacks.
South will win six, Raymore-Peculiar, St. Joseph Central, Belton, Lee’s Summit North, Lee’s Summit and Columbia Rock Bridge, and lose four, Rockhurst, Park Hill, Liberty and Blue Springs.
FORT OSAGE: Dalton Krysa, who has rushed for over 4,000 yards in two seasons, returns.
But 20 seniors graduated from a 10-2 team that advanced to the state Class 5 semifinals.
This doesn’t mean Fort Osage will have a tough year. Perhaps just not as good as 2007. The play of the defense that graduated seven starters could determine if the Indians repeat as the Suburban Middle Six champs and qualify for state playoffs.
Krysa’s return is a huge plus. Every time he carries the ball he could end up in the end zone.
Fort Osage will win the final seven games, Belton, Grandview, Raytown South, Raytown, Winnetonka, William Chrisman and North Kansas City and lose the three opening games, Park Hill South, Kearney and Lee’s Summit West.
GRAIN VALLEY: Over the past 12 years the Eagles have gone 103-31 and qualified five times for the state playoffs. Excellent running backs have been one of the big keys to Grain Valley’s success.
But this is 2008 and coach Forrest Rovello has one of his most inexperienced teams. The schedule is tougher because of the split of the Missouri River Valley Conference. And there are only 10 letter winners. The defense may be the strong suit because of six letter winners.
If the Eagles develop another 1,000-yard rusher and junior Austin Gouldsmith develops as expected at quarterback a 12th winning season in the last 13 years is possible.
As of now the Eagles will win five – Lincoln Prep, Marshall, Odessa, Warrensburg and Sedalia Smith-Cotton – and lose five: Chillicothe, Excelsior Springs, Oak Grove, Pleasant Hill and Harrisonville.
LEE’S SUMMIT: The return to the Suburban Big Seven couldn’t have come at a worse time for the Tigers.
Many standouts graduated from a 5-5 team with two one-point losses. There will be new faces everywhere, especially at quarterback.
Needless to say, coach Mike Spiegel faces a challenging 14th season.
The Tigers will win two, St. Joseph Central and Joplin, and lose eight, Oak Park, Park Hill South, Liberty, Blue Springs, Raymore-Peculiar, Blue Springs South, Rockhurst and Lee’s Summit North.
LEE’S SUMMIT NORTH: With some breaks the Broncos could experience their first winning season since 2000.
Among the 22 letter winners are five offensive starters. Only two, however, return on defense. Gavin Stark returns for his third season as the starter at quarterback. His experience and leadership will be keys to North’s success.
North will win four, William Chrisman, St. Joseph Central, Joplin and Lee’s Summit, and lose six, Columbia Rock Bridge, Raymore-Peculiar, Liberty, Blue Springs South, Blue Springs and Rockhurst.
LEE’S SUMMIT WEST: Defense rules at Lee’s Summit West.
And it will have to in 2008 if the Titans are to continue to their great success.
As usual, there are great numbers. But there also are many key graduation losses from a 14-0 team that bolted to the state Class 4 championship. The total of returning letter winners is the lowest in the past three years.
Also, the Titans have moved up to Class 5 and a much tougher conference in the Suburban Middle Six.
But tradition and that great defense will pay off again in a big way.
West will win nine, Truman, Fort Osage, Raytown, Raytown South, Grandview, North Kansas City, Belton, Raymore-Peculiar and Springfield Central and lose the season opener to Blue Springs.
OAK GROVE: Graduation also took a heavy toll at Oak Grove. Still, there are 24 letter winners. Four starters return on offense and five on defense.
There will be a new quarterback. A tougher schedule will be how much of an impact?
Second-year coach Pete Carpino likes what he has seen. A winning tradition should catapult the Panthers to a fifth consecutive successful season.
Oak Grove will win six, Warrensburg, Raytown, Odessa, Grain Valley, Clinton and Holden, and lose four, O’Hara, Excelsior Springs, Harrisonville and Pleasant Hill.
RAYTOWN: What was one of the state’s most elite programs has not had a winning season since 1991.
New coach Kevin Page hopes to change that. But it will be difficult. The Blue Jays, in the Suburban Middle Six, play in a tough conference. Four of the schools come off district titles.
Fifteen letter winners, including 10 seniors, could make Page’s first season an enjoyable one.
Raytown will win three, Staley, North Kansas City and Northeast, and lose seven, Kearney, Oak Grove, Lee’s Summit West, Belton, Fort Osage, Truman and Raytown South.
RAYTOWN SOUTH: Experience, size and speed could add to a successful season.
Also, the momentum from winning four of the last five games in 2007 and advancing to the state Class 5 playoffs will help.
Coach Dave Allie likes his ninth team. But the Suburban Middle Six is much tougher with the addition of Lee’s Summit West and North Kansas City. And the non-conference schedule includes Truman and perennial power Platte County.
Rumors have it the Cardinals could be strong.
South will win six, Staley, Hickman Mills, North Kansas City, Belton, Northeast and Raytown, and lose four, Platte County, Lee’s Summit West, Fort Osage, Truman and Raytown.
ST. MARY’S: The Trojans could have their first winning season since 2002.
For one thing, they have strong upper classmen. Another intangible is a favorable schedule. Sedalia Sacred Heart and Mission (Kan.) Maranantha Academy are fielding varsity teams for the first time and Northwest of Hughesville is going from eight-man to varsity.  And the numbers are up.
The only team the Trojans beat last year, Concordia St. Paul’s, remains on the schedule.
St. Mary’s will win five, St. Paul’s, Hughesville, Sacred Heart, Maranatha and Wentworth Military Academy, and lose five, Rock Port, Lone Jack, Sherwood, Braymer and Orrick.
TRUMAN: The Patriots went 5-5 in 2007 and should be stronger in 2008.
Of the 22 letter winners, eight are offensive and seven defensive starters. Quarterback Jamie Hayes will operate behind one of the area’s biggest offensive lines. Still, will Truman have a solid running game to complement what should be a solid passing attack?
If all goes as planned the Patriots could be fun to watch and a definite contender to advance to the Class 5 playoffs.
Truman will win six, Oak Park, Winnetonka, William Chrisman, Raytown South, Raytown and Northeast and lose four, Raymore-Peculiar, Lee’s Summit West, Park Hill South and Park Hill.
VAN HORN: A brand new start results in a tough season.
The numbers are adequate but the schedule is much tougher because of leaving the Interscholastic League. It will be a weekly learning process as the Falcons lack experience.
The district is a bear. And there will be no motivating factor of playing in a league. The Falcons, though, will be competitive.
Still, a winless season appears likely. Van Horn will lose 10, Pembroke Hill, Ruskin, Center, Warrensburg, St. Pius X, Lincoln Prep, Hogan Prep, Plattsburg, Lawson and Lathrop.
WILLIAM CHRISMAN: The Bears will not repeat a tough 0-10 season. You can bet on it.
Seven starters return on offense and six on defense. The Bears again will have great size.
But the biggest plus is dropping from the tough Suburban Big Seven to the Big Six. Still, the schedule is tough.
The Bears will win four, Ruskin, Staley, North Kansas City and Winnetonka, and lose six, Lee’s Summit North, Oak Park, Park Hill South, Park Hill, Truman and Fort Osage.