Brian Rosener is the keeper of the Semoball Cup which is presented to the school with the most successful season. It is based on a formula that takes into account the combined winning percentage of all sports teams plus bonus points for advancement in postseason play for both teams and individuals. The bonus points are divided by the number of teams a school fields. Rosener has been the sports editor for the Daily American Republic in Poplar Bluff, Mo. since December 2001. He was born and raised in St. Louis, where he attended Lindbergh High School and Webster University. He is married to Jennifer, a Poplar Bluff native, has a son Jack and a dog named Satchel who stands in for his @semoballBrian photo.

Media's football poll after Week 3

Posted Friday, September 20, 2013, at 5:39 AM

MISSOURI FOOTBALL RANKINGS

Statewide high school football rankings, as compiled by a 15-member panel of sportswriters and broadcasters. First-place votes in parenthesis.

CLASS 6

Rank, team Rec Pts. LW

1. Blue Springs (15) 3-0 150 1

2. Rock Bridge 3-0 135 2

3. Hazelwood Central 3-0 112 4

4. Francis Howell 2-1 98 3

5. Liberty 3-0 84 6

6. Rockhurst 0-3 68 5

7. CBC 2-1 66 7

8. De Smet 1-2 42 9

9. Jefferson City 2-1 37 8

10. Fort Zumwalt West 2-1 25 --

Dropped out: Raymore-Peculiar (1-2)

Also receiving votes: Blue Springs South (2-1) 5, Raymore-Peculiar (1-2) 2, Lee's Summit (3-0) 1

CLASS 5

Rank, team Rec. Pts. LW

1. Lee's Summit West (15) 3-0 150 1

T2. Fort Osage 3-0 126 3

T2. Parkway Central 3-0 126 2

4. Kirkwood 3-0 107 4

5. Camdenton 3-0 79 5

6. Staley 2-1 75 6

7. Ozark 3-0 54 T7

8. Vianney 2-1 43 T7

9. Webster Groves 1-2 36 9

10. Nixa 3-0 9 --

Dropped out: Lebanon (2-1)

Also receiving votes: Kickapoo (3-0) 7, Lebanon (2-1) 5, Kearney (2-1) 4, Winnetonka (2-1) 3, Park Hill South (1-2) 1

CLASS 4

Rank, team Rec. Pts. LW

1. Webb City (15) 2-1 150 1

2. Bolivar 3-0 132 4

3. Helias 2-1 114 3

4. Harrisonville 2-1 108 2

5. Westminster 3-0 92 5

6. Moberly 3-0 59 7

7. Liberty North 2-1 56 6

8. Hillcrest 2-1 50 8

9. Festus 3-0 26 --

10. Hannibal 2-1 19 10

Dropped out: Priory (2-1)

Also receiving votes: Priory (2-1) 14, Carl Junction (2-1) 5

CLASS 3

Rank, team Rec. Pts. LW

1. Maryville (15) 3-0 150 1

2. John Burroughs 3-0 134 2

3. California 3-0 119 3

4. Oak Grove 3-0 105 4

5. Duchesne 3-0 92 5

6. Reeds Spring 3-0 68 6

7. O'Fallon Christian 3-0 56 8

8. Monett 3-0 45 9

9. Cameron 3-0 15 --

10. Cassville 1-2 14 7

Dropped out: Center (1-2)

Also receiving votes: Hogan (3-0) 12, Park Hills Central (3-0) 3, Centralia (2-1) 3, Center (1-2) 3

CLASS 2

Rank, team Rec. Pts. LW

1. Lamar (15) 3-0 150 1

2. MV-Liberty 3-0 135 2

3. Mountain Grove 3-0 115 3

4. South Callaway 3-0 96 4

5. Strafford 3-0 87 5

6. Caruthersville 2-1 66 6

T7. Lafayette County 3-0 52 7

T7. Lathrop 3-0 52 --

9. Brookfield 3-0 32 8

10. Palmyra 3-0 25 9

Dropped out: Herculaneum (1-2)

Also receiving votes: Blair Oaks (2-1) 10, Ash Grove (3-0) 3, Holden (2-1) 2

CLASS 1

Rank, team Rec. Pts. LW

1. Valle Catholic (15) 3-0 140 2

2. Westran 3-0 128 3

3. Hamilton 2-1 122 1

4. Cass-Midway 3-0 107 4

5. Salisbury 3-0 78 5

6. Milan 3-0 59 8

7. Skyline 3-0 48 9

8. Marceline 2-1 41 7

9. Thayer 1-2 33 6

10. Drexel 3-0 20 --

Dropped out: Sacred Heart (2-1)

Also receiving votes: Marionville (2-1) 17, East Buchanan (3-0) 4, Chaffee (3-0) 3, South Harrison (1-2) 3, Osceola (2-1) 1

How I voted:

CLASS 6

1 Blue Springs; 2 Rock Bridge; 3 Liberty; 4 Rockhurst;5 Hazelwood Central; 6 Francis Howell; 7 Jeff City; 8 Blue Springs South; 9 Ray-Pec; 10 DeSmet

CLASS 5

1 Lee's Summit West; 2 Ft. Osage; 3 Kirkwood; 4 Parkway Central;5 Staley; 6 Camdenton;7 Ozark; 8 Vianney; 9 Webster Groves; 10 Lebanon

CLASS 4

1 Webb City; 2 Bolivar; 3 Harrisonville; 4 Helias; 5 Westminster; 6 Liberty North; 7 Moberly; 8 Priory; 9 Festus; 10 Hillcrest

CLASS 3

1 Maryville;2 John Burroughs;3 California; 4 Oak Grove;5 Duchesne;6 Reeds Spring;7 Monett; 8 O'Fallon Christian; 9 Cassville; 10 Park Hills Central

CLASS 2

1 Lamar;2 Mt. View-LIberty; 3 Mountain Grove; 4 Lathrop;5 South Callaway;6 Strafford; 7 Caruthersville; 8 Lafayette County; 9 Brookfield; 10 Palmyra

CLASS 1

1 Valle; 2 Westran; 3 Hamilton; 4 Salisbury; 5 Cass-Midway; 6 Skyline; 7 Milan; 8 Marceline; 9 Thayer; 10 Marionville

Comments

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So Thayer is 1-2 with their lone win by single digits to Hayti. Chaffee is 3-0 and was beating Hayti 40-6 at half. Just in case you didn't know. Seems like Caruthersville is being punished way to much for losing to the number 2 team in the state in a long road trip. No love for Sikeston? They haven't gave up 175 yards on the season. It's ok to be a homer and represent your area.

-- Posted by ThayerPops on Tue, Sep 17, 2013, at 8:44 AM
C'ville played at home and I don't see where Sikeston would fit in the top 10 yet.

-- Posted by hb1025 on Tue, Sep 17, 2013, at 9:22 AM

Brian Rosener
Thayer is losing votes but those losses were against the No.1 3A team in Arkansas and Class 2 No. 2 MV-Liberty, so the bandwagon jumping is slower. Chaffee's three opponents have a combined 1 win but look for the Red Devils and East Buchanan start picking up steam and votes.
Sacred Heart is a good example of not jumping on the bandwagon too fast. They beat a ranked opponent in Week 1, were No. 10 last week and out this week.

Thayer beat Chaffee 49-6 last year and returned 13 total starters. Can the Red Devils beat Thayer this year? Perhaps, but you can't vote that way just because of the scores between one common opponent. There's lots of factors to look at.

If you're going to give Caruthersville a break for a long road trip (which it wasn't, but for argument's sake), Thayer's win over Hayti was also on a long road trip.

And no, it's not OK to be a homer.
We heard the same thing about Portageville last year. Started off really hot and complained about not being in the top 10, but when they actually played someone, they got destroyed. Not saying this is the case for Chaffee, but i'm sure the voters are wanting to see more from them first. Caruthersville is about where they should be in the rankings. Once Sikeston beats a couple teams on their level, then I see them getting votes as well. The voters have a tough job, it's easy to criticize them but it's not easy task.

-- Posted by Cheesehead. on Tue, Sep 17, 2013, at 9:28 AM
Sikeston really not better than Festus?

-- Posted by ThayerPops on Tue, Sep 17, 2013, at 9:48 AM

Brian Rosener
Not according to the district standings. (rim-shot)
Sikeston is a tough sell with its early schedule, even if they beat Farmington 71-27. All of those ranked 1-loss teams lost to a ranked opponent and that trumps a 3-0 team that's beating up on smaller, unranked schools. Fortunately, as the season progresses, the schedule gets tougher and the Bulldogs can build a resume.
I'll see the Bulldogs next week in person, so let me get back with you. But, if I'm a Sikeston fan, I'm worrying about Cape Central before Festus.
Festus has played teams more on their level and all are convincing wins. Beat Farmington 70-20, beat Sullivan 42-7, and beat Windsor 66-6.

Note: Jackson only beat Farmington 38-7, which I think they were without a couple starters.

It's just so hard to rank this early in the season. Not enough games to actually give an accurate ranking list. I think they did pretty well considering.

-- Posted by Cheesehead. on Tue, Sep 17, 2013, at 9:55 AM
I agree with Cheesehead on the difficulty of making an accurate poll so early. That said, I am really surprised to see Rockhurst ranked #6 in Class 6 with an 0-3 record.

-- Posted by Preacher Man Fan on Tue, Sep 17, 2013, at 4:00 PM

Brian Rosener
Rockhurst has lost at East St. Louis by 4, vs. Bentonville (Ark.) by 3 and 'held' No. 1 Blue Springs to 22 in a loss. That is a tough schedule.
Ok, so Cassville loses to Branson (which is Branson's only win so far), beats McDonald County (who has only scored on one team- Cassville), then gets completely destroyed by Lamar.

Then you have PHC who week one beat the number 10 class 4 school (Sullivan) 3-0, then beats North County 34-7, then beats Fredericktown 25-0, while in the process allowing virtually no offense. I can understand voting week one on tradition. But by week 3 you would think a team that is 1-2 allowing a ton of points is not a top 10 team. But a team that knocked off a top 10 team of a higher class that has allowed 7 points in 3 weeks gets 3 votes.

You sportswriters are at least consistent in amazing me on your votes!

-- Posted by Perrywinkle on Tue, Sep 17, 2013, at 7:26 PM

Brian Rosener
Cassville losing to Branson is like Park Hills Central playing Jackson or Poplar Bluff. Lamar is going to destroy a lot of teams, reguardless of class.
Central's win over Sullivan in Week 1 was impressive (they're No. 10 in my ballot because of it). Voters may be shying away because it was 3-0, but they will join me if the Rebels can get past Maplewood-RH and Ste. Genevieve.
Still while those are all three tough losses I don't see how you can put Rochurst top ten. You have to win some tough games every now and again.

-- Posted by Bunk on Wed, Sep 18, 2013, at 12:08 AM
Rockhurst is definately playing a big boy schedule as they seem to do every year. The same can't be said for Sikeston. I think that Cape Central has a tougher schedule than Sikeston's.

-- Posted by STRAIGHTOUTTACHARLESTON on Wed, Sep 18, 2013, at 6:56 PM
Exactly right Bunk.

-- Posted by Preacher Man Fan on Thu, Sep 19, 2013, at 10:28 AM
Rockhurst has over 2,000 hand picked boys in their school. They can afford to play anybody in the country if they wish. They get the brightest and best athletes in the city, you should play that kind of schedule. That's what powerhouses do. Sikeston is a small town and you play the kids your dealt, no different than Charleston, NMCC, or Dexter. They play their conference games and their three local rivalries and two St. Louis schools. Cape's schedule is currently tougher. All that has gotten them is 1-2 and currently a lower seed in the district unless they can string some wins together. But go back about 7 or 8 years and these same teams on Sikeston's schedule are tougher than those teams on Cape's schedule. Be patient Charleston fan. Charleston, Dexter, NMCC won't be down forever. Get 'em coached up. Get the athletes out. They'll be fine.

-- Posted by semohoops on Thu, Sep 19, 2013, at 12:30 PM
Webb City, Jeff. City, etc., play respectable schedules with teams filled with local/town talent? I agree that Sikeston and Charleston should continue to play, but I think that they could choose to play better overall competition, in my opinion. I think that they are creating facades by playing the schedules that they play. I think that the fans get excited about what will end up being an early exit in the playoffs because the truth of how strong a team is comes out in the playoffs/when you fight someone your own size...but, if they like, so be it. I am not from Sikeston. I just am at umbrage with the Sikeston people saying that they have a historically elite program when they perpetrate such schedules. I would frown if Charleston decided to play Oak Ridge, Advance, Bernie, Leopold, Richland, Delta, Zalma, Fredericktown, etc., routinely in basketball during their regular season schedule (no offense to those towns and teams). This would not prepare us for the long run in hoops...

-- Posted by STRAIGHTOUTTACHARLESTON on Thu, Sep 19, 2013, at 1:44 PM
I'll leave it to the Sikeston coaches to decide what they think is the best schedule for their program. I'm sure they know more than we the fans do and I doubt they will be influenced by fans' opinions of who they should play.

-- Posted by semohoops on Thu, Sep 19, 2013, at 2:25 PM

Brian Rosener
There are two schools of thought.
One, an early schedule that is weaker can give your team confidence but it can backfire with overconfidence.
Or, a tough schedule can make your team better but it can backfire if your team loses confidence.
I would say Sikeston's schedule has worked well for them in recent years.

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