Well, here it is the third Friday Night Lights of the season.
Based on the first two weeks, (and also factoring in that this is Friday the 13th) here’s what we can expect: the unexpected.
Case in point: the West Platte Blue Jays.
In week one, the Jays looked like they couldn’t stop anybody in a season-opening home loss to Lincoln Prep. Even staunch West Platte supporters were admitting it could be a long season. So, what happened last week? West Platte hit the road for the first time in 2013 and shut out Wellington-Napoleon 35-0. Now, I’m no expert on Wellington-Napoleon, but they usually field a competitive team, so that score was somewhat shocking.
Anyway, kudos to the Blue Jays, who return home tonight to host an East Buchanan team that has had the Jays’ number the past few years. Last year, the Bulldogs hung a 32-14 loss on the Blue Jays and in 2011, East Buchanan defeated West Platte twice, ending its season in the state playoffs.
East Buch, which is coached by Platte County High School alum and former West Platte assistant coach Kevin Bryan, comes into tonight’s matchup 2-0 after upsetting South Harrison - the top-ranked Class 1 team in the state – 38-32 last week.
West Platte, 1-1 after securing win No. 1 for new head coach Nate Danneman, will get another chance at a first impression for the home crowd in Weston.
The game could be a shoot-out – East Buch is averaging 43 points a game, while the Jays come in averaging 27. Senior quarterback Eddie Kilgore is the focal point of the Dawgs’ offense, while senior QB Jack Callahan, senior RB Colton Goodlet and junior WR Cody Guthrie look to lead the Jays’ offense.
Should be fun – follow Citizen Assistant Editor Jason Lawrence on Twitter @JLawrence23 for updates.
I will be on the sidelines at Park Hill District Stadium to see if the Trojans can slow down Drew Lock, the all-world quarterback for Lee’s Summit who threw six touchdown passes in last week’s 77-55 victory over Kearney.
It’s the second straight premier foe to line up against first-year Trojans coach Josh Hood’s team – last week Park Hill lost 42-14 at perennial state contender Lee’s Summit West.
Follow me on Twitter @leejstubbs for updates.
The Platte County Pirates hit the road for the second straight week when they travel to Ruskin. The Pirates handled Ruskin fairly easily last season and I expect more of the same tonight. That’s a good thing for the young Pirates as they try to rebound from a tough 15-12 loss at St. Joe Central last week.
In other games, Park Hill South will try to avert a 0-3 start when they travel to Truman, which has yet to score a point this season.
Another team that has yet to score a point is North Platte, which is at Mid-Buchanan. The 0-2 Panthers better make hay tonight, because their schedule the next three weeks looks brutal: at home against Lawson and West Platte and on the road at Lathrop.