ShawneeDispatch.com

Photo by Chris Wristen

Shawnee Mission Northwest graduate Darion Hillman (78) was in the company of all-stars during the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association MO-KAN All-Star Game at Blue Springs (Mo.) South High School. Among his teammates was Bonner Springs’ Jeremy Walker, right.

Blue Springs, Mo. — Nicholas Woods couldn’t help but smile when asked how much the game of football has changed since November.

Woods, a former Mill Valley High School standout running back — and the school’s single-season rushing leader — found himself on his back numerous times during Kansas’ 10-7 loss to Missouri in the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association MO-KAN All-Star Game on Thursday at Blue Springs (Mo.) South High School.

It was unfamiliar territory for Woods, who is used to trampling prospective tacklers while following a solid set of blockers. In the all-star game, however, blocking was limited at times and Woods paid the price.

“The speed of the game is different,” he said matter-of-factly. “Even though we’re playing high school ball, from high school ball to this all-star game you could tell the speed of the game is a lot different.”

That’s because most of the players in the game — which also featured Shawnee Mission Northwest senior offensive lineman Darion Hillman — will play college football in the fall. They’ve spent the past seven months getting bigger, faster and stronger.

Woods’ longest carry of the game — an 8-yard gain in the third quarter — was one of Kansas’ longest plays of the game. It gained double-digit yardage on just five plays all night.

The Missouri all-stars had no more success, however, against a solid Kansas defense.

The challenge for both teams, Hillman said, was developing timing on offense. There’s an old saying in football that the defense begins the season far ahead of the offense, and Hillman said that definitely was true in the all-star game.

“Offense is definitely about team chemistry,” Hillman said. “You’ve got to have the chemistry and you have got to believe in each other and trust each other. On defense, you’ve got speedy guys that are gust running at the ball and making plays. You don’t have to have as much team chemistry as you do on the offensive line.

“Especially in an all-star game defense will win it for you, and that’s what they did.”

Kansas actually had the more potent offense in the game as it piled up 225 yards of offense.

Ninety of Kansas’ other 146 yards came in the first quarter. An early fumble by Blue Valley’s Trevor Cornley proved costly, however, as Missouri turned the gaffe into a five-play, 63-yard touchdown drive and took a 7-0 lead with 3:51 left in the first quarter.

Both teams’ defenses dominated the second quarter. They surrendered minimal yardage and each squad forced a turnover.

The third quarter was more of the same for Kansas. It stuck to basic dive plays and toss plays, and poor blocking led to a quick three-and-out.

Dealt a short field, Missouri made a 21-yard field goal and stretched its lead to 10-0 with 4:28 left in the third quarter.

Kansas finally built some momentum on offense with an 11-play drive that overlapped the end of the third and start of the fourth quarters. Using a series of quarterback keepers by Sumner Academy’s Spencer Bennett, as well as a quick pass to Bonner Springs’ Jeremy Walker and a 10-yard run by Cornley, Kansas marched across midfield. A fumble by Bonner Springs’ Jonathan Walker halted the momentum.

The Kansas defense forced Missouri into a three-and-out, and three plays later Jeremy Walker put the Sunflower State on the board. On a dive play to the left side, he broke a tackle, popped to the outside and found open room to run. He raced untouched the rest of the way to the endzone for a 79-yard touchdown that brought Kansas within 10-7 with 5:25 left in the game.

The fireworks came a bit too late for Kansas, though. The defense forced Missouri to punt one more time, and the Sunflower State regained possession with 3:23 to go. After three straight running plays that drained much of the clock, Perry-Lecompton quarterback Shane Gimzo connected with fellow Kaw Joel Gantz for an 18-yard gain and a first down. Kansas ran five straight running plays to end the game — many of them with the speedy Walker brothers on the sideline — and time ran out on the rally.

“We were coming back,” Jeremy Walker said. “If we had a little more time … another quarter … two more minutes … we would’ve got it.”

Kansas had just five plays for double-digit yardage all game. Missouri was no better in the evenly-matched contest.

Olathe North linebacker Doug Peete was named the Kansas MVP for the game. Blue Springs defensive lineman Gus Toca was the Missouri MVP.

Kansas leads the all-time series 10-7.

Despite the loss, both Woods and Hillman said the all-star game was a fun experience that would help prepare them for college. Woods will play at Fort Scott Community College and Hillman will compete for Washburn University.

Both Shawnee players will participate in the Shrine Bowl later this summer, and Hillman said he will spend the remainder of the summer getting stronger and — most important — faster.

“I’m going to head to Washburn, work out with the older guys, get in a little more shape for the Shrine Bowl, because being in shape definitely is a factor, and then step back on the field for East Kansas versus West Kansas,” Hillman said.

Comments