From 0-2 to conference champions in a month.
Festus won the Mississippi Area Football Conference championship for a third year in a row after beating visiting North County 55-31 on Oct. 2. The Tigers improved to 4-2 and are 12-0 against De Soto (3-3), Hillsboro (5-1), the Raiders (2-4) and Windsor (2-4) in MAFC games since 2023.
Those teams are all in Class 4 District 1, along with Sikeston (4-2). The Bulldogs’ two losses are to Farmington and Jackson. Despite Festus shutting out Hillsboro 20-0 on Sept. 25, the Hawks are currently the No. 1 seed in District 1 by percentage points (43.67-43.33) over the Tigers. If either slips, Sikeston (42.17) could move to the top with wins against Poplar Bluff (1-5), New Madrid Central (1-5) and Charleston (3-3).
Festus has made it to the final four the last two years, reaching the Show-Me Bowl in 2024. In 2025, the Tigers lost to Kearney in the semifinals and the Bulldogs went on to win their sixth state title.
The conference schedule is complete, but that doesn’t mean Festus will be able to go on cruise control for the next three weeks. The Tigers host Hannibal, which at 3-3 appears average, but the Pirates went to Eureka in Week 2 and beat the Wildcats 29-28. At the moment, Eureka is the No. 1 seed in Class 5 District 2.
Hillsboro scored a TD after its first offensive series and shut out Windsor 41-0 in Imperial on Oct. 2. The Hawks close out their conference schedule at De Soto on Friday night. A win over the Dragons and at Farmington (5-1) the following week could keep Hillsboro on top of the district standings. The Hawks end the regular season at home against Poplar Bluff (1-5) on Oct. 23.
Cody Reese and Aidan Fleming had been alternating series at quarterback during Hillsboro’s first four games, but Reese was injured and Fleming has been at the controls by himself the last two games. Fleming played well enough against Festus to keep the offense moving, but turnovers felled the Hawks scoring chances.
In the win over the Owls, Fleming completed 10 of 16 passes for 79 yards and a TD. Fleming spread the ball to his brother, Alec, Levi Pitts, Jadyn Rice, and brothers, Auston and Preston Ross.
“The fact we have multiple receivers who are good at catching and making space, that helps the running game because that puts holes in the defense,” Aidan said.
Preston’s return from an injury gave the Hawks a major boost in all three areas. He’s one of their best players on defense, can line up at wide receiver, running back or tight end, and is a leader on the special teams. Aidan said the whole team got a boost when Preston got back on the field.
“He is a special person because he does a lot of things,” Aidan said.
A week after throwing for three TDs and rushing for three against Windsor, De Soto QB Cannon Kisner set the school record for career rushing TDs (24) during a 33-8 win at Fredericktown on Oct. 2. The Dragons beat the Hawks 26-21 in Hillsboro last year.
“They have a talented QB who we struggled against last year,” Aidan said. “Our main focus on defense is stopping him, and he’s a very efficient runner.”
Jefferson win streak reaches four games
Festus isn’t the only county team to start 0-2 and rip off four wins in a row.
That’s where the Blue Jays sit after beating visiting Perryville 35-7 on Oct. 2. Although there are QCC games between them, Jefferson and St. Vincent (5-1) appear to be on a collision course for the conference title Oct. 23 in Festus. The Indians are the defending champions.
In the win over Perryville, RB Aiden Kentch scored on two 1-yard runs and had 19 rushes for 110 yards.
After the Pirates tied the Blue Jays 7-7, Logan Young threw a 55-yard TD pass to Evan Botkin, who also caught a 28-yard TD from QB Sam Kerley in the third quarter to make it 35-7. Besides his TD pass, Young picked off three Perryville passes. Brandon Crader rushed 11 times for 73 yards.
Jaguars improve to 5-1
Seckman won its first game as part of the Suburban Conference Red pool with a 28-0 shutout over visiting Hazelwood Central on Oct. 2.
It was homecoming for the Jaguars, who had been part of the Orange pool before they won it six years in a row. That necessitated a move up two tiers in the Suburban Conference’ color-coded divisions. Pattonville (5-0, 1-0) blanked Seckman 35-0 in the other Red pool game it’s played. Parkway North (3-3) is 2-0 in the Red pool.
The Jaguars spread their scoring out against the Hawks, with a TD in each quarter. Quarterback JJ Jablonski had TD runs of 2 yards in the first quarter and 58 yards in the third. In the second quarter, wide receiver Nick Weidler threw a TD pass to Logan Harris. Trey Conner’s 6-yard TD run in the fourth made it 28-0. Jablonski led his team with 147 yards on 17 carries.
On defense, Jacob Derleth recovered a fumble, and Brody Mosello, Braden Huck and Chase Gauth sacked the QB. Chase Borawski led the Jags with 12 tackles.
Seckman travels to winless Hazelwood East (0-6) at 6:30 tonight (Oct. 8) in a Red pool game. The Spartans haven’t scored any points in the last two games.
Blackcats blank Eagles
The good thing about winning by the mercy rule (35 points or more) at this point of the season, is teams can give their starters extra rest as districts draw near.
There’s still three weeks left before the elimination games of district tournaments begin, but there’s still seeding to be shored up and conference schedules to finish.
Herculaneum (3-3) won its second consecutive Quad County Conference game in a row after beating visiting Grandview 49-0 on Oct. 2. The winless, depleted Eagles (0-6) close out their QCC schedule with home games against the two leading teams, Jefferson (4-2) on Friday night and St. Vincent (5-1) on Oct. 23. The Blackcats wrap up conference play at home against Bayless (with Hancock) on Friday night.
“I think they have more team speed, so it’s about us tackling in space and we should be able to move the ball on offense. It’s not going to be a give-me win,” Herculaneum head coach Blane Boss said about the Bronchos.
QB Conor Hedrick led a Herky offense that scored a TD on its first series and led 35-0 by halftime. Austin Brinkley rushed for three TDs, and juniors Dallas Fritschle and Luke Smith and sophomore Gabe Vincent all had a rushing TD.
“The goal was not to turn the ball over and not to have any penalties,” Boss said.
“I thought Grandview played pretty well. They run a lot of option, and if they had thrown the ball more, they might have had more success moving the ball. We blew a coverage on a pass, but their QB overthrew the ball.”
Junior kicker Connor Pajda made all seven PATs against the Eagles. The snapper was Brinkley, and the holder was Chase Luebbert.
Taylor Hill-Greenlee (DL) and Mason Harris (LB) were Herky’s leaders on defense. Boss said it was good to get
Gavin Feltmann back at OLB after he missed a few weeks because of an injury.