Austin Romaine is on the field.
The 2023 Hillsboro graduate left in January for Manhattan, Kan. to start attending Kansas State University and get a head start on playing football for the Wildcats.
After covering the Bowles Cross Country Invitational in Festus on Saturday, I turned on the TV to watch Romaine run up and down Faurot Field in Columbia on the KSU special teams as the Wildcats took on the host Missouri Tigers. Last year at this time, the linebacker/running back was helping Hillsboro win conference and district championships in a 10-2 season.
On Saturday Romaine got close to Tiger punt returners twice, but those kicks ended with fair catches. On another punt it looked like he got blocked in the back and he reacted to it, but no penalty was called. I scanned for him at linebacker on each possession, but never saw him, although he did play several snaps on defense. He wasn’t credited with any tackles or called for any penalties.
Just getting on the field is an accomplishment for a true freshman at this level; many other newcomers to big-time college football put on the redshirt in their first year so they have extra time to develop and still have four years of eligibility left.
Saturday’s game left an indelible impression, not only to see a local kid make good but also to enjoy the opposing offenses running and throwing for big yardage, producing seven lead changes and mucho big plays in front of Mizzou’s first sellout crowd in four years. The exclamation point, of course, was the thrilling ending as Tiger kicker Harrison Mevis booted a Southeastern Conference-record 61-yard field goal in the final seconds for a 30-27 Mizzou triumph.
It was only one game, but after watching K-State’s linebackers, I think Romaine is in for more playing time. He did see more action the previous week, recording two solo tackles and an assist in a no-sweat 42-13 win over Troy University.
Mizzou has recruited some of the top football talent from the St. Louis area, but Romaine is one who got away. It’s always interesting when a local player goes to another state and returns to play the Tigers. The most famous example of that I ever covered was when Ryan Robertson played basketball for Kansas University, instead of Norm Stewart at Mizzou, after leading St. Charles West to a memorable state championship over Vashon in 1995.
KSU is 2-1 and opens Big 12 Conference play at home against the University of Central Florida (3-0) on Saturday.
Hillsboro football head coach Bill Sucharski said 20-30 friends and family attended the game in Columbia. Austin has two cousins still playing for the Hawks.
After watching the K-State/Mizzou game, I checked in on Purdue University’s home game in West Lafayette, Ind. against Syracuse University. Another local 2023 graduate, Arhmad Branch of Festus, is playing wide receiver for the Boilermakers, but he hasn’t been listed as a participant yet in their three games.
I can report all this thanks to the detailed information provided by the universities’ websites. Stats on demand are vital to doing this job. They’re a moving, elusive target at the high school level and access is only getting more difficult despite astronomical advances in technology. Thirty-five years ago, the all-knowing head coach was the only source of stats, and those were kept in a notebook. A spreadsheet was as uncommon as a spread offense in those days.
Coaches still play an important role. I have made this plea before: Only you head coaches can help me do my job by providing results from games in a timely manner. Whether you delegate it to a manager or assistant coach, or do the work yourselves, please understand that these stats tell half the story but are not always readily available online. Our competitors at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch maintain a prep sports website with stats pages for most sports teams in the area; coaches submit their information and much of the processing, from what I’m told, is automated.
But that’s a secondary source, and I’ll use what I see there only if a coach tells me it’s accurate.
So you coaches who are not sending me information, remember stats and results help me highlight more of your athletes in our coverage.
Hawks host tournament
The Hillsboro boys soccer team is hosting its 16th annual tournament this week. The games began on Monday, after the Leader deadline, and the championship round is Saturday.
Washington, Hillsboro, Fredericktown and Bishop DuBourg are in the Blue Group. Seckman, St. Louis University JV, Lutheran South and Fox are in the White Group. Seckman shut out Washington 5-0 in last year’s tournament final.