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Schools

State Football Championship: Kirkwood vs. Staley Set to Make History

It's going to be a battle for the Class 5A 2011 State Football Championship title as the Kirkwood Pioneers (12-0) take on the Staley Falcons (13-0). Here's how the teams stack up.

One way or another, history will be made at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday at the Edward Jones Dome. Both Kirkwood (west St. Louis) and Staley (north Kansas City) are competing for their first football state championship.

Staley features a dynamic offensive duo in junior QB Trent Hosick (#11) and senior RB Morgan Steward (#36). Hosick has thrown for 1331 yards (10 TD, 7 INT) while running for 1963 yards (27 TD). Verbally committed to play at Mizzou next year, Steward leads the Faclons with 2021 yards rushing (26 TD). Hosick and Steward each have more than 25 touchdowns on the season while the next leading scorer, WR Bryce McLaughlin, has only four.

The balanced Kirkwood offensive attack is lead by senior QB (#8), senior WR (#5) and junior RB (#33). Splitting time with junior QB Jordan Bishop (#11) much of the season, Buckner has thrown for 1155 yards while also rushing for 463 yards and receiving 309 yards.  Buckner has thrown for 16 touchdowns, run for seven and caught six touchdowns.

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McHugh leads the team with 941 yards receiving (16 TD) averaging an unbelievable 31.4 yards per catch. The shifty Alton has averaged a similarly impressive 12.1 yards per rush while compiling 1160 yards (17 TD) running the ball. While McHugh and Alton often provide the fireworks, a myriad of others have accounted for a major chunk of the Pioneer offense.

Both teams’ defenses are ferocious. Kirkwood concedes seven points less per game and has five shutouts, but Staley appears to have played a tougher schedule. The Staley Falcon defense is led by senior CB A.G. Squires (#1) with nine interceptions and senior LB Matt Harmon (#51) with 13 sacks.

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The Pioneer defense cycles through a seemingly endless supply of players.  Standout linebackers Marquis Terry (#3), (#51) and Jarrod Bishop (#25) have stood especially tall in the playoffs.

Team Comparison

Kirkwood

Staley

Win-Loss Record

12-0

13-0

Points Scored (per game)

46.4

39.2

Points Against (per game)

10.0

17.3

Yards Offense (per game)

406

464

Passing Yards (per game)

162

107

Passing TDs (total)

26

10

Rushing Yards (per game)

244

357

Rushing TDs (total)

42

57

Defensive Takeaways (per game)

2.9

2.3

Interceptions (total)

22

20

Fumble Recoveries (total)

13

10

Sacks (total)

29

60

Shutouts (total)

5

0

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