5 High School Games to Watch Tonight

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Which area high school football teams will play for a state title? That will be decided this weekend. It's the state semifinals, and whoever wins advances to the state championship game. There are exciting matchups featuring local teams on both sides of the state line. We'll have skylights, highlights and scores from all the local games on Football Friday Night airing on NBC Action News at 10 p.m. Here are Five Games to Watch:

1. Gardner-Edgerton at St. Thomas Aquinas

You won't find a better game on Friday night than Gardner-Edgerton at St. Thomas Aquinas. It's a rematch, and the showdown is at Aquinas. The two teams met on Oct. 23 and Gardner-Edgerton pulled out a 28-26 win. That gives you an idea of how close Friday night's game might be. These teams are two of the best in the area going at it. Aquinas' only loss this season came against Gardner-Edgerton, who is 11-0.
“We're all excited,” Gardner-Edgerton athletic director Ken Glaser said. “Being a one high school town, the community's support is there. We have history with the previous matchups. Obviously, Aquinas has won those matchups until this year. It all builds to this one moment.”
Quarterback Bubba Starling leads the Gardner-Edgerton Trailblazers. He ran for three touchdowns in his team's 56-21 victory against Topeka-Seaman last week.
The other big star for Gardner-Edgerton has to be its head coach, Marvin Deiner. He knows how to win in the postseason. This is Diener's fourth year at Gardner-Edgerton. Before coaching the Trailblazers, he won six state championships as head coach at Salina Central. Gardner-Edgerton hadn't even won a playoff game until Diener arrived.
“Coach Diener does a tremendous job,” Glaser said. “All the players have worked extremely hard. Everything is coming together. We just have to go out and see what happens."
St. Thomas Aquinas has a strong quarterback. Richard Davila threw three touchdown passes for the Saints and had a rushing touchdown last week in his team's 42-21 win against Shawnee Heights. Aquinas also features running back Dagen Reed. He had two touchdown runs in his team's first round playoff win at Mill Valley.
“Aquinas is very tough, "Glaser said. "They can move the ball and can score on you. Likewise, I think they're looking at us the same way. The team with the least amount of mistakes will come out on top."
If Gardner-Edgerton wins, its first state title game could come against powerhouse Hutchinson.

2. Olathe North at Blue Valley

The Blue Valley Tigers might be the hottest team in the metro. They'll be going up against the top team in the city Friday night. Can the Tigers win again? They started out 1-6. But since then, they're 4-0.
Their playoff victories have been impressive. They beat two strong teams to make it to the semifinals. Blue Valley won at then-8-1 Shawnee Mission West, 42-18. The Tigers followed that victory by edging a then-9-1 Blue Valley Northwest team, 17-14. Some didn't even think the Tigers were going to make the playoffs after their miserable start. But here they are, still alive the week before state. Olathe North head coach Pete Flood knows Blue Valley is one dangerous team.
"We felt like when we played them in week seven, they were a much better football team than their record indicated," Flood said. "We thought they could have easily been undefeated. It doesn’t surprise me. I felt like we would see them again. We’re in for a great ball game."
Quarterback Anthony Abenoja leads Blue Valley. He had an amazing game two weeks ago against Shawnee Mission West. Abenoja ran for three touchdowns and passes for two more in the victory. He threw two touchdown passes last week.
Now, Blue Valley must somehow find a way to do something no team has done this season. That's beat Olathe North. The Eagles are 11-0.
Running back James Franklin is a big reason why. He broke San Diego Chargers running back Darren Sproles' record last week to become the all-time leading rusher in Olathe North history. It came in his team's 41-28 victory against Lawrence Free State. He now has 5,433 career rushing yards for the Eagles.
Franklin broke the school record for most rushing yards in a game earlier this year when he ran for 340 yards against Olathe Northwest.
Olathe North will be trying to reach the state title game for the first time since 2004. Blue Valley hasn't been to the championship game since 2006, when the Tigers won the state title.

3. Raytown South at Fort Osage

This is another exciting rematch game. Raytown South barely lost to Fort Osage, 21-14, on Oct. 2. Now, the Cardinals have a chance to avenge that loss by keeping Fort Osage from advancing to the state title game.
“We're thrilled to be here in the semi's," Raytown South head coach Dave Allie said. "It's the second year in a row. We feel blessed to be here. We get to play a team we lost to. That's extra motivation. But it wouldn't' matter who were playing. We're just happy to be one of the final four."
Since their loss to Fort Osage, the Raytown South Cardinals have won every game. They've captured seven victories in a row to improve their record to 10-3.
Raytown South features quarterback Dennis Tanner. He threw two touchdown passes in his team's first round playoff victory against Lee's Summit West. He threw for three touchdowns the following week in Raytown South's victory against Ozark.
Running back Jerrick Walton helped the Cardinals advance to the state semifinals. Raytown South played at Nixa last week, and it looked like the game would go into overtime. With seven seconds left and the contest tied at 15-all, Tanner threw a pass that landed in Walton's hands. Walton ran 26 yards for the touchdown to give his team a 21-15 victory. Walton also ran for two scores in the game.
“Our players believe they can get it done every time they get on the field," Allie said. "Games like that show it."
What a season Fort Osage is having! The Indians are 12-0. Running back EJ Gaines has helped make that happen. He's already verbally committed to the Missouri Tigers.
Gaines has been a nightmare for teams this season. He opened playoffs with three touchdown runs against then-9-1 Park Hill. Fort Osage beat the Trojans 29-6 in the first round of the playoffs. Last week, Gains was at it again. He ran for 168 yards and two touchdowns in Fort Osage's 30-19 win at Ray-Pec.
“He' a great player," Allie said. "He's a great defensive player but is also an offensive threat. Every time he touches the ball, he makes things happen. We have to limit his big plays."
Raytown South is trying to reach the state title game for the second straight season. The Cardinals finished second last year in the state championship game at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis. It's the second time in the last three years Fort Osage is playing in the state semifinals.

4. De Smet at Blue Springs

Blue Springs may already feel like it deserves to be state champs. That's after the Wildcats knocked off Missouri football powerhouse Rockhurst last week, 23-21. It was sweet revenge for Blue Springs, who lost to Rockhurst on Sept. 11 and last year in the playoffs. But Blue Springs has to forget about last week in a hurry. The Wildcats host 12-0 DeSmet this Friday night.
De Smet, which is from St. Louis, knocked off Jefferson City, 27-6, last week at home in the quarterfinals. They opened the playoffs at home and beat Fort Zumwalt West, 42-6. Friday night will be the first time this season that De Smet will play a playoff game on the road.
The De Smet Spartans will have their hands full with Blue Springs. Specifically, it will have to find a way to stop Blue Springs running back Darrian Miller. He has been a running machine this season. Just ask Rockhurst. Miller helped lead Blue Springs on its game winning scoring drive last week. He had a 2-yard gain on fourth down to keep the drive alive. He also had a caught a 9-yard pass that set up Blue Springs' game-winnng field goal. Miller also had a 25-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
Blue Springs will look to get back to the state title game for the first time since 2003, when the Wildcats won it all.

5. Bishop Miege at Paola

For the second straight week, the Bishop Miege Stags will have to win a playoff game on the road. It's 10-2 Miege at 9-3 Paola. Both teams are having strong seasons.
Miege is having one of its best seasons in school history. Last week, Miege head coach Tim Grunhard said his team's game against Louisburg was one of the biggest contests in school history. After all, the Bishop Miege Stags haven't won a state title since 1977. Miege had no problem last week at Louisburg. The Stags won 35-7.
Miege has all sorts of weapons on offense. Stags wide receiver Justin McCay is a force. He's already verbally committed to Oklahoma. But Miege also has running back Bobby Germinder. He ran for three touchdowns last week in Miege's victory at Louisburg.
While Miege easily won at Louisburg last week, Paola didn't have success when it played at Louisburg on Oct. 29. The Paola Panthers lost 14-0. But Paola is coming off three straight wins. That included a 33-14 victory at a strong Eudora team last week. The Cardinals may be peaking at just the right time.
Paola features running back Skylar Hawkins. He ran for two touchdowns last week. That included runs of 51 yards and 7 yards for scores.
For Paola to win, the Panthers will have to cool off a hot team. Bishop Miege has won eight games in row going into the semifinals Friday night.