The look of the Suburban Conference Red division has changed in the last few seasons. Lee’s Summit moved down from the Gold while Staley and Liberty North moved up in the last cycle. Throw in the fact that both Liberty and Liberty North are in Class 6 what used to be an all Class 5 conference is now half Class 6 and that number could be growing.
With changes in boundaries for some of the districts in the Metro like Park Hill and Lee’s Summit to go along with shrinking school sizes in St. Louis you could see a school like St. Joseph Central, Staley or Park Hill South move into Class 6 as well.
Even before we get to the postseason there are plenty of great regular season conference and non-conference contests in the Suburban Red. Let’s highlight a few during the season.
Week 1 – Lee’s Summit North at Liberty North
A game that could affect district seeding in the first week of the season. Last season Lee’s Summit North grabbed a win on its way to a 9-3 finish for the best year in school history. Liberty North could be looking to start a run like that for itself as the Eagles looked primed to take a big step forward in coach Greg Jones third year.
Week 2 – Park Hill at Liberty
Liberty topped Park Hill 24-21 in one of its biggest wins of the season. The Blue Jays will probably face a motivated Trojans squad that doesn’t want a repeat of last season. These teams have plenty of history over the last decade so this should be a great early season non-conference game.
Week 3 – St. Joseph Central at Park Hill South
These teams had identical 2-8 records last year with the only difference being the head to head matchup won by South. This year both squads are looking to improve after struggling the last few years and this should be a good test where both are in that process.
Week 4 – Liberty North at Liberty
It took them a while to get each other on the schedule but now it is an annual thing. Throw in the fact they each opened new stadiums two years ago and this is now one of the best rivalries in the Metro. Liberty North broke through with its first win in four tries so a win by the Eagle would pull them to one game of even.
Week 5 – Lee’s Summit West at Staley
At the turn of the decade this became one of the hottest rivalries going. These teams played in the Class 5 semifinal games with each winning once on their way to a state title. West is now in Class 6, but this is a battle of big-time programs. West scratched out a 21-17 win last season at home so look for it to be close again.
Week 6 – North Kansas City at Truman
These teams were on the opposite side of the win column last year as North Kansas City had an 8-1 regular season while Truman failed to win a game. The Hornets should be favored again this year, but this could be a spot where the Patriots can find out where they stand as the season winds down.
Week 7 – Blue Springs at Liberty North
Liberty North played the Wildcats for the first time in school history last year and weren’t awed by the moment. The Eagles fell 28-26 in a great game that could have gone either way. This year North gets to host the Wildcats and have a chance to get their first win over the powerhouse Wildcats.
Week 8 – Blue Springs South at Park Hill South
Two programs with new head coaches look to have a bounce back season. Blue Springs South hired its first outside head coach in more than 20 years in Matt Klein while the Panthers promoted from within with Alan Wilmes. Last year the Jaguars handled Park Hill South 33-3 but this one could be closer this year.
Week 9 – St. Joseph Central at Winnetonka
The Indians hit the road in the final week of the season to take on Winnetonka. If Central can make it through the tough four-game stretch of Liberty North, Lee’s Summit, Staley and Liberty this could be a good against an improving Winnetonka.
Lee’s Summit
8/30 Liberty
9/6 @ Belton
9/13 Staley
9/20 @ Blue Springs
9/27 @ Park Hill South
10/4 St. Joseph Central
10/11 @ Lee’s Summit North
10/18 Liberty North
10/25 Truman
Liberty
8/30 @ Lee’s Summit
9/6 Park Hill
9/13 @ Truman
9/20 Liberty North
9/27 @ Lee’s Summit North
10/4 Park Hill South
10/11 Lee’s Summit West
10/18 @ St. Joseph Central
10/25 @ Staley
Liberty North
8/30 Lee’s Summit North
9/6 @ Truman
9/13 Park Hill
9/20 @ Liberty
9/27 @ St. Joseph Central
10/4 Staley
10/11 Blue Springs
10/18 @ Lee’s Summit
10/25 Park Hill South
Park Hill South
8/30 @ Raymore-Peculiar
9/6 Platte County
9/13 St. Joseph Central
9/20 @ Staley
9/27 Lee’s Summit
10/4 @ Liberty
10/11 Truman
10/18 Blue Spring South
10/25 @ Liberty North
St. Joseph Central
8/30 Smithville
9/6 @ Lee’s Summit North
9/13 @ Park Hill South
9/20 Truman
9/27 Liberty North
10/4 @ Lee’s Summit
10/11 Staley
10/18 Liberty
10/25 @ Winnetonka
Staley
8/30 Truman
9/6 @ Kearney
9/13 @ Lee’s Summit
9/20 Park Hill South
9/27 Lee’s Summit West
10/4 @ Liberty North
10/11 @ St. Joseph Central
10/18 Park Hill
10/25 Liberty
Truman
8/30 @ Staley
9/6 Liberty North
9/13 Liberty
9/20 @ St. Joseph Central
9/27 William Chrisman
10/4 North Kansas City
10/11 @ Park Hill South
10/18 Columbia Hickman
10/25 @ Lee’s Summit
