Photo Credit: SJ Munoz/PrepsKCThe unofficial start of the season for North Kansas City District schools; North Kansas City, Oak Park, Staley, and Winnetonka, came during the Jamboree held at North Kansas City District Stadium on the campus of Staley High School on Friday night.
The teams rotated scrimmaging one another with each team getting 12 plays on offense and defense.
Highlights of the Jamboree are below.
Winnentonka posted the best record of any NKC school last year, at 5-5. The Griffins raced out to a 4-1 start but couldn’t replicate that success in the second half of the season. John Crutcher will begin his first year as the head coach when the Griffins take on Oak Park in week one.
North Kansas City finished last season 4-7, falling to Platte County in the second round of the Class 5 Playoffs. Of those seven losses, three came by one score. The Hornets will open the 2022 season at Columbia Hickman.
Oak Park went 4-6 in 2021 but played their best football late in the season. The Northmen won three games in October. However, it was NKC district rival Staley that beat them twice during that stretch and ended their season. Oak Park opens the season against Winnetonka.
Staley struggled to a 1-4 start last year and we’re never able to get back above the .500 mark. The Falcons had a strong October, going 3-2. Staley even nearly pulled the upset of Class 5 semifinalist Fort Osage in their final game of the 2021 season, falling 17-14. Staley will play Blue Springs in next week’s season opener.
