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Missouri State Playoff Preview

May 23, 2016

Shon Plack
Missouri Scouting Director

The Missouri State High School Activities Association Playoffs start today with games in Class 1, 2 and 3.  Class 4 and 5 will start on Tuesday, May 24.  Sixteen team still remain in each of the Classes and will play a single-elimination tournament finishing with the top four teams in each Class squaring off at T.R. Hughes Stadium May 30 to June 4. 

There have already been a few upsets in District play and a few of the top ranked teams have fallen out of the tournament.  CLICK HERE, to see the MHSBCA Rankings.

In Class 1, Bell City has been the top ranked team for the majority of the season and boast a 20-3 record this spring.  They will be a tough team to beat, but New Covenant (20-4) and New Franklin (22-1) also have a 20-win season and look to take the crown in Class 1.

Valle Catholic will look to capture their third-straight state championship in Class 2.  They have reached the 30-win plateau in each of the last three seasons.  The Warriors will feature, Southeast Missouri commit, Conner Basler, who is hitting .598 on the season and was a 1st Team All-Selection as a junior. The Warriors will square off with one of the top teams in Class 2 in the first round, the Greenville Bears.  The Bear's (20-2) senior RHP and Southeast Missouri Commit, Trey McDaniel, will be a tough pitcher to beat.  He has a top velo in the upper 80 and throws a sharp, late breaking slider.  The first round match-up could have a big impact on how the rest of the bracket set-up. 

Conway (20-2)  has climbed it's way to the #1 rank in Class 3, opening the season at #5.  Hunter Dame, a senior RHP and Missouri State commit, will lead the Bears in a competitive Class 3 bracket.  They will have a tough match up in the first round against 2015 All-State Selection and Missouri Southern commit C Alex Wheeler and the Stockton Tigers (23-3). Many of the top ranked teams in Class 3 have advanced through district play, making the bracket a tough road to T.R. Hughes for any team. 

In Class 4, Notre Dame (17-9) looks repeat as State Champions but the road won't be easy. #5 Aurora plays #8 Carl Junction is a highlighted game in the first round.  The two teams split the season season series winning a game apiece.  Carl Junction won 1-0 on April 16 and Aurora won 5-2 on May 5.  #1 Boonville (23-5), who one a pair of one run games in district play, will a have a tough match against Pleasant Hill (19-7) in the first round.  Also watch out for #9 Jeff City Helias (20-8), who opened the season ranked #1 and have won twelve of their last thirteen with wins over Rock Bridge and Smith Cotton in Class 5.  The Class 4 tournament is wide open and should turn out to be very competitive and exciting to watch.

Predicting the state champion in Class 5 could be extremely difficult with the amount of talented teams still left in the field. But they will all be chasing #1 Staley (30-4).  The Falcons look focused on finishing the business from the 2015 season where they were state runner-up.  They are filled with a talented senior class that have valuable experience in playing in the post season.  #4 Jefferson City (25-6) is the next highest ranked team left in Class 5, followed by #10 Francis Howell (25-11).  All other teams ranked in the MHSBCA top ten have fallen in district play.  Sectional games start on Tuesday with Quarterfinal games taking place on Thursday. 

CLICK HERE, for 2016 Team Previews

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