Grand River Conference

by Jeremy Benson, GrandRiverConference.com Sponsored by #4 Platte Valley 38 #1 Worth County 34 Friday morning, MSHSAA announced the districts for fall sports.  For football, #1 Worth County and #4 Platte Valley were both slotted into District 7.  What was already a big game to start the season suddenly took on greater significance.  The winner of this game would have the inside road to the #1 seed and home-field advantage throughout district play.   Last season, Worth County knocked off Platte Valley in the District Semifinals before falling to eventual state champion North Andrew.  While both teams had some talented players graduate like all-staters Dylan McIntyre and Levi Cassavaugh from Worth County, and Carter Luke and Trevor Weir from Platte Valley, they are returning very deep and talented teams.  Worth County is picked by the coaches to win the GRC West this season, and both teams are picked by the media as Top 4 teams with Worth County at #1 an...

by Jeremy Benson, GrandRiverConference.com Sponsored by Coaches Pre-Season Poll GRC West and Missouri State 8-Man defending champion North Andrew Cardinals look to defend their respective championships this year.  But if they are to do so, they will have a tough road.  According to the coaches, they are picked to finish second in the GRC West.  Worth County Tigers are the coaches' pick to win the GRC West in 2023.  The Tigers won the GRC in 2021 but finished 3rd in a very competitive race last season.  North Andrew is picked to finish 2nd. Here are the coaches' picks for the 2023 season for GRC West 8-Man: Worth County Worth County finished 9-3 and 4-2 in the GRC in 2022.  However, all 3 of their losses were by one score and went down to the final possession.  The season ended with a 40-38 thriller to eventual state champion North Andrew in the district championship game.  This season, the Tigers are the pick to dethrone the Cardinals in the GRC W...

by Jeremy Benson, GrandRiverConference.com Sponsored by Coaches Pre-Season Poll Two-time defending GRC 11-Man Champion Gallatin Bulldogs look to make it three straight championships this year.  According to the coaches, they are the favorites to become the first GRC football team to capture back-to-back outright titles since Hamilton won four straight from 2008 to 2011. Here are the coaches' picks for the 2023 season for GRC 11-Man: Gallatin Gallatin finished 10-1 in 2022, winning their 13th Grand River Conference football championship finishing 7-0.  It was their second consecutive championship.  They became the first team to win back-to-back outright titles since South Harrison in 2012 and 2013.  The Bulldogs defeated Putnam County in the district championship game before falling to eventual state champion East Buchanan 14-6 in the state quarterfinals. Gallatin graduated a lot of talent, including Payton Feiden (1st Team All-Conference Athlete and Defensive Back), ...