A Shot in the Dark
Kirkwood High School Defies a CBC Dynasty to advance in the 2024 MSHSAA football playoffs
On paper CBC High School was destined to beat Kirkwood High School in the Class 6A District Final game on November 18, 2024.
Because on paper, specifically the history books, CBC is a superpower in St. Louis, Missouri.
Since 2011, the Cadets’ football program won five state titles in eight trips and won two of the last three Missouri state championships.
Entering the district final game, CBC looked as good as ever.
The Cadets were nearly unstoppable, going 8-1 in 2024, with their lone defeat coming from an Arkansas state champion in Week 2. Since then, they won 8-straight games and averaged over 40 points per-game.
While Kirkwood has its own share of accolades and state titles, the Pioneers were 0-3 against CBC and each loss was a double-digit beatdown.
So, yes, on paper, a CBC victory was a foregone conclusion.
But these games aren’t played on paper. Any team has a chance to beat anyone.
Even if it’s a Shot in the Dark…
A word from the creator
This passion project is the first step toward something new.
After 4 years of shooting football games, posting highlight clips got stale. The players enjoyed them. The parents enjoyed them. And while I enjoyed them, I felt like I needed a new challenge and a new way to present the games I saw on Friday night.
In January, I pulled up a Google document and just started writing about this game. I wanted to make something that looked and sounded like a mini-doc; something HBO or ESPN would play in primetime.
After a month of consistent late nights, I finally finished and completed the first step in my new challenge.
I’m already planning the next step for the 2025 season, and I can’t wait to share more of what’s coming soon.
— Tim