Five underrated Metro Catholic Conference prospects to watch

The Metro Catholic Conference has produced the past three Missouri Class 6 champions -- CBC in 2017 and 2017 and De Smet in 2019 -- and could stretch that steak to four years with reigning champ De Smet among the final four years still playing. The conference is year in and year out one of the toughest in the state of Missouri because of the quality of the coaching staffs, programs and the top talent among each squad. In this article we’ll take a look at one underrated prospect from each school. <strong>CHAMINADE</strong> The Chaminade Red Devils have a good collection of talent -- CB-QB Cameron Epps, RB [player_tooltip player_id="37188" first="Amar" last="Johnson"], OL-DL [player_tooltip player_id="37545" first="Jimmy" last="Lansing"] Jr., WR-DB Elijah Griffin and TE-DE [player_tooltip player_id="37565" first="Grant" last="Finley"], along others -- which is why they are still alive in the Missouri Class 5 playoffs. In this space we’ll give a nod to 2022 cornerback [player_tooltip player_id="37612" first="Nick" last="Divis"], who has good length (he’s listed at 6-feet-2 and 185 pounds) to match up with the MCC’s bevy of bigger wide receivers and isn’t afraid to come up and make a tackle. He is a high academic achiever, and would likely be a great addition to an Ivy League program. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/11245754/5e72ae55d45ff0137c6f6088" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong>CBC</strong> CBC had another strong season and, after two straight years as the second-best team in the area, could be primed to make another run at a state championship next season behind a strong 2022 group. One of the senior standouts who kept CBC near the top in 2019 and 2020 was wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id="37216" first="Zach" last="Hahn"]. A 6-foot, 175-pounder, Hahn established himself as one of the area’s top wideouts as a junior when he caught 48 passes for a team-high 738 yards and eight touchdowns and reaffirmed that status in 2020 when he recorded 34 catches for 583 yards and nine touchdowns (all team bests) in six games. Hahn’s numbers, as good as they were, were limited by sharing touches in a high-powered offense with Illinois recruit [player_tooltip player_id="37160" first="Chevy" last="Brenson"] and 2021 breakout prospect [player_tooltip player_id="37431" first="Kenneth" last="Hamilton"]. Hahn, also a high academic achiever with a self-reported 4.5 GPA (3.9 cumulative) has some Division 2 offers from the likes of Lindenwood and Quincy and recently picked up a preferred walk-on offer from Southern Illinois. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/9712716/5faaf5eb8cdf290c50a43a3a" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong>DE SMET</strong> The De Smet Spartans rolled to an undefeated state championship season a year ago behind a talented group of 2021 prospects and have a chance to repeat that feat this season. One of the key cogs on both squads has been offensive lineman [player_tooltip player_id="37175" first="Hutson" last="Lillibridge"], a 6-4, 300-pounder who has verbally committed to Tulane. Lillibridge, another high academic achiever and the son of a former NFL player, is rated as the No. 22 senior in the Prep Redzone Missouri rankings. Lillibridge earns the nod here because he is capable of playing anywhere along the offensive front and willing to do whatever it takes to help his team win. The Spartans lost a standout offensive lineman when Illinois commit [player_tooltip player_id="37170" first="Brody" last="Wisecarver"] transferred out of the area for his senior season, but they have continued to dominate opponents with their rushing attack – even with a freshman, Michael Phillips, as one of the starters up front. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/9801291/5de6c18ff55fd80f1cbc70e5" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong>ST. LOUIS UNIVERSITY HIGH</strong> It’s not often the son of a former NFL and highly-recruited player gets overlooked, but in the case of SLUH 2022 wide receiver Chris Brooks Jr., it’s been more about injuries keeping him from showing what he’s capable of on the field. A 6-2, 205-pounder, Brooks had just two receptions for 20 yards and a touchdown a year ago as a sophomore and snagging three catches for 28 yards as a freshman in 2018. This season, despite SLUH playing only five games because of COVID restrictions, Brooks broke out with 20 receptions for 400 yards and six touchdowns – all team highs -- in four games of reported statistics. In his final game, against Lindbergh, he recorded eight catches for 143 yards and two touchdowns. Brooks will be a name to watch as a stock riser over the next few months as colleges turn more of their attention to the 2022 class. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/11116361/5f8af8717bd3040ad4512eb8" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong>VIANNEY</strong> The Vianney Golden Griffins haven’t had much success since winning the Missouri Class 5 championship in 2018 behind now-Notre Dame standout Kyren Williams and former coach Paul Day, winning just two of 14 their games since. One of the bright spots this season, senior defensive end Cole Petrus, was good enough to contribute to that championship run when he was just a sophomore. Petrus, a 6-3, 230-pounder, was a versatile weapon for Vianney, more than capable of lining up at defensive end, tight end, fullback, linebacker, wildcat quarterback or even kicker or punter. He had 43 tackles and four sacks and 146 total yards (127 receiving, 19 rushing) and two touchdowns in nine games as a junior. As a senior, in five games, Petrus recorded 34 tackles, seven sacks, 66 rushing yards, one reception, punted 19 times for a 37-yard average and kicked a 35-yard field goal. Petrus, who is also a college baseball prospect as a right-handed pitcher, recently announced on Twitter that he had received preferred walk-on opportunities with Kansas, Missouri and Memphis. Don’t be surprised to see Petrus walk on a a Power 5 school and end up earning playing time and contributing. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/9938675/5fa0b2a290f05b096c628496" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>