Prospect Matchup: Top KC Area Games Week 7

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Week 7's slate of games are sure to have folks on the edge of their seats. This week's games features multiple ranked matchups as well as battles between teams with identical records. That's not only the theme across the state this week, but especially within the Kansas City metro and surrounding counties. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With many intriguing matchups to choose from, it'll be difficult for folks to pinpoint exactly which game to attend. Luckily for everyone the <em>Prospect Matchup</em> series has you covered. The Week 7 edition of <em>Prospect Matchup</em> is headlined by arguably the top game in the city, and highlights two exciting matchups taking place outside the metro.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span style="text-decoration: underline">Blue Valley West (6A) 5-1 vs. Blue Valley (5A) 5-1</span></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The <em>EKL</em> has consistently produced <em>Game of the Week</em> worthy matchups throughout this season and Week 7 is no different. The battle set to take place in Stilwell between the Blue Valley West Jaguars and the Blue Valley Tigers is one folks definitely don't want to miss. There are notable prospects on both rosters, but this matchup could come down to some unsung heroes. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><em>Players to Watch</em></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1283041' first='Jack' last='Cook'] of BVW and [player_tooltip player_id='676526' first='Christopher' last='Aiello'] of BV are two players that could decide the outcome this game. Cook is a linebacker that makes winning plays, and he's proved to be a reliable pass catcher on offense. Aiello has improved immensely in his second season starting, and he's been one of the more underrated signal callers in the state this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span style="text-decoration: underline">Louisburg (4A) 6-0 vs. Ottawa (4A) 5-1</span></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A lot will be on the line when the Louisburg Wildcats and the Ottawa Cyclones square off. The winner of this matchup increases their chances at securing the <em>2024 Frontier League</em> title, and improves their odds for a higher playoff seeding in the Class 4A bracket. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><em>Players to Watch</em></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There's no denying when these two teams take the field all eyes will be on D-I prospects [player_tooltip player_id='570192' first='Ashton' last='Moore'] of Louisburg and [player_tooltip player_id='1113457' first='Nate' last='Sims'] of Ottawa. This is the second time these two have appeared in this series, and for good reason too. They're both two of the top players in their respective graduating classes. Very interested to see who will come out of victorious.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><span style="text-decoration: underline">Tonganoxie (4A) 3-3 vs. Eudora (4A) 3-3</span></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another <em>Frontier League</em> game that might interest folks is a matchup between the Tonganoxie Chieftains and the Eudora Cardinals. This game may not feature top ranked prospects or carry the implications the matchups above do. However, it's still a rivalry game between two competitive teams that have traded shots in recent years.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading"><em>Players to Watch</em></h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Chieftains have been led offensively by senior running back [player_tooltip player_id='1228453' first='Tanner' last='Hand']. He's provided a spark for Tongie this season and has eclipsed his numbers from his junior year. For Eudora, [player_tooltip player_id='1324149' first='Christian' last='Jarrett'] is an athletic two-way prospect that should make plays on both sides of the ball.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->