State Championship Underclassmen Standouts

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here are some of the top underclassmen standouts who helped their teams in their state championship games.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='849688' first='Rocco' last='Marriott'] QB Platte County 2026 - 6'3" 209<br>- The big time junior prospect finished the season a perfect 14-0 in leading his Pirates to a state championship win and showcasing his dual threat talents in the process. Rocco finished the game 17 of 25 for 280 yards and two touchdowns passing with another 53 yards and two more touchdowns on the ground on 13 carries in the Class 4 state championship win. His mobility, athleticism and ability to throw on the move or pull the ball down and take off for big yardage made him tough for Helias to defend. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1130992' first='Jonathan' last='Moore'] QB Lutheran North 2027 - 6'0" 201<br>- Moore finished off a tremendous first year as the varsity starter with a bang in helping to bring home the state championship hardware. The smooth field general ran the Crusader offense to perfection using his great vision and decision making to pick apart the Festus defense going 17 of 23 for 342 for 5 touchdowns and 0 picks. Jonathan throws some of the most crisp on target throws you'll see as he can really spin it. He'll have the opportunity at two more championship runs since he is only a sophomore.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1127256' first='Tyler' last='Bax'] QB Blair Oaks 2026 - 6'3" 190<br>- Another talented dual threat quarterback who led his team to the Class 3 state championship win was the athletic Bax. Tyler, who starter as a sophomore and had a big year, went 17 of 28 for 328 yards passing and 3 touchdowns through the air, with another 87 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries rushing. He does a terrific job understanding and running the Falcons offense showing good poise and taking what the defense gives him and making the right calls with his arm and legs. He has good size, athleticism and really has nice placement and accuracy on his throws. He is a prospect colleges need to take a good look at in the spring and summer. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='849700' first='Jayden' last='McCaster'] RB De Smet 2026 - <br>- I wrote about McCaster as a prospect to watch for heading into the championship game and he did not disappoint. Jayden has gotten better and had some of his best games rushing down the playoff stretch on the Spartans championship run. He used his speed and hard running style on his way to 13 carries for 200 yards and 2 touchdowns. Also a talented wrestler, McCaster has great balance, vision and quick feet to go along with his speed. He has undoubtedly helped his recruiting stock with his big junior year. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1131012' first='James' last='Bryant'] LB Lutheran North 2027 - 6'0" 187<br>- One of the top freshman tacklers in the state returned for another impressive sophomore season and help lead a stingy Crusader defense with 12 tackles in the game against Festus for the state championship victory. Bryant does a great job reading plays and reacting quickly. He's fast, physical and has great form on his tackles. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1130073' first='Amari' last='Williams'] DB De Smet 2026 - 5'11" 185<br>- The D1 safety prospect capped off a stellar junior season with 8 tackles in being part of a swarming Spartan defense that help slow and corral a talented Nixa offense that was on a roll heading into the championship game. Amari is a tough, physical defender with speed who can cover a lot of ground to make plays. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->