Smithville-Lincoln College Prep: Recap & Players of the Game

The Missouri Class 4 semifinal matchup between undefeated Smithville and Lincoln College Prep provided a competitive first half. Then, the No. 1-ranked Warriors held the Blue Tigers out of the end zone in the second half and advanced to the semifinals for the second year in a row and the third time in four years. Smithville (11-0) gave up a score on the opening drive then fell behind 14-7 when the Blue Tigers (11-1) scored early in the second quarter. Then, Smithville rattled off 22 straight points to get the win on Friday night at Southeast High School. The Warriors will face MICDS (12-0) in St. Louis on Friday (Nov. 26) for the right to advance to the state championship game. Last year, MICDS lost in the championship game to Jefferson City Helias. Smithville is vying for its first state title and the only the second berth in school history in the finals – the other was in 1969. MICDS has won two titles (1996, 2004) and have been the runner-up six other times. PLAYERS OF THE GAME Smithville (11-0) QB [player_tooltip player_id="179109" first="Andrew" last="Hedgecorth"], 2023 The second-year starting quarterback led the Warriors back to the semifinals thanks for two combined touchdowns. He threw a 48-yard touchdown pass to Sam Calvert in the first quarter that tied the game and his 45-yard bootleg run that accounted for the final points in the game. He was 4 for 8 passing for 86 yards but also completed a two-point conversion after picking up a bad snap and scrambling to find an open receiver in the end zone that gave the Warriors their first lead of the game. For the year, he has thrown for 1,753 yards with 23 touchdowns, compared to only three INTs. He was named the Suburban Conference Blue Division offensive player of the year this season. RB/DB [player_tooltip player_id="101696" first="Caleb" last="Donnell"], 2023 With starting running back [player_tooltip player_id="96156" first="Hayden" last="Sigg"] lost for the remainder of the year, the Warriors were looking for someone to step up and it was Donnell. Though he didn’t factor in to the first few carries, he ended up getting 25 totes for 164 yards and a pair of touchdowns. His hard running style made him a hard to bring down at times and when he got into the open field, he showed good speed. He had only 102 yards on the season coming into the quarterfinal game but his 7.82 yards per carry after the contest is now second-best on the team. He also came up with a big pass breakup in the game, turning back a pass on a fourth-down attempt by the Blue Tigers inside the Warriors’ red zone in the fourth quarter. DT/TE [player_tooltip player_id="96231" first="Mason" last="Crim"], 2022 More of a blocking tight end, he did catch the two-point conversion pass from Hedgecorth on a play that capped the scoring in the first half. In a unique twist, he doesn’t have a single catch this season. He made a big impact on the other side of the ball on the defensive line. He had eight tackles, bumping his season total to 52. His 10 tackles for loss is second on the team behind junior defensive end Dawson Strickland’s 19. LB [player_tooltip player_id="96260" first="Cody" last="Simoncic"], 2022 Simoncic played a big role in slowing down the Blue Tigers’ rushing attack, leading the team with 11 tackles and grabbing one of the three fumbles the Warriors picked up. He leads the team with 82 tackles, five forced fumbles and four interceptions. His two fumble recoveries are tied with Jack Alexander, who also had a fumble recovery in the win. Schools are taking note of Simoncic’s play as well, garnering offers from Division I schools Southeast Missouri State and South Dakota State and Division II schools Northwest Missouri State, Pittsburg State, Central Missouri, Washburn, Missouri Western and Fort Hays State. Lincoln College Prep (11-1) RB [player_tooltip player_id="203583" first="John" last="Price"], 2024 and [player_tooltip player_id="206401" first="Jayden" last="Sudduth"], 2022 The two-headed rushing attack for the Blue Tigers provided most of the offense, accounting for 249 yards on 48 carries, according to stats provided by Smithville. LCP stats were not available as of Monday morning. Price, who had more than 1,000 yards rushing during the regular season, scored a touchdown. He also had a run of 32 yards, where he showcased his speed once he got past the first line. Sudduth, likewise, showcased his speed at times. The two backs complemented each other well. The Blue Tigers finished with 296 yards of total offense, but had more first downs (16 to 12) than Smithville. LB [player_tooltip player_id="103106" first="Antonio" last="Jones"], 2022 The Blue Tigers didn’t create as many turnovers as they had – 5 to 1 – but Jones made a big play deep inside the Smithville territory. After the Warriors were pinned deep after a punt and then a penalty, Jones jumped in the passing lane and intercepted a pass and gave the Blue Tigers the ball at the 15-yard line. You can follow Cody Thorn on Twitter at <a href="http://www.twitter.com/FreelancingCT">@</a>FreelancingCT.