Showdown in the semis: LeBlond, St. Joe Christian among teams eyeing shot in district title games

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (News-Press NOW) -- It's win or go home for high school football teams vying for a shot in the district title game next weekend.

From Bishop LeBlond to St. Joseph Christian, Mid-Buchanan and Savannah, district semifinal matchups are set to take place under the bright lights Friday with many area teams still in play.

Matchups will kickoff at 7 p.m. Friday, including local games at Bishop LeBlond High School and St. Joseph Christian, where the Golden Eagles and Lions will look to make it an all-city district championship next weekend with victories on Friday.

8-Man District 5

Matchups:

• No. 1 Bishop LeBlond (5-4) vs No. 4 Stewartsville (2-8)
• No. 2 St. Joseph Christian (4-5) vs. No. 3 South Holt Knights (3-6)

After a tough 1-4 start, the Golden Eagles flipped the script in the second half of the season, rattling off four straight victories heading into Friday's semifinal matchup with No. 4 Stewartsville.

A victory Friday would earn Bishop LeBlond a second straight district championship appearance. Last season, the Golden Eagles defeated Plattsburg 76-22 to win the district crown.

The St. Joseph Christian Lions are set to face off with South Holt on the other side of the bracket. The Lions enter Friday's showdown coming off a 42-38 home victory against Princeton, their first home win of the year.

Class 1 District 6

Matchups:

• No. 1 West Platte (6-3) vs. No. 4 Penney (4-6)
• No. 2 North Platte (5-4) vs. No. 3 Gallatin Bulldogs (6-4)

The No. 1-seeded West Platte Blue Jays enter the semifinal round looking to book their ticket to the district title game for the first time since 2015. The Blue Jays are coming off three-straight victories over North Platte, Lathrop and East Buchanan.

Despite a tough 1-3 finish to the season against top-ranked opponents like Mid-Buchanan and Lawson, North Platte enjoyed an overall bounce back year in 2025, finishing with a 5-4 record after going 3-9 last year.

Victories by North Platte and West Platte would set up a rematch from the regular season finale, a one-score game that West Platte won 41-34.

Class 2 District 8

Matchups:

• No. 1 Mid-Buchanan (9-0) vs. Lawson (8-2)
• No. 2 Cameron (6-4) vs. South Harrison (9-1)

It's been an utterly dominant season for the undefeated Mid-Buchanan Dragons in 2025. The Dragons are coming off a lopsided 63-7 victory over rival East Buchanan and now turn their attention to Lawson in the district semifinal round.

With three shutouts already, the Mid-Buchanan defense has allowed an average of just 8.7 points a game this season. On the other side, the offense put up nearly 50 points a game, including two 60-point outings in Weeks 8 and 9.

Class 3 District 8

Matchups:

• No. 1 Maryville (7-2) vs. No. 4 Pembroke Hill (5-5)
• No. 2 Richmond (7-2) vs. No. 3 Chillicothe (4-6)

Class 4 District 8

Matchups:

• No. 1 Kearney (9-0) vs. No. 4 Van Horn (7-3)
• No. 2 Savannah (9-1) vs. No. 3 Smithville (8-2)

The Savannah Savages are set to face off with No. 3 Smithville on Friday in front of what should be a high-energy crowd in Savannah. The Savages have been dominant on both sides of the ball this season, holding seven of their ten opponents to 10 points or less while averaging nearly 45 points a game.

The only losses this season for Smithville have come against against top-ranked undefeated opponents, including Kearney (9-0) and Platte County (9-0).