Blue Springs, Mo. at Fayetteville

Harmon Stadium

KICKOFF 7 p.m.

RECORDS Blue Springs Wildcats 2-0; Fayetteville Bulldogs 0-0.

ON THE AIR-KQSM 92.1 FM

BETWEEN THE LINES Blue Springs, Mo. won its season opener, 57-43, against Lee's Summit, Mo. in a game played over two days as the contest was delayed due to lightning. ... The Wildcats defeated Lee's Summit West, Mo., 21-20, last week, but lost talented junior tailback Jaylen Ivey to a two-week suspension when Ivey kicked a Lee's Summit West player near the end of the game. ... Ivy rushed for 386 yards and seven touchdowns in the season opener. ... Lineman Daniel Parker Jr. is a Missouri commit for Blue Springs and quarterback Chase Donohoe is the son of Blue Springs coach Kelly Donohoe. ... The Wildcats finished just 6-6 in 2015, but have won five Missouri state championships -- most recently in 2013. ... Fayetteville begins the Bill Blankenship era with high expectations as the defending class 7A champions and the preseason No. 1 team in Class 7A. ... The Bulldogs have the only returning starting quarterback in the 7A-West conference in all-state selection and Wake Forest commit Taylor Powell, and Powell has plenty of options in passing game with Barrett Banister, Brennan Lewis and Cody Gray expected to be among his top targets. On defense, Fayetteville has a tough front line led by Alabama commit Akial Byers and notable speed in the back seven, with an experienced secondary featuring twins Blake and Trey Coulter.

PLAYERS TO WATCH Blue Springs, QB Chase Donohoe (Jr., 5-11, 170), OT/DE Daniel Parker, Jr. (Jr., 6-3, 270), LB Casey Still (Sr., 5-11, 180); Fayetteville, QB Taylor Powell (Sr., 6-2, 200), WR Barrett Banister (Sr., 6-0, 180), LB Nick Scalise (Sr., 6-1, 185), CB Blake Coulter (Sr. 6-0, 180), CB Trey Coulter (Sr., 6-1, 170).

HOOTEN'S RANKINGS Fayetteville is No. 1 in Class 7A.

HOOTEN'S LINE Fayetteville by 7.

OUR TAKE Fayetteville 38, Blue Springs 21

-- VERNON TARVER • @NWAVERNON