ST. LOUIS — Cardinal Ritter College Prep went back-to-back, winning its second straight Missouri State Football Championship Friday night.
Cardinal Ritter beat the Republic Tigers 38-25 for the Class 5 state title at Faurot Field on the University of Missouri's campus.
This is the high school's second state title in program history and capped off a second straight undefeated season. It won its first in 2022 with a win over Reeds Spring High School for the Class 3 state title.
On Tuesday, there was a proclamation from the mayor at Cardinal Ritter.
"Cardinal Ritter College Prep Lions football day in the City of St. Louis," Mayor Tishuara Jones said.
"We work on behinds all day in and day out. We put these kids in position to be successful and these kids have definitely bought in," Coach Brennan Spain said.
It's not only two state titles and 28 wins with these trophies, but it was done in Class 3 last year and Class 5 this year.
Nobody has ever done that.
And talent? Well, at least 13 players on the roster will get Division I scholarships and the coaching staff wants to maximize that talent.
"I explain to my kids all the time that many hands lighten the load and if you can play and you can contribute to helping us be successful on the field, I will definitely find a means of getting you out there," Brennan said. "And the thing is, it's all about the competition level here. So when these young men go off to college and they have to compete on the next level, they won't shy away from it because they dealt with it in high school."
And even though coach Spain has two titles now, his bride, Tiffany, has three state titles as the school's track coach.
You know, he's going to get the three soon.
"And I am still ahead of them. Good look, sir," Tiffany said.
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