The Kansas City Chiefs have announced their Coach of the Week honors for the 10th week of the season. The awards go to Pembroke Hill head football coach Sam Knopik (Missouri) and Olathe Northwest head football coach Lorne Clark (Kansas).
As a result of this honor, both schools will receive a $500 grant from the Hunt Family Foundation. Additionally, both coaches will be presented congratulatory footballs autographed by Chiefs Head Coach Andy Reid and a certificate recognizing their selection. Both coaches are now qualified for the Eric Driskell Coach of the Year Award, which will be voted on later this fall. The Eric Driskell Coach of the Year Award is selected by a panel comprised of the Missouri and Kansas Boards from the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association.
Pembroke Hill beat St. Michael 26-0 to advance to the Class 2 District 6 title game. The win was the Raiders fourth in its last five games after starting the season 1-5, including an earlier 35-0 loss to St. Michael. Knopik said there were a lot of hands in the success of the team.
"I was very proud of how our players who handle the football prepared all week for a wet night (against St. Michael). We lost zero snaps and had only one rushing fumble on a night where it could be expected to be a major factor for both teams. That part of the game plan was well executed," Knopik said. "Defensively, the team was up for the challenge of playing solid run defense on a cold night and buttoning up our pass defense with two interceptions and three sacks - also well prepared by our defensive staff who takes film study to a new level."
Olathe Northwest defeated Olathe South 35-21 to advance to the Kansas Class 6A quarterfinals for the first time in school history. The Ravens are currently 7-3 which is the best record in school history. Clark said this honor is for the entire program.
"I would like to thank the Kansas City Chiefs and PrepsKC for this award," Clark said. "This award would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of our coaching staff and athletes. I am super proud of our program and the growth we have made this year. The legacy our senior class has left is amazing and we are looking forward to our game this week against Olathe West."
In its 26th season, the 2022 High School Coach of the Week is a joint initiative of the Kansas City Chiefs and the National Football League. This program is designed to recognize and reward Kansas City area high school coaches for superior performance on a weekly basis while honoring individuals who are shaping today's youth and tomorrow's leaders.
The Kansas City Chiefs partner with PrepsKC to select Coaches of the Week from Missouri and Kansas each week. PrepsKC is the only complete multimedia coverage of high school football in the Kansas City Metro. For the last 13 years it has combined a dynamic web site, weekly magazine and comprehensive weekly radio show. More information about PrepsKC, including scores, schedules and coverage can be found at www.prepskc.com.
