KANSAS CITY, Mo. — On Wednesday, Nov. 5, the Kansas City Chiefs announced their Week 10 Coach of the Week recipients for the 2025 season.
St. Michael the Archangel Catholic High School Head Coach Mark Bliss (Missouri) and Blue Valley West High School Head Coach Josh Koerkenmeier (Kansas) are the Chiefs Week 10 selections for their teams' performances in the ninth week of the high school football season. This weekly honor aims to recognize Kansas City-area head coaches for their success on the field and leadership off the field.
As part of their recognition, both coaches will receive a $500 grant from the Hunt Family Foundation, a Chiefs bucket hat, a certificate of recognition, and a custom game ball. Both coaches also qualify for the Eric Driskell Coach of the Year Award, which is selected at the end of the high school regular season by a panel from the Missouri and Kansas Boards of the Greater Kansas City Football Coaches Association.
The St. Michael Guardians shut out the University Academy Charter/Kauffman Gryphons 38-0 in their first-round matchup of the MSHSAA Class 3A State Tournament. The Guardians rushed for 334 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 12.4 yards per carry. The St. Michael defense totaled seven tackles-for-loss and an interception. St. Michael the Archangel will face the No. 1 Knob Noster Panthers on the road on Friday.
"I am blessed to have the honor to validate the hard work our players and coaches put in every day since June 2nd," Bliss said. "I am so proud of where we are as a program at this point in our season. Being recognized by the Chiefs is a great honor and getting to meet Gary Spani is an even bigger honor. I am just blessed to be at St. Michaels and hoping we can keep this season going for these great young men."
Bliss is in his first season with the Guardians and is the third head coach in the team's history. Bliss is in his 29th year as a head coach and has won four state titles.
The Blue Valley West Jaguars entered the KSHSAA Class 6A East bracket as the 12th seed and went into Shawnee Mission East to knock off the No. 5 Lancers 42-35. The Jaguars went 18-for-24 and 192 yards with four touchdowns through the air. On the ground, Blue Valley West totaled 203 yards on 24 carries and a touchdown. The Jaguar defense held the Lancers to just 109 yards passing. Following the upset, Blue Valley West will head to Olathe Northwest for its second-round matchup on Friday.
"This means a lot to the Blue Valley West Football program," Koerkenmeier said. "Our goal is to get better every day. This group of players and coaches has been working incredibly hard to put themselves in a position to be successful. This award is a reflection of their time, effort and attitude."
Koerkenmeier has been with Blue Valley West since 2008 and has led his alma mater since 2016. He played offensive tackle collegiately at Emporia State.
Now in its 29th year, The High School Coach of the Week program is a joint initiative between the Kansas City Chiefs and the National Football League.
In addition to highlighting head coaches for their team's performance, this award honors individuals who make a difference in the lives of high school student-athletes by preparing them for life beyond football.
The Kansas City Chiefs partner with PrepsKC to select Coaches of the Week from Missouri and Kansas each week. For the past 16 years, PrepsKC has been Kansas City's only complete multimedia outlet covering high school offering a dynamic website, weekly magazine and comprehensive weekly radio show. More information about PrepsKC, including scores, schedules and coverage can be found at www.prepskc.com.
