MAC ON SPORTS: ONCE AGAIN FRED BOUCHARD IS COACHING IN MISSOURI HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL STATE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME
J. Thomas McNamara
Once again, Fred Bouchard is coaching in a Missouri high school football state championship game.
And the last time he was on the sidelines coaching in a “Show-Me” state title game, he was on the losing one as his present school, MICDS, beat his former school, Harrisonville.
Now, Bouchard is coaching MICDS, who hasn’t won a championship since 2004, but has captured seven in the past. As a result, MICDS is no stranger to being in these championship games. In fact, MICDS is similar to Josh Jostes’ Maroa-Forsyth Trojans they expect to be there. It’s news when they’re not.
Bouchard sends his MICDS team Friday night against undefeated Jefferson City Helias Catholic, who are 13-0, against Bouchard’s MICDS 7-0 team. MICDS did not get to start its season at the same time because of COVID restrictions.
It is for the Class 4 state championship.
“There’s a pretty daunting task ahead of us in Helias,” Bouchard said. “But we’ll try to put our best foot forward and see if we can win ourselves a football game.”
“There’s a pretty daunting task ahead of us in Helias,” Bouchard said. “But we’ll try to put our best foot forward and see if we can win ourselves a football game.”
On a personal basis, Bouchard is going after his sixth championship with a handful (five) already safely tucked away for posterity.
Bouchard’s MICDS team advanced to the title game with their 56-20 win last Saturday.
The Rams moved on to their 15th state final and are seeking the eighth championship in program history.
In 2004, MICDS won 45-42 in double overtime against Harrisonville — which was coached by Bouchard — for the Class 3 title. Harrisonville and Bouchard turned the tables in 2005 and 2007 state finals, and MICDS also lost in Class 4 finals in 2011 (Webb City) and 2018 (Ladue).
“Nobody talks about ’05 or ’07, but these folks remember ’04 a lot,” Bouchard said with a smile. “Selective memory I guess, but I don’t blame them.”
And for Bouchard, a trip to the state final standing on the MICDS sideline is exactly where he wants to be.
I hope the next time we report in a future print edition that Bouchard’s MICDS team won the state championship.
