Bob Foos
A lot will be on the line Friday during the homecoming game at Cardinal Stadium.
The Webb City Cardinals and their guests, the Republic Tigers, are two of four teams leading the Class 5 District 6 tournament seeding race, all with 4-1 records.
Republic is actually the top seed with 47.8 points. Two points behind is Webb City, with 45.8 points. Webb City knocked previously unbeaten Neosho down from the top spot last week. Carthage is the fourth 4-1 team.
After Friday, there are only three more weeks left on the regular schedule before districts begin. Two of those weeks for Webb City will be against district teams, Willard (at home) and then Carthage (away). The last game before districts will be at Joplin.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Webb City | 6 | 13 | 14 | 13 | 46 |
| Neosho | 7 | 21 | 7 | 8 | 43 |
The Cardinals played catch-up in the first half at Neosho. After giving the ball up on downs on their first two possessions, quarterback Braden Strickland put them on the board with a 60-yard run. However, the extra point attempt failed.
The Cardinals answered the Wildcats’ second touchdown with an 80-yard drive that ended with Mason Williams’ 22-yard run. The 2-point conversion failed, leaving the score at 14-12.
Neosho’s Keisean Rhone ran 72 yards on the second play of Neosho’s next possession.
Strickland completed a 41-yard pass to Grayson Gannaway en route to 7-play 59-yard drive that ended with Gannaway catching a 3-yard pass.
Neosho closed out the first half with a 46-yard touchdown drive for a halftime score of 28-19.
Webb City’s defense is credited with slowing down Neosho’s offense to give the Cardinals offense a chance to take the lead.
The Wildcats received the second-half kickoff but were forced to punt after just one series.
Drake Claborn and Mason Williams moved the ball on the ground for the Cardinals on a 57-yard drive that Williams finished with a 7-yard run. (28-26)
The Wildcats resumed their 9-point lead with Rhone’s 57-yard touchdown.
Able Getz completed the Cardinals’ succeeding drive with a 30-yard touchdown. (35-33)
The Cardinals defense held the Wildcats on downs with 2:34 left in the third quarter.
Webb City’s offense went on a 10-play, 57-yard drive that extended into the fourth quarter. Claborn finished the drive with an 11-yard carry.
That touchdown gave the Cardinals their first lead, 39-35.
The defense gave the offense another lift when River Lenker forced a fumble that was recovered by Barek Hoffman.
Eight plays later, Williams ran it in from 7 yards out to give the Cardinals an 11-point lead (46-35).
On the Wildcats’ second play of their next possession, Hoffman intercepted a Neosho pass and returned it 37 yards to Neosho’s 47-yard line.
After Webb City punted, Rhone made another long run (42 yards) for Neosho’s final score.
Webb City recovered the onside kick and Strickland took a knee to run out the clock.
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