Bob Foos
Webb City’s football season ended earlier than hoped for Friday with the Cardinals’ 41-24 loss at Republic.
The Class 5 District 6 championship will be decided this week when No. 2 Republic visits No. 1 Carthage for a rematch of their regular-season game that went into overtime. Webb City was the No. 3 seed.
Coach Ryan McFarland, in a postgame interview with KNEO, said he and his staff had warned the players from the beginning that their district would be tough this year.
In fact, Carthage is ranked fifth in Class 5 statewide by MaxPreps, and Republic is ranked eighth. Webb City is ranked 14th.
Nixa, ranked third in Class 6, defeated each of the top-three Class 5 District 6 teams in the regular season.
McFarland said the early exit from districts was especially hard to take for the team’s 26 seniors, who did “everything you would want from a senior group.”
He praised the entire team for working hard and getting better every game. The Cardinals’ season record is 7-4.
Republic took a 7-0 lead after Webb City failed to move the ball during its opening possession.
Webb City’s second drive launched with a 55-yard run by Mason Williams. When the drive stalled at the Republic 9-yard line Diego Aldrete kicked a 26-yard field goal. (WC 3 REP 7)
Following Republic’s second touchdown, Talan Haslip broke away from Tiger defenders on a 42-yard run, making it all the way to the 1-yard line. Williams finished the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run. (WC 10 REP 14)
Republic scored a touchdown on its third-straight possession, and Webb City again answered. Trae Turner scored on a double-reverse play from 4 yards out. (WC 17 REP 21)
The Cardinals held Republic on downs to open the third quarter but were left with poor field position – at their 14. They lost ground, back to the 12, before Colton Rickman kicked a 59-yard punt to send the Tigers back to their 29-yard line.
After two first downs, Republic quarterback Preston McCracken ran for a 36-yard touchdown to give the Tigers an 11-point lead. (WC 17 REP 28)
The fourth quarter opened with Republic scoring the first of its two touchdowns in the period but missing a PAT attempt. (WC 17 REP 34)
On the second down of the Cardinals’ next possession, Webb City quarterback Braden Strickland ran for a 60-yard touchdown. (WC 24 REP 34)
Republic completed its scoring with another touchdown that left 3:20 on the clock, but Webb City couldn’t take advantage and Republic let time run out. (WC 24 REP 41)
Webb City’s leading rushers were Williams (88 yards on 14 carries), Haslip (78 on 6 carries), and Strickland (76 yards on 15 carries).
Cooper Ray led the defense with 10 tackles. Karsen Myers had 9 tackles, Braylan Coleman 8, and Trevor Lofland 7.
Neither team completed a pass. A pass from Strickland to Turner, though, moved the chains when a pass-interference was flagged.
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