Homecoming matchup: No. 5 Webb City hosts No. 1 Carthage

The Webb City Cardinals certainly don’t have an easy win lined up for their homecoming game Friday. Their opponents, are the Class 5 No. 1-ranked Carthage Tigers.

The Cardinals, rated fifth, improved their record to 4-2 with a 49-28 home victory last week against Willard. While the Tigers are 5-1 after last week’s 49-26 win against Ozark. Both teams have lost to Nixa. Webb City’s second loss was to Joplin, which Carthage will play Oct. 14.

Against Willard, Webb City took a 21-0 lead in the first quarter on runs by Landon Johnson, Aidan Alberty and Breckin Galardo.

Willard opened the second quarter with a 50-yard pass for a touchdown, but no extra point.

Omari Jackson finished a drive with a 4-yard run to extend the Cardinals’ lead to 28-6. 

Cy Darnell completed the first-half scoring with a 23-yard touchdown run to make it 35-6.

Alberty got his second touchdown of the game in the third quarter, and Ethan Baird ran for a 39-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Willard’s Russell Roweton threw for two more touchdowns in the second half and ran for a 2-point conversion on the last one.

Two Willard drives ended when William Hayes and Andrew Young intercepted Roweton passes.

A dozen Cardinals carried the ball for a total of 434 yards on the ground. Alberty ran for 118 yards, followed by Galardo, 79; Baird, 76; Jackson, 65; Gabe Johnson, 39; Darnell, 23; Landon Johnson, 16; Garrett Powell, 15; Max Stovern, 9; Braden McKee, 4; Bryce Dickinson, and Jackson Lucas.

Webb City’s defense held Willard to 71 yards rushing and 228 yards passing.

(See stats below Players of the Week.)