Doug Buckmaster looked on the bright side after his Carl Junction Bulldogs suffered a 28-14 loss at Webb City on Friday night in Week 5 of the 2020 high school football season.
To Buckmaster, the Bulldogs can take away several positives from the setback.
“We’ve played so well on offense the last two weeks, we just need to start scoring points,” Buckmaster said. “I’m proud of the offense and our defense finally finished a freaking game in the third and fourth quarter. First game we’ve finished in about three freaking years.”
Offensively, the Bulldogs were able to move the ball effectively, racking up 327 yards on 65 plays, with 220 passing yards and 107 rushing. But Carl Junction wasn’t able to finish off a number of drives at crucial moments.
At the same time, Carl Junction’s defense limited Webb City to 28 points, the Cardinals’ lowest scoring output this season. The Bulldogs held Webb City to one score in the second half, giving themselves a chance in the fourth quarter against the Cardinals for the first time in several years.
Webb City won last year’s meeting 34-0 and the Cardinals triumphed in two meetings in 2018 by wide margins (42-9 and 54-7).
Regardless of Friday’s final outcome, Buckmaster and the Bulldogs are also feeling good about the possibility of peaking in time to make a postseason run.
Carl Junction will no longer have to deal with Webb City in the Class 4 playoffs. In fact, Webb City, Ladue, Platte County and Camdenton all moved from Class 4 to Class 5 this season. With that, Class 4 appears to be wide open this year.
Carl Junction is the lone Class 4 school competing in the always-strong Central Ozark Conference, which features state-ranked teams in both Class 6 and Class 5.
The Bulldogs will compete in Class 4’s District 5 with Hillcrest, Rogersville, Marshfield, McDonald County, Monett and West Plains.
Buckmaster noted his team will be battle-tested by the time the district tournament arrives.
“Everybody needs to understand that we will not play a Class 4 team the entire regular season,” Buckmaster said. “We’ll play our first Class 4 team in the district playoffs. I think the team that played out here tonight has a chance to make some noise.”
Carl Junction (1-4) travels to Neosho (0-5) in Week 6. Games with Republic (2-3), Nixa (5-0) and Ozark (4-1) conclude the regular season.
“In the next four weeks, we have a chance to make some noise,” Buckmaster said. “We’re gamers. We like to play the game. But playing hard only takes you so far. At some point, the fundamentals and being prepared with schemes makes the difference. We haven’t got to that point yet. We have to become a better practice team. Our goal is just to get better the rest of the year.”
Carl Junction’s Carter Kennedy (22) and Hunter Row (31) look to bring down Webb City’s Devrin Weathers on Friday night. Photo by Derek Livingston.
Joplin’s duo of Astrid Cardenas and Emma Watts won the doubles bracket at the Joplin Invitational tennis tournament on Friday at the JHS athletic complex.
In the championship match, Cardenas and Watts defeated Glendale’s Bella Martino and Monroe Liggett 8-3.
Rogersville squads faced off for third place, with Sophia Bleau and Rachel Steury beating Caitlyn Archer and Ceyenee Martin 8-5.
In the fifth-place match, Glendale’s Lauren Hamm and Ann Beatty beat Joplin’s Jensen Vowels and Lauren Laird 8-1.
Webb City’s Taylor Yockey-Delaney Duke defeated Carthage’s Anayansi Lopez-Rodas-Katie Barton 8-5 for seventh place, while Webb City’s Kinzlea Smith-Danecca Heffren beat Carthage’s Isabelle Johnston-Kianna Yates 8-5 for ninth.
In the 11th place match, Joplin’s Jenna Besperat and Valeria Alamina Poor defeated Carl Junction’s Hannah Clinage and Hope Sponsel 8-5. Glendale’s Lucy Huang defeated Rogersville’s Lauren Roberts 8-1 in the championship match of the singles bracket.
Rogersville’s Morgan Wilhoit beat Glendale’s Chloe Stenger 8-2 in the third-place match.
Carl Junction’s Nicole Sherwood defeated Webb City’s Kirsalyn Hood 8-1 in the fifth-place match, while Joplin’s Kennedy Schwartz took seventh by earning an 8-6 win over Carl Junction’s Mariah Barnett.
Carthage’s Daniela Marquez defeated Joplin’s Cloey Blank 8-2 for ninth place, while Webb City’s Shelby Ensminger topped Carthage’s Lucy Butler 8-3 for 11th place.
Glendale won the team title with 27 points. Rogersville (25), Joplin (19), Webb City (11), Carl Junction (9) and Carthage (5) rounded out the team standings.
Joplin’s Emma Watts and Astrid Cardenas won the doubles bracket at Friday’s Joplin Invitational. Photo by Shawn Fowler.
The host Eagles were among the teams competing at Friday’s Joplin Invitational. Photo by Shawn Fowler.
WILLARD, Mo. — Willard’s plan to run the ball effectively while consuming chunks of clock with long drives was successful as the Tigers earned a 32-20 win over Joplin on Friday.
“Hats off to Willard,” Joplin coach Curtis Jasper said. “They executed their game plan perfectly. They went on long drives and kept the ball away from us. They put pressure on us when we had the ball and made plays defensively as well. Willard was better than us tonight.
“The bottom line is we just weren’t good enough tonight. We have to get better and work hard to do that. We are going to fix things and we are going to get better. I believe in these guys, and I believe we are going to do what it takes to be a good football team. Tonight was not our night.”
Willard, which averaged 10 points per game before the matchup with Joplin, ran 60 offensive plays for 323 yards, while the Eagles ran 43 offensive plays for 300 total yards. The Tigers (1-4), who earned their first win of the season, won the turnover battle against the Eagles (2-3) by the tally of 3-0.
“They did a good job of playing keep-away from us,” Jasper said. “We knew we were going to see a lot of power and counter. They did a good job of their kick-out blocks and hitting it where we weren’t.”
Joplin’s Trayquan Peavler is gang tackled by a group of Tigers during the Eagles’ game against Willard on Friday. Photo by Shawn Fowler.
After Joplin’s defense forced a three-and-out top open the game, the Eagles’ offense marched 66 yards on nine plays with running back Trayquan Peavler scoring from a yard out to make the score 6-0, the point-after try was no good, with 7:39 to play in the opening quarter. Peavler started in place of Nathan Glades, who missed the game with a knee injury.
Willard answered with an 11-play drive that culminated in a 3-yard touchdown from Tyler Janes to give the Tigers a 7-6 lead with 2:12 on the clock.
Joplin went three-and-out on offense, and Willard pushed the lead to 13-6 after Owen Bushnell scored from 7 yards out with 6:36 left in the first half to end a 12-play drive.
Joplin responded quickly, as freshman running back Quinton Renfro, the younger brother of senior WR Keaton Renfro, scored from 37 yards out for his first-career varsity touchdown in his first varsity game to trim Willard’s lead to 13-12 with 5:12 to play in the first half. The point-after kick was no good.
“We pulled (Quinton) up this week for depth behind Trayquan, and he had a really good week of practice,” Jasper said. “We gave him an opportunity in the second quarter, and he did a really good job with it.”
It looked as if Joplin’s defense had forced Willard into another three-and-out on the ensuing drive, but the Eagles were flagged for a roughing-the-punter penalty on fourth-and-6 to give the Tigers a first down and extend the drive.
Willard made Joplin pay for the penalty, eventually scoring with two seconds left in the first half on a 1-yard run by Bushnell to send the Tigers into the intermission with a 19-12 lead.
Getting the ball out of the locker room, Joplin took the lead back for the first time since early in the first quarter when quarterback Always Wright completed a 9-yard touchdown pass to Trayshawn Thomas with 10:17 on the clock. Wright found Keaton Renfro on the two-point conversion to put Joplin in front 20-19.
Willard took nearly five minutes off the clock on their ensuing drive, which ended on a 41-yard touchdown pass from Janes to Blake Hultgren on fourth-down-and-4 to put the Tigers back in front 26-20 with 5:41 left in the third quarter.
Joplin’s Trayshawn Thomas heads for the goal line in against the Willard Tigers on Friday. Photo by Shawn Fowler.
On the second play of the Eagles’ ensuing drive, Wright was picked off by Willard’s Dylan Leach, who returned it 30 yards to paydirt for a pick-6 score to extend the Tigers’ lead to 32-20 with 5:08 left in the third.
The turnover bug bit Joplin again after a long drive ended with Wright getting picked off at the goal line by Blaine Willard on a fourth-down-and-7 pass. After the Eagles forced the Tigers into a punt, Wright was picked off by Willard’s Evan Hancock on the second play of the ensuing drive with 3:15 left in the game.
“We have a lot of things we have to fix and get better at,” Jasper said.
STATS
Bushnell carried the ball 28 times for 142 yards and touchdown, while Janes completed 7-of-10 passes for 78 yards and a touchdown. He carried the ball 18 times for 40 yards.
Wright completed 15-of-23 passes for 166 yards, a touchdown and three interceptions, adding 26 rushing yards on three carries. Quinton Renfro carried the ball 17 times for 133 yards and a touchdown, while Trayshawn Thomas had seven receptions for 68 yards and a score. Keaton Renfro caught three passes for 43 yards and hauled in a two-point conversion.
UP NEXT
Joplin hosts Republic (2-3) for a 7 p.m. matchup and Junge Field.
WEBB CITY, Mo. — Webb City made key plays in all three phases of the game in the first half and then held on late for a 28-14 Central Ozark Conference win over Carl Junction on Friday night at Cardinal Stadium.
Ranked second in Class 5 by the Missouri Media, the Cardinals (4-1) won for the fourth straight time.
And unlike their previous three outings, the Cardinals were forced to make crucial plays in the fourth quarter to hold on.
“That was an exciting game,” Webb City coach John Roderique said. “We did what we needed to do…we found ways. I thought our defense did an outstanding job. I thought Carl Junction played really well. They’re really good. Forget about their record, that’s a good football team. It was a good football game, and we feel good about the win.”
Simply put, Webb City got the job done in a number of key moments in the first half.
The Cardinals came up with a key defensive stand on fourth down late in the first quarter, forcing a turnover on downs. In a game-changing span of the second quarter, the Cardinals put together a 96-yard scoring drive and then recovered a pooch kick that led to a two-score advantage.
Although the Bulldogs (1-4) kept coming until the end, the early lead was one the Cardinals would never relinquish.
Despite the loss, Carl Junction coach Doug Buckmaster was pleased with his team’s performance.
“I’m proud of our kids,” Buckmaster said. “I’m really proud of our offense. They played so well and kept us in the game. I’m really proud of how we played. Our defense finally finished a game. We were within one touchdown in the fourth quarter.”
NAMES & NUMBERS
Webb City compiled 335 yards of offense, with 297 rushing and 38 passing.
Senior running back Devrin Weathers ran 20 times for 139 yards, while junior Cade Wilson had 13 carries for 81 yards and three touchdowns.
Webb City quarterback Cole Gayman ran 12 times for 78 yards and completed 3-of-9 passes with one score. Jacob Shonk caught two passes for 21 yards and Mekhi Garrard hauled in a 17-yard touchdown pass.
Lucas Ott made eight tackles, Matt McDaniel had seven, while Shane Noel and Treghan Parker added six tackles apiece.
Carl Junction recorded 327 yards, with 220 through the air and 107 on the ground.
Senior quarterback Alex Baker completed 22-of-34 passes, with Cole Stewart catching seven for 99 yards and Noah Southern hauling in 10 passes for 79 yards. Brady Sims ran 22 times for 79 yards with two scores to lead CJ’s ground attack.
Jack Colgin made nine tackles to lead the CJ defense, while Southern had seven and Jesse Cassatt and Carter Kennedy made six apiece.
Carl Junction’s Carter Kennedy (22) and Hunter Row (31) look to bring down Webb City’s Devrin Weathers on Friday night. Photo by Derek Livingston.
GAME RECAP
The Bulldogs put together a nearly 10-minute drive to begin the game, but the Cardinal defense forced a turnover on downs after CJ came up 1 yard short on fourth and six from the 14-yard line.
“That was huge,” Roderique said of the stop. “You always tell your kids that until they get into the end zone, they get no points so don’t get your head down. When you can stop somebody on fourth down, that really develops some confidence.”
In the second quarter, a Carl Junction punt pinned the hosts deep, but the Webb City offense marched 96 yards on 13 plays, capped by a 4-yard touchdown run by Wilson at the 5:22 mark of the second quarter.
Next came a key play on special teams, as Webb City’s Billy Wolfe recovered the ensuing pooch kickoff, and the hosts scored three plays later on a 22-yard sprint by Wilson.
“A lot of times you get the wind in your face you want to hang the ball up a little bit or spot kick it a little bit,” Roderique said. “Coach (Trey) Derryberry has a lot of different types of kicks we use with Cameron (Clark). That was a great play. And then scoring there was big. Getting up two scores was big for our confidence.”
Carl Junction got on the board with 2:56 left in the second quarter on a 2-yard run by Sims. The score was set up by a 48-yard pass from Baker to Stewart.
Webb City responded with an eight play, 69-yard drive, as Gayman completed a nifty 17-yard touchdown strike to Garrard, giving the hosts a 21-7 cushion.
Webb City’s Bradyen Hollingsworth grabbed an interception to halt CJ’s final drive of the first half.
After a scoreless third quarter, Sims capped a 19-play, 80-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown plunge with 6:24 remaining to pull the Bulldogs within a score.
With the pressure on, Webb City was able to pick up a couple of crucial first downs to extend the ensuing drive.
Weathers ran for a first down on a fourth-and-4 play, and a few plays later, Wilson charged into the end zone with 36 seconds left for the final margin.
“I told our guys we needed about a 6 minute, 24 second drive,” Roderique said. “We were just trying to get a first down.”
The Cardinals won despite being limited to one score in the second half.
“We kind of struggled offensively in the second half,” Roderique said. “But our defense held up. I thought both sides of the ball played well at times.”
The Bulldogs were left wondering what might have been.
“We had two opportunities where we didn’t score and we had another possession where we were moving the ball, but didn’t score,” Buckmaster said. “We’ve played so well on offense the last two weeks, we just need to start scoring points. But I saw a lot more effort in finishing blocks and pass protection. I thought Brady Sims ran the heck out of the ball and our receivers did a nice job. I’m really proud.”
WHAT’S NEXT?
Webb City travels to Branson in Week 6, while Carl Junction is at Neosho next Friday.
Webb City’s Jacob Shonk (2) attempts to hold off Carl Junction’s Jack Colgin (20). Photo by Derek Livingston.
WEBB CITY 28, CARL JUNCTION 14
Carl Junction 0 7 0 7—14
Webb City 0 21 0 7—28
Scoring Summary
WC: Cade Wilson 4-yard run (Kick failed)
WC: Wilson 22-yard run (Wilson run)
CJ: Brady Sims 2-yard run (Xavier Perkins kick)
WC: Mekhi Garrard 17-yard pass from Cole Gayman (Cameron Clark kick)
CJ: Sims 1-yard run (Perkins kick)
WC: Wilson 9-yard run (Clark kick)
Webb City’s Cade Wilson celebrates a touchdown with teammates Jacob Shonk (2) and Grant Goltra (62) on Friday night against Carl Junction. Webb City won 28-14. Photo by Derek Livingston.
Webb City’s Devrin Weathers picks up a big gain on the ground against Carl Junction. Photo by Derek Livingston.
CARTHAGE, Mo. — If any rust was built up in the two weeks that a COVID-19-related quarantine limited the Carthage Tigers to a handful of practices, it was shaken off before their matchup with the Branson Pirates on Friday.
Carthage (4-0, 4-0 COC) rode workhorse performances from senior quarterback Patrick Carlton and sophomore running back Luke Gall to a 33-10 victory at David Haffner Stadium to remain undefeated.
Carthage was slated to face rival Webb City a week ago, but the game was canceled when multiple players were required to isolate to prevent potential spread of the novel coronavirus. The quarantine even bled into this week, coach Jon Guidie said, as the team had more than a dozen players whose first post-lockdown practice came on Thursday.
“It wasn’t always pretty at times, it got a little sloppy,” Guidie said of his team’s performance after a condensed week. “But I thought they did a really good job of handling themselves under the circumstances. Being a little shorthanded with their training and preparation, I thought they executed the game plan really well.”
Most of the first half was closely contested, but beginning in the final minutes of the second quarter, Carthage posted 20 unanswered points to set the final score.
Gall and Carlton led the Tigers’ offense, primarily on the ground, both posting more than 100 rushing yards. Carlton finished with 131 to Gall’s 137. Carlton, though, found the end zone three times, while Gall notched two touchdown runs.
“It seemed like we were rotating pretty well,” Guidie said. “When you have that two-headed monster back there, that’s tough on defenses sometimes.”
It wasn’t just the points the Carthage offense scored that snuffed out the Pirates’ chances of keeping up and staying in the game. The Tigers’ last drive of the third quarter spanned 13 plays, and their first of the final quarter took 14, both culminating in touchdowns. Those marathon drives ensured that not only did Branson’s deficit grow, but the remaining time on the clock was significantly depleted.
“That’s kind of what we do,” Guidie said. “If we get a lead and we get a chance to line up and run the football, our guys really take pride in that up front. And when you can do that and keep their offense over there on the sideline, run some time off the clock, good things happen.”
SCORING SUMMARY
CAR613140—33
BRAN3700—10
FIRST QUARTER
BRAN—Cristian Berumen 24-yard field goal
CAR—Luke Gall 1-yard run (Run failed)
SECOND QUARTER
CAR—Patrick Carlton 5-yard run (Caleb Calvin kick)
NIXA, Mo. — Nixa started fast and never looked back in a 51-0 rout of Neosho on Friday.
The Eagles (5-0) took a 38-0 lead into halftime and pitched a shutout against the Wildcats (0-5).
Nixa struck early on a 22-yard run by Ramone Green with 9:14 left in the first quarter to put the Eagles up 7-0.
Neosho fumbled the ball on their first possession of the game, but recovered it before going three-and-out.
In the opening seconds of the second quarter, Green struck again on a 2-yard run to make the score 14-0.
Nixa Quarterback Austin McCracken added an 11-yard run to pushed the lead to 21-0.
With 4:36 left in the first half, McCracken hit Michael Sportsman with a 28-yard pass for a 28-0 lead.
After Neosho lost a fumble on next possession at their own 32-yard line, Green scampered into the end zone again from 2 yards out to make the score 35-0.
Neosho followed with another turnover, an interception, before forcing the Eagles to settle for a 22-yard field goal by Josh Jones to go into the half with 38-0 lead.
With a running clock and 5:42 to go in the third quarter, Casen Hammitt scampered in the end zone for a 7-yard touchdown, with the lead stretching to 44-0 following a failed point-after attempt.
The final score of the game came with 8:48 left in the fourth on a 12-yard run by Ty Hartman, with the dust settling at 51-0.
Nixa had 55 plays for 397 yards, to Neosho’s 42 plays for 99 yards of total offense.
