Twice before the fourth quarter, the Republic Tigers scored to pull within six points of the Joplin Eagles, including as late as the 55-second mark in the third quarter.
Even so, a fourth-quarter run—and a Tiger turnover on downs deep in their own territory—fueled the Eagles to a 42-28 rout in the end at Junge Field on Friday night.
Backed up to their own 10-yard line to start a drive late in the third quarter, Republic (3-3) marched for nine plays before quarterback Wyatt Woods found the end zone from seven yards out to pull within a touchdown at 27-21. Joplin (5-1) answered again, though, setting off a 15-point run that put the game away.
“Republic is a good team and they do a real good job up front with their blocking scheme,” Eagles coach Curtis Jasper said. “We did a really good job in the first half defending them. We gave our offense a chance to get going and got a good win tonight.”
Trailing 35-21 after Joplin junior running back Quin Renfro, who totaled 99 rushing yards on 15 carries and added a 15-yard touchdown reception, converted his second rushing touchdown on the night and added on the 2-point conversion to make it a 14-point margin, Republic was backed up at its own 24-yard line and faced a fourth- down and 7. Woods was rushed and rolled right before spinning back the other way and attempting to flee the danger toward his own end zone when a teammate got tangled with a defender, drawing a penalty.
Woods got off a throw, but it fell to the turf, the penalty was declined and Joplin took over on downs. On the very next play, senior Drew VanGilder found the end zone for the Eagles’ final score of the night.
“Once we got up two (scores) … and when we were able to get that stop and punch in another one, that was a big shift right there,” Jasper said.
After only 20 points were scored between the two teams in the first half, the first five drives of the second resulted in consecutive touchdowns. After opening the game with two punts in a row, the Eagles scored a touchdown on every drive until there was more time on the play clock than the game clock and they knelt to end the game.
Earlier in the game, Republic made it a one-score contest right as time ran out in the first half. With the clock at all-zeroes, Woods rolled to his right, then threw across his body to James Rexroate who was waiting in the middle of the end zone. That made the halftime score 13-7 in favor of Joplin, but the Eagles received the ball to begin the second half, covering 58 yards in five plays for a score, and the Joplin offense simply didn’t give Republic an opportunity to catch up.
The game was a bounceback for Joplin after suffering a 49-35 defeat at the hands of Nixa in Week 5.
“We’ve still got a lot of things we’ve got to get better at,” Jasper said. “I don’t want to look ahead, but obviously, Class 6 competition is really good competition and we want to go and accomplish our goals in the playoffs, but there’s a lot of things we’ve got to get better at.”
The Eagles will host the Carl Junction Bulldogs for homecoming next week.
“We have Carl Junction at home next Friday night and that’s always a fun game because you know Buckmaster and some of those other guys coached here,” Jasper said. “And we know that staff really well. Obviously the kids, being a close game, know each other real well, so it should be a lot of fun.”
