Fourth-ranked Nixa took an early lead and never relinquished it with a relentless rushing attack on the way to a 35-27 win over 10th-ranked Joplin in a Central Ozark Conference powerhouse matchup in Class 6 action on Friday at Junge Field.
Nixa gained 390 yards of offense, with RB Dylan Rebura carrying the ball 25 times for 159 yards and RB Malachi Rider gaining 105 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries, on the way to handing Joplin its second straight loss in a season for the first time since the 2020-21 season.
“I just feel bad because I thought our kids played their hearts out,” Joplin coach Curtis Jasper said. “Outside of a couple of turnovers, we played really well.
“Nobody likes to lose. We wanted to win the ball game. Are we happy with tonight and that we lost? No. Are there a lot of positives to take away from tonight? Yes. I told the kids I am putting this one square on my decision making. I will learn from tonight and get better, just like I expect them to.”
TURNOVER BATTLE
Nixa won the always-important turnover battle, 3-1. Joplin fumbled it twice inside the red zone and was picked off just before the half that led to a Nixa score.
“We have to take care of the football,” Jasper said.
WELCOME BACK
Joplin welcomed back senior RB Quin Renfro to the starting lineup. Renfro, a South Dakota State commit, injured his back during the Week 1 win over Branson and missed the next three games before returning to action in Week 5. Renfro led the Joplin offense (397 yards on 49 plays) in his first game back in action with 17 carries for 177 yards and two scores.
“He ran hard all night,” Jasper said about having Renfro back in the backfield. “He did a fantastic job. I thought our offensive line blocked their tails off tonight and played much better this week than they did last week.”
GAME ACTION
After both teams traded three-and-outs, Nixa got the first big play and it made the most of it. QB Nate Uber found WR Spencer Ward on a screen pass on third down before Ward broke the first tackle and sprinted his way to a 67-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead with 7:10 on the clock in the opening period.
Joplin answered immediately, marching down the field in just 1:58 seconds of game clock before an 18-yard pass from QB Hobbs Gooch (15-of-21 passing, 181-2-1) to TE Neil Barstow set up a 1-yard touchdown run from Renfro to tie the game at 7-7 with 5:12 left in the first quarter.
Nixa found little resistance ripping off chunk gains on the ground during its third drive, with Rebura capping the possession off with an 11-yard touchdown run at the 11:16 mark of the second period to give NHS a 14-7 advantage.
Joplin was driving and looking to match Nixa’s score before Renfro fumbled the ball near the NHS 20-yard line and LB Elijah Frazier returned the ball down to the JHS 29-yard line.
Nixa looked to capitalize on the turnover with a pump fake leading to a 29-yard third-down touchdown pass, only to see the play negated by a holding call, with NHS forced to punt shortly after.
On the next possession, Joplin was driving before a personal foul penalty and a sack led to a third-down-and-26. Gooch heaved a pass downfield and found WR Jett Beal for a 30-yard gain and a first down. The big play through the air set up a big play on the ground, as Renfro atoned for the fumble on the previous series with a 22-yard touchdown run after getting to the near sideline and breaking several tackles on the way to the score, his third of the evening.
Joplin went for the 2-point try after a Nixa penalty on the PAT, with the pass falling incomplete to keep Nixa in front 14-13 with 3:19 left in the first half.
Joplin’s defense forced a three-and-out punt but a costly turnover by the offense when Gooch was picked off on second down by Ward, who returned it 34 yards down to the JHS 1-yard line.
On the next play, Rider found paydirt to give Nixa a 21-13 lead into the half.
“I got greedy before halftime,” Jasper said. “Knowing we were getting the ball out of the half, I was trying to do a two-for-one. Their kid had a heck of a punt to pin us deep. I should have just gone into halftime. Instead, we make a turnover and they get another score. Honestly, that’s the difference in the ball game.”
Joplin was forced to punt on the opening series of the second half and Nixa built a two-score lead when Rider found the end zone for the second time on an 8-yard run with 6:12 left in the third quarter to cap an 80-yard drive, with every yard coming on the ground.
Joplin was driving into Nixa territory before Renfro was stripped of the football near the 20-yard line with less than five minutes to play in the third quarter.
Joplin returned the favor on the next when DB Chavis Coleman stripped Rebura for a turnover, Nixa’s first of the game and of the season.
Renfro then ripped off what appeared to be a 65-yard touchdown run that was called back on a pancake block resulting in a holding call. Joplin wouldn’t be denied, as Gooch later found Barstow for an 8-yard touchdown pass to trim the JHS deficit to 28-20 with 8:47 left in the game.
Nixa again marched down the field on the ground before Rider broke several tackles on the way to a 22-yard touchdown with four minutes left to push the Nixa lead to 35-20.
Joplin got on the board one more time with 1:39 left in regulation after Gooch found WR Aidan Sampson for an 8-yard touchdown.
UP NEXT
Joplin (3-2) hits the road for a matchup with Republic (4-1) in Week 6.
