WEBB CITY, Mo. — The Webb City Cardinals passed their biggest test of the season with flying colors.
Superior in all phases of the game, Webb City knocked off previously undefeated Nixa 28-0 in a key Central Ozark Conference showdown on Friday night inside a packed Cardinal Stadium.
Nixa entered the night unbeaten and ranked second in Class 6 by the Missouri Media. The Eagles (6-1) no longer have an unblemished record, as the Cardinals (6-1) earned a statement victory on Homecoming to stay in the hunt for a conference title.
“Going into this game, I really felt like we were the underdog,” Webb City coach John Roderique said. “There were probably more people that expected us to lose this game than win it. Maybe we played with a chip on our shoulder. Nixa had the most wins in our conference, so I think that brought out the best of us.”
Webb City senior defensive back Treghan Parker noted the Cardinals simply rose to the occasion when faced with 2020’s biggest challenge to date.
“We knew we had a great opportunity this week,” said Parker, who made a team-high seven solo tackles. “We knew we needed to get over the hump of just being good. I feel like we came out and did just that. Our coaches were really motivational this week. We practiced really hard and played as a team. We knew they were a great team, but our defense played outstanding.”
Ranked second in Class 5, Webb City extended its winning streak to six.
“I’m just thrilled,” Roderique said. “We knew it was going to take a tremendous effort from our kids and we knew we’d have to do a great job of coaching during the week. I thought our kids stepped up in practice. Our attention to detail was much better than it’s been. I thought our guys just played with a lot of guts in all three phases.”
Nixa coach John Perry was blunt in his postgame assessment.
“It was a great test for us, but golly, they whooped us,” Perry said. “It is what it is. No excuses. They out-played us and they out-coached us. They were really, really good tonight. They were very consistent. They hammered us. I thought they were more physical. They did a fantastic job. That is a good football program. That’s the model of where we’re going. We’re just not there yet. To figure out how to be the best, you have to play the best.”
Webb City’s formidable defense pitched a shutout against a Nixa squad that was averaging 40 points per game. The Cardinals limited the Eagles to 163 yards, with 83 passing and 80 rushing. Nixa completed just seven of 25 pass attempts, with two being picked off.
“That’s a phenomenal effort by our defense,” Roderique said. “They’ve scored a lot of points this year and they’re really talented. Hats off to our defense. Our defense continues to get better every week.”
Webb City had 26 first downs, while Nixa had 10. The Cardinals, who led 14-0 at intermission and 21-0 entering the fourth quarter, compiled 386 yards, with 306 rushing and 80 passing.
Senior running back Devrin Weathers ran 22 times for 132 yards, while senior quarterback Cole Gayman added 59 yards on 12 carries with two touchdowns. A Kansas State recruit, Weathers has rushed for at least 100 yards in every game this season.
“I thought he got better as the game went on,” Perry said. “He got stronger.”
Webb City’s Matt McDaniel was credited with nine tackles, while Brayden Hollingsworth and Brentan Wilson made four stops apiece and Jaystin Smith had three.
Roderique noted he was proud of his special teams unit as well.
“I’m proud of all three phases tonight,” Roderique said.
Nixa’s Ramone Green ran 19 times for 66 yards. Austin McCracken passed for 47 yards and Reid Potts added 36 passing yards. Nate Nixon led the receivers with three catches for 34 yards.
JACKSON MAKES FIRST START
Webb City junior running back Dupree Jackson made his first start in the backfield, as Cade Wilson is now out for the season after suffering a leg injury last week at Branson.
Jackson ran 18 times for 102 yards with a touchdown.
“I’m just excited,” Jackson said. “I was nervous at the beginning, but once the game got started it was all right. This win is big. It boosts our confidence for sure. But we can’t get satisfied. We have to get better.”
GAME RECAP
In Southwest Missouri’s most anticipated contest of 2020, the Cardinals took an early lead when Gayman sprinted into the end zone on a 10-yard QB keeper with 1:07 left in the opening frame, with Cameron Clark booting the PAT kick. The hosts had good field position on the drive thanks to an Eli Goddard interception.
Nixa had a golden opportunity after recovering a Webb City fumble on the 21-yard line. But on the first play of the ensuing possession, Webb City’s Shane Noel intercepted a McCracken pass in the end zone.
“With a really good football team, when your offense makes a mistake, your defense picks them up,” Roderique said. “That’s a great team effort. Offense complements defense and vice versa.”
The Cardinals made the Eagles pay for the turnover. Capping a methodical 16-play, 80-yard drive, Jackson scored on a 7-yard scamper, giving the Cardinals a 14-0 advantage at the 3:31 mark of the second quarter.
Webb City’s defense limited Nixa to just 68 yards in the first half while the Cardinals racked up 200 yards, including 165 on the ground.
“They get three, four or five yards per carry and just do that over and over without making any frickin mistakes,” Perry said. “It’s hard to stop.”
The Cardinals put together a 10-play, 91-yard scoring drive in the third period, capped by a 13-yard touchdown strike from Goddard to a diving Cohl Vaden that made it 21-0. Goddard came into the game in a hurry after Gayman’s helmet came off on the previous play.
“That was a phenomenal catch by Cohl,” Roderique said. “There’s not many kids that can make that play. And Eli did that kind of thing all of last year. He comes in and throws strikes.”
After Nixa turned it over on downs, Gayman finished off a 76-yard drive with a 10-yard QB keeper, putting the Cardinals comfortably up 28-0.
Sustaining drives proved crucial for the Cardinals.
“We had to be able to control the ball,” Roderique said. “If you can do that, you’re giving yourself a chance. I thought that really worked out well. That 91-yard drive was a huge plus and gave us a lot of confidence.”
The Eagles turned it over on downs twice in the fourth quarter.
The Webb City football program has never lost to Nixa.
Carthage is now the lone remaining unbeaten team in the COC, while Webb City and Nixa have just one loss apiece.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Webb City travels to Ozark (5-2) in Week 8, while Nixa hosts Carl Junction (3-4).
WEBB CITY 28, NIXA 0
Nixa 0 0 0 0—0
Webb City 7 7 7 7—28
Scoring Summary
WC: Cole Gayman 10-yard run (Cameron Clark kick)
WC: Dupree Jackson 7-yard run (Clark kick)
WC: Cohl Vaden 13-yard pass from Eli Godard (Clark kick)
WC: Gayman 6-yard run (Clark kick)
