WEBB CITY, Mo. — The skid has ended.
Webb City's four-game losing streak against Joplin that is.
Behind a defensive showcase, the Cardinals' offense got things going in the second half to break an even score and pull away for a 38-21 victory.
"Our defense has played well all year," Webb City head coach Ryan McFarland said. "You look at the Nixa game, the Republic game and now this game. We were able to get stops and we haven't allowed a lot of big plays. They're able to force a few turnovers and probably the most fun to watch: They play hard, and they play as a group of 11."
The first half was back and forth between the two teams as the score was 14-14 at intermission. Joplin head coach Curtis Jasper discussed some of that play.
"We made some mistakes early, and then just a hard, physical game," Jasper said. "Hats off to Webb City. They played really well. Especially up front. They deserve this one."
That play up front that Jasper is talking about led to Webb City's 283 rushing yards on 48 attempts. The Cardinals averaged just under 6 yards per carry.
In the locker room at halftime, McFarland told his team getting a stop to start the second half would be a key. Reducing the play selection on offense was also part of the plan. The Cardinals (3-1) forced a Joplin (3-1) three-and-out to get the ball back in its offense's possession early in the third quarter.
"We really limited our playbook down to about three or four different things," McFarland said. "Joplin was moving their defensive front around a lot. So, we did a lot of two-plays at the line of scrimmage. So you have to give both quarterbacks, Braden (McKee) and Gabe (Johnson), credit. Because they called a lot of second half. We just gave them some suggestions."
Webb City did not find pay dirt on its first drive out of half, but a 37-yard field goal from Alex Dunne got the team a 17-14 lead. That kick concluded a 34-yard drive on seven plays.
Joplin's next drive had promise as it crossed into Webb City territory. But on the 13th play of the series, Hobbs Gooch tried to connect with a receiver on an out route to the right sideline. The pass was intercepted by Brett Korth who came flying in to pull it out of the air before it could reach its target. Korth returned the ball to Joplin's 47 for a 15-to-20-yard return.
The Cardinals made sure to take advantage of the miscue by grabbing their largest lead of the game to that point at 24-14. The score came on a 5-yard option that saw Andrew Elwell catch the pitch and sprint to the pylon on the right side of the end zone.
That drive was catapulted by a 13-yard connection between Gabe Johnson and Elwell. Another Johnson pass later in the drive was delivered to Joseph Degraffenreid for 19 yards. That pass put the Cardinals inside the 10-yard line.
Joplin's Garren Berry blew up a play to sack Johnson. The Eagles were penalized for an unsportsmanlike conduct on the play and instead of moving the Cardinals back, they went forward to the five. The next play was Elwell's touchdown.
The Eagles responded by scoring in just three minutes. It took them eight plays to go 60 yards. The scoring play came on a little bit of a trickery from the 7-yard line. The speedy receiver Davin Thomas was sent in motion prior to the snap. Gooch took the snap, delivered a ball to him in the flats and then Thomas stopped and lobbed the ball over the top to a wide open Aidan Sampson in the back of the end zone to make it 24-21.
The Cardinals tallied the final 14 points to put the game on ice with a Johnson rushing touchdown and a Degraffenreid receiving score from 22 yards out for McKee’s second passing touchdown of the game.
"It feels good," Johnson said about ending the losing streak. "We've been waiting. I've been waiting for my turn. I knew Breckin (Galardo) and Omari (Jackson) were out and I made it."
"It felt great," Degraffenreid said about his late touchdown. "I knew my QB was going to get it to me. I knew as soon as I saw the corner look inside it was over."
Coach McFarland talked this week about needing to get guys like Degraffenreid and Elwell more involved on the offense. I would say that was accomplished as they each scored in the game.
"It's rewarding. They buy in to what you do. And when kids buy in to what you tell them … it's rewarding to see them have success on the field," McFarland said.
MORE ACTION
Joplin struck first after forcing a turnover on downs on Webb City’s first drive of the game. The Eagles’ touchdown came on a tight end screen for Whit Hafer. Hafer caught the pass and streaked down the sideline to score on a 58-yard play.
The Cardinals responded in no time. The ensuing kickoff was muffed by Johnson at the 3-yard line. He quickly scooped it up at the 1 and showed off his speed as he bolted through everyone in a hurry for a kick-return touchdown.
McKee’s first passing touchdown came at the very end of the first quarter on a toss to Johnson in the flats for a 14-yard score to make it 14-7. This could have been a turning point in the game.
Joplin muffed a punt after forcing a Webb City three-and-out and Jonah Spieker pounced on it. This gave the Cardinals a short 35 yards to take their first lead of the game.
The Eagles kept that from turning the game around by converting on a 4th-down conversion. Jasper called up a fake punt that saw the snap go to punter Cordell Washington. Washington immediately tucked the ball and picked up 13 yards and a first down on the play.
"Coach (Alan) Linden does a great job with our special teams," Jasper said. "We saw a couple things on film and earlier on punts we felt like they were there and we took advantage of them."
Joplin tied the game at 14 later in that drive when Gooch delivered a perfect pass to Jett Beal between to defenders. The 29-yard strike was Gooch’s second of two passing TD’s and Beal’s only catch of the night.
Another 4th-down attempt was successful on another fake punt. This one came in the second half and was a direct snap to the upback, Chavis Coleman. Coleman picked up 12 yards on the play.
Unfortunately for the Eagles, that drive ended with Korth's interception.
UP NEXT
Webb City will host Ozark (1-3) next Friday. Ozark fell 45-23 against Willard (3-1) on Friday. Joplin hosts Nixa (4-0) next week. Nixa is the only remaining undefeated Central Ozark Conference squad after topping Neosho on Friday.
"We have another tough opponent next week so we have a chance to get better between now and then," Jasper said.
McFarland and the Webb City coaching staff didn't let the recent skid or the hype of the rivalry enter conversations throughout the week. But after the game he talked about the opportunity to see the team pick up the win.
"We didn't talk a lot about the last four years but we all knew it was there," McFarland said. "To be able to have bragging rights in that scenario is a huge accomplishment for the kids. It's a big win for our senior class. This is a goal that they had early in the year."
STATS
Joplin's Hafer had his biggest receiving output of the season with five catches for 111 yards and a touchdown. Prior to that, his best game was two catches for 51 yards and a score against Willard.
Kaden Gilmore got the rushing attack going in the second half when he stepped in for a banged up Toryn Jones. Gilmore finished with 32 yards, Jones had 24.
Gooch finished 15 of 22 on the evening with 237 yards and the two touchdowns. Sampson pulled in five catches for 50 yards. Thomas had four for 46.
Elwell led the Cardinals' aggressive ground game with 124 yards on 20 carries and one touchdown. Johnson followed him with 91 yards and toted the ball 11 times. Durman also carried the rock 11 times and tallied 57 yards.
McKee was 4 for 8 with 52 yards and two touchdowns. Johnson finished 2 of 3 passing the ball for 32 yards. He pulled in two catches for 23 yards and a touchdown.
Degraffenreid finished with two catches for 41 yards and a touchdown.