The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

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October 23, 2012

Roderique, Webb City have playoff past with West Plains

By Anvil Welch Globe Sports Writer

— West Plains visits Webb City on Thursday night in the first round of the MSHAAA Class 4 football playoffs.

It isn’t their first meeting in the playoffs and current Webb City head coach John Roderique won’t forget the first clash with the Zizzers.

Roderique was a senior for Mark McDonald’s Cardinals who were making their first playoff appearance. The date was Nov. 18, 1985 at West Plains in the second round or quarterfinals of the playoffs.

Roderique kicked a 28-yard field goal with 10 seconds left to lift the Cardinals to a 10-7 victory.

Roderique, reminiscing on Monday, recalled the elements just about as quick as acknowledging the kick.

“The game was played on a muddy, muddy field,” Roderique said. “I remember the mud. It was a very long trip (on the bus). It was a defensive battle.

“I remember the mud. You quickly couldn’t see the uniform numbers,” Roderique said. “It rained on the way to West Plains and it may have rained during the game.

“I remember it being 28 yards,” Roderique said with a laugh. “Bob Foos gave it good play (in the Webb City Sentinel). It all was pretty exciting.”

Foos asked bookkeeper Vicki Groff to dig out the time and distance in the Sentinel files.

Said Foos: “I still have the umbrella (protection for the photographer, of course) I bought on the way to West Plains. I think we also bought hand-warmers.

“(The late) Larry Lee, our reporter, wrote that the kick was perfect,” Foos said.

Webb City, playing at home in the semifinals, mustered only a 30-yard field goal in the first quarter by Roderique in losing to Kansas City Center 7-3.

The loss left the Cardinals 11-2 with their other setback 12-6 to Mount Vernon. Webb City ousted Willard 14-0 in the first round of the playoffs.

Chillicothe defeated the Yellowjackets 20-14 in the Show-Me Bowl in St. Louis.

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