WEBB CITY, Mo. —
Phoenix Johnson rushed for three touchdowns as Webb City High School nailed down a perfect regular season in football by beating Carl Junction 48-7 at Cardinal Stadium on Thursday night.
The Cardinals (10-0, 3-0 in Class 4 District 11), who rushed for 414 yards, boosted their regular-season winning streak to 81.
The Cardinals, defending Class 4 champion and ranked No. 1 this season, will entertain Bolivar at 7 on Wednesday night in the first round of the playoffs.
Carl Junction, which scored with 2:05 minutes left in the game to deny the Cardinals their fourth shutout, finished 3-7 overall and 1-2 in District 4-11.
Said Carl Junction coach Jesse Wall: “They played a lot better than we did. We had a couple of scoring opportunities (before breaking through). They made a couple of nice goal-line stands.”
Said Webb City coach John Roderique: “I won’t take back what I said about Carl Junction. They have some physical kids that play very hard. I thought we did a good job up front.
“Our guys executed very well,” Roderique said. “Our execution on offense may have been the best it’s been all season. Our coaches did a good job of preparing the players for this game.”
Johnson, whose Cardinals led 34-0 at the half, scored on runs of 15 yards in the first period, 19 in the second and 52 in the third.
Said two-way senior Cardinal lineman Clayton Temaat: “We came out focused. Several of our guys played well. Some of our younger guys were able to gain a lot of experience.”
Said quarterback Breckin Williams: “It was a good night. We came out and did a good job. Now, we hope to make a run in the playoffs.”
Williams, who tossed a 31-yard scoring pass to Jalen Vaden, also scored on a 25-yard run.
Kohl Slaughter, on a reverse, and John Roderique had respective scoring runs of 6 and 7 yards.
Johnson, a junior, rushed for 139 yards on just five carries. Williams added 137 on eight carries and senior Jamison Cady had 74 yards on 10. Williams completed 4 of 6 passes for 72 yards.
The Bulldogs rushed for 167 yards and junior Keegan Pittman threw for 73 on 8 of 16. Junior Aaron Moore tallied the TD — a 3-yard run — and set it up with a 52-yard carry. Moore finished with 114 on 22 carries.
The best Webb City defensive stand came in the first quarter after the Bulldogs had a first-and-goal from the Cardinal 6. The Bulldogs had recovered an onside kick at their 42. But the Cardinals stopped the runner just short of the end zone on fourth-and-3.
Webb City, keyed by Williams’ carries of 35 and 49 yards, responded by slashing 99 yards in only five plays. Slaughter’s TD capped the drive.
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Related Photos
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Globe/T. Rob Brown Webb City's Phoenix Johnson carries the ball into the endzone on a touchdown ahead of Carl Junction's Tanner McMurtry Thursday night, Oct. 27, 2011, at Webb City's field.
Discussion
October 28, 2011
Johnson sparks Webb City past Carl Junction
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Outlaws open season Thursday on the road
Chris Oldner takes a cut during the Joplin Outlaws practice Tuesday afternoon. The Outlaws open their season on Thursday night at Rossville and play seven road games before their home opener on June 5.
The Joplin Outlaws and new coach Rob Vessell have set some lofty goals for the 2012 baseball season.
Continued ... - Stanton’s homers fuel Marlins’ surge in May
- Five sign to join Missouri Southern women's track team
- Whisner ignites Joplin Miners past Webb City
- Venus Williams joins Serena on sideline in Paris
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- Pittsburg State Sports
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- Vengels sixth in heptathlon; PSU picks up two seventh-place finishes
- Ethan Cordray signs with Pittsburg State
- Lions, Gorillas begin competition in outdoor track and field championship
- Three finalists named for PSU head baseball coach position
- Lions qualify 10, PSU 15 for Division II outdoor track meet
- Missouri Southern Sports
- High School Sports
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Area athletes turn shine at state meet
Webb City's Jarvis Jones takes sixth in the 200.
- Cleo Elbert steps down at Thomas Jefferson
- Frontenac wins first state baseball title
- Joplin's Jeremy Lynn takes fifth at state tennis
- Frontenac advances at state baseball
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