By Anvil Welch
awelch@joplinglobe.com
HARRISONVILLE, Mo. — Webb City High School launched its high school football season with an eye-opening victory on Friday night.
How about smashing Harrisonville’s 41-game winning streak, 27-21, before an estimated 4,500 fans at Memorial Stadium?
Webb City head coach John Roderique called the game tough as well as exciting.
“We had some mistakes and gave up some big plays,” Roderique said. “But we hung in there, perservered and came out with a win. It was a game between evenly matched teams.”
Webb City received two key defensive plays to deny the Wildcats in the fourth quarter.
First, end Austin Lepper’s hit and second fumble recovery of the game spoiled a Harrisonville drive with 31/2 minutes left.
Second, an interception by free safety Seth Kelly denied a final drive by Harrisonville in the closing seconds. The drive was set up by a Cardinal fumble.
Said Lepper: “My helmet hit the ball and it fell right next to me.”
Said fellow senior Kelly: “I just wanted to keep the ball out of their hands.”
The Cardinals produced the final score at 5:44 in the fourth on Braxton Baker’s 24-yard run. The score capped a 63-yard march that included Mack Kyle’s 23-yard run and a personal-foul penalty by the Wildcats.
Baker, a junior, finished with the four Cardinal touchdowns and rushed 20 times for 142 yards.
Said Baker: “I did some good things. My line got off the ball hard.
“It was a good feeling,” Baker said of the touchdowns. “I didn’t expect to score four touchdowns against such a good ballclub.”
Baker scored on runs of 1 and 43 yards in the second quarter and another 1-yard blast in the third.
Harrisonville, meanwhile, scored twice in the second quarter on runs of 49 and 2 yards by Derek Naida.
The Wildcats tied it at 21-21 in the third quarter off the swinging gate, as holder Taylor Saunders hit Seth Bailey on a 24-yard pass in the corner of the end zone on fourth-and-12.
Harrisonville is in Class 4 this season after winning the last three and four of five Class 3 titles.
Webb City entertains Rogers, Ark., next Friday at 7 p.m. at Cardinal Stadium.
Webb City 0 14 7 6—27
Harrisonville 0 14 7 0—21
WC—Braxton Baker 1 run (Jake Brasfield kick)
WC—Baker 43 run (Brasfield kick)
Har—Derek Naida 49 run (Dallas Herndon kick)
Har—Naida 2 run (Herndon kick)
WC—Baker 1 run (Brasfield kick)
Har—Seth Bailey 24 pass from Taylor Saunders (Herndon kick)
WC—Baker 24 run (run failed)
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