The Joplin Globe, Joplin, MO

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September 5, 2008

Rogers offers big challenge for Webb City

By Anvil Welch

awelch@joplinglobe.com

Webb City High School naturally hopes a real football game under its belt will prove to be an advantage tonight in its home opener.

Season-opening Rogers, which belongs to 7A West and is one of 16 teams in Arkansas in that class, visits for the 7 p.m. game at Cardinal Stadium.

Rogers has another high school this season — also 7A — with the debut of Heritage. The split has produced two small schools for the largest classification in Arkansas.

Webb City, ranked third in Class 4 by the Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association, won its opener 27-21 last Friday night at Harrisonville.

The Cardinals exchanged video of their game and the Rogers scrimmage the same night at North Little Rock.

“Physically, we’ll have a hard time matching up,” Webb City coach John Roderique said. “They have talent at the ‘skill positions,’ too.

“They’re balanced between running and passing,” Roderique said of Ronnie Peacock’s Mountaineers. “Now, they’re more of a running team.”

Webb City defeated the Mounties in 2000 and 2001 en route to unbeaten seasons.

“It’s only film, of course, but their linemen appeared very good,” Roderique said. “They are big and physical.”

Rogers is coming off a 6-4 season after finishing runner-up in 2006.

Rogers, hampered by penalties and missed opportunities, posted just one touchdown during the two-hour scrimmage at North Little Rock.

“Our execution was not exactly what you would want it to be but obviously it’s the first scrimmage,” Peacock told Tom Glave in the Benton County Daily Record. “I think the kids can see that it’s something we can correct. Obviously, if we correct it we have some good things going for us.

“I thought it was a really good scrimmage for us,” Peacock said. “I believe we’re going to become a better team because of it.”

Junior quarterback Andy Couture finished 10-of-18 for 104 yards. Senior Ryan Schatzman (6-foot-2, 208 pounds) caught six passes for 68 yards and had punts of 50 and 40 yards. Couture also rushed nine times for 54 yards.

Senior running back Michael Tibbs (6-0, 190) didn’t carry the ball because of a hamstring injury.

“We have a lot of things to clear up — a lot of reasons to practice,” Roderique said after the win at Harrisonville. “Our coverage wasn’t good in the kicking game. We also had a bad snap. Hopefully, we’ll see improvement in several areas.”

Webb City statistics had it with a 308-296 yardage advantage against Harrisonville.

Webb City quarterback Mack Kyle, a senior, backed the running of junior Braxton Baker (20 carries for 145 yards) with 51 yards on 13 carries and 3-for-6 accuracy for 90 yards.

“Overall, I thought we played well and did it for four quarters,” Kyle said. “We finished strong.”

Notes: Mark Holderbaum, who began his coaching career several years ago at Mount Vernon, is in his second year as athletic director for the Rogers Public Schools. He was at Oklahoma City for a year before joining the Mounties. ... Just contact Webb City assistant Russell Burr if you can’t attend tonight’s game. Roderique said that Burr predicted the exact score last week. The Springfield News-Leader’s Allen Vaughan also predicted the 27-21 outcome.

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