By Richard Polen

sports@joplinglobe.com

The Neosho Wildcats and the Carthage Tigers meet for the first time in the Missouri high school football playoffs tonight at Neosho.

This will be the Wildcats’ ninth appearance in the playoffs and the first since 1999. Carthage is in the playoffs for the fifth time, including each of the last three seasons.

The two teams collided earlier this season, a 55-27 shootout at Carthage in a game where the Tigers scored on their first four possessions and led 35-6 at halftime.

Carthage has followed a similar pattern in its last two district games, scoring five touchdowns in the first quarter against Nevada. At Carl Junction, the Tigers had three touchdowns in the first quarter and four more in the second period.

“The last time we played them is still fresh in (our players’) minds,” Neosho head coach Shawn Flannigan said. “We were down 14-0 and 28-7 real quick. If you give them opportunities, they will make you pay.”

He should know. The Wildcats also have the ability to strike quickly and often, such as a five-touchdown first half against McDonald County in their last district and regular season game.

More importantly, Carthage head coach Jon Guidie remembers the beginning of the second half of the first Neosho-Carthage game.

“We snapped it over the punter’s head, giving them a touchdown,” he said. “Then we fumbled the kickoff. They get it and score again.”

In other words, both teams are capable of making big plays any time, any where on the field. Carthage is 8-2; Neosho is 7-3.

“We’re just taking it as another game at this point,” Flannigan said. “If the weather permits, I would expect there to be a pretty good group of people.”

Last season, when Carthage played at Ozark in a state quarterfinal matchup, “they had twice as many fans as Ozark had,” Flannigan said.

“We think they’ll have a huge crowd,” Guidie said. “They have good reason to be excited. We know how they feel. We won our first district title since 1987 a couple of years ago.

“It will be a big game atmosphere. Our kids have had their share of big game atmospheres.”

There have been plenty of changes since the two teams played the first time this season. One big change for Neosho: Confidence.

“The whole idea of winning consistently was new to them,” Flannigan said. “They know now they can play with the Webb Citys and the Carthages and the Ozarks.”

Neosho won its first three games of the season, then lost three in a row. Since then, the Wildcats have won their last four games, including a 36-22 victory at Branson, a team that defeated Carthage two weeks earlier.

“Our defense is playing much better,” Flannigan said. “Offensively, we have found more of an identity (sophomore Alex Wise) where before we were two-platooning at quarterback. It gives us more consistancy.

“Our running game is growing into our strength. We’re much more consistant in our running game now.”

Wise ran for two touchdowns against Branson and threw for two more, including a 41-yard reception by junior running back Jake Middleton. Jared Shirley, another junior, is Neosho’s leading rusher. Nick Morrison is the Wildcats’ leading receiver.

“They’re a big play offense,” Guidie said. “Wise has a grasp on things, it looks like.

“We have to continue to play mistake-free football, number one,” he said. “That’s something we can control. We were pretty fortunate last time (against Neosho), we blocked a punt and got an interception. You hope for those things to happen, but we expect a pretty good ballgame.”

Alex Cutbirth, a two-way starting lineman, and Trevor Hole, a starting defensive back, are back in the Carthage lineup after missing the first game against Neosho due to injuries.

Seniors Trey Derryberry at quarterback and Clay Kinman at receiver, along with sophomore running back Brian Poston and junior receiver/back Devron Moore give Carthage a variety of big-play opportunities, including Moore as a punt returner.

“When we have Carthage in third down, we need to force them to punt,” Flannigan said. “Conversely, the other side of that is our offense gets on the field and scores some points when the defense holds.”