By Anvil Welch
awelch@joplinglobe.com
Bolivar, fresh from knocking off No. 2, takes aim today at No. 3 Webb City.
The quarterfinal game of the MSHSAA Class 4 football playoffs will be held at Webb City.
Kickoff between the Liberators (11-1) and Webb City (12-0) is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. at Cardinal Stadium.
Bolivar, moving up this season from Class 3, earned the shot at Webb City by using a 21-point fourth quarter to turn back visiting Union, ranked second in Class 4 behind Kearney, last Monday night.
That Bolivar win, of course, saved the Cardinals a journey to Union as they just missed their second straight home shutout with a 35-8 win against Neosho.
Bolivar, which rushed for 330 yards, ousted a previously unbeaten team (Union) that had been averaging 48.4 points behind University of Kansas-bound quarterback Jordan Webb.
Bolivar quarterback Preston Guiot, a junior, completed 6-of-7 passes for 110 yards and two touchdowns to support the Liberator rushing attack. Guiot hit junior wide receivers Tyler Welch (51 yards) and Alex Talley (10) for the scores.
The total performance wasn’t lost on Webb City coach John Roderique.
“Bolivar is a well-coached team (headed by Lance Roweton),” Roderique said on Friday “They have good size. They have good offensive and defensive lines.
“They do a lot on offense with their quarterback,” Roderique said. “They have three hard-nosed running backs in seniors Derek Lee and Daniel Norman and junior Josh Moffett.
“Guiot has been efficient throwing the ball. He’s savvy as well as athletic. He takes off and runs. He’ll make you miss tackles.”
Roderique indicated there was no mincing of words for his players.
“It’s a great opportunity. There are eight teams left in Class 4. None of those eight teams can’t get it done. This team is 11-1. You need to play your ‘A game.’ It’s win or go home. That’s the attitude with which you have to play.
“Bolivar is a team playing with a lot of confidence,” Roderique said. “Beating a team like Union makes you better and builds your confidence. We’ll have to play well.”
Roweton, a 1994 Bolivar graduate, is in his sixth year as its head coach.
“We’ll have our hands full,” Roweton, whose key players are a mix of seniors and juniors, said. “We’ll have to play inspired ball and hang around with them.
“Both teams play similar styles. Both teams rely on ball control on offense and play a solid defense.
“The key probably is how we match up them,” Roweton said. “I don’t have a clue. I’m not sure we’ve played a team like Webb City.”
“Another key, obviously, is for us to play well, stay in the game and get over the ‘mental’ hump ... give ourselves a chance to win in the end.”
Bolivar, unbeaten in the Small Division of the Central Ozark Conference, lost 7-6 at Mountain Grove during the regular season. Webb City was perfect in the Large Division of the COC.
Notes: Webb City, if it wins, has to travel to Kearney or Sedalia Smith-Cotton. Kearney is the host for that clash of 12-0 teams. ... Roweton has two brothers in the coaching profession. Brock, formerly at Pierce City, is at Rolla. Brad is baseball coach and athletic director at Buffalo. Their dad, Junior, coached Bolivar’s girls to the 1981-82 Class 3 basketball championship. ... Lance’s football coach at Bolivar was Doug Potts (a graduate of Neosho High School and Pittsburg State). “Coach Potts will be at the game as will mom, dad and the whole family,” Lance Roweton said. ... Union probably has seen enough of the COC. Nixa ousted the Wildcats from the playoffs in 2006 and Ozark, thanks to a remarkable comeback, did it in 2007.
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