By Anvil Welch
awelch@joplinglobe.com
It’s another rerun today for Webb City in its quest for a second straight MSHSAA Class 4 football championship.
This time, though, the Cardinals must travel to Bolivar for the 1:30 p.m. quarterfinal assignment.
Webb City (12-0), ranked No. 1 by the Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association, and No. 6 Bolivar (11-1) clash at Plaster Stadium on the campus of Southwest Baptist University.
The weather shapes up as drastically different than 2008. Webb City won 41-21 on a cold, blustery afternoon in Cardinal Stadium. Mostly cloudy, southerly winds 10-15 mph and temperatures in the 60s are predicted in Polk County.
This game, in essence, matches the elite of the Large and Small of the Central Ozark Conference.
Webb City, coached by John Roderique, won the new-look Large Division for the second year in a row. Bolivar, in seven seasons under Lance Roweton, has won or shared the Small Division title each year (the last six outright).
The teams have been impressive in the playoffs in reaching this juncture.
Bolivar spanked Union 60-29 before expanding a 13-0 halftime lead to stymie Springfield Hillcrest 28-0. Webb City, seeking a 28th win in a row and 51-of-52 today, has ousted fellow COC Large members Branson 40-21 and Carthage 41-14.
The shutout for Bolivar snapped a string of eight straight games of 30 or more points by the Liberators. That includes their 42-35 loss to Mountain Grove.
The Liberator attack is directed by junior Kolt Peavey (whose dad Jack previously coached Southwest Baptist).
Said Roderique: “The quarterback (the 6-foot-2, 173-pound Peavey) really is a good player. He controls the game. He has a quick release. They also have good receivers and a good running back.
“They are huge up front,” Roderique said. “They’re physical and that size will be tough to handle. We aren’t overly big. We need to utilize our quickness.”
Peavey has completed 123 of 202 passes for 2,141 yards and 25 touchdowns with just five interceptions. His leading targets include Alex Talley (56 receptions for 963 yards and 12 touchdowns) and Tyler Welch (35-680-8).
Talley, a 6-0, 205 senior, also has intercepted 12 passes from his free safety position.
“He has nice skills on both sides of the ball,” Roderique said of Talley.
The top running backs for Bolivar have been 171 senior Josh Moffett (266 carries, 1,741 yards, 28 touchdowns) and 185 senior Justin Ellis (102-685-9),
Bolivar, against Hillcrest, used trickery for its second touchdown. Peavey pitched the ball to Moffett, who handed off Welch, who threw a 52-yard scoring pass to Talley.
“Obviously, they have good balance on offense,” Roderique said. “We’d like to control the ball and make them one-dimensional (on offense).”
Said Roweton: “Webb City is very good and they are good in every aspect of the game. Some teams are good at running the ball, or throwing it, or have excellent specialty teams. But Webb City is good in all phases. That’s a tribute to the players and coaches.”
Patrick Drake, a senior, directs the Cardinal option attack. He has 752 yards and nine scores on 95 carries and has completed 61 of 102 passes for 1.039 yards and 12 TDs.
All-state running back Braxton Baker, a senior, has rushed for 1,298 yards and 22 touchdowns on 168 carries.
Leading receivers for the Cardinals include junior Austin Daniel (27 receptions, 463 yards six TDs) and senior Chris Hance (16-213-2).
Hance also has intercepted eight passes. Junior Scott Roderique and sophomore Breckin Williams have four picks apiece. Junior Nathan Ervin has recovered three fumbles.
Maddy Johnson, another junior, has 60 points to trail Baker’s 132. Johnson has returned 15 punts for 173 yards and 11 kickoff returns for 412 yards and two TDs.
Philip Donna, another junior, has punted 13 times for a 36.2-yard average.
Webb City needs to triumph to entertain the winner of Kearney-Harrisonville in a matinee semifinal next Saturday.
