By Anvil Welch
awelch@joplinglobe.com
BOLIVAR, Mo. — Webb City, lifted by two touchdown-producing interceptions in the third period, pulled away in the second half for a 42-20 victory against Bolivar in a MSHSAA Class 4 football quarterfinal on Saturday.
Junior linebackers Scott Roderique and Nathan Ervin had the thefts that allowed the Cardinals to expand a 13-6 halftime lead on the natural grass of Plaster Stadium at Southwest Baptist University before an estimated 5,000 fans.
Roderique’s interception, plus a face-mask penalty, on the first play of the third quarter set up a three-play, 20-yard drive that was capped by Maddy Johnson’s 5-yard scoring run.
Patrick Drake, whose 12 yards off the quarterback draw on third-and-7 preceded Johnson’s run, and Austin Daniel hooked up for the conversion pass to make it 21-6.
Ervin delivered late in the period as Bolivar was driving. His theft, returned 80 yards for the score with 18 seconds left, came on second-and-8 from the Webb City 17. Alex Easley’s conversion kick made it 28-6.
Said Webb City coach John Roderique: “Our defense played very well and those interceptions in the third quarter were its biggest plays.”
Top-ranked Webb City (13-0), winning its 28th straight and 51 of 52, will entertain Kearney (11-2) at 1:30 p.m. next Saturday in a semifinal at Cardinal Stadium.
Fifth-ranked Kearney, which lost 14-7 on its field to Webb City in a semifinal last season, hurdled visiting Harrisonville 41-0.
Sixth-ranked Bolivar, which lost 41-21 at Webb City last season in the quarters, wound up 11-2.
“We didn’t feel good about ourselves right after halftime,” John Roderique said. “Bolivar played its heart out in that first half and really got after us up front.
“We were able to take away the running game” Roderique said of the second-half success. “We wanted to get more pressure on the quarterback (junior left-hander Kolton Peavey). We talked about it at the half. We wanted him moving and running and not holding the ball so long.”
Said Ervin: “We thought we had a lot of pressure on him. We made him scramble around.”
Added Scott Roderique: “The guys up front on defense did a tremendous job against Peavey. Definitely, they played a big part.
“Our role is to pick up the slack in helping the offense,” Scott Roderique said. “Our defense is experienced. Today, I thought we did a good job.
“We didn’t take Bolivar lightly,” Scott Roderique said. “We worked hard and watched a lot of film. We prepared for the best.”
Said Bolivar coach Lance Roweton: “We had too many turnovers which is a credit to Webb City. Roderique made a nice play on the interception. We knew we’d have to play a great game and have things go our way.
“We had a hard time running the ball (overall 34 carries for 42 yards),” Roweton said. “We had a hard time protecting the passer.
“It got away from us ... after we competed for nearly three quarters,” Roweton said. “We gave it our best shot. It hadn’t worked for the previous 27 Webb City opponents, either.”
The elusive Peavey finished 18 of 32 with three interceptions (Breckin Williams had the third and also blocked an extra point) for 266 yards. Peavey connected with Tyler Welch for scoring passes covering 12 and 81 yards in the fourth.
But Drake’s 5-yard scoring run after his 37-yard pass to Daniel had boosted the Cardinals ahead 35-6 early in the fourth.
The touchdowns from the Liberator combination of Peavey and Welch in the fourth were broken up by a 6-yard scoring run by Cardinal sophomore Jamison Cady.
Drake’s 12-yarder to Daniel on second-and-goal opened the scoring late in the first period and capped a 64-yard march. Drake’s 12-yarder to Daniel on fourth-and-11 kept the drive alive.
Bolivar drew within 7-6 early in the second on Josh Moffett’s 1-yard plunge. Peavey’s 19-yard completion to Michael Holt on fourth-and-11 moved the ball at the 2.
Cady’s 10-yard run on second-and-8 in the second quarter put the Cardinals ahead 13-6. Braxton Baker’s 64-yard run moved the ball to the Bolivar 12.
Baker finished with 134 yards on 16 carries, Drake 48 on eight and Cady 21 on six. Drake completed six of 11 for 113 yards with Daniel catching five for 80.
