By Anvil Welch
The Joplin Globe
—
Webb City High School puts its No, 2 ranking on the line tonight in Missouri Class 4 football while opening its home schedule.
Willard (0-1) visits the Cardinals (1-0) for the 7 p.m. Central Ozark Conference Large Division contest in Cardinal Stadium.
The teams are coming off vastly different results in league games last Friday night. Webb City controlled the second half in winning 31-7 at Ozark. Willard, playing at home, lost 32-7 to Republic.
“Republic hit them with several big plays,” Webb City coach John Roderique said of the Willard effort.
Ryan Sifferman scored touchdowns for Republic on carries of 34 and 73 yards. Quarterback Nick Williams also scored on a 51-yard run for Republic.
Said Willard coach Brock Roweton: “We had difficulty running seven or eight plays in a row without a mistake. We could drive the ball but couldn’t sustain anything.
“I believe seven times we were inside their 50-yard line,” Roweton lamented. “I believe we led 13-7 in first downs.”
Willard junior Markus King, who scored on a short run in the final quarter, rushed 21 times for 68 yards.
Said Roderique: “Willard has some good athletes. They play hard. They have a few kids who could play for anyone in the conference. They’re in the process of trying to find the right guys to put in the right places on both offense and defense.”
Willard finished 1-9 overall and 0-6 in the conference in 2009.
Webb City, which trails defending champion Kearney in ratings compiled by the Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association, led Ozark 14-7 at halftime on Maddy Johnson’s 31-yard scoring run late in the second period.
“We didn’t have a lot of offensive numbers (for the game),” Roderique said. “We played a lot of people.
“But we didn’t have that many plays, either. Ozark one time may have kept the ball for something like a 22-play, 13-minute drive.
“We were pleased with our overall play in the second half,” Roderique said. “The defense played much better. We didn’t let them get positive yardage on several plays.”
Roderique said there were two areas that the Cardinals needed to improve.
“We need to develop more consistency on offense,” Roderique said. “We made too many mistakes in our blocking schemes ... probably more on offense.”
Injury update: Roderique said that senior center Taylor Willis is doubtful because of a hand injury. ... Roweton, who’s in his second season at Willard after stints at Rolla and Pierce City, said the Tigers lost senior standout Calvin Kieswetter (guard-middle linebacker) with two breaks (tibia and fibula) in their jamboree.
