WEBB CITY, Mo. — The Webb City regular season winning streak continues. And Springdale Har-Ber really didn’t come close to ending it.
The Cardinals extending their impressive streak of regular season wins to 83 games Friday, using an effective Wing-T option attack that worked to near perfection in the first half to build a commanding three-touchdown lead. On the other end, Springdale Har-Ber had little or no answer on offense, managed just two first downs before intermission and fell into too big of a hole in a 30-15 loss to Webb City, Mo., at Cardinal Stadium.
GameBreaker
WEBB CITY, MO. 30, SPRINGDALE HAR-BER 15
Why the Cardinals won
Webb City controlled the game with its Wing-T option and built the early lead it needed to allow its slow-paced offense to do the rest. The Cardinals also held Har-Ber’s offense in check in the first half, limiting the Wildcats to just two first downs before intermission.
Why the Wildcats lost
Springdale Har-Ber could not stop Webb City on key third down plays and had little or no success of its own on offense to counter what the Cardinals were able to do offensively.
“I thought early in the game they came out and got after us and we dug ourselves a hole,” Wildcats coach Chris Wood said. “We knew the first quarter was going to be tough. We wanted to hang in there defensively and try to establish our running game, but it seemed like every time we started to do something we shot ourselves in the foot.
“Bottom line, Webb City earned it. I didn’t think we were very disciplined tonight. But it’s week one and we’ll have to go back and solve it.”
The Cardinals (2-0) scored on three of their first four possessions to build a 21-0 lead. Quarterback John Roderique and running backs Phoenix Johnson and Cooper Smith had plenty of success with the option game.
Har-Ber, on the other hand, couldn’t get anything going as tailback Tucker Lee was held to 29 rushing yards on eight carries in the half while the Wildcats passing game — with Kyle Pianalto at quarterback — managed only 48 yards through the first two quarters.
“I was very impressed with our defense,” Webb City coach John Roderique said. “I was so proud of the effort this week because we were a lot better team from the defensive side this week than we were last week (against Carl Junction). Our defensive coordinator and all of our coaches on the defensive side did a tremendous job.”
The Wildcats (0-1) broke through with their first touchdown with 2 minutes, 5 seconds left in the third quarter on an 11-play, 71-yard drive capped off by a Pianalto 11-yard touchdown pass to Gus Vitt. After another Webb City score resulted in a 30-7 Cardinals lead, backup quarterback Pierce Phillips led another Har-Ber scoring drive to pull the Wildcats to within 30-15 with 6:10 left to play.
Har-Ber had a chance to rally even closer, but a Phillips pass inside the Cardinals’ red zone in the final two minutes was intercepted.
“It was one of those deals as an overall, we made mistakes at the worst times and Webb City, being who they are and what they do, they don’t do that stuff,” Wood said. “You can’t make mistakes against them.
“I mean we’re still down here throwing near the end zone against them trying to put ourselves in a position to have a chance. But you can’t have those mistakes.”
Nonconference
WEBB CITY (Mo.) 30, SPRINGDALE HAR-BER 15
Springdale Har-Ber 0 0 7 8 — 15
Webb City 14 7 2 7 — 30
First Quarter
Webb — Johnson 1 run (Easley kick), 5:05
Webb — Smith 7 run (Easley kick), 1:25
Second Quarter
Webb — Johnson 64 pass from Roderique (Easley kick), 3:35
Third Quarter
Webb — Safety, 7:19
Harber — Vitt 11 pass from Pianalto (O’Brien kick), 2:05
Fourth Quarter
Webb — Johnson 4 run (Easley kick), 11:57
Harber — Byrne 8 pass from Phillips (Thompson from Phillips), 6:10