Football Game Preview: Joplin Eagles vs. Carthage Tigers

The Joplin Eagles will take on the Carthage Tigers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Joplin has given up an average of 27.8 points per game this season, but Friday's game will give them a chance to turn things around.

On Friday, Joplin was beaten by Republic 45-16. The loss continues a trend for the Eagles in their meetings with the Tigers: they've now lost three in a row.

Despite the defeat, Joplin had strong showings from Trenton McCadney, who gained 160 total yards and a touchdown, and Traevian McCadney, who rushed for 116 yards and one TD on only 14 carries.

Meanwhile, winning is always nice, but doing so behind a season-high score is even better (just ask Carthage). They simply couldn't be stopped on Friday as they easily beat Willard 59-14. The final result isn't all that surprising considering Carthage's considerable advantage in MaxPreps' Missouri football rankings (they are ranked 19th, while Willard is ranked 120th).

Carthage pushed their record up to 4-1 with the victory, which was their fourth straight at home dating back to last season. The home wins came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only surrendered 13.5 points on average over those games. As for Joplin, they now have a losing record of 2-3.

Joplin came up short against Carthage in their previous meeting back in October of 2024, falling 23-17. Will the Eagles have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the match for a full breakdown of the game, commentary, and other football content.