The Nixa Eagles will face off against the Glendale Falcons at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. Both teams are coming into the contest red-hot, with Nixa sitting on eight straight victories and Glendale on four.
Nixa is headed into the matchup after thoroughly thrashing Ozark: they outscored them in every quarter. Given that consistent dominance, it should come as no surprise that the Eagles blew the Tigers out of the water with a 56-7 final score. The Eagles might be getting used to big wins seeing as the team has won five games by 28 points or more this season.
Jayden McCaster was his usual excellent self, rushing for 235 yards and three touchdowns while picking up 13.8 yards per carry. He really tore up the turf during one magnificent 74-yard run. Adam McKnight was another key player, throwing for 87 yards and a pair of TDs.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Nixa was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 343 rushing yards. That's the most rushing yards they've posted since back in November of 2024.
Nixa didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Wyatt Mabe and Peyton Chainey. Mabe got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Glendale hadn't done well against Lebanon recently (they were 0-9 in their previous nine matchups), but they didn't let the past get in their way on Friday. In a tight contest that could have gone either way, the Falcons made off with a 43-42 win over the Yellowjackets. That's two games straight that the Falcons have won by just one point.
Nixa better keep an eye on Cash Newberry. He was instrumental in Glendale's win, throwing for 363 yards and two touchdowns while completing 73.9% of his passes, and also rushing for 66 yards and a pair of scores on only eight carries. What's more, Newberry posted two rushing touchdowns, the most he's had since back in November of 2024. Another player making a difference was Cameron Major, who gained 64 total yards and two touchdowns.
Nixa's victory bumped their record up to 8-0. As for Glendale, their win bumped their record up to 5-3.
Everything came up roses for Nixa against Glendale in their previous matchup back in October of 2024, as the squad secured a 42-0 victory. Will the Eagles repeat their success, or do the Falcons have a new game plan this time around? We'll find out soon enough.
