The Webb City Cardinals will face off against the Republic Tigers at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Both squads will be entering this one on the heels of a big victory.
Webb City is on a roll after a high-stakes playoff matchup on Friday. They blew past Parkview 52-21. The contest was pretty much decided by the half, when the score had already reached 31-7.
Webb City can attribute much of their success to Braden Strickland, who rushed for 71 yards and one touchdown, and also threw for 82 yards and one TD.
Webb City didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. It was truly a group effort as Karsen Myers, Mason Young, and Ben Wallace picked up one apiece. Webb City got some further help from Ethan Keller: he made 13 total tackles (2.0 for loss).
Fans were treated to a battle of the Tigers on Thursday. Republic took their game with ease, bagging a 62-14 win over Willard. Winning may never get old, but Republic sure is getting used to it with their third in a row.
Republic's win came from a few key players Webb City will need to keep an eye on. One of the most notable was Matthew Pelfrey, who rushed for 96 yards and a pair of scores on only eight carries. That's the most rushing yards he has posted since back in November of 2024. Another player making a difference was Izaiah Hull, who rushed for 47 yards and three touchdowns.
On the defensive side of the ball, a lot of the credit has to go to Republic's defense and their three sacks. The team can thank three different players for their defensive prowess: Ethan Montiel, Brentley Lahey, and Cooper White, who each picked up one sack apiece. Keiran Govan was another major factor on D, forcing one fumble and making four total tackles in addition to snagging two interceptions which he returned one-yard for a touchdown.
Webb City's victory bumped their record up to 7-3. As for Republic, their win bumped their record up to 8-2.
Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Webb City has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 343.7 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Republic struggles in that department as they've been averaging 356 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Webb City came up short against Republic when the teams last played back in October, falling 27-21. A big factor in that loss was the dominant performance of the Tigers' Preston McCracken, who rushed for 244 yards and three TDs while picking up 9.8 yards per carry. Now that the Cardinals know the damage he can cause, will they be able to stop him this time? Check MaxPreps.com after the match to find out.
