Neosho is 0-7 against Joplin since September of 2018 but things could change on Friday. The Wildcats will be playing in front of their home fans against the Eagles at 7:00 p.m. One thing working in Neosho's favor is that they have posted at least 31 points every time they've taken the field this season.
Neosho was handed a heart-breaking three-point loss in their last contest, but they sure didn't let that happen against Willard on Friday. The Wildcats simply couldn't be stopped as they easily beat the Tigers 55-27. Given the Wildcats' advantage in MaxPreps' Missouri football rankings (they are ranked 86th, while the Tigers are ranked 232nd) , the win wasn't entirely unexpected.
Neosho's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Blayne Patterson led the charge by throwing for 218 yards and four touchdowns, while also rushing for 80 yards and one TD on only ten carries. Another rusher making a difference was Keisean Rhone, who rushed for 190 yards and a pair of scores while picking up 8.3 yards per carry.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Neosho was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 285 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 217 rushing yards every time they've taken the field this season.
Another reason for the win was Neosho's imposing defense, which managed to get into the backfield for four sacks. Jaxon Ertel was especially locked on to Willard's QB and sacked him three times. Neosho got some further help from Nate Winkler: he picked up a sack and made ten total tackles (2.0 for loss).
Meanwhile, Joplin's game on Friday was all tied up 7-7 at the half, but sadly for them it didn't stay that way. They took a 28-21 hit to the loss column at the hands of Carthage.
Neosho will have to contain Trenton McCadney as he made an impact in Joplin's last game. He picked up 202 receiving yards and one TD. Traevian McCadney was in the mix too, providing Joplin with two touchdowns.
Neosho pushed their record up to 5-1 with the victory, which was their third straight on the road. The road wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 54.0 points over those games. As for Joplin, their defeat dropped their record down to 2-4.
Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Neosho has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 334.7 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Joplin struggles in that department as they've been averaging 203.3 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's game turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Neosho might still be hurting after the 35-14 loss they got from Joplin in their previous meeting back in October of 2024. Thankfully for the Wildcats, Toryn Jones (who rushed for 170 yards and a pair of scores) won't be suiting up this time. Will that be enough to change the final result? There's only one way to find out.
