It's hard to turn regular season success into postseason wins, a fact the Joplin Eagles can now relate to. They were the victim of a rough 56-34 loss at the hands of Nixa on Friday. Joplin's defeat signaled the end of their four-game winning streak.
When it comes to explaining why Joplin lost, one person who can't be blamed is Quin Renfro. Despite the final result, he rushed for 195 yards and a touchdown while picking up 8.5 yards per carry. Renfro's longest rush was for an incredible 72 yards.
Nixa was led to victory by Malachi Rider and Dylan Rebura. Rider rushed for 141 yards and three touchdowns, while Rebura gained 198 total yards and three touchdowns. Rider is on a roll when it comes to rushing touchdowns, as he's now punched in two or more in the last five games he's played. Another player making a difference was Nate Uber, who threw for 147 yards and two touchdowns.
Joplin's loss dropped their record down to 7-4. As for Nixa, they pushed their record up to 11-0 with that win, which was their eighth straight at home dating back to last season.
Joplin does not have any more games scheduled as of now. Nixa will face off against Rockhurst at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. The matchup should be an exciting one, as these teams are ranked near one another in Missouri (Rockhurst is ranked second, while Nixa is ranked sixth).
