Senior quarterback Patrick Drake threw for four touchdowns and legged out a fifth as the Webb City Cardinals nailed down yet another No. 1 standing in Class 4 District 12 district with a 54-0 thumping of the visiting Carl Junction Bulldogs Thursday night at a rainy Cardinal Stadium.
Drake threw three touchdown passes – the first to junior Austin Daniel in the first quarter for 34 yards – the next two to senior Boo Rodgers for 36- and 16-yards respectively in the first quarter. Senior running back Jeremiah Box also tacked on a one-yard run to make it 28-0 heading into the second quarter.
Drake scampered into the end zone for an 11-yard run, and then found Rodgers for the third time with a 33-yard strike in the second quarter. At it turned out, Rodgers three catches on the night were all touchdowns. Junior running back Maddy Johnson’s 2-yard plunge made it 47-0 for the Cardinals.
In a shortened second half due to a mercy clock, Johnson scored his second touchdown of the game on a 38-yard run.
The 54 points was the most points Webb City has scored this year. Despite their No. 1 ranking all year long, Thursday’s win over Carl Junction was also their first shutout of the year. Shutouts are usually rare in Webb City because Coach John Roderique tries so hard to give his back-ups valuable varsity time in the second half with large leads.
Drake was 7-for-8 for 166 yards and four touchdown strikes; he was also had a touchdown on the ground and 23 yards rushing. Rodgers had 3 catches for 85 yards and Daniel had four catches for 77 yards. Box paced the team in the rushing department with 73 yards on six rushes.
It’s the second straight year the Cardinals have won the Central Ozark Conference Large Division.
The Cardinals, ranked No. 1 in Class 4 by the Missouri Sportswriters and Sportscasters Association, extended its winning streak to 25 games as they head into the first round of the postseason next Wednesday. While both Neosho and Carthage won big Thursday, all three teams will have to wait the outcome of Friday’s match-up between the Branson Pirates and Republic Tigers to determine how the playoff match-ups shake out. The Branson-Republic clash was postponed due to lightning and muddy Branson field.
