Less than two days before the 2009 postseason begins, several key players from Carthage and Webb City won’t be suiting up for their respective first-round match-ups tomorrow night.
At least four players have been suspended from the rosters of the two teams in wake of several unrelated incidents allegedly occurring over the last week-and-a-half.
While R-9 Activities Director Andy Youngworth would not release the name or numbers of Carthage Tiger players suspended from the football team, he did confirm Tuesday morning there had been “a violation of the student activities policy.”
Violations of this policy can result in a suspension from a school activity for eight weeks on first offense and 365 calendar days for a second offense.
The Tigers, 8-2 on the season, will face the Neosho Wildcats (7-3) for the second time this season. Back on Sept. 25, the Tigers ventured into Newton County and defeated Neosho in their home stadium by two points, 27-25.
The Tigers have shown an uncanny immunity from adversity all season long, winning despite injuries, starting underclassmen at key positions and succeeding, and even losing a starting defensive player early in the season to another southwest Missouri school district.
In neighboring Webb City, three key Webb City Cardinal football players will not be available for the defending Class 4 state champion team Wednesday night.
Webb City Superintendent Ron Lankford would not release the names of the players suspended, but did confirm they were involved in an off-campus incident sometime early last weekend.
Lankford said the incident was not related to drugs but declined to comment when asked if the incident was alcohol related.
“I don’t know specifically what occurred or when it occurred,” Lankford said. “Kids tend to use poor judgment and this is a very unfortunate incident. They don’t always have the forethought or think like adults sometimes.”
Webb City is currently ranked No. 1 in Class 4 and is a statewide favorite to represent the west side of Missouri at the Edward Jones Dome later this month in St. Louis for the state championship game.
Webb City hosts Central Ozark Conference foe Branson, which it beat in Branson in week seven, 49-7. The winner of tomorrow’s Neosho/Carthage game will play the winner of the Webb City/Branson clash next Monday night.
