Webb City, setting a championship game record by scoring 35 points in the first quarter, captured the Class 4 state title with a 56-7 win over the Warrenton Warriors.
The Cardinals Chase Capron opened the game booming the kickoff into the end zone and Warrenton started at the twenty yard. After picking up a first down, the defense forced a punt. Linebacker Christian Hoffman partially blocked the kick and the Cardinals took over on the Warrior 45 yard line.
After three carries from Maddy Johnson and one by Jamison Cady, quarterback Scott Roderique found Austin Daniel down the right side line for a 29 yard touchdown pass. Alex Easley then kicked the first of his 7 PAT's and Webb City was on top 7-0.
The defense found a way to score the next touchdown as Phoenix Johnson brought the crowd to their feet when he stepped into the path of the Warrior quarterbacks attempted option pitch and never broke stride on the way to a 39 yard "fumble" recovery score.
The Cardinals surprised Warrenton with an onside kick that Jarvis Jones recovered. The offense wasted little time scoring and four plays later, Maddy Johnson busted up the middle for a 12 yard touchdown run. The Cardinals had now scored three touchdowns in less than three minutes and with 5:02 left in the first quarter now lead 21-0.
After another Warrior punt, the Cardinals offense needed only five plays and another touchdown pass from Roderique to Daniel covered the final 23 yards.
The defense pinned the Warriors deep in their territory and on an attempted punt, was able to tackle the punter on the Warrenton 5 yard line with only three seconds left in the quarter. The proved to enough time as Roderique found the endzone as time expired in the quarter and after Easley's PAT, the Cardinals closed the first quarter with a 35-0 lead.
The scoring slowed in the second quarter as the Cardinals took the next possession 64 yards, methodically eating up over 5 minutes of time, before Maddy Johnson scored from 2 yards out.
The final score of the first half was a punt return by Maddy Johnson that covered 49 yards. He caught the punt in stride and after starting up the far sideline, cut back accross the field and outran everyone to the endzone. The PAT was good and the Cardinals had tied anther state record for points scored in a half of play.
Webb City took the opening kickoff of the second half and the coaching staff begun to make changes in personnel to give as many of the players a chance to play on the dome surface in a championship game as they could.
Senior Slade Byford took a handoff from Breckin Williams straight up the middle for a 39 yard scoring run and Webb City held a 56-0 lead with a 6:59 left the third quarter.
The remainder of the game found the Cardinals freely substituting and as the crowd counted down the final seconds of the game, this Cardinal team added their name to the list as they captured the ninth football state title in school history. 1989 - 1992 - 1993 - 1997 - 2000 - 2001 - 2006 - 2008 - 2010.