The Webb City Cardinals (2-0) controlled the ball for most of the first half, building a 21-0 halftime lead, in winning their 2012 home opener. Har-Ber, a class 7 Arkansas school, was playing their first game of the season.
The Cardinal defense set the tone early forcing the Wildcats to punt on their first possession, taking over on their own 35 yard line. The offense took fourteen plays and held the ball for over five minutes as Phoenix Johnson scored the first touchdown from 3 yards out and Alex Easley added the extra point to establish an early 7-0 lead.
The defense forced another 3 and out, punctuated by a Jose Speer tackle in the backfield of a Wildcat running back. A shanked rugby style punt only went three yards and the offense took over deep in Har-Ber territory at the 25 yard line. The offense converted quickly, needing only four plays to reach the end zone. Johnson opened the drive with a 12 yard run, quarterback John Roderique kept the ball for a 10 yard gain, and Cooper Smith finished the drive with a 7 yard run.
After the short scoring drive, Webb showed that they can cover the entire length of the field. They began the drive as they had all of the first half, controlling the line of scrimmage and picking up small chunks of yardage. On the eighth play of the drive, from the Webb City 36, Roderique found Johnson on a swing pass and Phoenix took it all of the way to the end zone. Another Easly PAT and the Cardinals went to half with a 21-0 lead.
The Cardinal defense scored two points of their own when a bad snap skipped all of the way into the end zone and the Har-ber quarterback was tackled for a safety.
Har-Ber scored a touchdown, trimming the score to 23-7, late in the third quarter. The Cardinals answered as Phoenix scored on their next possession. The big play of the drive was a 29 yard completion from Roderique to Jalen Vaden, who outjumped two defensive backs to set up the Johnson five yard scoring run.
The Cardinals travel to Carthage (2-0) next week in their confernce opener.