The Webb City High School football team surely impressed its returning alums on Friday night at Cardinal Stadium.

"We hadn't been home in a while," Webb City running back Jamison Cady said. "We were ready for a home game. Perhaps we were overly excited in the beginning."

The Cardinals, scoring three touchdowns in the second quarter, won their 78th straight regular-season game by beating Shawnee Mission (Kan.) Saint Thomas Aquinas 35-0.

Webb City, ranked No. 1 in Missouri Class 4 and defending champion, improved to 7-0 with its second shutout in a row and third of the season and  dropped the Class 5A Saints to 3-3.

The teams open district play next Friday night with home games. Carthage is at Webb City and Blue Valley is at Aquinas.

Cady, a senior, and junior Phoenix Johnson fueled a 306-yard rushing attack for the Cardinals. Each rushed for two touchdowns.

Cady carried 16 times for 130 yards and Johnson added 82 on 13 carries.

Said Webb City coach Roderique: "Cady was getting the handoff on the outside veer. They (the Webb City blockers) did a nice job getting off the ball (for Cady)."

Added Cady: "My line again did a great job. This game feels good, too, because I'm a senior. I'll come back (on homecoming) to watch them play."

Cady scored in the second period on runs of 17 and 9 yards.

Johnson (5-9, 175) scored late in the first period on a 6-yard run and a 5-yarder in the second.

The Cardinals' fifth TD came in the third quarter on senior Austin Sanders' 6-yard run.

Junior all-stater Alex Easley kicked the five extra points for the Cardinals.

The Cardinals didn't use big plays to pull away from the Saints. Their opening scoring drive, for example, was a 9-play, 58-yard march. They moved 66, 64 and 74 yards in the second period on 8, 7 and 7 plays, respectively.

"It's nice to put together the running game and the short passing game," Roderique said.

Senior quarterback Breckin Williams directed the 7-play, 74-yard drive that started with only 1:52 left in the first half and was capped by Cady's 9-yard run on first-and-goal at :54.

Williams hit three different receivers in the drive — senior Jarvis Jones, senior Klay James and junior tight end Kohl Slaughter. Jones had three receptions for 43 yards in the series and finished with six for 92.

Williams completed 10 of 19 for 153 yards to give the Cardinals a total of 459 yards.

The Saints, who lost starting senior quarterback Paul Heit with an apparent knee injury late in the first half, were limited to 33 rushing yards and 61 passing.

Said Aquinas coach Mike Thomas: "Webb City is a good team. That's why we play them. Coach Roderique and his staff do a great job. You get to where you believe you can't lose."