BY JASON PEAKE
The Webb City Cardinals had the lead and all of the momentum near the midway point of the final frame of Saturday's Class 4 semifinal clash with Ladue.
But in an instant, both were suddenly gone.
Taking advantage of great field position after a fourth-quarter Webb City turnover, Ladue scored the go-ahead touchdown with 6:14remaining and then held off the Cardinals late for a 17-13 victory at Cardinal Stadium.
"They were better than we were today, but not by a whole lot," Webb City coach John Roderique said. "I'm proud of our kids for battling. Before the game we talked about giving everything we had. We were going to lay it on the line and we did that. It just wasn't good enough today."
After avenging last year's title-game loss to the Cardinals, Ladue (14-0) will meet MICDS (13-1) in the Class 4 Show-Me Bowl on Friday in Columbia.
"We have the utmost respect for Webb City and who they are year-in and year-out," Ladue coach Mike Tarpey said. "Winning here is huge. We're just excited to have another opportunity to play for a state championship."
The defending state champion Cardinals were clinging to a 13-10 lead with 6:30 left in the game when Ladue attempted a game-tying field goal. Webb City's Terrell Kabala blocked the kick, preserving the lead and giving the Cardinals possession and the momentum.
But on the first play of the ensuing drive, Webb City's Kane Parks fumbled when he was hit by Ladue's 6-foot-7, 255-pound Moses Okpala, with Jelani Davis recovering the ball on the 19.
One play later, Ladue quarterback Henry McIntosh connected with a diving Mason Player for a 19yard touchdown strike.
"Those are momentum plays," Tarpey said. "It was key that we didn't allow them to scoop the blocked kick and take off. But coming up with the fumble is a credit to our kids. Last year we didn't make those plays."
"That turnover gave them a short field and put our defense in a bad spot," said Roderique, who became a grandfather several hours before the game. "The bigger the game, the more costly turnovers are."
Ladue never relinquished the lead down the stretch, as the Rams forced a late punt and then a turnover on downs with 24 seconds left before running out the clock.
Ladue racked up 305 yards of total offense, with 194 passing and 111 rushing. A junior, McIntosh completed 14-of-29 passes for 194 yards with two touchdowns. Senior Dale Chesson hauled in four passes for 76 yards and classmate Andrew Hunt ran 24 times for 105 yards.
Webb City (13-1) had 249 yards of offense, with 208 rushing and 41 passing. Cade Beason ran for 72 yards, Parks had 55 yards and Durand Henderson contributed 45 yards despite a bad ankle.
Ladue took an early lead on Liam Mulligan's 31-yard field goal, but the Cardinals answered immediately.
Starting on the 20, Webb City's Beason sprinted 79 yards on the first play from scrimmage and Henderson charged into the end zone from a yard out on the next snap, giving Webb City a 7-3 lead with 7:49 left in the first period.
The Rams took a 10-7 lead when McIntosh completed a 12-yard touchdown pass to Reece Rode at the 6:58 mark of the second period, but Webb City responded, as Parks sprinted 53 yards up the middle for a go-ahead touchdown.
The kick failed, but the Cardinals led 13-10 with 5:44 left in the first half.
Late in the second period, the Rams were threatening, but Kabala blocked a field goal attempt to secure the slim halftime advantage.
The Cardinals were held scoreless in the second half.
Late sacks by Ladue's Brian Faulkner and Lincoln Grench put the Cardinals in a tough spot during the final drive of the game. Facing fourth down-and-10, an incomplete pass over the middle was the final play of the season for the Cardinals.
"We just couldn't get enough going on offense," Roderique said. "We weren't getting a lot of push or movement, and they were extremely fast."
"They had some big guys on defense, but I feel like we shot ourselves in the foot a few times," Beason said.
After playing key roles on last year's championship squad, Beason and his classmates huddled together one last time following the painful loss.
"I'm going to remember this season as the year I got to play with my brothers one last time," Beason said. "I'll remember all the good things that happened for us."
Joplin Globe 11/25/2018 (Used by permission)