In a game of ball control, the Cardinals were unable to keep their offense on the field for extended periods and fell to Carthge 28-14 on Friday night.

Carthage took the opening kickoff and held on the ball for almost 7 1/2 minutes as they used 14 plays to drive the 80 yards and the score.  Webb City answered right back though with Braden Strickland hitting Trae Turner on a 55 yard touchdown pass to tie the score only four minutes later.

The next possessions for each team were short lived.  The Tigers gambled on fourth and one inside their own thirty and the Cardinal defense stiffened with Karsen Myers and Mason Young teaming up to stop  the running back short and turning the ball back over to the offense.   The Cardinals only held onto the ball for two plays before fumbling back to the Tigers.  

Trading punts, the Tiger offense found their way back into the endzone just before half and the teams went to the locker room with a Carthage leading Webb City 14-7.

Webb City struck quickly, scoring in only three plays to knot the game at 14.  On the first play of the half, Braden Strickland kept the ball around the right side and went 60 yards before being caught at the five yard line.  Two plays later,  Mason Williams carried the ball into the endzone.

The defense then spent the bulk of the remaining time on the field.  The Tigers put together two long drives, 14 plays and then 21 plays, holding the ball for almost 19 of the remaining 22 minutes and scoring twice.  In between those drives, the offense for the Cardinals stopped themselves with a penalty and was forced to punt.  

The Cardinals only held the ball for just over 12 minutes and ran only 31 offensive plays during the game.  Braden Strickland led the ground game with 78 yards rushing, Mason Williams was held to only 36 yards on eight attempts.  In the air, Strickland was 5 of 7 for 85 yards.

Ethan Keller, Bryson Bard and River Lenker each were credited with double digits in tackles as the defense was forced to defend 65 plays.

The Cardinals will travel to Joplin for the regular season finale next Friday.