Webb City claims third state championship in five years

The Cardinals top Holt Friday night in Columbia in the Class 5 state championship.

COLUMBIA, Mo – The Webb City Cardinals are state champions for the third time in last five seasons – and for the 16th time in program history, the most in Missouri High School history.

Webb City (11-3) topped Holt on Friday night 26-21 in Columbia, handing the Indians their first loss of the season and giving the Cardinals their first Class 5 state championship in program history.

Holt scored the first touchdown of the night in the first quarter to take a 7-0 lead over Webb City, before Cade Wilson added a one-yard rushing touchdown for the Cardinals to even the score at 7-7 heading to the second quarter.

In the second quarter, Webb City got another rushing touchdown from Dupree Jackson to take a 14-7 lead at halftime. Jackson and Wilson combined to rush for 115 yards and 2 touchdowns in the first half.

Jackson started the second half where he left off, scoring on a 6-yard run late in the third quarter to give Webb City a two-possession lead for the first time in the game.

The Webb City defense kept the momentum rolling on the following possession, forcing a Holt fumble and recovering on on their own 47.

Wilson would turn in his second rushing touchdown of the day from 13 yards out, pushing the lead to 26-7 after a failed 2-point attempt. That would remain the score through the end of the third quarter.

Holt would threaten in the final minutes of the game. The Indians scored with a passing touchdown with 2:32 left on the clock to cut the Webb City lead to 26-14. They would follow that up by recovering an onside kick to regain possession – and getting another passing touchdown to make it a one-possession game with 1:46 on the clock.

Holt’s next kickoff went out of bounds to give the Cardinals possession, but the Cardinals would go 3-and-out and punt it back to the Indians with 1:20 left in the 4th quarter.

Holt drove into Webb City territory, but the drive ended with an interception in the end zone as time expired to preserve the 26-21 victory.

Friday’s state title is the 13th state championship for Webb City head coach John Roderique.

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