By Amanda Perkins (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
It was a regular season conference match-up, but it felt like a play-off game.
Joplin came in to face undefeated West Plains needing a win to pull even with the conference leading Zizzers.
“I expected a hard-fought ball game, and I expected to come out on top,” said Joplin head coach Curtis Jasper.
Jasper’s expectations were met; the game came down to the wire, with his Eagles holding on to the lead they took in the third quarter, 28-26.
The Zizzers controlled the first half and entered the locker room with a five-point lead.
Joplin sophomore Eli Eminger picked off a tipped ball to start the second half, but West Plains’ defensive back Lane Jett, junior, answered with an interception for West Plains.
Junior Nic Lewis helped turn the tides once again with a quarterback sack to halt the Zizzer drive. Senior running back Jay Ellis capped off the third quarter for the Eagles with a touchdown run, and James Tash completed a pass to James Moman for the two-point conversion.
The Eagles held the Zizzers scoreless in the third and opened the fourth with a 56-yard punt return touchdown from sophomore wide receiver Zach Westmoreland. The Zizzers scored once more, but their final drive stalled as time expired.
Joplin put up 280 yards on offense and added a 56-yard punt return. The Eagles now join West Plains and Camdenton in a three-way tie for first place in the Ozark Conference.
“From our offensive line to our defense coming up big in the second half, the guys worked really hard and I couldn’t be more proud of them,” said Coach Jasper.
“It was a big game, and they played better than the Zizzers tonight,” said West Plains head coach Steve Ary. “We didn’t match up with them and they took it to us; they played more mistake-free than we did. They played a good ball game.”
The Zizzers host Lebanon next week for Homecoming.
Jasper challenged his team to stay hungry and focused as they host Waynesville next week. “You made next game bigger than this game,” he said.
Joplin 28, West Plains 26
Joplin 7 – 7 – 8 – 6
West Plains 6 – 13 – 0 – 7
Scoring Plays
First Quarter
Joplin – Jay Ellis 9 yard run (Garrett Landis kick), 7-0
West Plains – Brayden Lidgard 3 yard run (kick fail), 7-6
Second Quarter
West Plains – Brayden Lidgard 1 yard run (conversion failed), 12-7
West Plains – Brayden Lidgard 9 yard run (Trey Cressman kick), 19-7
Joplin – Blake Tash 10 yard pass to Spencer Cornett (Landis kick), 19-14
Third Quarter
Joplin – Jay Ellis 4 yard run (conversion from Blake Tash to James Moman), 22-19
Fourth Quarter
Joplin – Zach Westmorland 56 yard punt return (conversion failed), 28-19
West Plains – Brayden Lidgard 38 yard run (Cressman kick), 28-26
