By Jordan Burton (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
With 7:30 on the clock in the fourth quarter – and a 21-21 deadlock – legendary Webb City coach John Roderique had an interesting decision on a fourth and one from midfield.
Convert, and give his Cardinals and opportunity for a go-ahead score. Or punt, and give the ball back to a Camdenton offense that had found plays via the passing game throughout Saturday’s showdown.
Roderique found his answer in defensive coordinator Darrel Hicks who simply stated “go for it; win the game.”
Webb City was able to pick up the fourth-down conversion, a Cade Beason quarterback sneak, setting up a Sergio Perez touchdown run. That score proved to be the game-winner, guiding the Cardinals to a 28-27 Class 4 Quarterfinal win over Camdenton at Cardinal Stadium.
“I’m not sure I did this whenever I was younger, but those are the guys I want making that call,” said Roderique. “Those are the guys have to put our defense back out there if we don’t get it. So I asked him and for 16-18 years I asked Smitty (former defensive coordinator Mike Smith) that same question.
“As a head coach it’s very little about me and more about everyone else in the program. He knows coming in that’s one of those questions he’s going to get asked. But we were fortunate that the quarterback made a great play and kept the drive going.”
While Perez punctuated the drive with a two-yard touchdown run, it was senior Alex Gaskill that set it up with arguably the catch of the season.
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Entering the game as Webb City’s leader in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, his big gain gave the Cardinals first and goal from the two-yard line, with the catching coming off of a Camdenton deflection.
The all-stater has endeared himself with Webb City fans because of regularly making catches like that.
“It was kind of a tipped ball and we see him go up and make those kinds of catches by just high-pointing the ball,” said Roderique. “You look over and they have a 6’2” or 6’3” corner and he’s a good player and for Gaskill to come down with that ball was unbelievably huge. He’s done that his entire career.”
Gaskill finished with 55 receiving yards on three catches.
But for Webb City, the biggest play of game may have been one the Cardinals didn’t actually make.
Following Perez’s touchdown, Camdenton mounted an incredible drive to answer Webb City’s touchdown, capped with a Paxton Delaurant touchdown run.
That score, which came with just five seconds left on the clock, had the Lakers set up for what would have potentially been a game-winning two-point conversion.
Seeing that, Roderique’s staff opted to call a time out to set its defense.
After coming back out, Camdenton set up for an extra point, but the attempt sailed wide right.
Many Webb City faithful fully expected the Lakers to go for two and the win on the road, one play to pull off a titanic upset.
But, Camdenton had converted 62 of 68 extra point opportunities this season, not including all three kicks prior to the final score. That, along with the game flow, justified Camdenton coach Jeff Shore’s decision to opt for the extra point and overtime.
Webb City was without standout backs Durand Henderson and Devrin Weathers, as well as senior Kane Parks, due to injury.
“We were planning to go for one all along,” said Shore. “We were running a no play to see if they would jump, if they did, we might have thought about going for two. But we were confident in our decision to kick. Our guys has been awesome all season long. We felt like our defense was playing good and Webb City had some injuries. We liked our chances in overtime.”
Henderson rushed for 136 yards on 16 carries prior to leaving the game with an ankle injury. Sergio Perez (10-33) and Bronson Alcazar (6-33) both saw extended action as result of the injuries. That also led to Beason attempting a career-high 17 attempts, 10 of which were completed for 124 yards and a touchdown.
The effectiveness of Perez and Alcazar helped keep Webb City’s offense in balance and continue to sustain drives after trailing 14-7 at halftime.
“We played three backs most of the year and none of them were those two,” said Roderique. “Those kids stepping up in that moment and that situation; Sergio got in the end zone a couple of times for us. It’s why we tell kids they have to show up and work hard every day, pay attention, because a week ago they probably didn’t think they’d be the guys out here trying to win this quarterfinal game.”
Camdenton scored on its first drive of the game, a 55-yard pass from Delaurent to Dylan Tufts.
Answered with a 75-yard Durand Henderson touchdown run, Delaurent picked up his second TD pass of the game early in the second quarter, a 38-yard strike to Jaben Shockley.
Delaurent finished with 330 passing yards on 31-for-46 passing and three touchdowns. It was a continuation of what was a record-breaking junior campaign.
Largely known for its physical, old-school brand of football, Camdenton and Jeff Shore made waves during the preseason when announcing a spread attack. The revamped offense was the catalyst for Camdenton’s 11-2 season, which included a district championship and Ozark Conference runner-up finish.
Delaurent finished the season with school-records in nearly every major passing category, including passing yards (3,828), passing touchdowns (43) and completions (281).
The new system, along with a physical defense that held Webb City to a season-low 5.0 yards per carry and 230 yards on the ground, the team’s lowest total since Week 6.
“It’s one of those styles we haven’t really seen and the closest would probably be Platte County last year, but they had a good back and ran the ball too,” said Roderique. Anytime you face something like this you’re not really sure what to expect until you get on the field.
“It was very impressive; it was prolific and hard to stop,” said Roderique. “You don’t realize how much something like that gashes your defense. Everyone was gassed today. An offense like that, especially if they get a nice day in November, make it pretty scary.”
Webb City did hold Camdenton to -16 yards rushing, a defensive effort the Cardinals will need again next week with No. 2 Ladue Horton Watkins strolling into Cardinal Stadium.
The Rams, who Webb City defeated 14-0 in last year’s Class 4 state championship game, are a perfect 13-0, allow just a touchdown per game.
Ladue also boasts one of the best defensive ends in the nation, 6-foot-7, 260lb Illinois commit Moses Okpala.
Roderique and the Cardinals will enjoy this win for now, but he understands his program will be hosting one of the top teams in Missouri regardless of class on Saturday.
“They were one of the most physically impressive teams we’ve ever played, in terms of their defensive line,” said Roderique. “It’s going to be a great challenge for us in all three phases. They’ve got great athletes. 26-0 against West Plains says a lot. Maybe next Saturday at this time we’ll be wishing that we weren’t playing. But they’re a great team and we know that going in, but everyone still playing at this point is pretty good.”
