By Chris Parker
Before I go any further, THESE ARE NOT A HEAD-TO-HEAD RANKING, BUT A RANKING OF DOMINANCE BY CLASS. I am not saying I think the Class 1 schools on this list could beat all the Class 4-6 teams ranked below them or not ranked.
STATE FOOTBALL RANKINGS – CLICK HERE
WEEK 2 FOOTBALL REWIND – CLICK HERE
1. Lamar (C2 – 2-0)
Lamar rolled to a 54-13 win over Reeds Spring. Through two weeks, the Tigers have outscored their opponents by a 100-13 margin. The Tigers step into Big 8 West play this week with an intriguing matchup against McDonald County. The Mustangs beat Lamar 42-41 at home last year, and they are off to a 2-0 start this season. You can bet the Tigers remember the team that kept them from a perfect season in 2020.
2. Joplin (C6 – 2-0)
Joplin has the best resume on this list through two weeks with wins over Webb City in Week 1 and Nixa in Week 2. The only thing keeping the Eagles from the top of this list is Lamar’s pure dominance at the Class 2 level. Joplin welcomed in Nixa and came away with a 28-25 win on Friday. Always Wright threw for 201 yards and two touchdowns while rushing 8 times for 49 yards. Drew Vangilder (21 carries, 88 yards, 1 touchdown) and Quin Renfro (22 carries, 73 yards, 1 touchdown) led the running attack. Vangilder was also a defensive leader with 11 total tackles in the game. The Eagles travel to face Ozark (0-2) this week.
3. West Plains (C4 – 2-0)
West Plains came to Springfield and earned its first Ozark Conference win 69-7 over Hillcrest. Dagen Kenslow was efficient with 199 yards and 3 touchdowns on 7-for-11 passing through the air to go with 4 carries for 80 yards on the ground. Heston Miller took two of those passes for 92 yards while carrying the ball 4 times for 38 yards. Connor Lair ran the ball 4 times for 60 yards (15 yards-per-carry) and caught two passes for 59 yards (24.2 yards-per-catch). The Zizzers host Rolla this week.
4. Webb City (C5 – 1-1)
Webb City bounced back from a Week 1 loss to Joplin with a 49-20 win over Neosho. The Cardinals, as they do, controlled the game on the ground with seven players taking 50 carries for 363 yards and five touchdowns. Dupree Jackson led the group with 18 carries for 170 yards and 3 touchdowns. The Cardinals will host unbeaten Republic this week.
5. Marionville (C1 – 2-0)
Marionville was scoreless through one quarter against Willow Springs before going on to win 38-0. I arrived for the start of the second quarter and witnessed the first touchdown. Willow Springs ran the ball up the middle and Dakota Wilson just took the ball from the ball carrier and ran for a touchdown. Wilson reached in, stripped the ball, corralled with without it hitting the ground and went 45 yards for a touchdown. It was one of the more impressive defensive displays I have witnessed at the high school level in a long time. Wilson also carried the ball 18 times for 106 yards. The Comets have a huge game this week against Class 1 No. 7 Westran. This game has the potential to be a real statement game for the Comets.
6. Nixa (C6 – 1-1)
Nixa fell on the road to Joplin by a 28-25 margin, but played much of the game without star running back Ramone Green. The Eagles rushed for just 39 yards in the game. Juniors Connor Knatcal and Kael Combs stepped in to lead the Eagles in Green’s absence. Knatcal threw for 284 yards while Combs hauled in 9 passes for 234 yards and 2 touchdowns. Nixa returns home this week for a matchup with Willard (0-2).
7. Carthage (C5 – 2-0)
Luke Gall was a one-man wrecking crew in Friday’s 28-0 win over Carl Junction. The junior running back took 19 carries for 263 yards and 3 touchdowns. Those three touchdowns came for 46, 77 and 65 yards out for 188 yards on just those three carries (62.7 yards per carry). Defensively, Carthage held Carl Junction to 100 yards of total offense and -4 yards rushing. The Tigers travel to Neosho (0-2) this week.
8. Fair Grove (C2 – 2-0)
Fair Grove went on the road an beat Liberty 33-16. It avenged a district championship game loss to the Eagles last season. Fair Grove is on the road again this week with a key Mid-Lakes Conference showdown with Skyline. Skyline beat Fair Grove 47-12 last year to snap Fair Grove’s four-game winning streak against the Tigers.
9. Lebanon (C5 – 2-0)
Lebanon trailed Kickapoo 10-0 in the first quarter, but the Yellowjackets would quickly get things going and outscored Kickapoo 33-6 over the rest of the game. They controlled the game running the ball including an 81-yard touchdown run by Cade Muscia. Lebanon hosts Bolivar (1-1) this week. The Liberators held the Yellowjackets to their lowest offensive output of the season last year beating Lebanon 20-7.
10. Nevada (C4 – 2-0)
Nevada has had the area’s second-most prolific offense through two weeks with 106 total points scored. West Plains is just ahead of the Tigers with 107 total points scored. Lamar is the only other area team that cracked the 100-point barrier through two weeks. Nevada’s most recent victory was a 54-28 road triumph over Hollister. Case Sanderson led the ground attack with 16 carries for 161 yards and 2 touchdowns. Avious Steadman was also a force running the ball with 14 carries for 124 yards and 2 touchdowns. As a team, Nevada had 420 rushing yards. Through two weeks, Nevada has run for 861 yards as a team. Eli Cheaney carried the ball 12 times for 131 yards and 2 touchdowns in Week 1. This Nevada rushing attack is a dynamic force.
