For the second-straight year David Haffner Stadium will host a state quarterfinal football game.
For the second-straight week the Carthage Tigers must grapple with a high-powered offense if they want to move on.
The Tigers will host Lebanon at 7 p.m. Friday with hopes of advancing to the Class 5 semifinals for the third time in four seasons.
Carthage defeated Columbia’s Battle 28-7 at Haffner Stadium in last year’s quarterfinal round before suffering a 54-13 semifinal loss to eventual champion Staley.
The Tigers, 10-1, are on the other side of the bracket this year.
In last week’s district championship, Carthage faced a Parkview team that averaged 39 points per game and had scored 50 or more in four games. The Tigers responded to that challenge with a 65-16 drubbing of the Vikings. The 16 points scored by Parkview marked the team’s third-lowest output all season. And the 65 points were the second-most allowed by the Vikings.
Lebanon scored 70.
The Yellowjackets, 9-2, have won back-to-back district championships and followed up a 70-50 win at Parkview on Oct. 19 with a 70-6 win Nov. 2 over Glendale in the district tournament. They beat Willard 32-19 last week.
Lebanon averages 45.5 points per game and has scored at least 50 points in five games.
The team is led offensively by a group of talented rushers. Senior Jayden Ivey (5-11, 185) and junior Quameire Wright (5-9, 200) have each eclipsed 1,000 yards. Including senior quarterback Ty Glendenning (6-0, 185) and senior Joey Boshe (6-1, 190), all four have rushed for at least 10 touchdowns.
The Yellowjackets average nearly 400 yards per game on the ground, and racked up 592 yards in a 51-40 win against Glendale in September. They’re averaging better than eight yards per carry.
The team’s passing game isn’t as impressive. Lebanon doesn’t throw it often – a handful of times per game – and only topped 100 yards twice in the regular season. Glendenning entered last week with 10 touchdowns through the air and just one interception.
When Lebanon does throw the ball, 6-0, 160-pound junior Tanner Roy is a frequent target. He had touchdowns on seven of his nine receptions before last week.
Defensively, keep an eye on senior linebacker Dalton Shaddy (5-8, 188), linebacker Ivey and junior linebacker Trevor Christian. The trio leads the team in tackles, and Christian also has a handful of sacks.
Looking ahead
This week’s winner will advance to play either Vianney or Jackson in the semifinals. Jackson is undefeated in 11 games and sports another potent offense, having scored at least 42 points in nine-straight games. It’s also turned in four shutouts in its last six games.
Vianney is 8-3 and won its last two games 56-14 and 55-14. Its three losses are to Fayetteville, Arkansas (51-28), Class 6 powerhouse Christian Brothers College (70-28) and Cincinnati, Ohio’s Elder (48-7).
The game will be played Saturday afternoon at Vianney.
On the other side of the bracket, Ft. Zumwalt North travels to Battle on Friday, and Fort Osage travels to Staley.
