WEBB CITY, Mo. — The Webb City Cardinals are gearing up for another season on John Roderique Field at Cardinal Stadium.
Under the guidance of third-year head coach Ryan McFarland, the Cardinals are poised to build off a season a year ago that had its highs and lows.
Proving just how difficult the COC can be, Webb City went 3-6 during the regular season before ripping off three straight convincing wins over Belton (42-6), Grain Valley (21-9) and Carthage (42-28) to win a district championship before falling to Platte County in the state quarterfinals.
“The first thing about last season, I was extremely proud of the way our kids just kept fighting adversity all year long,” Webb City coach Ryan McFarland said. “We come in on Monday mornings and watch film before school with our players, and every week you kind of wondered, are these kids still going to believe in what we're doing? And our kids showed up every Monday and they worked hard all week. As the season progressed, you could tell that we were getting better. You just hoped as a coach that in the end we'd be able to do something and make a run at the end so you could prove that all that hard work, all that dedication and all the time they spent fighting adversity was worth it. It definitely turned out that way for us. To be able to go to Grain Valley in the second round of districts and win, and then to go play a rival in Carthage, a team that beat us by one earlier in the season, and to be able to win a district championship after the way the season started was definitely impressive.”
Despite the times of struggle during the regular season last year, expectations are high for a program with a storied history of 16 state championships and 19 state title game appearances.
“We've got a pretty good mix of experienced and returning guys, and then we'll have some guys that are going to step up,” McFarland said. “I really like our leadership right now from our upperclassmen and our seniors, and each one has kind of taken their position and kind of ran with it.”
The Cardinals’ strength lies in their athleticism and depth, particularly on defense.
“The benefit of having a year when you have a bunch of injuries is you get a lot of kids playing time,” McFarland said. “So, we've got a lot of skilled kids with experience.”
Offensively, Webb City aims to become more explosive, utilizing an option scheme that maximizes their speed. Defensively, a 4-2-5 alignment will lean on a deep defensive line, with up to seven players rotating to keep the unit fresh.
Key returners include senior quarterback Gabe Johnson (5-10, 165), who missed 2024 due to a knee injury but posted stellar 2023 stats: 1,417 rushing yards, 13 touchdowns, 604 passing yards, and five passing touchdowns as a sophomore, earning 1st Team COC Athlete honors.
“Gabe's a kid that was a first-team all-athlete as a sophomore in the COC,” McFarland said. “He can play quarterback, he can be a kick returner, he can play receiver, but he missed last year because of an ACL injury suffered in basketball. To get a playmaker like him back in the backfield definitely makes you pretty excited about what the offense can do.”
Senior running back Slade Hurd (6-0, 180), who played through a torn MCL last season, and senior safety/running back Mason Williams (5-11, 185), who averaged over 10 yards per carry in 2024, will anchor the offense. Juniors Louden Bolinger (6-1, 240) and Kayla Chrismon (6-1, 290) return as stalwarts on the offensive line, with Bolinger earning 2024 All-COC West 2nd Team and All-District Honorable Mention honors.
On defense, senior safety Karsen Myers (5-10, 175) and senior defensive lineman Gavin Stodghill (5-10, 185) will lead after posting 95 and 61 tackles, respectively, in 2024. Myers earned All-COC West Second-Team, All-District 1st Team, and Southwest Missouri Football Coaches Association Second-Team honors. Junior linebacker River Lenker (6-1, 205) is poised for a breakout year, with McFarland praising his instincts and potential to become one of Webb City’s best linebackers.
Versatile senior Braden Strickland (5-10, 165) could start at cornerback and serve as backup quarterback, offering flexibility to move Johnson around offensively. Newcomer Travien Turner (6-1, 175), a senior basketball standout, is expected to emerge as one of Southwest Missouri’s top wide receivers. Other key contributors include senior tight end Gus Karnes (6-3, 210), senior wide receiver Holden Johnson (6-3, 180), and junior safety/quarterback Mason Young (6-3, 195).
The Cardinals open the season at home with a matchup against Lebanon on Aug. 29.
CARDINALS SCHEDULE
August 29: Lebanon (Home)
September 5: Nixa (Away)
September 12: Kickapoo (Home)
September 19: Ozark (Away)
September 26: Neosho (Away)
October 3: Republic (Home)
October 10: Willard (Home)
October 17: Carthage (Away)
October 24: Joplin (Away)