Class 6 top-ranked Nixa had a seesaw battle with Class 5 third-ranked Carthge in the first half before the Eagles pulled away in the second half for a 38-22 win in COC action.
The loss is the first of the season for the Tigers (3-1). The Eagles improve to 4-0.
QB Adam McKnight hit WR Randy Flint in stride on the deep ball for a 73-yard touchdown and a 7-0 lead early in the first quarter.
Carthage got on the scoreboard late in the second quarter when QB Jett Dalton took the snap and carried the ball to the right for 15 yards and a score with a minute left in the half to tie the game at 7s.
The Eagles were able to drive down for a 34-yard field with four seconds left in the half to take a 10-7 lead into the intermission.
The Tigers came out of the locker room and marched down the field before RB Landon West punched it in from short yardage at the 9:48 mark to give Carthage a 14-10 advantage, the first time Nixa trailed all season.
Nixa didn’t take long to respond. The Eagles used another big play to find paydirt when RB Jayden McCaster took the wildcat handoff 62 yards a score on the first play of the ensuing drive for a 17-14 lead.
Nixa pushed the lead to two scores when McCaster broke loose again for 58 yards and a touchdown on the direct snap for a 24-14 cushion with 6:45 left in the third quarter.
Flint intercepted QB Zane Browning and took it all the way back to the house for a 92-yard pick-six touchdown and a 31-14 lead with less than three minutes to play in the third period.
Nixa put the game out of reach when McCaster scored from 2 yards out with nine minutes left in the game for a three-score lead at 38-14.
Carthage got on the scoreboard with four minutes left when Browning rolled back off play action and kept the ball for a 6-yard touchdown to trim the deficit to 38-22.