Zizzers Shut Out Carl Junction 7-0 in Defensive Battle on Military Appreciation Night
The West Plains Zizzers turned Friday night into a defensive showcase, shutting out a strong Carl Junction Bulldogs team 7-0 on Military Appreciation Night.
West Plains scored the game’s only touchdown just four seconds into the second quarter, then relied on a relentless defense that repeatedly stopped Carl Junction on fourth down, forced an interception, recorded key sacks, and never allowed the Bulldogs into the end zone.
Final Score
West Plains 7, Carl Junction 0
First Quarter
West Plains kicked off to open the game, with Hutchinson making the tackle at the Carl Junction 27-yard line.
Allen and Freeman combined on the next stop at the 33, and Huxley and Evans brought down a short run at the 35. Freeman, Pabian and Roberts then teamed up for a tackle for loss, forcing the Bulldogs to punt.
Smith returned the punt to the West Plains 34.
Combs’ first pass toward Patillo was deflected. He followed with a completion to Marshall at the 39, and Smith carried to the 41.
Facing fourth-and-3, West Plains punted to the Carl Junction 31.
Sargeant made the tackle after a Bulldog run reached the 41, followed by a stop from Davis. Huxley and Collins tackled the receiver after a completed pass up the left side reached the West Plains 49.
The Carl Junction quarterback kept the ball for two yards before Roberts made the tackle. After an incomplete pass, Evans stopped another quarterback keeper at the 42.
An encroachment penalty against West Plains moved the Bulldogs forward.
Evans tackled the running back at the 35, Warren made the next stop at the 33, and Sargeant quickly diagnosed a pass to prevent the receiver from gaining additional yardage.
On fourth down, Carl Junction’s pass fell incomplete and the Zizzers took over on downs.
Smith carried for five yards, setting up second-and-5 at the West Plains 38. Marshall advanced to the 40 before West Plains called timeout with 1:57 remaining.
Combs connected deep with Huddleston, who raced well downfield, but a West Plains penalty wiped out the gain and moved the ball back to the Zizzer 35.
Combs answered by finding Patillo across midfield at the Carl Junction 45.
A completion to Smith moved West Plains to the 38. Another pass toward Smith fell incomplete before Combs connected with Judd all the way to the 13.
Combs then drew the Bulldogs offside, moving the football to the 7-yard line as the quarter ended.
End of 1st Quarter: West Plains 0, Carl Junction 0
Second Quarter
The Zizzers opened the second quarter with the football near the Carl Junction goal line.
Another Bulldogs encroachment penalty moved the ball to the 4-yard line following an argument from the Carl Junction sideline.
Marshall punched it into the end zone for the touchdown, and Cobb added the extra point to give West Plains a 7-0 lead with 11:56 remaining.
West Plains 7, Carl Junction 0 — 11:56
West Plains kicked off, and Warren and Colvin combined for the tackle at the 30.
Huxley and Rucker stopped a quarterback keeper. Carl Junction followed with a run to the right side before Maupin made the tackle at the 38.
Rucker then met the quarterback on another keeper with a “not in my house” stop.
Facing fourth-and-3 from the 37, Carl Junction punted to the West Plains 29.
Marshall returned the ball to the 34.
Combs was sacked back at the 27. Under heavy pressure on the next series, he threw an interception at the 40.
Carl Junction immediately went deep, but Sargeant deflected the pass.
Judd tackled the quarterback on a keeper up the middle at the 33. Another keeper went to the right side before the Zizzer defense stopped it.
An injury timeout followed, with Davis walking off the field with assistance.
Facing fourth-and-3, Carl Junction again went to the quarterback keeper, but Evans grabbed him for the stop.
West Plains took over on downs.
A delay-of-game penalty backed the Zizzers to the 29. Smith carried for one yard on second-and-15.
Combs scrambled under pressure and threw the ball away on the next play. On third-and-14, the pressure arrived again and Combs was sacked.
West Plains punted to the Carl Junction 42, where Barbrow and Freeman made the stop.
The Bulldogs then connected on a long pass, with Maupin finally making the tackle at the West Plains 29.
A quarterback keeper gained six yards, but a holding penalty moved Carl Junction back to the 41.
Two straight passes fell incomplete.
The Bulldogs completed the next pass to the 31, where Sargeant made the tackle.
Carl Junction was flagged for an illegal shift, but West Plains declined the penalty.
On fourth-and-11 from the 31, the Bulldogs attempted a field goal, but the kick came up short.
West Plains took over at the 20.
Marshall gained two yards. Smith #14 then carried to the 29, and Combs kept the football for the first down at the 32.
Combs went deep down the left side for Huddleston, but the pass fell incomplete.
He then found Marshall in the middle at the 41.
Marshall carried to the 47 and added three more yards before West Plains called timeout with 1:59 remaining.
Combs went deep down the right side toward Wade, but pass interference against West Plains backed the Zizzers to the 35.
Facing second-and-22, Combs threw toward Marshall in the middle. This time Carl Junction was flagged for pass interference, moving the football to midfield.
Combs went long down the left side toward Huddleston, but the pass was incomplete.
He scrambled on the next play and again could not connect.
West Plains then attempted a fake punt. Judd threw the football, and while the pass was incomplete, the Bulldogs were flagged for holding, giving the Zizzers a first down at the 40.
Carl Junction called timeout.
Combs was sacked at the 44.
He responded by going deep down the right side toward Egly, drawing another Carl Junction pass-interference penalty and moving the football to the 30.
Roberts then ran backward and was stopped at the 45.
West Plains called timeout with 0:45 remaining.
Combs scrambled and found Patillo on the right side at the 30.
A pass toward Egly on the left side fell incomplete.
Carl Junction called timeout with 0:14 remaining.
Combs’ final pass toward Huddleston was incomplete.
The Bulldogs took possession at the 30 and took a knee to end the half.
Halftime: West Plains 7, Carl Junction 0
Third Quarter
Carl Junction attempted an onside kick to begin the second half, but the kick did not travel far enough.
West Plains started at the Bulldogs’ 46-yard line.
Marshall gained six yards, then one, then two before picking up the first down at the 35.
Marshall was stopped on the next play, followed by another stop on Smith.
Combs connected with Patillo in the middle under coverage, but a West Plains penalty moved the football back to the 40.
The Zizzers called timeout with 8:44 remaining.
Marshall carried back to the original line of scrimmage at the 35.
Facing fourth-and-10, West Plains punted.
Carl Junction started at its own 20 with 7:58 remaining.
Judd and Freeman combined to tackle the quarterback keeper after a two-yard gain.
Maupin delivered a hard tackle at the 25.
Carl Junction completed a pass to the 35, where Roberts delivered another physical stop.
Barbrow tackled the quarterback on another keeper.
Allen prevented the quarterback from gaining forward momentum on the next play.
Huxley pressured the quarterback as he went deep, and Roberts deflected the pass incomplete.
Facing fourth-and-3, Carl Junction punted to the West Plains 34.
Combs kept the football and raced for a first down at midfield.
Marshall gained five before breaking another run to the Carl Junction 34.
Combs completed a pass to Marshall, but West Plains was flagged for an illegal man downfield, moving the football back to the 39.
Combs completed a pass to Smith #14 on a lateral run.
Marshall advanced to the 35 behind good blocking from Judd before finding a gap and powering to the 28.
On fourth-and-4, West Plains was flagged for illegal procedure.
The Zizzers punted, and Carl Junction again started at its own 20.
Evans and Huxley stopped a quarterback scramble as the third quarter came to a close.
End of 3rd Quarter: West Plains 7, Carl Junction 0
Fourth Quarter
Carl Junction opened the fourth quarter at its own 20 facing second-and-10.
Freeman blasted through the line and took the quarterback down at the 16.
On third down, the Bulldogs completed a pass, but Sargeant immediately made the tackle.
Facing fourth-and-3, Carl Junction punted to the West Plains 44.
Marshall gained one yard.
Combs went deep toward Schofield in double coverage, but the pass fell incomplete.
Marshall was stopped on the next play and West Plains punted to the Carl Junction 35.
The Bulldogs connected on a long pass before Roberts made the tackle at the West Plains 40.
A quick pass to the right side fell incomplete.
Then came one of the biggest defensive plays of the game.
Judd intercepted the Carl Junction quarterback and returned the football to the 37.
Marshall carried to the 41 and added four more yards.
An injury timeout followed for West Plains. Groves walked off with assistance.
Combs completed a screen pass to Marshall at the 45, leaving the Zizzers facing fourth-and-3.
West Plains called timeout with 7:35 remaining, then appeared to set up a trick play with Judd at quarterback.
Instead, Roberts punted to the Carl Junction 26.
The Bulldogs’ first deep pass fell incomplete.
Judd and Huxley stopped the running back at the 29.
Another pass fell incomplete.
Facing fourth-and-7, Carl Junction punted to the West Plains 44.
Marshall carried to midfield before blasting his way to the Carl Junction 41.
Judd kept the football to the 40, and a Bulldogs facemask penalty moved it to the 35.
West Plains had first-and-4.
Smith #14 gained two.
After the play clock was reset, Marshall was stopped.
An illegal-procedure penalty moved West Plains back to the 39, and another illegal-procedure penalty followed.
The clock was reset to 2:58.
Marshall was stopped again before Carl Junction called timeout with 2:53 remaining.
West Plains punted all the way to the Bulldogs’ 10-yard line, where Maupin downed the football.
Carl Junction completed a pass to the 17, where Sargeant made the tackle.
Another completion moved the Bulldogs to the 25 for a first down.
Roberts tackled the receiver on a short check-down pass at the 30.
Carl Junction went deep, but Sargeant deflected the pass.
The Bulldogs completed another pass before Judd and Allen made the tackle at the 31.
Carl Junction called timeout with 1:49 remaining.
Then Rucker delivered another major defensive play.
Rucker blasted through the line and sacked the Carl Junction quarterback back at the 22.
West Plains took over.
Combs took a knee before Carl Junction used another timeout with 1:40 remaining.
Marshall carried to the 18, then picked up the first down at the 12 with 48 seconds remaining.
Combs took the final knee.
The defensive battle belonged to West Plains.
Final: West Plains 7, Carl Junction 0
The Zizzer defense made the first-quarter touchdown stand for the rest of the night.
Carl Junction had opportunities, but West Plains repeatedly answered with fourth-down stops, pass breakups, pressure on the quarterback, a Judd interception and a late Rucker sack.
The result was something even more impressive than a close defensive victory:
A shutout.
West Plains defeats Carl Junction 7-0 on Military Appreciation Night.
#GoZizzers #TheZizzerZone
