The West Plains Zizzers have one more game before the district playoffs, and they’re heading into Friday night with plenty to build on.
Coming off a convincing 41–6 victory at Parkview, West Plains returns to Zizzer Stadium for its regular-season finale against Marshfield. The Zizzers are 6–2 and currently hold third place in Class 5 District 5, just 1.48 district points behind second-place Camdenton.
A win Friday would give West Plains a 7–2 regular-season finish and consecutive victories heading into the postseason.
And with Senior Night celebrations planned, there’s plenty of reason for Zizzer fans to fill the stands.
Zizzers Deliver Strong Response at Parkview
West Plains bounced back from its narrow 36–30 loss at Logan-Rogersville with a dominant performance against Springfield Parkview on October 16.
Bryston Smith accounted for three touchdowns, scoring twice on the ground and catching a touchdown pass from quarterback Cale Combs. Gavin Marshall added three rushing scores of his own.
The Zizzers jumped ahead 21–6 in the first quarter and extended the lead to 28–6 by halftime.
The defense did its part, too, holding Parkview scoreless over the final three quarters.
Head Coach Brock Kenaga was pleased with the performance, praising both the offense’s ability to move the ball and the defense’s effort.
It was the kind of response West Plains needed after a close road loss, putting the Zizzers back on track heading into the final week of the regular season.
West Plains Holds Third in District 5
The latest MSHSAA standings through eight games place West Plains third in Class 5 District 5.
Class 5 District 5 Standings
| Position | Team | Record | District Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Helias Catholic | 8–0 | 49.16 |
| 2 | Camdenton | 6–2 | 40.09 |
| 3 | West Plains | 6–2 | 38.61 |
| 4 | Glendale | 5–3 | 35.86 |
| 5 | Rolla | 5–3 | 35.14 |
| 6 | Jefferson City | 3–5 | 27.19 |
| 7 | Lebanon | 2–6 | 25.95 |
West Plains held second place earlier this month before Camdenton moved ahead in the district-points standings.
The Zizzers now trail the Lakers by 1.48 points while holding a 2.75-point advantage over Glendale and a 3.47-point lead over Rolla.
Those are relatively narrow margins, but they’re not final playoff seeds. MSHSAA’s football seeding process uses district points and applicable postseason procedures to determine the bracket once the regular season is complete.
For West Plains, the immediate opportunity is to add another victory Friday and see where the final calculations place the Zizzers.
The Race Around the Zizzers
Camdenton visits Rolla on Friday in a matchup involving two of West Plains’ district competitors.
The Lakers enter ahead of the Zizzers, while Rolla is trying to improve its own position. That result could change the district standings, although it won’t automatically determine West Plains’ final seed.
Glendale also closes its regular season against Nixa on Thursday.
Those games provide useful context for Zizzer fans, but they don’t change West Plains’ immediate assignment.
Marshfield comes first.
Senior Night at Zizzer Stadium
Friday’s regular-season finale will also give the West Plains community an opportunity to celebrate the Class of 2027.
Seniors from football, cheerleading, cross country, girls golf, Zizzer Pride Band, and color guard will be recognized throughout the evening.
Football, cheerleading, cross country, and girls golf seniors will be honored beginning at 6:15 p.m., with band and color guard seniors recognized during halftime.
For the football seniors, it will be another opportunity to compete in front of the home crowd as the Zizzers prepare for postseason play.
A victory over Marshfield would give West Plains seven regular-season wins and momentum from back-to-back victories as the district tournament begins.
What to Watch Next
West Plains has already earned six victories and enters the final week holding third place in a competitive district race.
The immediate goal is a strong finish against Marshfield. After that, the final MSHSAA district calculations will determine where the Zizzers land in the postseason bracket.
The district playoff tournament begins October 30.
But before the Zizzers turn their attention to their first postseason opponent, there’s another important Friday night at home.
It’s Senior Night. It’s the regular-season finale. And it’s an opportunity for West Plains to finish 7–2 with plenty of support from the Zizzer faithful.
Up Next
🏈 West Plains Zizzers vs. Marshfield Blue Jays
⏰ Friday, October 23 — 7:00 PM
📍 Zizzer Stadium — HOME
🏅 Senior Night / Regular-Season Finale
📻 Listen LIVE on 100.9 KHOM The Train with Ramblin’ Rick
Sources & Verification
- MSHSAA — West Plains 2026 varsity football schedule and Class 5 District 5 standings
- West Plains Daily Quill — October 20, 2026, Parkview game report
- West Plains school announcement — Class of 2027 Senior Night
- MSHSAA — Football postseason schedule and seeding procedures
#GoZizzers #TheZizzerZone
