Top Performers from Nixa vs. Webb City.

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This week two heavyweight matchup between the 2024 state runner-up Nixa Eagles and the powerhouse Webb City Cardinals. Both are highly regarded programs from the Southwest region of the show me state, so naturally yours truly was front and center for this awaited football game. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>These six phenomenal football players really caught my eye last Friday night and deserve the recognition for their efforts in week 2. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":1882043,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Urban Arnold","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'4u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"270","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2406","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Nixa High School","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68c22729be6b8"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">The man in the middle of the Nixa defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Arnold had a tough assignment in week two in trying to contain the heavy running offense of the Webb City Cardinals. It seemed like he was very well up to the task last Friday night because Urban Arnold was a technician in the trenches.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Facing multiple double teams and chop blocks, Arnold feasted on the Webb City offensive line all night long. His stat sheet doesn't tell the whole story of how much of an impact he had in their 28-20 victory.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Arnold is going to continue to man the inside of that Eagle defense and turn out a bright future for himself after his senior year.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":1882045,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Slade Hurd","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'1u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"190","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2408","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Webb City","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68c22729be76d"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Flashy, explosive and smooth.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Going against the very stout Nixa Eagles defense is no easy task. Slade Hurd was an absolute warrior last Friday night. Even when there wasn't a lot of room to run, Hurd just battles his way for positive yards. He also broke a couple of long runs, where he showed off a dazzling display of quick cutting abilities that I wasn't aware he had in his arsenal.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Slade is a very impressive athlete, and I predict him to keep this train rolling the rest of the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":1882047,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Mason Williams","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'10u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"180","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2408","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Webb City","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68c22729be806"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Tough downhill running style, but plenty of speed.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Williams and Hurd form one of the best duo of young running backs in Southwest Missouri. Usually one back has a different skill set than the other, but in this Cardinals offense, they're carbon copies. Hurd is silky smooth in the way he runs the football. Last Friday night, he was more of a home run hitter. He broke free multiple times on the eagles, and he made life difficult to get him on the ground. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This is Hurd's last season in the powder blue and red. He has already left a mark on the program, but he's not done yet.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":1882051,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"[player_tooltip player_id='1900975' first='Max' last='Nicoll']","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"6'0u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"185","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Nixa High School","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68c22729be89c"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Nicoll is the perfect linebacker in this Nixa eagles defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It's crazy to think this is Nicoll's first year playing on the defensive side of the football. A converted running back, and it shows the way he moves around gracefully on the football field, Nicoll was a tackling machine with 13 total tackles. There were times when Nicoll made tackles when he played on the complete opposite side of the field.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Nicoll put on a tackling clinic in week one and week two of the 25-26 season. I don't see any signs of slowing down anytime soon.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":1882053,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Karsen Meyers","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2026","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'8u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"140","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2495","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Webb City","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68c22729be92f"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Ball hawk in every sense of the word is Mr. Karsen Meyers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Meyers had a different type of obstacle as his other Cardinal teamates, and that was trying to keep Adam Mcknight and this talented receiving core of the Nixa Eagles. Nixa star running back Jayden Mccaster dealt with a nagging leg injury all night, so that opened up the Eagles passing game a little bit. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>On one play, Karsen made them pay throwing to his side of the field grabbing a wonderful interception from Mcknight off a deep pass attempt that put the Cardinals fans on their feet. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Karsen Meyers is going to make these types of plays all year long, I guarantee it. Bright future for this star from Webb City, Missouri. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p> </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":1882055,"_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Reed Wilson","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2027","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"5'11u0022","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"170","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_weight":"field_65b288425ecf6","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"2496","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Nixa high school","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_team":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"mode":"preview","alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-68c22729be9bf"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Hyrbrid, OLB type player, with the speed to travel sideline to sideline.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Earning a starting spot as a Junior in Nixa, Missouri is no easy task. Wilson has already exceeded expectations in just two weeks on this defense.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Webb city deploys an offense that is heavily reliant on the run, with a lot of fakes and movement. Making it very difficult for opposing linebackers to get into their perspective gaps and find the ball carrier. Wilson handles this assignment like a seasoned vet, regularly tracking down a trio of very talented ball carriers in the Webb City backfield. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Unlike the other 5 athletes in this article, Wilson has two more years to show his athletic ability. I'm not the only person who will keep an eye on this young man.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block -->