Joplin and Webb City high schools fell over the weekend, but Carthage, Neosho, Carl Junction and Seneca high schools all moved to 2-0 Friday night.

After a back-and-forth high-scoring first half, Joplin suffered a 38-33 setback on the road against Lebanon High School. Trailing 28-20 at the half and 35-20 entering the fourth quarter, the Eagles recorded a pair of touchdowns in the final frame. They weren’t enough.

Joplin hosts Class 6 No. 1 Nixa High School (2-0) next Friday at Junge Field, with kickoff at 7 p.m.

It was Nixa that knocked off the Webb City Cardinals on Friday at Nixa 28-20.

The Cardinals are at home Friday against Kickapoo High School.

It was the Neosho Wildcats that took down Kickapoo on Friday, 35-13. The Wildcats are at home against Lebanon on Friday.

Carthage, meanwhile, continued to dominate.

After routing Waynesville 50-8 in Week 1, the Tigers beat Ozark 49-21. They face Glendale High School on Friday night in Carthage.

Carl Junction High School senior running back Marcus Lopez-Durman rushed for five touchdowns and 138 yards and senior quarterback Mason Gilbert led a balanced Bulldog attack with 177 yards through the air as CJ (2-0) dominated Rogers (Arkansas) Heritage High School 45-7 Friday night at CJHS.

“Our offensive line was really good tonight,” head coach Todd Hafner said. “I’m really proud of them. They protected the quarterback really well. I think our kids are learning how to be a good football team and because of that I think we have a chance to win a few more games.”

Hafner also had praise for 6-foot-2-inch, 265-pound freshman defensive end Kage Stewart after the game.

“The thing about Kage is, if you talk to him, you keep thinking the freshman is going to come out in him, but it never does,” Hafner said. “He keeps learning, he is wise beyond his years and he knows how to play. Physically, I don’t think I’ve seen anything like him as a freshman, but his knowledge of the game equals his physicality and I think that’s what makes him a good football player.”

Carl Junction travels to Marshfield High School on Friday.

Seneca knocked off Mount Vernon High School 42-3 on Friday. The Indians face Nevada High School in their first home game of the season Friday.

New Heights

A mistake-filled first half left the New Heights Christian Academy Cougars fighting from behind against the clock and the Osceola High School Indians before eventually falling in their second football game of the year 65-22.

The Cougars were outscored in the first half 49-0 before putting together a 75-yard touchdown drive in the final three minutes of the second quarter and punching it in on the last play of the second half.

New Heights head coach John Lucas said his team made things hard on themselves in the first half, but he was pleased with the way they didn’t give up in the second half.

“We came out with a lot of heart and a lot of passion, and they didn’t quit,” Lucas said. “It would be very easy to quit, being behind like we were, but they didn’t. We’re learning. We’ll get better every week and this is just Week 2. We’ve got a long way to go, and we just want to get better every week, keep stacking good on good.”

New Heights travels to Greenfield High School on Friday.

Lamar

Jared Beshore gathered with his Lamar High School football team in the end zone after a 42-6 defeat of East Newton last Friday night at Don Johnston Stadium at East Newton High School.

Beshore said: “Does that feel a lot better? Understand this: It wasn’t fun all week. Embrace that. Embrace all the stuff that isn’t fun so that on Friday night we can do that. … This is a statement game. … I’m extremely proud of how we bounced back from last week.”

Lamar fell 39-35 to McDonald County High School in Week 1 but flipped the script this time around.

“It’s tough to put into words exactly how to describe that game. It was a game we prepared for and wanted, and we started really hot but did not finish whatsoever and kind of got exposed in some areas,” Beshore said. “But in practice we put a huge focus on embracing the difficulties that we have to do during practice to enjoy it on Friday.”

Prior to that play, East Newton’s defense had kept the game close but the Patriots’ offense struggled.

“It felt like the entire night we couldn’t get anything rolling. When we did get something rolling, we’d have a bad snap or get a penalty. It seemed like we just couldn’t get going tonight,” East Newton head coach Tom Ellis said.

Lamar travels to Tipton High School on Friday night, East Newton High School travels to Cassville High School.

Friday night finals

Lebanon 38, Joplin 33.

Osceola 65, New Heights 22.

Neosho 35, Kickapoo 13.

Carthage 49, Ozark 21.

Nixa 28, Webb City 20.

Carl Junction 45, Heritage (Arkansas) 7.

Seneca 42, Mt. Vernon 3.

Pierce City 30, Diamond 13.

McDonald County 35, Cassville 20.

Lamar 42, East Newton 6.