Scouting Nixa's Week Four trip Friday to Branson:
Nixa has won 14 straight against Branson and outscored the Pirates 577-164 during that streak. ...
Nixa is 3-0 for the third time in coach John Perry's four seasons with the Eagles. Perry is 30-8 at Nixa.
Branson features several familiar faces locally in running back/linebacker Gage Depee and assistants Chad Depee and Sam Rehagen. ...
Gage transferred from Ozark after starting two years for the Tigers. Depee fumbled twice in Week One against Joplin. but bounced back in a big way by running for a 32-yard touchdown and picking up an interception to set up a Pirates score in Week Two at Carthage. ...
Chad Depee was Ozark's head coach the past eight years. Rehagen is a Nixa grad and former Eagles assistant. He is in his fourth season as Branson's defensive backs coach. ...
In Week Two, Branson became the ninth COC school to finally beat Carthage since the Tigers joined the league in 2008. In Week One, Republic was the eighth COC school to beat Carthage. Only Neosho has yet to beat Carthage in a COC game. ...
Defending co-COC champ Carthage, by the way, is the conference's only winless team. ...
Branson (1-2) responded to its upset against Carthage by bowing to Willard 21-6 in Week Three.
Branson has eight multi-year starters on offense. ...
Depee was an All-COC First Team linebacker a year ago. Jared Finkbone is a linebacker after being an All-COC First Team defensive back last season. ...
Branson kicker Dana Efird was ranked No. 17 at the Kohl's National Scholarship Camp this year. His father, Dr. Chad Efird, is an orthopedic surgeon at Cox Medical Center. He's reknowned throughout SWMO athletic circles, having treated countless athletes over the years. ...
Nixa running back Dylan Rebura's two-game totals since coming back from an ankle sprain include 30 carries for 384 yards. He had 192 yards rushing both in Week Two at Neosho and Week Three versus Carthage....
Nixa and Joplin are the COC's lone unbeatens. They'll tangle at Joplin next week.
