CARL JUNCTION — Connor Knatcal's 'Drive For Five' highlighted Nixa's longest road trip of the regular season Friday.
Knatcal helped assure the Eagles' 90-mile drive to Carl Junction wouldn't include any letdown, as he threw for a single-game school-record five touchdowns in Nixa's 56-8 rout of the Bulldogs.
Knatcal couldn't help but know the previous record was four since he owned a piece of it.
"I've known what it is for a while since I tied it three times, (twice) last year and once this year already," Knatcal said. :"I finally got one more and it feels great."
Knatcal had shared the record of four touchdowns with teammate Austin McCracken, who threw for four scores at Branson at the start of 2020. McCracken is now a receiver trying to come back from a torn ACL.
McCracken, too, was well aware of the significance of Knatcal's fifth touchdown pass.
"He always called it our record," Knatcal said. "The first thing when I came off the sideline Austin said to me, 'Man, I'm mad at you now.' Of course, he was joking around. He was happy for us. It was a big night."
Wide receiver Kael Combs put his name in Nixa's records book for the first time with four touchdown catches. The Eagles' coaches were aware the former record was three. Up 42-0, they kept Combs in the game with backups as Nate Uber fired a slant pass to him in the end zone for an eight-yard scoring strike.
Combs hauled in touchdown receptions of 23, 68, even seven yards from Knatcal.
"He has been in a little bit of a slump," coach John Perry said of Combs. "Two weeks ago, his practice habits got better. As soon as his practice habits got better, his game started to turn around. When you practice great, you play great. It all goes together. The bubble screen he took the distance on, he exploded. The more confident he gets, the better he's going to be."
Nixa (6-0) scored on its first eight possessions. The Eagles were up 35-0 at halftime.
They carried over the momentum they gained from last week's 49-35 win versus Joplin.
"What's great is when you come out and play like you're supposed to play regardless of who you're playing," Perry said. "We had better players tonight and I was proud of our kids for coming out and playing like it. So many times, whenever everybody pats you on your back and tells you how good you are, you get complacent and your play drops. We played like we were supposed to play."
Knatcal got a call earlier Friday from Ottawa (Kansas) to extend him a scholarship offer, upping the number of offers he's received to three. That was about the only contact anyone made with him on the day. Certainly, Carl Junction defenders didn't lay a hand on him while he was in the pocket.
"Oh my gosh, the O-line played amazing. It was insane," Knatcal said. "That's the most comfortable I've felt in the pocket ever. I was able to sit back and take my time. I was making it to the third and fourth progressions on my reads. It was amazing. It's all I can ask for. That's why I had a big night and why our receivers had a big night. After I get it to our receivers, they are going to make plays."
Nixa's speed overwhelmed Carl Junction.
"You can't make up for speed no matter how big or strong you are," Perry said.
"We have some people who can absolutely fly," Knatcal said. "I don't know how teams are going to pick against us. (Carl Junction) wanted to try to stop Ramone (Green) and I ended up throwing for 350 yards."
Knatcal is on pace to break his single-season record of 24 touchdown passes. He now has 16.
"I set all the single-season passing records last year. I had a pretty good year,"Knatcal said. "Honestly, I feel I can do so much better this year with the team we have."
Green had one touchdown run and tight end Gaven Krans had two touchdown catches.
Nixa's defense shut out Carl Junction through three quarters. It spelled redemption after Joplin burned the defense for five touchdowns.
"Joplin played well. But obviously we had some flaws in our defense," said defensive end Jayden Antonelli, who had a quarterback sack. "We wanted to prove ourselves and show that we are a good defense."
