Republic Tigers fall short in football opener at Nixa

Republic faced a tough challenge in its season opener, falling to Nixa 49-14 on the road Friday night.
Nixa’s offense scored on every possession except its last, accumulating 408 total yards. Quarterback Adam McKnight completed four of five passes for 95 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for 100 yards on three carries. Dylan Rebura led Nixa’s ground attack with 132 yards and three touchdowns on 14 carries.
The Eagles built a 35–7 lead by halftime and extended their advantage in the third quarter before Republic added a late touchdown.
Republic’s offense showed potential, but failed to finish drives because of penalties and other mistakes. The Tigers gained 278 total yards, with 249 on the ground. Junior quarterback Preston McCracken led the Tigers with 98 yards rushing on 13 carries and completed three of eight passes for 29 yards. Mason Fleetwood contributed 69 yards on seven carries.
Izaiah Hull scored both of Republic’s touchdowns, finishing with 33 yards on eight carries. Owen Klier rushed for 37 yards on 12 carries, and fullback Matthew Pelfrey added 12 yards on five attempts.
After falling behind 14–0 early, Republic mounted a nine-play, 75-yard drive, capped by Hull’s two-yard touchdown run. The Tigers’ final score came on a 14-play, 73-yard drive in the third quarter, ending with Hull’s one-yard plunge.
Republic coach Ryan Cornelsen acknowledged the challenge his young team faced against a strong Nixa squad.
“I knew it was a tall task to ask us to play one of the better teams, game one, with that much inexperience,” Cornelsen said. “It’s not an excuse. It’s embarrassing. Losing is never acceptable, but that was a tall task to try to do that with those guys.”
Cornelsen highlighted some positives from the game. “Early in the first quarter, we got in the red zone some. I feel like there was some good offensively,” he said. “Defensively, I thought we didn’t play very well. Offensively… there were some spots where I thought we got a chance.”
He remains optimistic about the team’s potential for improvement, drawing on experiences from previous seasons.
“This isn’t our first butt kicking. We’ve had them here before,” Cornelsen said. “What you do after that and how much you’re willing to come to practice and work to get better says who we are.”
The Tigers will look to regroup in their home opener against Waynesville on Friday.