One week after earning their first win of the season at home, the Waynesville High School Tigers varsity football team picked up their second victory on the road, staging a fourth-quarter comeback to defeat the Bolivar High School Liberators 37-33 Friday night at Southwest Baptist University’s Plaster Athletic Center.
“This was a team victory across the board,” WHS head coach Joe Haynes said.
The Tigers found success early in the game, taking a 10-6 lead after the first quarter. However, the Liberators answered with 12 points in the second quarter while holding the Tigers to 6 points to hold an 18-16 advantage at halftime.
The Bolivar team built on its lead in the second half and Waynesville found itself trailing by three points with 1 minute, 20 seconds remaining in the game. That’s when WHS runningback Xzavia McArthur scored a 46-yard touchdown and kicker Chase Evans added the extra point to give the Tigers the win.
“What this means is that we understand what it takes to prepare, and then go out and execute,” Haynes said.
Up next: The Tigers (2-3) are scheduled to welcome the Rolla Bulldogs to town Friday at Tiger Stadium. Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m.
In other WHS sports:
Volleyball
The WHS varsity, JV and freshmen volleyball squads got swept by the Yellowjackets Oct. 1 at Lebanon High School.
The WHS varsity fell to 25-13, 25-11, 25-20 to their Lebanon counterparts, while the junior-varsity Tigers fell 25-12, 25-11 to the JV Yellowjackets. The Waynesville freshmen fell to the LHS freshman squad 25-10, 25-14.
The loss came on the heels of victories for the WHS teams that dominated their matches Sept. 28 on the road at Licking High School. The varsity Tigers beat the host-team Wildcats 25-21, 25-22, 25-22 in their best-of-five contest, while the WHS JV team won 25-23, 25-10.
Up next: The WHS varsity, JV and freshman teams are scheduled to play host to the Parkview High School Vikings from Springfield, Missouri, with matches scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. today at WHS.
Girls’ tennis
The WHS girls’ varsity tennis team went 2-1 at the Ozark Conference Tournament, held Sept. 29 at the Cooper Tennis Complex in Springfield.
After falling 5-0 to Kickapoo High School, and 5-1 to West Plains, Waynesville earned a 5-3 victory over Parkview.
The next day, the WHS varsity fell in a close 5-4 match with visiting Willow Springs.
Up next: Waynesville (3-8) is scheduled to begin play in the Missouri Class 3, District 5 tournament. Results will be reported as they become available.
Soccer
The WHS Tigers boys’ varsity soccer team defeated the Spartans 2-1 Saturday at Battle High School in Columbia, Missouri.
The win — the third victory for the Tigers this season — came after a loss to the visiting Glendale Falcons Sept. 30. In those games, the varsity Falcons beat the Tigers 5-0, while the Glendale junior-varsity team beat the Waynesville JV 6-1.
Waynesville fell to the Vikings 2-1 Sept. 28 at Parkview.
Up next: The Tigers (3-6) are scheduled to welcome the Kickapoo Chiefs varsity and JV squads to WHS Tuesday. Games begin at 5 p.m.
Softball
The varsity Tigers beat the visiting Dixon Bulldogs 8-6 Sept. 30, while Waynesville’s JV team earned an 11-1 win over the Dixon JV earlier that night.
The WHS varsity softball team fell 16-7 to Camdenton in front of a home crowd Sept. 28.
Up next: The Tigers (8-6) are scheduled to start play in the Rolla Tournament Friday and Saturday at Rolla High School.
(Editor’s note: Some information in this story provided by Zachary Remedies, WHS Sports Information writer.)
