BY DEREK SHORE
Melia Blair has played in the middle of the field all season during Webb City's unprecedented season.
When Cardinals coach Nick Harmon informed her she would be deployed up top in the second half, Blair jumped at the opportunity.
"I was coming into this game thinking I would assist everyone," said Blair, who ranks second on the team with 17 assists. "And then I got moved up top. I was like, 'OK, let's do it.'" The senior punched in two goals — one in the 59th minute and the other in the 69th minute — to spark Webb City past Willard 4-2 in a Class 3 sectional matchup on Tuesday night at Willard High School.
"Melia got pretty excited when I told her she would be playing up top," Harmon said. "She executed very well and put the goals in for us. I'm proud of her."
That begs the question: Will Blair ask Harmon to start up top when the Cardinals entertain Union (23-2), a 4-0 winner over Springfield Catholic, on Saturday afternoon in the quarterfinal game?
"I might, yeah," Blair said with a laugh.
The Cardinals (22-3) didn't storm out of the gates against Willard in the first half. The Tigers drew first blood when Jada Holloman blasted a kick into the right side of the net in the 18th minute.
But Webb City answered when junior Anea Bemo tapped in a kick on the right side with 14:46 left in the first half to tie the margin at 1-1. The Cardinals went into intermission with a 2-1 advantage after Velissia Perez found the back of the net in the 28th minute.
"Willard deserves a lot of credit," Harmon said. "They came out and knocked us off our game. We had to work really hard to gain our composure and get back into the game. Credit to our girls for doing that. They stuck together and trusted each other and found a way to gain some composure and found a way to score."
"We kept telling the girls to keep pushing, keep going hard," Blair said. "We knew we could win this game. We got into our heads that we can do this and we have to come out really hard."
Both of Blair's goals in the second half proved to be vital, especially after Charlae Cowan's goal in the closing minutes trimmed Willard's deficit to two.
"With the goal-scoring threat that Willard has, you feel like you can never rest easy in a game no matter the margin you have," Harmon said. "They gave us some scares at the end, but we defended well and came out on top."
Already a record-setting season, Webb City advances on to the quarterfinals for the first time inprogram history. The starting time will be announced later this week.
"It makes us feel really good to reach the state quarterfinals for the first time in program history," Harmon said. "They put in all the hard work this season. This team has set the precedent all season long, and I can stand here and rattle off records that they have broken, accomplishmentsthat have been made.
"I think their play here tonight said it all. We need to continue to not be satisfied. We have one game in front of us. If we can win that game, we are in the state (semifinals)."
Blair might just be living in a fantasy.
"I always grew up watching this team," Blair said. "Now that I'm a part of it and a really big part of it and making history, it's just great."
Joplin Globe 05/26/2021 (Used by permission)