Republic quarterback Preston McCracken put on a show Friday night, leading the Tigers to a thrilling 49-38 victory at Joplin with a historic rushing performance.
McCracken gashed the Eagles’ defense for 327 yards on the ground and six touchdowns. His yardage total ranks as the 26th-highest single-game rushing performance in Missouri high school football history. The six rushing touchdowns tie for 24th all-time in the state record books.
The junior signal-caller consistently made the right reads on option plays, often jogging untouched into the end zone. When Joplin defenders did make contact, McCracken powered through tackles to gain extra yardage.
“It’s all up front every single time,” McCracken said, crediting his offensive line. “Most of the touchdowns I was untouched walking in the end zone. So it’s just all the O-line. They’re the push, they’re the offense.”
McCracken’s scores came on runs of one, 23, 36, two, and 36 yards. His final touchdown sealed the back-and-forth victory with under a minute remaining.
McCracken’s 38-carry night helped Republic rack up 501 total rushing yards, and it was our Performance of the Week.
