The No. 2 seeded Nixa Eagles faced the No. 7 seeded Glendale Falcons in the Class 5 District 5 quarterfinals at Ozark High School on Oct. 16. 

Nixa plated nine hits and received a strong outing on the mound and defeated the Falcons 8-2, securing win No. 20 and a semifinal berth, on what ended in a historic and memorable night for the Eagles.

Glendale jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead in the opening inning, but it was short-lived and the only time the Falcons would be ahead.

Nixa responded instantly in its bottom half. On a special and record-setting at-bat, Miah Johnson gave the Eagles a one-run advantage. With a runner on first, Johnson hammered a home run over the center-field fence, which became the hit that will forever live in the record books.

Already Nixa's all-time leader, the junior second baseman broke the state's record for most home runs in a single season, smashing her 24th of the season. The homer broke Fr. Tolton's Madison Upterove's record of 23 set in 2023.

In the bottom of the third, Johnson kicked-started the inning with a line-drive single to left. Ossie Cooper followed by going yard over the center-field fence, pushing Nixa's lead to 4-1.

Starting pitcher Shelby Hicks kept the Falcons in check until the sixth, when Glendale managed its final run of the game. Hicks struck out five and allowed five hits in a six-inning effort.

Nixa answered with a four-run inning of its own and received extra cushion runs. Jordan Phillips' RBI double that scored Mylee Harper made it 5-2, Johnson scored Phillips with a single to center for her third RBI of the day, and Emma Dralle capped off the inning with a two-run homer that extended the Eagles advantage to 8-2.

Tenly Piwko relieved Hicks on the mound and threw a shutout inning, securing the victory.

Nixa was led offensively by Johnson (4-4, HR, 3 RBIs, 2 R), Dralle (2-4, HR, 2 RBI), Cooper (1-4, HR, 2 RBI, 2 R), and Phillips (1-3, RBI, 2B, 2 R). Abby Sloan tallied Nixa's other hit.

The win advances Nixa to the district semifinal, where the Eagles will face third-seeded Republic, who knocked off Branson 13-1, on Saturday, Oct. 18, at 2 p.m.

Kickapoo and Ozark meet in the other semifinal. 

Click here to view game photos.