As might be expected for any season opener, Friday night's Central Ozark Conference tilt between Nixa and Republic wasn't perfect. There were mistakes. There were penalties. But for the visiting Eagles, there were flashes of excellence that quieted the near-capacity crowd and should have the future teams on Nixa's schedule taking notes.

Behind the explosive play of Nixa's Jayden McCaster, the Eagles dominated Republic, 49-21, as the senior transfer running back racked up 220 yards and four touchdowns on the ground in the win.

"It's awesome having Jayden back there," Nixa junior quarterback Adam McKnight said. "He's bouncing off people and getting extra yards after contact. You can't teach that and it's hard for a defense to stop that."

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