Nixa football advanced to its second straight Class 6 state championship game last season where the Eagles fell 41-37 to Lee's Summit.

Gone from that team are 18 starters including the nation's top-ranked recruit in Jackson Cantwell. Losing 18 starters is not unfamiliar territory for the Eagles.

"We lost 18 starters, but most people don't understand we lost 18 starters the year before," Nixa head coach John Perry said. "In a perfect world, you lose 18 starters every year. That means you have 18 seniors that start. This game is meant to be played by 17- and 18-year-olds and not 14- and 15-year-olds. We feel like we have great kids, a great program and can withstand losing the best player in the country because that is what Jackson Cantwell was. You don't replace Jackson Cantwell with a football player, you replace Jackson Cantwell with a football team."

The group of 18 seniors included four all-state selections, 14 all-region selections and 12 all-conference selections.

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