Nixa, Fair Grove prepare for Friday night state championship games

FAIR GROVE, Mo. — Fair Grove and Nixa are heading to Columbia to play for state championships in their respective class.

Fair Grove plays Lamar at 3 p.m., while Nixa will face off against De Smet at 7 p.m.

Fair Grove head coach Bill Voorhis says after being knocked out in the semi-finals last year, the team has used that as fuel for this run. Voorhis says he wants his players to take the experience all in, especially for the seniors.

"This group of seniors has really had this goal for a long time. I mean, it's a group that we knew would be really good and successful if we could just keep them all together. And so I know they're ready for it," Coach Voorhis said. "I know it's not going to be too big for them, their eyes will be really big when we walk into that stadium for the first time. But after the ball is kicked off, it'll be a football game for them."

Nixa will be playing for the state championship for the first time in 10 years.

Head coach John Perry says his team is ready to compete and wants them to come together for the last game of the season.

"They want to play this game as a team to make our community proud, to make our school proud, to make our families proud, and to watch them chase something bigger than themselves has been quite a privilege," Coach Perry said.

Be sure to watch our news coverage at 9 and 10 p.m. tonight for complete highlights.