WICHITA, Kan. — The trio of Kyle Younge, Cam Martin and Stan Scott combined to score 63 points as the Missouri Southern men’s basketball team defeated Newman 82-79 on Saturday in MIAA action inside Fugate Gymnasium.
No. 21 Southern improved to 2-0.
Young scored a career-high 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting, including 5-of-8 on 3-pointers, to lead the Lions. Martin added 21 points on 8-of-17 shooting. Martin also grabbed 11 rebounds and handed out seven assists on the day he surpassed 1,500 points scored at MSSU. Scott contributed a career-high 19 points on 8-of-12 shooting.
The Lions, who led 43-27 at halftime, made 32-of-66 field goal attempts (48.5 percent). Southern hit 11 treys and out-rebounded the Jets 43-34.
Branden Bunn led Newman (0-1) with 23 points. The Jets shot 43 percent (28-of-65), including 14-of-33 from long distance.
The Lions led by 21 with 19:20 remaining in the contest, but the Jets put together a furious comeback attempt.
Newman pulled within two with 39 seconds left. But Christian Bundy hit one free throw with 18 seconds remaining, stopping a 10-0 Newman run. The Jets misfired on a 3-pointer just before the buzzer.
Southern returns to action on Tuesday night at Central Missouri.
NEWMAN WOMEN, 55-51
For the second straight outing, the Missouri Southern women suffered a close setback, as Newman held on late for a 55-51 win over the Lions.
The game was deadlocked with just over a minute to play when Southern’s Amaya Johns hit two go-ahead free throws to give the Lions a 51-49 lead.
Newman’s Brooke Haney hit a 3-pointer with 44 seconds left before the visitors turned the ball over with 14 seconds remaining.
In the final seconds, Newman made three late free throws while the Lions misfired a pair of jumpers from beyond the arc.
Johns scored a team-high 13 points for Southern, while Madi Stokes and Kaitlin Hunnicutt added 10 points apiece. Carley Turnbull scored nine. Stokes had eight rebounds and two blocked shots.
Southern made 18-of-54 field goal attempts (33 percent), including 4-of-18 3-point attempts.
Newman won the game despite shooting 28 percent from the field (16-of-57). The Jets (1-0) made 6-of-22 treys and 17-of-22 free throws.
Rylee Meloy and Haney scored 10 points apiece for Newman. Neosho product Makayla Hayes added seven points.
The Lions led 9-7 at the end of the first period and 26-16 at halftime. Southern’s lead was down to two, 40-38, at the end of the third quarter.
Southern (0-2) is at Central Missouri at 5:30 on Tuesday night.
CANYON, Texas — Pittsburg State built a 28-21 lead by the intermission and outscored West Texas A&M 14-7 in the second half to close out its abbreviated 2020 season with a 42-28 win on Saturday.
Pittsburg State closes the 2020 season with a 2-2 record, earning wins over Missouri Western and West Texas A&M and taking losses to Nebraska-Kearney and Stephen F. Austin.
The Gorillas gained 519 yards of total offense in a balanced attack, passing for 271 and rushing for 248. Pittsburg State won the time-of-possession battle 32:23 to 27:37 and scored on all four red zone opportunities. PSU converted on 7-of-11 third-down attempts and were 3-for-3 on fourth downs.
Quarterback Mak Sexton completed 21-of-30 passes for 271 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Running back Tyler Adkins rushed 15 times for 105 yards and two touchdowns, while Tucker Horak added 69 rushing yards and Drew Winn 52 rushing yards. Bryce Murphy, a Neosho product, led Pittsburg State with eight receptions and a team-high 137 receiving yards and a touchdown. Jalen Martin added six receptions for 70 yards and Dylan White, a Pittsburg High School graduate, caught four passes for 46 yards and a score.
West Texas A&M ran for 285 and passed for 215 with running back Khalil Harris leading the way on the ground with 22 carries for 133 yards. Prince Ugwu and Jordan Johnson added rushing scores. Quarterback Nick Gerber completed 16-of-25 passes for 215 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, while rushing six times for 66 yards. Kenneath Redd and Maxwell Perez each caught touchdowns.
Pittsburg State jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter after Sexton scored from a yard out to open the game with a six-play, 70-yard touchdown drive. Kaden Roy, a Webb City product, scooped up a fumble and returned it 48 yards to the house less than two minutes later to give PSU a two-score advantage.
Redd halted in a 15-yard touchdown from Gerber to trim the margin to one score before a 1-yard rushing score by Adkins put the Gorillas on top 21-14 with 7:59 left in the first half.
West Texas A&M scored on a 3-yard rush from Johnson, but again Pittsburg State answered with 2:06 left in the half after Sexton hit White for a 17-yard passing score to send the Gorillas into the intermission with a 28-21 advantage.
Adkins added a 13-yard rushing score with 10 minutes left in the third to give the Gorillas the momentum for good. Murphy found the end zone on a 31-yard pass from Sexton at the start of the fourth quarter.
Lamar and Cassville both won quarterfinal football games on Saturday.
In Class 2 action, Lamar defeated Liberty (Mountain View) 32-8.
The Tigers, who led 8-0 at the half, will host Jefferson (Festus) next weekend in the semifinals.
In Class 3, Cassville beat Buffalo 41-16.
The Wildcats held a 20-9 lead at intermission.
Cassville is at Maryville next Saturday in the semifinal round.
Of course, Webb City advanced to the Class 5 semifinals on Friday with a 42-14 win over Lebanon. Webb City hosts Platte County at 1:30 next Saturday.
Luke Floyd is 1-0 as Joplin’s girls basketball coach.
Joplin defeated Cassville 36-30 on Friday night in the season opener that was also Floyd’s debut as the program’s head coach.
“The girls played extremely hard tonight,” Floyd told SoMo Sports. “This was a grind of a game and the girls had to fight every possession on both ends of the floor. Cassville is a well coached, physical team that had a definite size advantage on us, but our girls gave everything they had. We were balanced scoring and everyone played their role perfectly.”
Joplin was led by Brooke Nice’s 10 points. Nice hit a pair of 3-pointers. Brynn Driver added nine points, Emma Floyd scored eight and Isabella Yust had seven. Serafina Auberry’s two points rounded out the scoring for the Eagles, who led 16-15 at halftime.
Joplin led 23-20 entering the fourth quarter. The Eagles outscored the Wildcats 13-10 in the final frame to secure the win.
Cassville received 11 points from Sharayah Seymour and nine from Kyren Postlewait.
Joplin hosts East Newton at 7 on Monday night.
JV WINS
Joplin’s JV girls defeated Cassville 29-23.
“The JV team showed a lot of heart and poise tonight,” Eagles coach Ashley Ohlman said. “With many of the girls playing their first high school basketball game, it was great to see them finish the game strong and come away with the win.”
Scarlett Floyd scored nine points to lead Joplin, while Bailey Ledford and Kiki Thom added six points apiece.
WEBB CITY, Mo. — John Roderique insists there were no magic words at halftime.
The veteran Webb City football coach added there was no yelling or screaming, either.
But whatever words were uttered in the Webb City locker room during intermission, they definitely worked.
Ignited by a big third quarter, and taking advantage of six turnovers, Webb City rolled to a convincing 42-14 victory over Lebanon in a Class 5 quarterfinal on a rainy Friday night at Cardinal Stadium.
The Cardinals (11-1) advanced to the semifinals, where they’ll host Platte County (11-1) at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday.
A spot in the Final Four was not a given at the break. Webb City was clinging to a 14-8 lead after a not so great end to the first half.
“It was kind of a dead locker room,” Roderique said of halftime. “The kids didn’t really know what to think. They’d been getting beat up on the field. That was one of those times there was no sense of yelling or screaming. They probably felt bad enough. You just try to calm them down a little bit and tell them to go do their job and go play.”
The Cardinals did their jobs all right, as Webb City scored 21 unanswered points after the break to turn a close one into a rout.
“The attitude was, ‘If you don’t think we can win, stay in here,'” Webb City senior linebacker Eli Goddard said of halftime.
Webb City outscored Lebanon 28-6 in the second half.
“We needed to get our defense off the field,” Roderique said. “We couldn’t stop them. They were impressive. Hats off to them. We don’t have a big, physical defensive line. We made some adjustments at halftime and put some different kids on the field. I thought we played a lot better defensively in the second half as far as slowing them down. Defensively, we’re proud they came back in the second half and played a lot better.”
The one-sided third quarter gave the hosts a comfortable 27-point cushion heading into the final frame.
“I thought our offense really did a great job in the second half,” Roderique added. “You have to be able to possess the ball and put it in the end zone. I was proud of our guys on the offensive side for doing that.”
Winners of 11 straight games, the Cardinals are in the semifinals for the fourth straight year and the 12th time in 13 years.
“We’ve been so blessed here,” Roderique said. “I’m just proud of our kids. When you get to this point, you start thinking about where you were at the start of the season. You want to improve every week. That’s something we preach. Just to go from where we were in Week 1 to where we are now is a big difference. I’m proud of our kids and our coaches for staying the course and continuing to work.”
NAMES & NUMBERS
Webb City racked up 270 yards on 37 plays, with 214 rushing and 56 passing.
Senior running back Devrin Weathers ran 16 times for 112 yards with three touchdowns, while junior Dupree Jackson added 107 rushing yards on nine carries with two scores.
Quarterback Cole Gayman completed 4-of-7 passes, with Cohl Vaden, Mekhi Garrard, Gary Clinton and Weathers hauling in one pass apiece.
Treghan Parker and Brayden Hollingsworth made 10 tackles apiece. Goddard, Christian Kinney and Zetthew Meister all recovered fumbles, while Parker, Goddard and Cale Stephens all had interceptions.
Utilizing a ground and pound running attack, the Yellowjackets recorded 290 yards on 78 plays, with 280 rushing and 10 passing. Drew McBride ran 29 times for 103 yards, while Nathan Bartell had nine carries for 69 yards.
Lebanon lost three fumbles and threw three interceptions.
“That was the difference in the game,” Roderique said. “Any time you get that many turnovers you’re going to have a chance to be successful. That was a huge difference in the game for sure.”
Webb City’s Dupree Jackson carries the ball against Lebanon on Friday night in the Class 5 quarterfinal contest at Cardinal Stadium. Photo by Israel Perez.
GAME RECAP
In the first meeting between the schools since 1999, Lebanon put together a 16-play drive to start the night, all short gains on the ground. But the promising series, which lasted 8 minutes and 15 seconds, ended when McBride fumbled in the end zone, with Goddard recovering.
After the Cardinals were forced to punt, the Yellowjackets fumbled on the first play of the ensuing drive, with Kinney recovering.
Two plays later, Weathers sprinted 31 yards to the end zone, giving the Cardinals a 7-0 lead.
A 1-yard touchdown plunge by Weathers finished off a seven-play, 75-yard drive and made it 14-0 with 10:31 left in the first half. A 29-yard pass from Gayman to Vaden and a 25-yard scamper by Weathers set up the touchdown.
The Yellowjackets struck late in the first half, aided by a pass interference call on the Cardinals that kept the drive going.
Lebanon got on the board with 1:09 left in the first half on McBride’s 2-yard run and a two-point conversion, cutting the hosts’ lead to 14-8.
The Yellowjackets recovered an onside kick and threatened to score, but Webb City’s Parker picked off a pass.
In a key play that ended the first half, Gayman lost the ball, Lebanon lineman Garrett Childers recovered and took off. After scampering more than 40 yards, Childers was tackled from behind by a sprinting Jackson just outside the end zone, preserving a 14-8 halftime advantage.
“That was the play of the year for us,” Roderique said. “The whole complexion of the game could have changed on that one play.”
In the first half, Lebanon ran 47 plays, while Webb City ran just 14.
The Cardinals pulled away for good in the game-changing third quarter.
Jackson’s 38-yard run made it 21-7. After another Lebanon turnover, Weathers reached the end zone for the third time on a 2-yard run, giving the Cardinals a 20-point lead with 5:17 remaining in the third period.
Next, Goddard’s pick-6 pushed Webb City’s lead to 35-8. Goddard sprinted 24 yards to the end zone after the interception.
Lebanon’s final score came with 7:28 left, as Bartell charged in from 5-yards out.
Webb City’s Jackson recorded a 4-yard touchdown run with 4:58 remaining for the final margin.
The Yellowjackets finished the season with a 7-4 record.
Webb City senior Treghan Parker runs after an interception on Friday night as Lebanon quarterback Peyton Mitchell looks to make the tackle. Photo by Israel Perez.
REMATCH IS SET
Platte County defeated Grain Valley 31-28.
Webb City defeated Platte County 48-0 in last year’s Class 4 title game. Now, the rematch will determine who plays for the Class 5 crown.
“It means everything,” Goddard said of being back in the semifinals. “This is where you want to be every year. We have a great opportunity.”
CLASS 5 QUARTERFINAL
WEBB CITY 42, LEBANON 14
Scoring Summary
Lebanon 0 8 0 6—14
Webb City 7 7 21 7—42
First Quarter
WC: Devrin Weathers 31 run (Cameron Clark kick)
Second Quarter
WC: Weathers 1 run (Clark kick)
LEB: Drew McBride 2 run (Cordell Zebel pass from Peyton Mitchell)
Third Quarter
WC: Dupree Jackson 38 run (Clark kick)
WC: Weathers 2 run (Clark kick)
WC: Eli Goddard 24 INT return (Clark kick)
Fourth Quarter
LEB: Nathan Bartell 5 run (Run failed)
WC: Jackson 4 run (Clark kick)
FRIDAY’S CLASS 5 QUARTERFINALS
Jackson 63, Chaminade 22
Fort Zumwalt North 35, Battle 14
Webb City 42, Lebanon 14
Platte County 31, Grain Valley 28
SEMIFINALS
Jackson at Fort Zumwalt North
Platte County at Webb City
Webb City senior Devrin Weathers ran for three touchdowns against Lebanon on Friday night. Webb City won 42-14 to advance to the state semifinals. Photo by Israel Perez.
After five years as the Rolla head coach, which included a quarterfinal berth in the state playoffs in his final season, Luke Floyd decided to step away from coaching after the 2018-19 season to spend more time with his family. It didn’t take long for Floyd to miss what he loved doing—coaching basketball.
“When basketball season started last year,” Floyd said with a laugh when asked when he realized he wanted to get back into coaching. “I enjoyed being a dad and watching my kids play, but at the same time, when it’s all that I have ever done in my adult life, I was really missing it.”
After one season away from the game, Floyd was hired by Joplin in the spring to do what he had done at several other stops in his career, including at Rolla, to turn around a struggling program and transform it into a competitive one.
“I sat down and talked with (my family) about me being interested in (coaching) again,” Floyd said. “It had to be a perfect fit because our kids are older and we didn’t necessarily want to move. When we came down to do an interview with Joplin, they included my entire family, which really meant a lot to me. … We sat down, discussed it and decided if I was offered the opportunity that we all would be on board with moving here.
“I was familiar with Joplin from when I was at Rolla. When they were in the Ozark Conference, anytime we played them they were always well coached and played hard. When I saw that they had an opening, I thought I would throw my name into the pile and just happened to get hired. It’s been really good for both myself and my family. It is a great school district, academic-wise, and athletically, I think we have the potential to build something special.”
In Floyd’s first year with Rolla, the Bulldogs didn’t win a game. In his final season at the helm, Rolla finished the season with a 24-4 record and won a share of the Ozark Conference title before winning a district championship and making a run to the Class 4 quarterfinal round. Floyd earned co-conference coach of the year honors and was named the Missouri Media Class 4 Girls Basketball Coach of the Year.
“We had good kids,” Floyd said. “They worked hard every day. We didn’t have much success. I think in my third year, we had a really good freshman class that had had previous success and we sat down as a coaching staff and decided we were going to move the ones who were ready straight varsity.
“We took our lumps that first year with them and won about eight games. Then, halfway through their sophomore year, it clicked and we started firing on all cylinders. That year we went to the district championship and got beat. That summer leading up to my last season, we just had a feeling that it was going to be a special group.They had gone through the process … and above all else, they were willing to sacrifice personal things for the good of the team.”
Now, Floyd — who has a 289-192 career record as a head coach — takes over a Joplin program coming off a two-win season in 2018-19 and a 4-22 record a year ago. It will certainly be a process to turn the program around. But like Rolla, which went winless in Floyd’s first season, he sees a lot of success on the horizon for the Eagles if they are willing to put in the dedication it takes.
“It takes the players,” Floyd said. “It’s nothing special that myself or any other coach does. We just have to have the players who want to play. I think even this year that we have the pieces to go out this year and compete. Our biggest hurdle that we need to overcome is our mindset that we are capable of winning. When you are in a program that hasn’t had a lot of success, it’s hard to overcome that.”
The Eagles starting five this season is sophomore guard Brynn Driver, sophomore guard Isabella Yust, junior guard Brooke Nice, junior forward Emma Floyd and junior forward Ella Hafer.
Floyd plans on playing nine or 10 deep in terms of rotation players. The Joplin reserves consist of sophomores Serafina Auberry (f) and Jill McDaniel (g), seniors Lily Pagan (g) and Jacie Jensen (g) and freshman guard Bailey Ledford.
“Our whole varsity squad will play 10 of 15 minutes each,” Floyd said. “We’re trying to get the girls to buy into them going out and playing hard for three-minute stretches, and then we get some fresh legs in there to keep coming at people.
“I want to see girls who are going to go out there and just compete. If you’re the most-talented player in our system but don’t work hard, you aren’t going to get as many minutes as someone who busts their butt for us. We are trying to promote that, and the fact it is going to take eight, nine or 10 of us to play well.”
Floyd plans to have his Eagles push the ball in transition as often as the game allows it with the idea to create high-percentage looks at the rim. Joplin will also run a motion-hybrid offense when facing man-to-man defense, focusing on ball movement while on offense.
“We encourage our girls to be ready to catch and shoot at all times,” Floyd said. “We like the outside shot, but we always preach to get the ball inside before kicking it out for the 3. With Emma, Ella and Serafina, we have some girls inside who can finish. So, anytime we can get the ball in the paint, that is a good thing for us. … We are trying to get the girls to realize what they are good at, and get better at that instead of making them do more than they are capable of.”
Defensively, the focus for the Eagles will focus on playing man-to-man defense with an emphasis on using the press when the situation calls for it.
“We are really working on ball pressure and jumping passing lanes,” Floyd said. “If we get beat, we just have to trust that our teammates are going to be there to help. We told the girls that defense always travels. There may be some nights where we can’t throw it into an ocean, but you should always be able to play defense and rebound.”
The biggest adjustment Joplin will need to make is just getting comfortable with the new systems installed. It is going to take experience to find the right rhythm and timing, but Floyd is encouraged by what he has seen so far.
“We are learning how to get the ball down the floor in a hurry,” Floyd said. “That has been an adjustment for us because we still want to walk it up and go to the middle of the floor. I think that is going to continue to improve. … A lot of times, we are just a tick late (on making a play), which may lead to a bad pass or a turnover. As a coach, it’s encouraging because they are seeing what we need to be doing. That is also only going to get better as the season progresses.”
Joplin opens the season tonight with a road matchup at Cassville at 7 p.m.
“We are extremely excited,” Floyd said. “Getting to go to Cassville and getting play for real under the gym lights is going to be fun. … If we can compete and give our best effort, we definitely have a shot.”
Despite the loss of the dominating play and leadership from Emmy Colin to graduation, the College Heights Christian girls basketball team has the expectations of continuing the program’s recent success with a shift in focus.
Colin, a four-year starter, averaged 17.2 points, 5.6 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 3.2 steals per game her senior season. That production is irreplaceable for any single Cougar this season, so College Heights is looking for the bevy of its returning experience to work as a cohesive unit to duplicate last season’s success.
“We certainly relied pretty heavily on her last year,” CHC coach John Blankenship said. “But I think we are going to be really balanced this year. I think we will have four of five kids who can get into double-digit (scoring) every game if they play well. So, I think it is going to be more of a team effort and not relying on just one individual this year.”
Leadership will be important this year as the Cougars transition to a team-oriented style of play. College Heights has four seniors on the roster who will be in charge of that shift in mentality—Kaynahn Burk, Grace Bishop, Lainey Lett and Catie Secker.
“It will really be vital,” Blankenship said. “They will give us the consistency we need. They know my program. They know what we need to do. They work hard and set the tone for the underclassmen every day in practice. They just know what the expectations are, and they go out and meet them every day. I think that senior leadership will play a key part in bringing along our underclassmen as well.”
The projected starting five for the Cougars this season is Kaynahn Burk, sophomore Klohe Burk, Bishop, Lett and Secker. Though, sophomore Jayli Johnson may also see a starting role at some point, opening the season with heavy minutes as the sixth man.
“I think our top six kids can compete against anybody,” Blankenship said. “They play really well together and have played together for a couple years, the seniors for four years, so they know how to play off of each other. Our team unity is really good.”
Though the offensive production may be coming from different players this season, the Cougars will still have the same team traits the program is known for—speed and press defense.
“We plan on getting up and down the floor this year with a lot of defensive pressure and transition game,” Blankenship said. “I am hoping we play eight or nine deep. Some of our younger kids are going to have to step up and give us some good minutes.”
Repeating last year’s success will be no easy feat. College Heights finished the season with a 26-2 record and a district title. With the strength of his first six players and the potential from his underclassmen, Blankenship feels that as long as the Cougars show the same work ethic and mentality, it is certainly possible to duplicate the success from a year ago.
“I think it is going to take the same concepts we implemented last year,” Blankenship said. “It starts in practice, just showing up every day mentally ready to practice hard and take every drill seriously. If they do that, with their athleticism, that skill will come along and we will develop quickly. I think we have a chance to do really well again this year.”
After a breakout 2019-20 season, senior guard Landon Austin will lead the way for the Neosho High School boys basketball team this winter.
The 6-foot Austin earned second-team all-Central Ozark Conference recognition at the conclusion of his junior season after averaging 17 points, six rebounds and four assists per game.
“Landon will lead us offensively for sure,” Neosho coach Zane Culp said. “He’s on a different level. He knows what he’s doing and he’s fun to watch. I think he’s going to be hard to handle.”
Seniors Chase Flynn (6-2) and Dalton Brodie (6-0) are also expected to play key roles for the Wildcats this season after gaining plenty of varsity experience last year. Flynn averaged nine points and five rebounds a game last season, while Brodie contributed six points and three boards.
Austin, Flynn and Brodie are the only seniors on the roster.
Juniors on the roster are Landon Werneke, Ryno Lee and Marcus Duncan. Sophomores Brock Franklin, River Brill, Jared Siler, Isaiah Green and Carter Fenske round out the roster.
Franklin and Fenske both showed the ability to knock down 3-pointers during Thursday’s jamboree at Joplin High School.
Culp, who is assisted by Jacob Srigley and Tee Helsel, said a probable starting lineup for the Wildcats’ season-opener against Aurora on Dec. 3 would be Austin, Flynn, Brodie, Green and Franklin, with Werneke, Fenske and Brill still in the mix for the fifth spot.
“I like this group’s tenacity,” Culp said. “We fouled a lot tonight, but that was just being aggressive. They’re bought in defensively. I feel like we did a good job tonight. We had a couple of quarters where we gave up one field goal or no field goals.”
HOLIDAY CLASSIC UPDATE
The Neosho Holiday Classic will look much different this season. The event will feature only local squads due to the pandemic.
“It’s just six teams,” Culp said. “No out of state teams can come. It will be a six-team round-robin.”
Landon Austin shoots over the Joplin defense during Thursday’s jamboree. Photo by Shawn Fowler.
The Neosho Wildcats were among the teams who competed at Joplin’s boys basketball jamboree on Thursday. Photo by Shawn Fowler.
Always Wright is not only the lone returning starter for the Joplin boys basketball team, he’s also the sole player on the 2020-21 roster with significant varsity experience.
With that, it’s safe to say Wright is expected to lead the way for the Eagles this winter.
“Always has to carry a pretty heavy load for us with the experience he has being a two-year starter,” Eagles coach Jeff Hafer said after Thursday’s jamboree inside Kaminsky Gymnasium.
A 6-foot-3 junior guard, Wright averaged nine points, four rebounds, four assists and one steal per game during a solid sophomore season, earning third-team all-Central Ozark Conference honors.
A sharp-shooter who can play either guard spot, Wright also gained plenty of varsity experience as a freshman. Hafer expects Wright to take his game to another level this winter as both a playmaker and scorer.
Joplin’s Always Wright puts up a runner in the lane during Thursday’s jamboree at Joplin High School’s Kaminsky Gymnasium. Photo by Shawn Fowler.
Hafer said his team’s other starting spots are still up for grabs ahead of Tuesday’s season-opener against McDonald County.
“It’s still wide open,” Hafer said. “We played a ton of different guys and used a lot of different lineups (at the jamboree). We’re trying to find our way. We’re still defining roles. I think we have a lot of guys who are trying to separate themselves from the others right now. It’s going to take a little bit of time.”
Fielding Campbell, Dominick Simmons, Micah Bruggeman, Malik Williams, Carson Wampler and Zayshon Hugley are the team’s seniors. Campbell (5-11), Simmons (5-9) and Wampler (5-11) are guards, while the 6-3 Bruggeman is a guard/forward. The 6-5 Hugley and the 6-4 Williams are post players.
In addition to Wright, other juniors on the roster are Bruce Wilbert, Wyatt Satterlee, Joe Jasper, Jalen Windham, LT Atherton, Brantley Morris, Zack Sparrow and Calvin Clark.
Sophomores on the roster are Dante Washington, Hobbs Campbell, Chris Ugalde and Terrance Gibson.
Freshman All Wright, a 6-1 guard, is another player who is likely to contribute nicely at the varsity level this winter. Always and All Wright spent time in the backcourt together throughout the jamboree.
The Eagles went 21-6 in a stellar 2019-20 season. Led by its senior class, including all-conference selections Isaiah Davis, Zach Westmoreland and Dakarai Allen, Joplin captured a district championship before falling to Kickapoo in the sectional round of the Class 5 state tournament.
“We’re a different team this year,” Hafer said. “But I think we have the skill to be really good offensively. Defensively, we’re not as strong and athletic as we’ve been in the past. We’re going to have to find a way to defend and rebound if we want to be able to compete at a consistent level.”
Hafer, who is assisted by James Spencer, Brandon Pate and Alex Smith, noted there’s a lot to like about this year’s squad.
“We have some depth,” said Hafer, who is now in his seventh season in charge of the boys program at his alma mater. “It could be a different guy on a different night this year. They’re working hard and they’re a fun group to be around. They’re a good group to coach. That part makes me excited to come to the gym.”
Joplin’s Fielding Campbell puts up a shot in the lane against Lamar during Thursday’s jamboree. Photo by Shawn Fowler.
Joplin coach Jeff Hafer talks to his team during Thursday’s jamboree. Photo by Shawn Fowler.
EDMOND, Okla. — Cam Martin’s double-double and Winston Dessesow’s late jumper propelled the Missouri Southern men’s basketball team to a 75-74 win over Central Oklahoma on Thursday night in the 2020-21 season opener at Hamilton Field House.
The night’s opener also went down to the wire, and finished with the same score, as Central Oklahoma won the women’s MIAA clash 75-74.
MSSU MEN 75, UCO 74
Ranked 21st nationally, Missouri Southern trailed by one when Dessesow knocked down a 15-foot jumper with nine seconds on the clock. The Bronchos did not get off a shot before the final buzzer sounded.
Martin scored 27 points on 10-of-16 shooting and also grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Lions, while Dessesow added 21 points with five 3-pointers. Stan Scott added 14 points for the Lions, who shot 46 percent from the field (26-of-57) and 41 percent from 3-point range (9-of-22).
Cam Givens led UCO with 27 points. The Bronchos made 24-of-61 shots (46 percent), but went only 5-of-19 from beyond the arc (26 percent).
The game was tied at 17 with 9:57 remaining in the first half and the Lions led 36-34 at halftime. Southern extended its lead to 56-50 with 10 minutes remaining, but the Bronchos later used a 9-0 run to tie the game at 63.
Central Oklahoma led 73-68 with 1:19 to play, but a dunk and free throw from Martin trimmed Southern’s lead to two. After a key defensive stop, Scott’s dunk tied the game with 56 seconds to play.
UCO’s Justin Nimmer hit the second of two free throws with 37 seconds left to give his team a 74-73 cushion. After a timeout, Dessesow buried the game-winning jumper. There were 13 lead changes in the game.
Lions head coach Jeff Boschee did not travel with the team, as he’s in quarantine after his wife tested positive for the coronavirus.
Southern (1-0) heads to Newman on Saturday, with game time set for 3:30.
UCO WOMEN 75, MSSU 74
Despite a valiant effort, the Missouri Southern women were unable to finish off a late comeback.
In a game that featured 13 lead changes, the Lions trailed by as many as 10 in the fourth quarter before taking a 74-73 lead with 18 seconds left on Carley Turnbull’s old-fashioned 3-point play on a layup and free throw.
But UCO’s Jaci Littell sank a pair of free throws with eight seconds left, and MSSU’s last-second 3-pointer was off the mark.
Turnbull led Southern with 15 points, while Kaitlin Hunnicutt added 14 points. Madi Stokes contributed 11 rebounds and six points, while Megan Jackson added 11 points.
Southern made 27-of-58 field goal attempts (46.6 percent), including 9-of-23 from beyond the arc (39 percent).
Kelsey Johnson poured in 30 points on 13-of-19 shooting and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead UCO. The Bronchos made 49 percent of their field goal attempts (24-of-49), but hit just 5-of-15 3-pointers.
The Lions led 21-18 at the end of the back and forth first quarter and 34-31 at intermission. The Bronchos outscored the Lions 21-10 in the third quarter to take a 52-44 advantage.
The hosts led 65-55, but the visitors used a 13-4 run, which featured a pair of treys from Hunnicutt, to briefly pull ahead. Southern erupted for 30 points in the final frame, but it wasn’t enough.
The Lions (0-1) head to Newman on Saturday, with tip-off slated for 1:30.
A spot in the Class 5 semifinals will be up for grabs when Webb City (10-1) hosts Lebanon (7-3) on Friday at Cardinal Stadium.
Kickoff for the quarterfinal clash is set for 7 p.m.
“It’s great to be at home,” Webb City coach John Roderique said. “And it’s just great to be playing. The district championship is behind us, and now there’s only eight teams left. We want to play well, take care of the ball, be physical and give ourselves a chance to play another game.”
The Webb City-Lebanon winner will meet either Grain Valley or Platte County in the semifinals on Nov. 28.
Webb City advanced to the quarterfinals with last Friday’s 42-21 win over Carthage in the District 6 championship game. The Cardinals led 35-7 entering the fourth quarter.
“To do that against a great team was truly awesome,” Webb City senior safety Treghan Parker said. “We’re ready for this week. We have to keep pushing. We played amazing last week, but we know we can play better.”
Last year’s Class 4 state champions have now won 10 straight games.
Lebanon advanced with a dominant 52-18 win over Glendale in the District 5 championship game. It’s the third district crown in four years for the Yellowjackets.
Lebanon, averaging 39 points per game, will utilize a flexbone offense.
“They’re patient and very disciplined,” Roderique said. “They want to get off the ball. They’re happy to get four yards on every play. They’ve got some speed. They can get the ball to the edge.
“They really try to control the game,” Roderique added. “They pound the fullback a lot. They’ll use a lot of fullback run, quarterback pull and they’ll pitch it. They can lull you to sleep and then pull off a pass play. You have to be disciplined on defense. You also have to be very physical at the line of scrimmage. If you’re not, it could be a long night.”
The Yellowjackets rushed for 354 yards last Friday. Senior Drew McBride scored four touchdowns and ran for 192 yards. Other running threats include Antonio Rodgers and Isaac Ledbetter.
Lebanon’s defense is allowing 28 points per game.
“Defensively, they’ll give us some different looks and that can be a challenge,” Roderique said. “They’ll blitz enough to keep you honest. They could blitz on every down. That’s something we’ll have to be ready for on Friday night.”
Lebanon defeated Willard 47-14 in the district semifinals. Willard is one of two common opponents. Of course, Webb City handled Willard 55-0. The other common foe is Kickapoo. The Chiefs beat the Yellowjackets 30-26, while Webb City handled Kickapoo 38-10. Lebanon’s other losses are to Bolivar (20-7) and West Plains (63-14).
Webb City is scoring 41.5 points per game and allowing 14.7. The Cardinals are averaging 296 rushing yards and 65 passing yards per game.
Senior standout Devrin Weathers has compiled 1,478 rushing yards and 24 total touchdowns. Senior quarterback Cole Gayman has rushed for 561 yards and also passed for 731 yards. Junior Dupree Jackson has rushed for 669 yards. Webb City’s leading receivers are Cohl Vaden (216 yards), Gary Clinton (213 yards) and Mekhi Garrard (166 yards).
Defensive leaders for the Cardinals are Parker (87 tackles, three interceptions), Matt McDaniel (74 tackles, four sacks), Brayden Hollingsworth (59 tackles, three sacks) and Jaystin Smith (55 tackles).
Since a Week 1 setback, Webb City has outscored its competition 417-173.
IT’S BEEN AWHILE
These two programs haven’t met since 1999, when the Cardinals defeated the Yellowjackets 45-22 in a Week 5 non-conference clash.
The schools met in every season from 1992-99, with the Cardinals winning every matchup. With that, Webb City has won eight straight against Lebanon. The Yellowjackets last defeated the Cardinals in 1980 (12-6).
During the summer of 2015, 12-year-olds Treghan Parker, Cole Gayman and Matt Woodmansee embarked on a baseball journey of a lifetime.
The three friends were key performers as Webb City’s youth baseball team advanced all the way to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.
“That was probably the top moment of my life,” Gayman said. “Being one of the few kids that gets to go to that was really great.”
“It was definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Woodmansee added. “It was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done.”
It was August of 2015 when Webb City’s little leaguers represented not only the state of Missouri, but also the entire Midwest.
Webb City, coached by Eric Parker, Jason Woodmansee and Tyler Burgess, played in front of 30,000 fans and took the field in front of a national television audience on ESPN.
Webb City dropped its first two games, but defeated Canada to end the event on a positive note. The team, which received the Little League World Series’ sportsmanship award, was welcomed home with a large rally in celebration of their accomplishment.
“It was remarkable and it’s something we’ll always remember,” Treghan Parker said of the whole Little League World Series experience. “Very few kids get to do that, so we feel very fortunate we were able to do that. It was something we’d always hoped to do. When it became a reality, it was just unreal. We made so many memories.”
The three longtime teammates made another memory together on Wednesday at Webb City High School, as the trio made their respective college decisions official with a signing ceremony in front of friends, family and coaches, ensuring their baseball journeys continue.
Now seniors at Webb City, Parker and Gayman signed letters of intent to continue their baseball careers at Missouri Southern, while classmate Woodmansee put pen to paper to play for Labette Community College in Parsons, Kansas.
“These guys have played hundreds of baseball games together and I think it’s a great opportunity for all three of them,” Webb City coach Flave Darnell said. “And I think it’s a great fit for all three of them. Those three guys have been awesome to coach. I want to see them succeed wherever they go. It’s just great to see them get the chance to play at the next level.”
Parker and Gayman have been teammates for as long as they can remember. Now, they’ll be teammates for at least four more years.
“We’ve always been teammates, so it’s going to be great,” Gayman said. “We have that chemistry on the diamond together. It’s going to be fun being teammates in college. We’re going to make our senior season the best one possible, and then hopefully we’ll make the next four years even better.”
Parker noted he and Gayman have been buddies since they were six-years-old.
“We’ve grown up together and we’ve always had a great bond,” Parker said. “We’ve been best friends. So getting to play college baseball together is something we’re looking forward to. It was something we always talked about. We’re looking to do big things there.”
The 5-11, 180-pound Parker is an infielder projected to play second base at the next level, while the 5-11, 185-pound Gayman is a hard-throwing right-handed pitcher. The two will conclude their prep baseball careers this spring for Flave Darnell. They’ll play at MSSU for Bryce Darnell.
“I loved everything about Missouri Southern,” Gayman said. “I really liked the coaches, I like the campus and I’ve always wanted to go to Southern. Growing up, I’ve always wanted to play college baseball. I’ve always wanted to play as long as I could.”
“I went on a visit and I loved the atmosphere there,” Parker said. “Cole texted me after his visit and said he was ready to play there. I was thrilled. I was ready too. It was a done deal after my visit. It’s relieving to sign and know where I’m going to be next year.”
“I’ve always known they have a great program,” Parker added. “I’m appreciative and honored that I can go and play at the next level. It’s been my dream to play college baseball, so I’m excited.”
Parker was a first-team all-Central Ozark Conference performer in 2019 after hitting .420, while Gayman earned second-team all-conference honors as a sophomore after going 7-2 with a 2.33 ERA on the mound.
A 5-10, 170-pound outfielder who will look to play a key role as a senior, Woodmansee said Labette Community College offered everything he was looking for.
“I really liked the environment there and I think it fit me the best,” Woodmansee said, noting he’d also considered College of the Ozarks. “I just think Labette was the best fit for me. It felt great to sign. It feels like my hard work paid off.”
Of course, there was no high school baseball season last spring. With that, this year’s seniors are holding out hope they get a baseball season in 2021.
“We were ready to do big things last year, so for it to be taken away from us was devastating,” Parker said. “This year, we’re going to work harder than ever.”
Doing big things is nothing new for the trio. It’s safe to say the summer of 2015 has forever linked the baseball players of Webb City’s Class of 2021.
And when their senior season arrives, the longtime teammates will have the chance to produce many more memorable moments together.
“I can’t wait,” Gayman said. “It’s going to be fun.”
Matt Woodmansee, Treghan Parker and Cole Gayman are pictured with their family members at Wednesday’s signing ceremony at Webb City High School.
Webb City baseball players Matt Woodmansee, Treghan Parker and Cole Gayman are pictured with their coaches.
With four starters coming back for Carthage coach Scott Moore’s second season, he is expecting that experience to be the driving force behind the Tigers taking the next step as a program.
“We return two of our top scorers, and our starting lineup will have four seniors and a sophomore point guard who started for us all of last season,” Moore said. “It’s nice to have that continuity. … It is a sense of security, but we also have four seniors in the starting lineup, so there is the challenge of making the last go-round the best go-round.”
Heading into year two at the helm, Moore is excited for the potential of success in 2020 after what he saw from his team a year ago when Carthage finished with a 12-14 record. He feels his lineup has the experience and correct mentality for taking that next step.
“I think, especially with this returning group, basketball is a lot more of a priority,” Moore said. “That’s no offense to the seniors who graduated because they went off to play other sports in college, and that’s great. Now, we are starting to hit a niche where basketball is more important to the girls. There is a little more devotion and offseason work.”
Carthage is led by returning senior starters Katie Crowe, Lauren Wilson and Hailey Fullerton (11.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 1.4 blocks and 1.2 assists per contest last season), as well as sophomore point guard Kianna Yates (10.7 points, 5 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 2.6 steals). Senior Brinna Ream figures to fill out the starting five.
“They have done a good job of setting the pace as the official leaders of the team,” Moore said. “I feel our shooting is going to be better, our scoring is going to be better. That was a focus this offseason.
“Hopefully, that will trigger our defense. … For us, our offense seems to give us energy, so if we get buckets, we can get into our pressing action. That’s where our energy is. If you don’t score, you can’t press, and they like pressing.”
What exactly is taking the next step for the Tigers? Aside from finishing with an above .500 record, Carthage has a goal of flipping the 2-7 Central Ozark Conference record from last season to earn a finish in the top half of the conference. Considering how many close games the Tigers were on the wrong side of a year ago, their aspirations are very possible.
“We talked about it in the preseason, and I think we should be finishing in the top half of the conference,” Moore said. “That is where Carthage needs to take the next step, and this group needs to do that. … With this group being mature and being experienced coming in, we should be able to take that next step into the top half of the conference.”
The Carthage girls open the season at Hillcrest at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 24.
Even though the weather still says fall, the winter sports season officially started on Tuesday when McAuley Catholic girls basketball hosted Carthage, College Heights Christian and Miller in a four-team jamboree.
“It’s very exciting,” McAuley coach Mike Howard said. “When I first scheduled this, I thought we needed to bring some good teams here so we could get the girls used to playing the good teams. It turned out, we have three district champions and a very good Class 5 school in Carthage. The competition level is very high here. Everyone is super excited about playing today.”
WARRIORS RETURN SOLID CORE FOR UPCOMING CAMPAIGN
After finishing with 21 wins in 2018 and 20 wins in 2019, McAuley Catholic is looking to make it three seasons in a row with 20 or more victories. While it won’t be an easy task, the Warriors have several key returning pieces to lead the team this season.
“It is going to take a lot of hard work and effort,” Howard said. “We have a good core coming back. We return three starters. … We are going to need a lot of our younger kids to mature and step up to fill those minutes. I think we will have growing pains early. As long as we work hard and stick together, I think we will be fine down the stretch.
“The beginning of our schedule is pretty difficult. We play tough teams at the start so our kids can get used to the speed of the high school game. Taking our bumps and bruises and learning from our mistakes early is going to be important for our success later.”
The Warriors return junior starters Kennedy DeRuy and Kayleigh Teeter as well as senior Gliza Damaso.
“They are going to mean everything,” Howard said. “Those three are who is going to keep this thing going. Kayleigh and Kennedy are my top two returning scorers, and Gliza is our senior leader who has a great defensive presence. Those three are really going to have to step up for us this year, and they will be a big factor in the success we have this year.”
Sophomore Lily Black and junior Abbey Cahalan figure to fill out the starting five. As far as coming off the bench, the Warriors lack experience in their rotational players.
“Depth is going to be a weakness this year,” Howard said. “We have some younger players who will grow and develop the more time they get on the court.”
Those younger players coming off the bench include freshmen Kloee Williamson and Avery Gardner, and sophomore Aaliyah Perez. Of course, with so many younger players stepping into larger roles this season, the leadership and guidance from DeRuy, Teeter and Damaso will be crucial.
“From the first day of practice, they have stepped up and been leaders on and off the court,” Howard said. “They are great people and great human beings. They have stepped up and will help out the younger kids.”
McAuley opens the season as hosts to Liberal on Nov. 24.
With four returning starters and seven players with prior varsity experience, the Webb City girls basketball team will put an experienced group on the court this winter.
And with that experience comes heightened expectations.
“We have a good core back and we’re excited about the upcoming season,” Webb City coach Lance Robbins said. “The group back has played a lot of varsity minutes for us over the last three years. We feel like if we can keep everybody healthy and work hard in practice to get better, we can be a pretty good basketball team.”
Senior guard Jaydee Duda returns after earning all-conference and all-district honors last season. Duda averaged 14 points and four steals per game last winter.
The 5-foot-8 Duda had a lot of good moments during Tuesday’s jamboree that also featured Carl Junction, Mount Vernon and Walnut Grove.
“Jaydee worked hard in the offseason,” Robbins said. “I think she can be real effective from the shooting guard spot. She showed tonight that she can run the point guard spot as well. She shot the ball pretty well tonight. And she did a good job of getting to the basket and creating for others. I think she can have a really good senior season.”
Webb City’s Jaydee Duda puts up a shot in the lane against Carl Junction on Tuesday during the jamboree inside the Cardinal Dome.
Senior point guard Sierra Kimbrough (5-5) earned all-district honors last year after averaging eight points, three assists and three steals per game, while senior shooting guard Raven Vaughn (5-9) averaged seven points and five rebounds a game last year.
Kimbrough and Vaughn are both threats from beyond the 3-point arc and will look to provide senior leadership.
Kenzie Robbins, a 5-10 junior, returns after averaging six points and five rebounds a game last year. Robbins, who is coming off a knee injury, can provide an inside presence.
Also back is Peyton Hawkins, 5-7 junior guard who averaged four points and three boards a game last year.
“All of those girls played a lot of quality minutes for us last year and we look for them to do a lot of good things,” Robbins said. “And Peyton’s one of those players who will always do the little things for us.”
Another player Coach Robbins expects to contribute nicely is 5-11 junior forward Josie Spikereit, who sat out last season due to an injury.
“It’s nice to have Josie back,” Robbins said. “She missed quite a bit of her freshman year and then all of last year. She’s worked extremely hard to get herself back into playing shape. I thought she had a good night tonight. She did a lot of good things. She was a physical presence inside.”
Other juniors on the roster are Austyn Mickey and Ripley Shanks. Sophomores on the roster are Izzy Lopez, Kate Brownfield and Kylie Jennings.
In 2019-20, Webb City won 13 games and ended the season in a district championship game for the second straight season. This year, the Cardinals will look to go a step further.
Robbins, who is assisted by Bre Faircloth, Kathy Harris, Morgan Brodie and Morgan Brightwell, said there’s a lot to like about this year’s group.
“I think we can be a very good defensive team,” Robbins said. “I think we can be an effective and efficient offensive team if we continue to move the ball like we did at times tonight.”
Webb City will begin the season on Dec. 3 at the Carthage Invitational. And with the pandemic in mind, Robbins noted he’s more than pleased the season is set to begin.
“I’m looking forward to seeing the kids get the opportunity to get out there and do something they love,” he said. “It’s a blessing to be able to be out there on the court.”
Webb City coach Lance Robbins talks to his during Tuesday’s jamboree at the Cardinal Dome.
The Carl Junction girls basketball team definitely had a new look when it took the court for Tuesday night’s jamboree at Webb City High School.
Hit hard by graduation following a historic and memorable 2019-20 campaign, the Bulldogs have just one returning starter for the 2020-21 season.
“With just one starter back we obviously look a lot different and so our approach is that we have to continue to make progress,” Carl Junction coach Brad Shorter said. “We’re going to start one senior and the rest are underclassmen. That could be tough to start with, but our kids will work hard and get better. They know the tradition we have in place.”
The Bulldogs captured a Central Ozark Conference championship and finished 28-0 last year. Carl Junction had advanced to the Class 4 semifinals when the season ended in heartbreaking fashion, as the state basketball tournaments were canceled due to concerns over the spread of the coronavirus.
Last year’s senior class played a part in four district championships and three Final Four berths.
With that, the Bulldogs must overcome the loss of a stellar senior class that was led by Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year Katie Scott, who has taken her talents to Grand Canyon University. In all, Carl Junction lost four starters—Scott, Dani Wrensch, Shila Winder and Taylor Hughes.
“They had talent, experience, heart and dedication,” Shorter said of last year’s seniors.
Carl Junction’s lone returning starter is 5-foot-6 sophomore point guard Destiny Buerge. As a freshman, Buerge averaged 11 points, 3.5 rebounds and three steals a game, earning honorable mention all-COC honors for her efforts.
Carl Junction’s Destiny Buerge looks to score in the lane against Webb City’s Izzy Lopez during Tuesday’s jamboree at the Cardinal Dome. Photo by Jason Peake.
Shorter expects Buerge to lead the way this winter.
“She has improved,” Shorter said. “She had a real good summer, with us and with her AAU team.”
Junior guard Jessa Hylton also returns with plenty of varsity experience. Hylton, who is coming off a stellar volleyball season, averaged 6.5 points and two steals last season. Carl Junction’s lone senior is Hannah Lee, a 6-foot post player.
Shorter expects Hylton and Lee to take on key roles this winter.
“The biggest thing early is getting our underclassmen like Destiny and Jessa to start leading,” Shorter said. “They need to help Hannah with that.”
Also back with prior varsity experience are junior guard Ellie Lawson and sophomore guard Hali Shorter.
Sophomore Allie Wrestler and freshmen Kylie Scott, Anna Burch and Hailey Merwin round out the roster. The 6-1 Scott is the younger sister of Katie and Megan Scott. Kylie Scott and Burch both saw significant playing time on Tuesday night.
Shorter noted he saw a lot of good things from his team during Tuesday’s scrimmages against Webb City, Mount Vernon and Walnut Grove.
“This was a good litmus test for us,” Shorter said. “It lets us see where we’re at and what we need to work on. We have a lot of work to do. But this is a new group and I think, if they stick with it, they can be pretty good.”
Shorter is assisted by Cory Kerbs, Mikaela Burgess, Nate Loewen and Karen Lee.
The Bulldogs will host the annual Carl Junction Classic beginning on Nov. 30.
Carl Junction coach Brad Shorter talks to his Bulldogs before a scrimmage against Webb City on Tuesday night.
The 2020 All-Central Ozark Conference soccer team has been released. The entire team is listed below.
ALL-COC SOCCER First Team
Branson: Carlton Epps, Brayan Barboza
Carthage: Angel Ordonez, Adrian Garrido, George Laytham
Joplin: Josh Yarnall
Neosho: Alberto Robledo, Kayden Wood, Diego Vargas, Eder Aguirre
Nixa: Carson Palmer, Nick Reid
Ozark: Dillon Holesapple, Jose Ortega
Republic: Kalem Murray
Webb City: Ignatius Mathenge
Willard: Shea Spirk, Joseph Lupescu
Second Team
Branson: Diego Paz
Carl Junction: Jose Figueroa
Carthage: Marco Valdez, Jesus Alvarado
Joplin: Andrew Taylor
Neosho: Carlos Estrada, Tre Darcy, Cesar Piedrasanta
Nixa: Bryce Richmond, Andrew Butler
Ozark: Riley Shelton, Micah Lepant
Republic: Drake Lightfoot
Webb City: Tristan Barroeta
Willard: Will Johnson, Caleb Kuchta
Honorable Mention
Branson: Alex Brenner
Carthage: Walter Mejia
Neosho: Juan Perez
Ozark: Trevor Carlton
Willard: Jessee Owens
Final COC standings for 2020
Neosho 9-0
Carthage 7-2
Ozark 6-3
Willard 6-3
Nixa 6-3
Branson 5-4
Republic 3-6
Webb City 2-7
Joplin 1-8
Carl Junction 0-9
Missouri Southern has announced its attendance plan for December’s home basketball games.
For the first two home games, scheduled for Dec. 3 and Dec. 5, only family members of the MSSU men’s and women’s basketball teams will be allowed to attend.
For the games scheduled for Dec. 17 and Dec. 19, Lionbacker season-ticket holders will also be allowed to attend the games.
For those season-ticket holders who choose to attend, social distancing is encouraged, masks will be required to enter the facility and must be worn at all times and temperature checks will take place when entering the arena.
There will be no single-game tickets sold for any of the December dates and there will be no visiting fans permitted. These games will also be contested without cheer, dance and band members present.
According to the MSSU press release, the school will re-evaluate their policy on basketball attendance in January.
NACOGDOCHES, Texas — Stephen F. Austin State football scored the game’s final 16 points to break open a three-point margin on the way to a 26-7 victory over Pittsburg State on Saturday at Homer Bryce Stadium.
The NCAA FCS-member Lumberjacks improved to 6-3 with the victory, while the Gorillas slipped to 1-2 on their abbreviated 2020 season.
SFA built a 10-0 first quarter lead after driving the ball 60 yards in 15 plays to open the game before settling for a 32-yard field goal from kicker Chris Campos. Quarterback Trae Self added a 2-yard touchdown run with six seconds remaining in the initial period, after the Lumberjacks twice converted on fourth down plays to extend the drive.
Pittsburg State struck back with an eight-play, 91-yard drive of its own. Quarterback Mak Sexton connected with wide receiver Christian Carter for a 43-yard touchdown to trim the margin to 10-7 with 11:31 remaining in the second quarter.
The Lumberjacks closed out the first half scoring with a 41-yard field goal from Campos. The Gorillas had a chance to trim the margin with 1:15 to play in the half, but Jaden Snyder’s 45-yard field goal attempt hit the crossbar.
SFA gained separation early in the third period after a Pittsburg State fumble on the first play of the third quarter gave the Lumberjacks the ball at the Gorillas’ 35-yard line. Three plays later, Self tossed a 23-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Xavier Gipson to extend their margin to 20-7.
The Lumberjacks closed out the scoring with 10-play, 76-yard drive that was culminated by Self firing a 17-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Remi Simmons with 13:50 remaining in the game.
Sexton finished the game completing 21-of-34 passes for 199 yards. Wide receiver Jalen Martin caught seven passes for a game-high 118 yards. Running back Tyler Adkins carried the ball 11 times for 74 yards. The Gorillas finished the game with 346 yards of total offense.
SFA forced three turnovers in the contest and held Pittsburg State on downs four times in the contest, including three times inside the Lumberjacks’ 30-yard line.
Linebacker Morgan Selemaea made a team leading eight tackles to lead the Pittsburg State defense.
The Gorillas will close out their 2020 season next Saturday (Nov. 21) when they travel to Canyon, Texas, to face NCAA Division II member West Texas A&M University.
The Missouri High School Volleyball Coaches Association has released its all-state teams for 2020 and a number of Joplin-area players were recognized.
Carl Junction’s Salma Lewis, Jessa Hylton and Logan Jones, Webb City’s Maddy Peeples and Sage Crane and McDonald County’s Kaycee Factor were recognized on the Class 4 all-state team.
Cassville’s Sharayah Seymour and Mount Vernon’s Lacy Stokes and Solai Pham were selected to the Class 3 team.
Miller’s Claudia Hadlock, Kaylee Helton and Alli Mitchell were recognized in Class 2.
In Class 1, College Heights Christian’s Lainey Lett and Liberal’s Gracie Bott were selected.
