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Month: March 2021

COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL: Brehm, Mader finish with double-doubles in Southern’s loss to UCO

Posted on by Lucas Davis

EDMOND, Okla. — The Missouri Southern volleyball team got a double-double from both Janelle Brehm and Sophie Mader, but the Lions fell three sets to none tonight at Central Oklahoma.

Individual set scores were 13-25, 21-25 and 15-25.

Brehm posted a double-double with 11 kills and 13 digs, while Mader dished out 25 assists and had 10 digs for her double-double. Abbie Casper had 13 digs, while Kylah Carter had seven kills.

UCO was led by setter Amanda Desch who had 10 kills, 32 assists and 20 digs.

The Lions will be back in action tomorrow with a 2 pm first-serve at Newman.

COLLEGE TRACK & FIELD: Lions have strong showing on second day of national championships

Posted on by Lucas Davis

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Missouri Southern track and field program picked up a pair of All-American performances and sent multiple athletes onto the finals in running events as the Lions competed in day two of the 2021 NCAA Division II Indoor Track and Field Championships.

Ryan Riddle started off the day by recording the fastest qualifying time in the mile, clocking in at 4:05.64. Riddle will race in the finals of the event tomorrow.

Riddle, Gidieon Kimutai, Gabe McCain and Brieon Randle nearly picked up a National Championship in the distance medley relay as there was just two tenths of a second separating first and third place in the event. The Lions finished third with a new school record of 9:46.89 as each runner earned All-American honors.

The Lions sent all three runners in the 60m hurdles onto the finals as Claire Luallen, Cornesia Calhoun-Whtie and Precious Olatunji each qualified for tomorrow’s finals. Calhoun-White put forward the fastest time of the trio, crossing the line in a time of 8.66.

Luallen picked up her second All-American honor of the meet and third of her career when she finished seventh in the long jump. Bringing added difficulty to the event, Luallen had to pause her jumping to qualify for the finals in the hurdles, missing a pair of jumps in the process. In her final jump of the series, Luallen hit a mark of 5.81m (19-00.75) to secure the All-American finish.

In the final event of the night for the Lions, Chardae Overstreet qualified for the finals of the 400m and will race tomorrow afternoon in the event’s finals.

Through seven of 17 events, the Southern men are in eighth place with ten points, while the women sit in 22nd place with four points.

It will be a busy day for the Lions tomorrow. Dean Howard will start things off with the men’s pole vault at 12:30 pm, while Adrain Broadus competes in the men’s triple jump at 1 pm. Riddle will race in the finals of the men’s mile at 2 pm, while Overstreet races in the finals of the 400m at 6:20 pm. The trio of Luallen, Calhoun-White and Olatunji race in the finals of the 60m hurdles at 6:30 pm.

COLLEGE BASEBALL: No. 4 Lions fall at Missouri Western

Posted on by Lucas Davis

ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — The fourth-ranked Missouri Southern baseball team dropped the finale of a three-game set today at Missouri Western by the score of 3-0.

The Lions (13-2, 7-2 MIAA) were on the short side of a pitcher’s duel today as the Southern bats were limited to just three hits. Tommy Stevenson, Matt Miller and Joe Kinder had a hit each for the Lions.

Will Bausinger started and went six innings, striking out five and allowing just two unearned runs on five hits. Cole Woods threw the final two innings.

Western (3-11, 2-7 MIAA) got a strong outing from Jared Wells as he went six and a third and struck out seven batters.

The Griffons put across two unearned runs in the seventh inning and added an insurance run in the eighth.

The Lions will be back in action next weekend as Southern returns home to play host to Central Oklahoma in a three-game set at Warren Turner Field. The teams will play a single game on Friday at 3 pm with a double-header on Saturday at 1 pm.

COLLEGE TRACK & FIELD: Pittsburg State men win two individual national championships

Posted on by Lucas Davis

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. — The Pittsburg State men’s indoor track & field team witnessed a pair of individual event national championships Friday and the Gorillas exited Day 2 action of the 2021 NCAA Division II Indoor National Championships in second place.

The Gorillas scored 23 points Friday to shoot into second place in the team standings behind only day two leader Grand Valley State University. The Lakers head to Saturday’s final day action with 29 points.

Junior Trey Mooney started the day with a national championship performance in the heptathlon. The Lamar, Mo., native capped off the final three disciplines in the multi events in strong form and compiled a personal best and new school record 5,567 points. Redshirt freshman Hunter Jones also garnered All-America honors in the heptathlon with his sixth-place finish. Jones also earned a PR and posted the fifth best mark in school history with 5,115 points.

The distance medley relay of Connar Southard, Graham Hudelson, Matt Wilson and Mason Strader also claimed a dramatic national championship by edging second place GVSU by .01 second. Strader broke the finish line in 9:46.68 to edge the Lakers’ Caleb Futter by a fraction of a second. The DMR also broke its own two-week-old school record time in the race.

In other action men’s Friday, Strader qualified to the finals of the mile run with his semifinal time of 4:06.95. Junior Konner Swenson also placed 10th overall in the shot put with a best mark of 55-8.25.

In the women’s action, senior Asia Anderson finished ninth in the women’s long jump (18-11.75). Senior Haven Lander earned All-America honors with a seventh-place finish in the pole vault. Lander and five others all cleared 13-3.5, but the Republic, Mo., native finished seventh based upon misses.

Juniors London Futch and Christine Williams both qualified to sprint finals Friday. Futch posted the second-fastest time in the 400 meters (55.57), while Williams qualified seventh in the 200 meters (24.76).

The Pitt State women exited day two action in a tie for ninth place in the team standings with 10 points. GVSU leads the women’s field with 34 points.

BOYS HOOPS: Patriots’ historical season comes to a close in Class 4 quarterfinals

Posted on by Lucas Davis

GRANBY, Mo. — Sadly, all good things must come to an end, as East Newton boys basketball found out on Friday.

The Patriots’ memorable season drew to a close after falling to Blair Oaks 44-40 in the Class 4 quarterfinal round.

East Newton and Blair Oaks took a 34-34 tie into the fourth quarter when the Falcons gained the early edge with the first two baskets before the Patriots answered with four straight points to keep things tied midway through the period. 

Blair Oak’s Jake Closser knocked down a corner 3-pointer to break the tie with less than three minutes to play before East Newton’s Gabe Bergen found room inside for a score to cut the lead to 41-40 with two minutes to play.

Quinn Kusgen converted both free throws for the Falcons with 54.8 seconds left to push the lead to 43-40. The Patriots missed a 3-point attempt at the other end, but Blair Oaks missed the front end of a one-and-one trip to the line after the ensuing foul to keep the deficit at 3.

East Newton was unable to convert on the offensive end in the waning seconds and were forced to foul Closser with two seconds left. Closser made his first free throw to put the game out of reach while sending his team to the semifinal round for the second straight season.

“I thought we played with a lot of heart and a lot of guts,” East Newton coach Kyle Fields said. “We played fearless against (a team with a kid who is) 6-9, and I thought we played extremely tough, especially in the first half. You have to make shots late. I thought we had some live-ball turnovers that really hurt us and gave them some chances for baskets. But, I am proud of them.”

A SEASON TO REMEMBER

East Newton ends the season with a 26-3 record, making the school’s first ever appearance in the Class 4 quarterfinal round.

“It’s special,” Fields said when asked his thoughts on the season his team put together. “This is a special group of kids. They’re extremely intelligent, they love one another and they love to come to practice everyday to work. We had our 70th practice the other day and they’re not tired of it. It’s been a lot of fun. The wins are icing. They are the results of all of that.”

East Newton’s Lucas Kimbrough raises up for a jumper during the Patriots’ Class 4 quarterfinal game against Blair Oaks on Friday. Photo by Jessica Greninger.

SAYING GOODBYE

The Patriots graduate seniors Kyson Lahman, Tanner Youngblood, Connor Killion and Lucas Kimbrough.

“They’ve been playing this game together for a long time and it shows on the court,” Fields said of his graduating class. “The nuances and details of the game are what they’re really good at. That is really hard to teach. That speaks a lot to them and their work, and I think that’s why we’ve had the success we’ve had.”

HOW THEY GOT THERE

East Newton got the raucous, standing-room home crowd involved early after Kimbrough scored in the opening seconds on a runout following the tip from Killion. After an empty possession by Blair Oaks, the Patriots went up 5-0 off a 3-pointer in the corner by Lahman, forcing the Falcons to call the game’s first timeout inside the first minute of play.

“It was great execution against 6-9 on the tip by Killion,” Fields said when talking about his team’s start to the game that ignited the crowd. “What a controlled tip it was, and a good pass. Then, Lahman hitting that 3—it gave us the confidence that we can play, we belong and we can hit some shots tonight.”

The Patriots took that five-point cushion all the way through to the intermission, leading the Falcons 28-23 at the half. Blair Oaks trimmed the lead to one several times but never gained the advantage on the scoreboard through the first two quarters. East Newton’s biggest lead of the first half was eight points—when Killion buried a 3-ball from the wing to make the score 28-20 with 1:42 to play in the second period.

“Our defense is our constant,” Fields said about his team’s play in the first half. “That is our foundation and we lean on that just like we did against Ava. We just didn’t make enough shots late.”

The game’s only real momentum swing came to open the second half when Blair Oaks scored the first six points out of the gate to take its first lead of the game. After two free throws by the Falcons, 6-foot-9 forward Luke Northweather scored inside to trim the lead to one before Kusgen made a floater with 3:18 on the clock to put Blair Oaks up 29-28.

“I thought our offensive execution was really poor,” Fields said of the Patriots’ start to the second half. “We were trying to be patient and look for something we could take advantage of. We ended up turning it over and they got a runout and some easy baskets. It just wasn’t very good execution to start.”

East Newton’s Connor Killion defends Blair Oaks’ Luke Northweather in Class 4 quarterfinal action on Friday. Photo by Jessica Greninger.

Kelton Sorrell answered with a 3-pointer from the corner to give East Newton the lead back, 31-29, but Closser drained a triple on the next trip down the floor to regain the advantage for Blair Oaks with 2:15 left. Closser added a followup score on the drive to make the score 34-31.

Killion set up a thrilling fourth quarter after banking in a deep 3-pointer from just in front of the halfcourt line at the buzzer to end the third period with the game tied at 34-all.

“He’s been good for us all year,” Fields said of his senior. “He releases the ball so high being a 6-5 guard. He’s good in ball screens and we just tell him that it doesn’t matter where he’s at on the court, let it fly. He has great range and hit some big shots for us tonight.”

SCORING LEADERS

Killion led the way for East Newton with 15 points, including three 3-pointers. Sorrell added 10, while Bergen finished with eight.

Northweather led all scorers with 17 points, while Kusgen had 13. Closser also finished in double digits with 12. 

STATE BOYS HOOPS: Nevada’s stellar season ends with quarterfinal loss to Bolivar

Posted on by Jason Peake

BOLIVAR, Mo. — Shaun Gray wasn’t ready to say goodbye to his stellar senior class.

But on Friday night, the head coach of the Nevada Tigers had to give his final postgame speech of the season.

Nevada was unable to overcome its size disadvantage, as Bolivar rode its superior height inside to a 60-47 victory over the Tigers in a quarterfinal contest of the Missouri Class 5 state boys basketball tournament inside a packed Bolivar High School gymnasium. 

“The main message was to keep their heads up because they have nothing to hang their heads about,” Gray said of his postgame speech to the team in the locker room. “Disappointment is natural. Everybody is disappointed. But no one should have their head down. This should be a celebration of this group and this season. We should keep our heads up. These guys will have a special place in my heart forever.” 

The Tigers, who had a 15-game win streak snapped and were seeking the program’s first Final Four berth since 1991, end the season with a record of 22-6. 

Playing their final game in a Nevada uniform were seniors Logan Applegate, Logan McNeley, Lane McNeley and Ben Hines. 

“It’s going to be so weird going to practice without Logan Applegate, Logan and Lane McNeley and Ben Hines…even though he was only with us this year,” Gray said. “But we’ve got kids in second and third grade who have watched every game those guys have played. And someday when they’re in high school, and we talk about how those guys played, those kids will know who we’re talking about. Our seniors have left a true legacy in our program. They’re right up there with the ’91 team as the most-special group we’ve ever had at Nevada.” 

“I’ve got two young sons and if I want to show them film of how to play together and how to play hard, this will be the team that I show them as they grow up,” Gray added. 

Bolivar had a clear size advantage, with 6-foot-7 Luke Gabani, 6-6 Kyle Pock, 6-5 Josh Bowes and 6-5 Chase Kirby. Nevada’s tallest player is the 6-4 Hines. 

Up two at the break, the hosts pounded the ball inside and made 11 field goals in the second half, and none of them were from long range. When the Liberators weren’t scoring from in close, they were getting to the foul line. Bolivar made 16-of-21 free throws in the second half. 

“You can’t simulate that physicality and you can’t simulate that size, especially for four quarters,” Gray said. “Hats off to Bolivar. If you’re a second late rotating or a second late getting around (their post players), they make you pay for it. We forced them into some turnovers in the first half. They adjusted in the second half. They started throwing a skip pass over the top and then hit us inside on the back side and we were late rotating.” 

The Liberators (15-12) advanced to the semifinals, where they’ll face Lutheran South (16-11) at 1 on March 18 at JQH Arena in Springfield. 

 

NAMES & NUMBERS 

In his final outing for the Tigers, Applegate scored a game-high 27 points. He made three 3-pointers. 

“He played as hard as he could for all 32 minutes,” Gray said. “He left it all on the floor and we’d expect nothing else from him.” 

Hines added 10 points, while the McNeley twins chipped in five points apiece. 

The Tigers had an off-shooting night overall, as the visitors made just five treys and also missed a number of shots in the lane. 

“We didn’t have the shooting night that we’re accustomed to having…for all of our guys,” Gray said. “We did not shoot it as well as we are accustomed to. And we didn’t get some trips to the free throw line that we thought we should get, but you expect that when you go on the road. There’s a reason why Final Fours are so hard to get to.” 

Bolivar’s bigs had their way in the paint. 

A junior, Bowes scored 18 points, while sophomore Pock added 17 points. A junior, Gabani also reached double figures with 12 points, while classmate Kirby added nine.

 

GAME RECAP

The Liberators led 14-8 when Applegate’s trey cut Nevada’s deficit to three at the end of the first quarter.

The Tigers trailed by two when the visitors received hoops from Logan McNeley, Applegate and Hines to go up 20-16.

Bolivar closed out the first half with six straight on Pock’s hoop and free throw and Kirby’s 3-pointer. Those points gave the Liberators a 22-20 halftime advantage.

Applegate had 14 of Nevada’s 20 first-half points, while Pock had 11 of Bolivar’s 22. 

Bolivar’s Bowes scored 14 points in the third period, all in the paint, to give the Liberators a 38-31 lead entering the fourth quarter. The Tigers managed just four field goals in the third period. 

Bolivar continued to pound the ball inside in the fourth quarter, and the hosts were up 43-35 after a pair of buckets in the paint by Gabani. 

Applegate was fouled making a 3-pointer, and his free throw trimmed Nevada’s deficit to four with just over five minutes to play.

“We felt like we were right there when that happened,” Gray said. 

Bolivar’s lead was six with just over two minutes to play. The Tigers had a number of empty possessions and then had to begin fouling. 

The Liberators made 14-of-19 foul shots in the fourth quarter for the final margin. 

“We were able to bother them with pressure in the second quarter,” Gray said. “But they did a great job in the second half when we extended pressure. They were stronger with the ball. We couldn’t turn them over and we had to start fouling. They made their free throws. Hats off to them. They earned it.” 

GIRLS STATE HOOPS: Carl Junction, Mount Vernon set for quarterfinal contests

Posted on by Jason Peake

STATE QUARTERFINAL GLANCE

CLASS 5 GIRLS 

CARL JUNCTION AT WEST PLAINS

When: Saturday, 1 p.m.

Where: West Plains Civic Center

Records: Carl Junction 18-8, West Plains 26-3

Sectional results: Carl Junction def. McDonald County 58-32; West Plains def. Willard 47-27.

Moving on: Saturday’s winner will advance to the semifinals on March 18, where they’ll meet either Notre Dame (Cape Girardeau) or Union at 5 at JQH Arena in Springfield. 

Notes: West Plains is ranked second in Class 5 by the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association, while Carl Junction is receiving votes in the poll. West Plains’ losses are to Nixa, Rolla and Kickapoo. The Zizzers defeated Willard 47-27 to advance. Willard defeated Carl Junction 65-57 earlier this season. The Bulldogs beat the Zizzers 41-33 in last year’s Class 4 sectional round en route to their 28-0 season record. 

 

CLASS 4 GIRLS

MOUNT VERNON VS. BLAIR OAKS

When: Saturday, 1 p.m.

Where: Mount Vernon High School

Records: Blair Oaks 17-10, Mount Vernon 26-3

Sectional results: Blair Oaks def. Eldon 62-46; Mount Vernon def. Ava 53-49.

Moving on: Saturday’s winner advances to the Final Four, where they’ll take on either Central Park Hills or Vashon at 6 p.m. on March 19 at JQH Arena in Springfield. 

Notes: Mount Vernon is in this round for the first time since 2012. Ranked fifth, the Mountaineers are on a 13-game winning streak.  The Falcons have won 11 straight.

BOYS STATE HOOPS: East Newton, Nevada set for quarterfinal clashes

Posted on by Jason Peake

STATE QUARTERFINAL GLANCE

CLASS 4 BOYS

EAST NEWTON VS. BLAIR OAKS

When: Friday, 6 p.m.

Where: East Newton High School, Granby

Records: Blair Oaks 23-4, East Newton 26-2

Sectional results: Blair Oaks def. Buffalo 69-46; East Newton def. Ava 36-34.

Moving on: The winner advances to the semifinals on March 19, where they’ll meet either Central (New Madrid County) or Vashon at 10 a.m. at JQH Arena in Springfield.

NOTES: East Newton is looking for its first-ever trip to the Final Four. Blair Oaks advanced to the semifinals a year ago. The Patriots are ranked fourth by the MBCA, while Blair Oaks is ranked sixth. 

 

CLASS 5 BOYS

NEVADA AT BOLIVAR

When: Friday, 6 p.m.

Where: Bolivar High School

Records: Nevada 22-5, Bolivar 14-12

Sectional results: Nevada def. Rogersville 51-46; Bolivar def. Rolla 51-45.

Moving on: The winner will advance to the semifinals, where they’ll face either North County or Lutheran South at 1 on March 18 at JQH Arena in Springfield. 

NOTES: Winners of 15 straight games, Nevada owns wins over two teams that defeated Bolivar during the regular season, Logan-Rogersville and Springfield Catholic. The Liberators avenged their loss to Catholic in the district title game, winning 65-63 in 2OT. The Tigers are seeking their first semifinal berth since 1991. 

 

STATE WRESTLING: Seneca’s Roark, Cassville’s Coenen, Monett duo earn state titles

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. — Seneca’s Brady Roark, Cassville’s Zach Coenen and Monett’s duo of Elias Barrientos and Ethan Umfleet all became state champions on Thursday night at the MSHSAA Class 2 Wrestling Championships at Cable Dahmer Arena. 

Seneca’s Roark won by fall in 30 seconds over Monett’s Simon Hartline in the first-place match at 106 pounds. Roark ends the season with a record of 43-1.

Coenen was the champ at 220 pounds. In the title match, Coenen edged Moberly’s Jarrett Kinder 2-1. 

Monett’s Barrientos earned a 6-2 decision over Pleasant Hill’s Ryan Volland in the title match at 152. Barrientos completed an undefeated season at 21-0. 

Competing at 182 pounds, Umfleet won his title match 8-2 over St. Joseph Lafayette’s Jay Greiner. 

Seneca’s Gabriel Commons and Zane Cotten both finished second in their brackets. Commons was the runner-up at 170 after falling to Odessa’s Bryce Palmer 5-2 in the title bout. St. Charles’ Trey Ward won by fall over Cotten in the 195-pound final. 

Seneca’s Kendon Pollard (126) and Andrew Manley (132) both placed fifth. 

Monett’s Hartline took second at 106 and teammate Harrison Merriman finished third at 285. 

Pleasant Hill was the team champion with 137 points. Seneca and Monett tied for second place in the final team standings with 100 points apiece. 

 

DIAMOND PAIR MEDAL IN CLASS 1

The Class 1 meet was held Wednesday.

At 182 pounds, Diamond’s Landon Clement won the third-place match 3-2 over Christopher Bryant of the Missouri Military Academy.

Diamond’s Tyler May suffered a loss by fall to Trenton’s Caleb Johnson in the third-place match at 220. 

 

CASSVILLE’S MOORE WINS TITLE

Cassville’s Annie Moore captured a state championship at 112 pounds on Tuesday at the MSHSAA Girls Wrestling Championships.

A sophomore, Moore won by fall over Staley’s Chloe Sheckells in the title bout. 

Monett’s Abigail Jastal finished fourth at 107. She dropped the third-place match to Liberty’s Jaden Breeden by a 9-1 decision. 

Seneca’s Isabella Renfro placed sixth at 174 pounds. In the fifth-place match, Brookfield’s Zoey Chrisman earned a 6-3 decision over Renfro. 

 

WRESTLING: Joplin duo set for state tourney experience

Posted on by Jason Peake

When it comes to their high school wrestling careers, Josiah Vaughn and Sam Melton are at the opposite ends of the spectrum. 

A senior, Vaughn is set to conclude his prep career alongside the state’s best. 

Just a freshman, Melton is just getting started. 

Vaughn and Melton will represent Joplin High School at the MSHSAA Class 4 Boys Wrestling Championships on Saturday at Cable Dahmer Arena in Independence.

The JHS duo earned state berths by finishing in the top three of their respective brackets at the sectional event on Feb. 28 in Ozark. 

Competing at 132 pounds, Vaughn went 3-1 and captured third place at the sectional. As a result, Vaughn is ending his prep career at the state tourney. 

“It feels great,” Vaughn said. “It’s like a dream come true really. I don’t even know how to explain it…it just feels great.”

At the sectional, Vaughn won by fall over Raymore-Peculiar’s Eli Van Trump before falling to Ozark’s Elijah Maskrod. 

Vaughn earned a tech fall over Lee’s Summit’s Bryce McKeone to earn a spot in the crucial third-place match. With a state berth up for grabs, Vaughn earned a 4-1 decision over Jefferson City’s Hunter Walling. 

“I just went out there and wrestled hard,” Vaughn said. “It was like relief and excitement both…a weight off my shoulders.” 

Simply put, Vaughn got the job done when his season was on the line. 

“It’s awesome that he’s going,” Joplin coach Jeremy Finley said. “I can’t explain the joy we all felt for him when he made it. 132 is a tough bracket in Class 4. It was only top three this year instead of top four. He made it to the third and fourth place match and he just pulled it out. He wrestled tough. I’m very proud of him.”

Vaughn, who is 19-12 this season, said earning a state berth as a senior makes him feel as if all of his hard work has paid off. Of course, he hopes to make some noise on Saturday, too.  

“My goal is to place,” Vaughn said. “I just have to go out there and wrestle hard and wrestle the way I know I can.” 

“We want to see him just go out there and wrestle as hard and as tough as he can,” Finley said. “If he does that, things will take care of themselves.” 

Vaughn, who has been involved in wrestling for nine years, said he’s well aware that this weekend will be his final time wrestling for the Eagles.

“It’s a bittersweet feeling,” he said. 

While Vaughn is set to end his prep career, Melton is just getting his going.

A prep rookie, Melton placed second at 106 pounds at the Class 4 sectional to earn a trip to state. 

“It’s a big deal for a freshman,” Finley said of advancing to state. “We don’t get a lot of freshmen that qualify for the state tournament. Every once in a while we get a couple of good kids who come along who do qualify. But now that he’s qualified, our goal for him is to go out and try to win a state title.”

Melton went 2-1 at the sectional. He pinned Capital City’s Austin Feely in the quarterfinals and then earned a 3-1 decision over Lee’s Summit’s Gabe Hawkins in the semifinals.

In the bracket’s title bout, Waynesville’s William Austin edged Melton 3-1. Melton now owns a record of 26-5.

“I expected to make it to state this year because of the hard work I’ve put in and it feels good to make it,” Melton said. “I’m just excited and ready to go.”

While Melton realizes he’ll be gaining valuable experience for the future at this year’s state meet, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have lofty goals for Saturday.

“I’d like to get on the podium,” he said. “That would be great. I just want to wrestle consistently every time out. I just have to wrestle to the best of my ability. If I achieve my goal this year, great. But if I don’t, it’s not going to affect me going into next year. I’ll keep working hard.” 

“He needs to stay mentally prepared,” Finley said. “For a lot of kids, especially freshmen, that go to the state tournament for the first time, it’s their first time they’ve wrestled under the lights. Some kids excel when the pressure’s tough and some kids fold.” 

Saturday’s Class 4 event begins at 9:30 a.m., with the semifinals scheduled for 2:45 p.m. The title matches are slated to begin at 6:30. 

Live results are available through the MSHSAA website. 

 

CARTHAGE SENDING SIX

Carthage will have six athletes competing in Class 4, including sectional champions Davion King (145) and Luke Gall (182).

Bradyn Tate (113), Dagan Sappington (132), Eli Sneed (138) and Braxdon Tate (152) also advanced for the Tigers. 

 

CLASS 3 MEET IS FRIDAY

The Class 3 event is Friday, with Neosho, Carl Junction, McDonald County and Webb City among the teams competing. 

Defending champ Neosho has eight wrestlers competing, including three-time champion Cayden Auch (46-0). 

Other Wildcats competing at state are sectional champions Raymond Hembree (106), Hayden Crane (132) and Jeremiah Larson (195). Neoho’s Landon Kivett (120), Trent Neece (152), Eric Holt (170) and Eli Zar (145) round out the state qualifiers. 

McDonald County will have four athletes competing, while Carl Junction and Webb City have two wrestlers apiece. 

The Mustangs are led by sectional champ Blaine Ortiz (113). Also competing for McDonald County will be Levi Smith (132), Sam Murphy (220) and Jayce Hitt (285).

Carl Junction’s qualifiers are Jesse Cassatt (182) and Lukas Walker (106), while Jacob Ott (195) and Roger Carranco (182) will compete for Webb City. 

 

MORE INFORMATION: 2021 Wrestling Championship Information Central (mshsaa.org)

 

RELATED STORY: Wrestling: Significant changes coming to postseason format – SoMo Sports (somo-sports.com)

 

RELATED STORY: SECTIONAL WRESTLING: Large group of area athletes advance to state – SoMo Sports (somo-sports.com)

GIRLS HOOPS: Mount Vernon rallies past Ava behind dominating effort from Lacy Stokes to advance to Class 4 quarterfinals

Posted on by Lucas Davis

AVA, Mo. — It has been a long time coming for the Mount Vernon girls basketball team. 

After falling in the sectional round for four straight seasons to Strafford, the Mountaineers are heading to the quarterfinal round after rallying from a seven-point deficit at halftime behind a dominating performance from senior Lacy Stokes to earn a thrilling 53-49 Class 4 Sectional 6 win on the road in a raucous environment.

“It’s a huge win,” Mount Vernon coach Grant Berendt said to SoMo Sports. “It’s a monkey off the girls’ back. They have been in this game. … It’s heartbreaking to get here and be so close. Last year, we were up at half and had a bad third quarter and just couldn’t get it done. 

“Ava came out and punched us in the mouth and made us rethink some of the things we were doing. They challenged our toughness. We came out in the second half and the kids really stepped up across the board. The start of the third quarter kind of shows that. Then in that fourth quarter, it was literally a dogfight, just back and forth. This win means a lot to this group.”

The fifth-ranked Mountaineers are now riding a 13-game winning streak, improving their record to 26-3. Ava’s loss snaps and 11-game winning streak, with the Bears closing the season at 21-6.

ELITE 8

Mount Vernon will take on Blair Oaks in the Class 4 quarterfinal round with a 1 p.m. matchup on Saturday at Mount Vernon High School. Blair Oaks defeated Eldon 62-46 on Wednesday. This the first trip to the quarterfinal round for the Mountaineers since 2012.

“Anytime you are playing in the Elite 8, it is a special thing,” Berendt said. “For us just to get two more days together, to practice, and then to play on Saturday is huge.

“In most years, that would be a neutral-site game at like an SBU or Drury. In a COVID year, it’s kind of weird but it worked out for us that we get to host. After we had our Senior Night, we didn’t know if we’d get back to our home floor. Having the opportunity to play (at home) in a quarterfinal game, that is so cool. It is such a neat feeling. When I broke the news to our kids, our seniors went nuts. They were so excited to get one more game on that floor.”

SCORING LEADERS

Stokes, a 5-foot-4 senior left-handed point guard who is committed to Missouri Southern, paced the way on both ends of the floor. She finished with a game-high 28 points to go along with a bevy of steals and assists.

“She is our point guard and she is our leader,” Berendt said of Stokes’ performance. “Her and Ellie Johnston are table setters for us on the offensive and defensive ends. … Lacy made plays late for us. That is what you hope your senior point guard does for you, your seniors in general. It took some guts and it took some courage for her to go do it. I am so happy for her that she was able to shine in a game like this.”

Ellie Johnston finished with 10 points, while Cameryn Cassity finished with nine points for Mount Vernon. Lisa Kruger added four.

Sara Mendel led Ava with 14 points, while Olivia Gastineau and Hannah Evans each added 10 points. Celia Fossett added seven.

GAME ACTION

Following a back-and-forth opening quarter that saw Ava holding a 19-17 following a 3-point with 35 seconds left by Evans, the Bears opened the second period on an 8-2 run to build a 27-19 lead three minutes in. Gastineau had a 3-pointer, while Keely Akers and Fossett each pulled down offensive rebounds for putback scores. Ava ultimately carried that pace into the intermission, leading 33-26 at the half.

“On the offensive side, I feel like we got some good looks,” Berendt said “Ava is known for it, but they run 99 percent halfcourt man, and they are good at it. They came out tonight and played a little different style of zone. … It was a really good call on their part. 

“On the defensive end, we knew they (rebounded) well and had to get second and third (opportunities). We didn’t do a good job of blocking out. I had to make some substitutions, and I brought in Lisa Kruger off the bench and she played a tremendous role for us. It neutralized part of their offense and really helped us. I think Lisa ended with four (points) but she did so much more for us on the defensive end.”

The tides turned in favor of Mount Vernon out of the gates in the third quarter, as the Mountaineers scored 10 unanswered points to take the lead. Led by a staunch defensive effort that forced Ava into nine total turnovers in the quarter, Mount Vernon held Ava off the scoreboard for the first four-plus of the second half.

“We take pride in our defense,” Berendt said. “We came into this game giving up 35 or 36 points a game on the year and we gave up 33 at half. We kind off talked about how we weren’t getting it done. We were doing things that weren’t typical of us, and we weren’t following the scout. We had to make some adjustments on some things we did defensively. … They responded.”

Stokes led the Mountaineers in the game-changing swing, kicking off the run with three steals for runout layups at the other end to trim the lead to 33-32. Mount Vernon took the lead shortly after when Stokes found Cassity inside for a bucket at the 6:01 mark. After another turnover by the Bears following a five-second count on an inbounds play under their own basket, Stokes found Cassity in the corner for a long 2 to push the lead to 36-33.

“She came out with a tunnel-vision focus on what she needed to get done,” Berendt said of Stokes’ start to the second half. “And our kids feed off her. … She is so smart with what she does defensively. … She is just a very, very smart kid who loves playing defense because she can create her offense off of her defense.”

After Ava reached the scoreboard following a pair of free throws from Mendel, both teams traded scores, with Mount Vernon holding onto a 43-40 lead following a buzzer-beating 3-pointer by Lexi Gastineau to end the third quarter.

The fourth quarter proved to be a dogfight, with Ava landing the first blow. The Bears trailed 45-41 with 6:26 to play when Ava scored six straight points, four from Olivia Gastineau, to take a 47-45 lead with three and a half minutes to play.

Mount Vernon countered with the knockout punch, closing the game on an 8-2 run over the final two-plus minutes. 

Stokes tied the game at 47 with an elbow pull-up at the 2:08 mark before cutting across the lane for a left-handed scoop layup off the window to give the Mountaineers a 49-47 advantage.

Evans knocked down two free throws with 1:10 left to tie things back up, but Stokes came up big once again after getting the shooter’s touch on a runner with 36 seconds left to put Mount Vernon up 51-49.

“Late in the second half, I felt like (Lacy) settled for some jumpers,” Berendt said. “I just told her to attack. If the big kid is there, challenge her but be under control. I felt like she was (doing that) in that six-point run of hers. She had two acrobatic type of layups that she found glass and had nice spin on the ball, and then she had the really big go-ahead basket.”

After an empty possession by the Bears, Johnston, who was fouled to stop the clock, stepped up and knocked down two free throws with 3.9 seconds left to push the lead to two possessions, sealing the win in the process.

“We got the ball in Ellie’s hands because she is shooting about 81 percent from the free-throw line right now,” Berendt said. “That was huge to get it in her hands to ice the game.”

GIRLS HOOPS: Buerge reaches milestone, Carl Junction advances to quarterfinals with win over McDonald County

Posted on by Jason Peake

ANDERSON, Mo. — Destiny Buerge surpassed 1,000 career points and Carl Junction’s girls basketball team advanced to the quarterfinal round of the Class 5 state tournament with Wednesday’s convincing 58-32 sectional victory over McDonald County. 

Carl Junction is in the state quarterfinals for the fifth time in six years.

“That’s big for our program,” Carl Junction coach Brad Shorter said. “I’ve been fortunate to have a lot of great kids and a lot of great assistant coaches. It’s a lot of fun. We have high expectations. The girls realize that and give me their best effort. And I’m going to give them my best effort. Hopefully we can get to the Final Four one more time.

“The expectations are high in our program,” Shorter added. “We understand we’re going to take everybody’s best shot and we want to give everybody our best shot. Our kids are growing up…a lot of sophomores and freshmen. They understand what we’re about. It’s a position we’ve been in before.” 

With the win, the Bulldogs (18-8) will play at West Plains (26-3) at 1 p.m. on Saturday in an Elite Eight clash. 

MILESTONE

Just a sophomore, Buerge entered the night needing 25 points to reach the 1,000-point milestone. She scored 28. 

Carl Junction sophomore Destiny Buerge surpassed 1,000 career points on Wednesday against McDonald County. File phot.

Buerge joined the 1,000-point club by knocking down a short runner late in the game. The CJ student section gave her a nice ovation and Buerge couldn’t help but smile as she jogged back on defense.

“It’s terrific to have a sophomore score her 1,000th point,” Shorter said. “It’s a great feat. She just continues to get better and better.” 

A 5-foot-8 guard who started all of last year as a freshman, Buerge admitted she didn’t envision reaching 1,000 points as a sophomore.

“I really didn’t,” said Buerge, who made 10 field goals and eight free throws to go along with eight rebounds. “This is a big accomplishment for me. It feels really good, especially since my teammates are there supporting me all the way through it. It really means a lot. It means more because it’s in a sectional game, and there were a lot of people here to see what I’ve done and how much I’ve worked to accomplish things.”

 

MUSTANGS END SEASON

The Mustangs were in the sectional round for the first time since 2015. McDonald County (13-15) graduates three seniors — Sydney Killion, Kristin Penn and Caitlyn Barton.

“Our senior group had just three wins their freshmen year and now we’re in the sectional game of the state playoffs,” McDonald County coach Sean Crane said. “It’s a great way for our seniors to end their careers. They left the program in a much better spot than when they came in which is always a goal.” 

Crane noted his younger players gained valuable experience this winter. 

 

NAMES & NUMBERS

Providing a needed spark off the bench, Carl Junction sophomore guard Klohe Burk contributed 15 points on five 3-pointers.

Fellow sophomore Hali Shorter had seven points, while junior Jessa Hylton and senior Hannah Lee chipped in four points apiece. 

McDonald County was led by Killion’s 12 points. Penn contributed six points and eight boards. Sophomore Samara Smith pulled down 12 rebounds to go with four points. 

The Mustangs were plagued by cold perimeter shooting and costly turnovers. The hosts committed 24 turnovers, while the Bulldogs had 11. 

 

GAME RECAP

Carl Junction took control early and never relinquished its lead.

Ignited by a full-court press, the Bulldogs led 11-1 and 18-5 at the end of the first quarter.

Getting shots from in close after a number of offensive rebounds, McDonald County used an 8-5 run to pull within 12.

But Buerge scored in the lane before Burk buried a pair of 3-pointers, giving the Bulldogs a comfortable 33-13 halftime advantage. 

“We got out and pressured them a little bit,” Shorter said. “I think we got some really good looks at the basket. Klohe Burk hit some big shots for us. She knocked down four 3s in the first half and that kind of opened up some driving lanes. But the defensive pressure was big for us.” 

The Mustangs had 13 points and 13 turnovers in the first half. 

“They got off to a good start and we just could not score,” Crane said. “We didn’t hit one 3. We could not hit the broad side of a barn. If we could have shot a little better, it could have been a different story. But obviously, they’re a good team.”

By the end of the third period, Carl Junction was up 41-18.

There was little drama as the fourth quarter began. The visitors outscored the hosts 17-14 for the final margin. 

 

WHAT’S NEXT?

A spot in the Final Four will be up for grabs on Saturday.

West Plains knocked off Willard 47-27 in their sectional contest. Shorter noted his team will face a talented opponent on Saturday. 

“They’re really good,” Shorter said of the Zizzers. “It’s basically the same team we saw last year when we were 28-0 and had Katie Scott. West Plains is very well-coached. They’ve got some athletes. We’re the underdog. We haven’t been the underdog much the last four or five years. So we need to go out, play loose, have fun and see what happens.” 

PREP HOOPS: All-Big 8 Conference teams announced

Posted on by Jason Peake

Below are the Big 8 Conference basketball teams for 2020-21. 

BIG 8 WEST BOYS TEAM

FIRST TEAM

Logan Applegate, Nevada

Connor Killion, East Newton

Lucas Kimbrough, East Newton

Kyson Lahman, East Newton

Logan McNeley, Nevada

SECOND TEAM

Mason Gastel, Lamar

Lane McNeley, Nevada

Tanner Youngblood, East Newton

Pierce Harmon, McDonald County

Ben Hines, Nevada

HONORABLE MENTION TEAM

Case Tucker, Lamar

Tyler Waterman, Monett

Kelton Sorrell, East Newton

Eli McClain, McDonald County

Daniel Navarro, Monett

 

Player of the Year: Logan Applegate, Nevada

Coach of the Year: Kyle Fields, East Newton

 

BIG 8 WEST GIRLS TEAM

FIRST TEAM

Aliya Grotjohn, Seneca

Tylin Heathman, Nevada

Sydney Killion, McDonald County

Kyren Postlewait, Cassville

Kara Morey, Lamar

SECOND TEAM

Clara Swearingen, Nevada

Samara Smith, McDonald County

Kayla French, Seneca

Shaw Coburn, East Newton

Sharayah Seymour, Cassville

Natalie Turner, Monett

HONORABLE MENTION TEAM

Sierra White, Lamar

Kristin Penn, McDonald County

Grace Barnes, Nevada

Phajjia Gordan, Lamar

Adasyn Leach, McDonald County

 

Player of the Year: Aliya Grotjohn, Seneca

Coach of the Year: Drew Schulte, Seneca

 

BIG 8 EAST GIRLS TEAM

FIRST TEAM

Lacy Stokes, Mount Vernon

Bug Bailey, Hollister

Ellie Johnston, Mount Vernon 

Kori Cromer, Marshfield

Gracie Kibby, Logan-Rogersville

SECOND TEAM 

Elizabeth Martin, Aurora

Avery Swisshelm, Springfield Catholic

Brooklyn Crawford, Marshfield

Brisa Gere, Hollister

Lauren Williams, Logan-Rogersville

HONORABLE MENTION

Jade Watson, Reeds Spring

Ellie Creasey, Aurora

Ella Lippleman, Springfield Catholic

Cameryn Cassity, Mount Vernon

Maile Peck, Marshfield

 

Player of the Year: Lacy Stokes, Mount Vernon

Coach of the Year: Grant Berendt, Mount Vernon

 

BIG 8 EAST BOYS TEAM

FIRST TEAM

Zach Howell, Catholic

Jonathan Dunn, Logan-Rogersville

Kanon Gipson, Logan-Rogersville

Mason Ballay, Mount Vernon

Josh Barlow, Hollister

SECOND TEAM

Peyton McBride, Marshfield

Jaesik Friggle, Aurora

Zach Bergmann, Logan-Rogersville

Kai Brown, Mount Vernon

Liam O’Reilly, Catholic

Garret Snyder, Hollister

HONORABLE MENTION TEAM

Ty Cooper, Reeds Spring

Zak Mings, Marshfield 

Cole Jones, Hollister

Will Squibb, Catholic

 

Player of Year: Jonathan Dunn, Rogersville

Coach of the Year: John Schaefer, Rogersville

BOYS HOOPS: All-COC team released

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

Below is the Central Ozark Conference boys basketball team for 2020-21.

 

CENTRAL OZARK CONFERENCE  BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM

FIRST TEAM

Drew McMillin, Republic

Blaine Cline, Ozark

Nickhai Howard, Webb City

Colin Ruffin, Nixa

Kyle Scharbrough, Branson

Kael Combs, Nixa

SECOND TEAM

Kaleb Wofford, Nixa

Ethan Jones, Branson

Jared Nelson, Nixa

Ethan Whatley, Ozark

Always Wright, Joplin

Ahlante Askew, Republic

THIRD TEAM

Landon Austin, Neosho

Alex Baker, Carl Junction

Jason Jones, Nixa

Haden Brown, Willard

Tyler Harmon, Ozark

Cohl Vaden, Webb City

All Wright, Joplin

 

Player of the Year: Drew McMillin, Republic

Coach of the Year: Jay Osborne, Nixa

GIRLS HOOPS: Carl Junction, Mount Vernon set for sectional matchups

Posted on by Jason Peake

Below is a quick look at Wednesday’s girls basketball sectionals of local interest.

 

CLASS 4 GIRLS SECTIONAL

MOUNT VERNON AT AVA

WHEN: Wednesday, 6 p.m.

RECORDS: Mount Vernon 25-3, Ava 21-5

MOVING ON: The winner moves on to the quarterfinals on March 13 against either Blair Oaks or Eldon. 

OUTLOOK: Mount Vernon is in the sectional round for the fifth straight season, and this is the first time they won’t play Strafford in this round during that span. Mount Vernon has won 12 straight games, while Ava is on an 11-game winning streak. The Mountaineers average 63 points per game and allow just 35. Ava is scoring 58 per game and giving up 42. There are three common opponents. Both schools have wins over Bolivar, Hollister and Springfield Catholic. Against Catholic, Ava won 51-48. The Mountaineers beat Catholic handily, 68-38. 

The Mountaineers are ranked fourth, while Ava is unranked.

 

CLASS 5 GIRLS SECTIONAL 

CARL JUNCTION AT MCDONALD COUNTY

WHEN: Wednesday, 6 p.m.

RECORDS: Carl Junction 17-8, McDonald County 13-14

MOVING ON: The winner advances to the March 13 quarterfinals, where they’ll meet either West Plains or Willard. 

OUTLOOK: This is Carl Junction’s sixth straight appearance in the sectional round. McDonald County captured a district championship for the first time since 2015 by beating Logan-Rogersville 51-49. Carl Junction has beaten McDonald County twice this season, 53-22 at the Lady Eagle Classic, and 60-24 in Anderson on Jan. 4. The Bulldogs score 55 points per game and give up 48. On average, the Mustangs score 40 and allow 44. The Bulldogs are receiving votes in the Class 5 poll. 

BOYS HOOPS: East Newton holds off Ava to win first sectional title in school history

Posted on by Lucas Davis

AVA, Mo. — East Newton boys basketball is known for its ability to put up points in bunches on the offensive end. On Tuesday, however, it was the team’s defense that led the Patriots to a 36-34 win over Ava in the Class 4 sectionals.

“We score it well most nights,” East Newton coach Kyle Fields said to SoMo Sports. “We know that our defense has to be our constant, and it was definitely our constant tonight. There’s going to be nights when the ball is not going in the hoop and shots are tough to come by. Possessions get decreased. I thought our defense was really good tonight and I am really proud of our kids.”

The win for East Newton clinches the first berth to the quarterfinal round in school history.

“It means a lot to our kids, and they’ve worked so hard to get to this point,” Fields said. “They’ve played a lot of basketball in and before their high school career. It’s a tight-knit group that plays a lot together. They are very deserving.”

The Patriots have a school-record 26 wins to go along with two losses and will be hosting Blair Oaks for a trip to the semifinals with a 6 p.m. matchup on Friday. Blair Oaks defeated Buffalo 69-46.

“I feel its huge,” Fields said about hosting the quarterfinal round. “(The crowd) is kind of like our sixth man. We’ve played well (at home) all year. We’ve got a great community, great support and it will be a lot of fun. It will be a packed house, and hopefully it’s worth a few possessions.”

GAME ACTION

After two-plus scoreless minutes to start the contest, East Newton reached the scoreboard first on a bucket from Lucas Kimbrough, who finished with a team-high 12 points. The Bears (23-6) took the early momentum after Andrew Dalton scored the next seven points, including a 3-pointer, to give Ava a 7-2 advantage with 3:31 to play.

Following Dalton’s early success, particularly on the inside, the Patriots switched to a zone defense, which proved to pay off for the remainder of the game. Dalton had all nine of the Bears’ points in the first, but East Newton limited him to nine more points total in the final three quarters to finish with 18.

“We’ve worked on that (1-3-1 zone defense) sparingly throughout the year,” Fields said. “Going into the game, we thought we would try to play man and see how it went. (Dalton) is such a good player, though. He finds ways to getting to his spots — he is so good at going to his left — and getting to the foul line. We didn’t do a very good job in man early on him. So, we went to the zone and found success keeping the ball out of his hands and keeping him out of his sweet spots.”

East Newton scored the final two baskets of the opening period on hoops from Kimbrough and Tanner Youngblood, who totaled seven points in the win, to trim the deficit to 9-8. Kyson Lahman knocked down two free throws inside the first minute of the second period to give the Patriots their first lead since scoring the first basket of the game, 10-9.

Blayne Mendel converted from the perimeter and Ethan Donley added a score inside to regain the lead for Ava on the way to a 14-10 advantage.

East Newton battled back to regain the lead with less than a minute to play in the first half with an offensive rebound and putback score by Connor Killion and a 3-pointer from the corner by Youngblood gave the Patriots a 18-16 cushion. Mendel converted inside just before the horn to send the game into the half tied at 18s.

“We found some success with the 1-3-1 defensively,” Fields said. “They scored a bucket right before half to tie it up, but I thought we really struggled (in the first half). I think maybe we played a little tight early. I just said we needed to stay the course. Shots were going to start falling and we’re going to continue to get good shots. We just had to find ways to get to the foul line and continue to get stops.”

After both teams traded baskets to open the second half, Killion earned a block on the defensive end and splashed a catch-and-shoot 3-ball on the offensive end to give East Newton a 23-20 lead with 4:50 on the clock. Killion finished with seven points for East Newton.

The Patriots pushed the lead to five, 27-22, late in the third quarter on the back of another strong defensive play when Lahman knocked an entry pass loose for a steal before grabbing his own miss at the other end for a putback score.

“I thought we had some big defensive plays late,” Fields said. “We played really intelligent basketball defensively. … When you get up two possessions in a game like that, it almost feels like a double-digit lead.”

East Newton went into the fourth with a four-point lead and pushed it to a game-high six points, 29-23, to open the quarter on a mid-range jumper from Lahman. He finished with six points in the win.

Bryse Dodson answered back for Ava, scoring two straight baskets to cut the lead to 29-27 with 5:10 left.

Both teams equally traded buckets over the next five minutes of game action, with the Bears cutting the deficit to two before the Patriots pushed it back to four with each score. 

Ava broke the seesaw affair when Quinton Donley buried a 3-pointer from the wing with 41.2 seconds left in regulation to trim the lead to one, 35-34.

The Bears had a chance to take the lead but Mendel missed a long mid-range jumper off a ball screen, with Killion coming away with the defensive rebound, drawing a foul with 2.8 seconds.

Killion made the first and missed the second with the rebound going to Ava. The ensuing halfcourt heave from Dalton at the horn came up short to preserve the win for East Newton, which was also the first home loss of the season for the Bears.

“This year, we’ve had to win games in a lot of different ways,” Fields said. “It’s about just fighting and finding a way. Maybe it’s getting a loose ball here, a deflection there or a couple of free throws. Who knows? I thought we just found a way to win. I am really proud of our group and it is all about just being who we are.”

BOYS HOOPS: Nevada rallies late to knock off Rogersville in sectional thriller

Posted on by Jason Peake

NEVADA, Mo. — Despite a double-digit deficit in the fourth quarter, Lane McNeley and the Nevada Tigers never quit believing.

Led by its talented backcourt trio, and inspired by a raucous home crowd, Nevada overcame a 12-point deficit in the final frame with a furious fourth quarter rally to knock off Rogersville 51-46 on Tuesday night in a sectional contest of the Missouri Class 5 state basketball tournament inside a packed Wynn Gymnasium. 

The Wildcats held a 40-28 lead early in the fourth quarter.

“Going into the fourth quarter, we just said, ‘This is not how we’re going out,'” McNeley said. “One of our mottos was ‘Never quit.’ That was our mindset the whole fourth quarter. We just had to give it everything we’ve got.”

The hosts did just that. The Tigers turned things around in a hurry, ending the game on a 23-6 surge.

“We knew we had to speed the game up,” Nevada coach Shaun Gray said. “We went to an extended zone. Luckily, some guys made some huge plays. We got some blocks at the rim by Ben Hines, some steals and then guys just stepped up and hit shots.

“When we were down 10, the feeling was we just needed some breaks,” Gray added. “We needed a couple turnovers and we needed a couple shots to fall. With this crowd in this atmosphere, if you can get the momentum shifted to a two-score game, then all of a sudden they hear the footsteps coming. I can’t say enough about the atmosphere here. We were able to get more and more momentum and keep it going. Then our guys started to have that belief.” 

Winners of 15 straight games, Nevada (22-5) travels to Bolivar (14-12) on Friday for a quarterfinal clash. It’s Nevada’s first appearance in the quarterfinals since 1991, Gray said. 

“It’s huge for our program,” Gray said. “It had been 23 years since we’d won a district championship. I think 1991 was the last time we’ve advanced this far. It was a long time coming. And this group of seniors…I can’t say enough about them. They believe in each other.” 

 

NAMES & NUMBERS

Nevada’s senior guards made sure their careers didn’t end on Tuesday. The trio combined to score 46 points and they hit 11 3-pointers. 

Lane McNeley scored 20 points and made five 3-pointers. He scored 11 points in the fourth quarter. Fellow senior Logan Applegate scored 17 points and hit three treys, while classmate Logan McNeley added nine points on three 3-pointers. 

Ranked fifth in Class 5 by the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association, Rogersville finishes the season with a record of 20-6. 

Western Illinois recruit Jonathan Dunn scored 15 points to lead the Wildcats, while Max Goff added 11 and Kanon Gipson had nine. All three are seniors. 

 

GAME RECAP

Early treys from Lane McNeley, Applegate and Logan McNeley gave the Tigers a 10-5 cushion.

The Wildcats answered with 3-pointers from Dunn and Goff, but Applegate’s NBA-range trey gave the Tigers a 13-11 lead at the end of the entertaining first period. The two teams combined to hit seven 3-pointers in the opening frame. 

The Wildcats owned the second quarter, outscoring the Tigers 11-1 to take a 22-14 lead into halftime. Nevada’s lone point of the second period came on Lane McNeley’s free throw. In the quarter, the Tigers had empty possession after empty possession. 

A back-and-forth third quarter ended with Rogersville up 38-28. 

Gipson’s hoop at the start of the fourth quarter stretched his team’s lead to 40-28.

Logan McNeley hit two 3-pointers early in the final frame, but the Wildcats responded with four straight points. 

That’s when things suddenly changed. 

Down 10 with 5:30 left, the Tigers put up 13 unanswered points in a stunning comeback. 

During the spurt, Lane McNeley hit back-to-back 3-pointers, the Wildcats turned the ball over twice, Applegate contributed a putback and then Lane McNeley converted a steal into an easy layup, tying the game at 44 with 1:30 to play. Nevada senior forward Ben Hines also had two key blocked shots during the game-changing run.

After a Rogersville turnover, Lane McNeley hit a key corner trey to give the hosts a three-point lead with a minute to go.

“Throughout the game, they did as good a job as anybody we’ve played at taking Logan Applegate away,” Gray said. “We finally said in the fourth quarter, ‘Let’s get the ball in the high post to (Case) Sanderson or Hines and let’s see if they can go make a play.’ What happened is guys lost track of Logan, Lane and Applegate when the ball went to the middle. Guys knocked down big-time shots.” 

Rogersville’s 6-foot-7 Dunn scored inside to trim his team’s deficit to 47-46 with 53 seconds showing on the clock. 

The Tigers then ran the clock by passing the ball around the perimeter. The Wildcats finally fouled with 21 seconds remaining. 

Again, the Tigers were able to run more clock and the Wildcats once again fouled, sending Applegate to the charity stripe with 11 seconds left. Applegate calmly sank both shots. 

Down three, Rogersville took a timeout and then had eight seconds to work with. But the Wildcats didn’t get a shot attempt up, as the visitors committed a costly turnover with 2.3 seconds showing on the scoreboard.

After a foul, Applegate swished two free throws with 1.5 seconds left for the final margin.

Once the final horn sounded, and with a memorable comeback victory secured, the Tigers were swarmed by their school’s large student section.

Lane McNeley noted he’ll likely never forget the final home game of his prep career. 

“Nevada’s great,” he said. “They always support every sport. The love is unconditional. I love how much they support us. It was the biggest crowd we’ve ever played in front of. This is special.”

COLLEGE BASEBALL: Crowder launches 11 home runs in win over Neosho County

Posted on by Lucas Davis

CHANUTE, Kan. — Crowder College clubbed 11 home runs as a team to fuel an 18-8 win over Neosho County Community College on Tuesday.

The Roughriders (13-4) led 7-6 after the first inning after hitting four home runs in the frame. Crowder added two runs in the second, a run in the third and six runs in the fourth to blow the game open for a 16-7 lead. The Roughriders added single tallies in the fifth and sixth innings, limiting Neosho to just two total runs after the first inning.

After a pair of walks to start the game, Peyton Holt launched the game’s first home run to right-center for a 3-0 Crowder lead. Chaz Poppy went deep to left-center in the next at-bat to make it back-to-back long balls. Frankie Circello connected for a two-run homer two batters later and Jack Stroth hit a solo home run later in the inning to wrap the seven-run first.

Neosho’s Mason Lundgrin hit a three-run home run and Ivan White had a solo home run to highlight the six-run bottom of the first.

Poppy and Josh Patrick hit back-to-back solo home runs in the second inning, while Logan Chambers, Patrick and Trey Harris added solo home runs in the fourth inning. Landrey Wilkerson got in on the long-ball fun with a solo homer in the fifth inning. Chambers hit his second four-bagger of the game in the sixth.

Zach Voss earned the start for Crowder and took a no-decision after allowing seven runs on seven hits, two walks and two strikeouts in two innings. Connor Floyd earned the win after allowing one run on two hits and two walks with five strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings.

Brady Pacha was saddled with the loss after allowing 10 runs on 10 hits and two walks in three innings of work.

Chambers, Patrick and Poppy each had three hits and combined for six RBI. Holt had a team-high four RBI, while Chambers and Patrick each scored a game-high three runs.

COLLEGE SOFTBALL: Pittsburg State drops two games to Drury

Posted on by Lucas Davis

SPRINGFIELD Mo. — The Pittsburg State softball team dropped two games against Drury on Tuesday. The Gorillas dropped the opener of the double header 4-0 and the second game 9-4.

In Game 1, the Panthers got off to a hot start scoring three runs in the third frame to take the early lead. Drury scored again in the fourth to give the game its final score, 4-0. The Gorillas were held to four hits in the first game. Kaylee Burns was given the loss for the game.

In Game 2, Drury kept the heat on scoring four runs in the second inning to take an early lead. The Gorillas answered with a run in the top of the fourth. And scored another three in the top of the sixth thanks to a homer by right fielder Paxtyn Hayes. But the Panthers answered the Gorillas with five runs of their own in the bottom of the sixth giving the game a final score of 9-4.

Hayes home run in the top of the sixth is her first of the season. Center fielder Keelah Griffith put up three singles in the contest, also scoring two runs for the Gorillas. Left fielder Kylee Bohle also notched three singles against the Panthers.

The Gorillas will be back in Pittsburg Mar 12 to take on Emporia State for the Gorillas first MIAA action of the season.

COLLEGE SOFTBALL: Lions swept by UCO in road twinbill

Posted on by Lucas Davis

EDMOND, Okla. — The Missouri Southern softball program fell on the road to Central Oklahoma at the Broncho Softball Field on Tuesday 5-4 and 9-0.

Southern (6-6, 1-3 MIAA) was an out away from knocking off Central Oklahoma (9-3, 2-0 MIAA) at home before a walk-off, bases-clearing double by the Bronchos snatched the victory.

The Lions got a run in the first inning as Josie Tofpi doubled home Yazmin Vargas before adding another in run in the fourth to tie it at 2-2 as Lynnlee Parrott singled home Makaila Leonhart.

Leonhart hit her first home run of the season in the sixth and Parrott hit an RBI double to score her sister Grace Parrott, seizing the lead for the Lions at 4-3 in the sixth inning.

Leonhart and L. Parrott collected two hits and Abby Atkin started in the circle going 5.1 innings.

In Game 2, the Bronchos jumped out to a 4-0 lead after the first inning and never looked back. Vargas and Sidnie Hurst picked up hits while Abbey Gann pitched a scoreless inning in relief.

Next up for the Lions is doubleheaders against Washburn and Emporia State Friday and Saturday. First pitch from the Pat Lipira Softball Complex is scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday and noon on Saturday.

Experienced sports journalists providing great local sports coverage in Southwest Missouri.

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