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PREP SOFTBALL: College Heights earns No. 3 seed for district tournament; Mount Vernon, Diamond earn No. 1 seeds 

 

College Heights Christian is the No. 3 seed for the Class 2 District 6 softball tournament.

The Cougars will take on sixth-seeded Sarcoxie at 6:30 on May 3 in a district quarterfinal at Spirit of 76 Park in Mount Vernon.

The other quarterfinals feature No. 4 Lamar vs. No. 5 Ash Grove at 3:30 and No. 2 El Dorado Springs vs. No. 7 Stockton at 5.

Mount Vernon is the No. 1 seed and awaits the Lamar-Ash Grove winner in the semifinals at 4:30 on May 4. 

The CHC-Sarcoxie winner meets either El Dorado Springs or Stockton at 6 on May 4 in the semifinals. 

The district championship game is slated for 5 on May 5.

 

CLASS 2 DISTRICT 5

Diamond is the No. 1 seed for the Class 2 District 5 tournament.

In quarterfinal games on May 3 in Clever, No. 4 Clever takes on No. 5 Marionville at 3:30, No. 2 East Newton meets No. 7 Spokane at 5 and No. 3 Pierce City plays No. 6 Southwest at 6:30.

The semifinals are May 4, with the title game scheduled for 5 on May 6.

PREP TRACK & FIELD: Webb City wins five events at SBU Bearcat Classic; Carl Junction also fares well

 

BOLIVAR, Mo. — Track and field squads from Webb City and Carl Junction competed at Southwest Baptist University’s Bearcat Classic on Monday. 

In a 19-team field, Webb City’s boys finished second in the team standings with 92 points. Waynesville was first with 101. Carl Junction’s boys finished 14th with 13 points.

Carl Junction’s girls finished ninth with 37 points, while Webb City was 11th with 34 points. 

Marshfield (89) and Ozark (80.5) were the top two girls teams. 

 

WEBB CITY HIGHLIGHTS 

Webb City’s boys had four event winners — Roman Borboa (1600), Pryce Mason (pole vault), Luke Brumit (high jump) and Mekhi Garrard (triple jump). 

Borboa’s winning time was 4:28 and Mason cleared 14-9 in the pole vault. Brumit went 6-4.75 in the high jump and Garrard recorded a leap of 45-3.75 in the triple jump. 

Zetthew Meister was the runner-up in the discus, while Brumit finished third in the javelin and Borboa placed third in the 800. Caleb Cook was fourth in the 300 hurdles. 

Fifth-place finishers for the Webb City boys were Grayson Smith (pole vault), Matt McDaniel (high jump) and Garrard (200). William Wolfe took seventh in the 200 and Dustin Brockmiller was seventh in the 3200.   

The team of Isaiah Brisco, Wolfe, Brumit and Garrard finished fourth in the 4×200 relay, while Webb City’s 4×800 relay team of Jose Antillion, Samuel Winesburg, Owen Weller and Joseph Dawson finished fifth. The 4×400 (Brumit, Brisco, Cook, Gustavo Sabbag) finished seventh.  

Webb City’s Emily Beres won the girls shot put with a toss of 40-10.5, giving the Cardinals five total event winners.

Also for the Webb City girls, Haidyn Berry was the runner-up in the javelin, while Riley Hawkins crossed the line fifth in the 1600, while Abi Street finished fifth in the 3200 and Ripley Shanks took fifth in the pole vault. 

Dawsyn Decker finished seventh in the javelin and Street was seventh in the 1600. 

 

CARL JUNCTION HIGHLIGHTS

Carl Junction’s Ally Montez won the girls 300-meter hurdles in 47.13 seconds and also placed second in the 100 hurdles with a time of 15.06.

Shiloh Sluder took third in the 100-meter dash and fourth in the 200. 

Hannah Lee was fifth in the shot put, while Bryn Neria placed sixth in the javelin and Emerson Lundien finished eighth in the pole vault. 

For the Carl Junction boys, Brendan Jewell finished second in the high jump, while Collin Emmert was fifth in both the 1600 and 3200 and Drew Patterson finished eighth in the 110 hurdles. 

 

SBU BEARCAT CLASSIC

Boys team standings: Waynesville 101, Webb City 92, Nixa 77.5, Camdenton 77, Kickapoo 71, Bolivar 58.5, West Plains 51.5, Rolla 47, Lebanon 36, Ozark 35, Branson 33.5, Marshfield 26, Willard 17, Springfield Central 13, Carl Junction 13, Glendale 8, Republic 10, Hillcrest 7, Parkview 6. 

Girls team standings: Marshfield 89, Ozark 80.5, Nixa 78, Rolla 68, Republic 64, Kickapoo 61, West Plains 50, Branson 39, Carl Junction 37, Lebanon 36, Webb City 34, Glendale 33, Camdenton 26.5, Bolivar 23, Parkview 21, Waynesville 14, Hillcrest 12, Willard 10, Springfield Central 4. 

PREP BASEBALL: Kickapoo rallies back to beat Joplin 6-5

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Joplin built an early three-run lead but Kickapoo rallied back to earn a 6-5 win on Monday.

Joplin (12-7) scored twice in the first inning on a two-run home run by Kohl Cooper and scored two more times in the third to hold a 4-1 lead through three complete. Kickapoo answered with two runs in the fourth to trim the lead to one before the Eagles added a single tally in the top of the fifth on a solo homer by Cooper to push the lead to 5-3. The Chiefs crossed home three times in the bottom of the fifth to take the 6-5 lead while holding off Joplin the rest of the way.

Zach McKinnis earned the win after allowing five runs on seven hits, two walks and six strikeouts in a seven-inning complete-game effort.

Ethan Guilford took the loss after allowing six runs on nine hits, two walks and four strikeouts in five innings. Josh Harryman pitched a scoreless inning in relief, striking out one.

Cooper led Joplin with three hits, including two home runs, a team-high four RBI and two runs scored. Bodee Carlson, David Fiscus and Justin McReynolds all added hits for Joplin.

Luke Quackenbush had a home run, three RBI and scored a run to lead Kickapoo at the plate. 

UP NEXT

Joplin is at Ozark on Tuesday.

BOYS TENNIS: Joplin suffers road loss at Ozark

OZARK, Mo. — A short-handed Joplin High School boys tennis team suffered an 8-1 loss at Ozark on Monday.

The Eagles played without Colin Vermillion and Josh Yarnall played doubles but was unable to compete in singles.

“We ended up having two junior varsity players fill in for us,” Joplin coach Aaron Stump said. 

At No. 1 doubles, Ozark’s Gavin Reese-Major Cardin defeated Joplin’s Logan Merkley-Jeffrey Evenson 8-2, while Clinton Quirk-Nathaniel Bottarel edged Ben Wardlow-Yarnall 9-7 at No. 2 doubles.

“Ben and Josh started out with a lead in the match and were a game away from winning,” Stump noted.

Ozark’s Ethan Fast and Anthony Psarev nipped Joplin’s Michael Mancipe and Hunter Merkley 9-8 (8-6 tie-breaker) at No. 3 doubles.

“Michael and Hunter played well together and were one hit away from winning the tie-breaker,” Stump said. 

Joplin’s lone win of the night came at No. 3 singles, as Wardlow defeated Quirk 8-6.

“Ben won a close match,” Stump commented. “He played smart and kept the ball in play on the close points.”

In other singles matches, Reese beat Logan Merkley 8-1, Cardin defeated Evenson 8-5 and Bottarel edged Mancipe 9-7.

“Michael traded serves with his opponent for most of the match, but had his serve broken at 6-6,” Stump commented. “He played up one rank since Josh Yarnall was unable to play singles.” 

Also, Brady Goss defeated Hunter Merkley 8-2 and Fast defeated Joplin’s Caleb Cantero 8-0.

Joplin hosts Carl Junction at 4:30 on Tuesday. 

 

PREP SOCCER: Webb City moves to 14-2 after a 4-1 win over Rogersville on a windy Monday

WEBB CITY, Mo. — Webb City girls soccer added another win on the season after handing Rogersville a 4-1 loss on a windy afternoon at Cardinal Stadium on Monday.

The Cardinals improved to 14-2 on the season after scoring once in the first half and adding three goals in the final 40 minutes of play.

“I think the wind sort of disjointed things a little bit in terms of possession and ball control,” Webb City coach Nick Harmon said. “It wasn’t our cleanest game, but a win is a win. We earned our 14th win and we are proud of that. I think we just put today behind us and focus on a tough one tomorrow.”

Playing with the wind, which was consistently gusting at more than 20 MPH, Webb City’s offensive pressure was relentless in the first half, as the Cardinals spent little time on the defensive end in the first 40 minutes of play. When Webb City did find itself on defense, there was little room for advancement by the Wildcats. Webb City didn’t allow a quality shot on goal in the first half.

Webb City’s Mileah Metcalf battles with Rogersville’s Kita Wood for possession in the Cardinals’ win over the Wildcats on Monday. Photo by Israel Perez

“The wind definitely helped, but our defenders — in the first half — locked them in pretty well,” Harmon said. “They made it difficult for them to break out. They did a good job today.”

Webb City got the scoring started early, as Mileah Metcalf found the back of the net from in close during the second minute of play.

Webb City looked to have a 2-0 lead with a goal in the 18th minute, but the goal was negated with an offside call.

Early in the second half while playing against the wind, the Cardinals took a 2-0 lead when Metcalf converted from in close at the 42nd minute of play for her second goal of the game.

Rogersville cut the lead in half with its first goal of the game coming off the foot of Nikki Wood on a breakaway at the 45th minute when a clearing pass with the wind got past everybody.

Webb City answered back shortly after when Melia Blair found the back of the net from just inside the 18-yard box to push the lead back to two, 3-1, in the 52nd minute of play.

“It was very important,” Harmon said of his team’s quick response on the scoreboard. “I am very proud of them for taking the mistakes on the goal we conceded in stride and responding in a positive way by getting it right back.”

Webb City’s Velissia Perez takes a shot on goal in the Cardinals’ win over Rogersville on Monday. Photo by Israel Perez

 

 

Webb City put the finishing touches on the win when Haven Stanley scored from 15 yards out with less than 13 minutes to play to make the score 4-1.

“I think we wore them down a little bit and kept plugging away to create good chances,” Harmon said. “Credit to them for finishing those chances.” 

UP NEXT

Webb City hosts Carl Junction for a 6:30 p.m. contest on Tuesday.

 

 

 

Pictured is Webb City’s Sage Cranford. 

Webb City’s Melia Blair and Rogersville’s Audrey Davis battle for possession on Monday. Photos by Israel Perez.

PREP SOFTBALL: College Heights splits a pair in Golden City

GOLDEN CITY, Mo. — The College Heights Christian softball team split a pair of games on Monday.

College Heights beat Golden City 14-4 in six innings in the opener, but Pierce City defeated the Cougars 5-4 in the nightcap. 

College Heights is now 14-3. The Cougars will host Wheaton on Friday. 

 

COLLEGE HEIGHTS 14, GOLDEN CITY 4

The Cougars were already up 5-0 when they erupted for seven runs in the third inning. 

College Heights led 13-0 after the top of the fourth when Golden City scored four unanswered runs, once in the fourth and three in the fifth.

The Cougars added a run in the sixth and the game ended early due to the run-rule when the hosts failed to score in the bottom half.

Maddy Colin did not allow a hit and struck out seven in three innings in the circle. Addie Lawrence pitched two innings, striking out three, and Jayli Johnson went one inning. 

Kloee Williamson went 3-for-4 at the plate with two RBI and two runs scored, while Avery Good went 3-for-3 with four runs scored.

Johnson homered, drove in two runs and scored three times, while Colin contributed two hits. Layne Jackson, Sarah Painter, Lauren Ukena and Good had one RBI apiece.

Golden City’s Brooke Beerly and Maggie Reed both tripled. 

Beerly pitched three innings and allowed eight earned runs on 13 hits while striking out three. Sienna Wirth also went three innings and gave up one earned run and fanned two. 

 

PIERCE CITY 5, COLLEGE HEIGHTS 4

The Cougars scored twice in the first when Williamson scored on an error before Lawrence delivered a run-scoring double to center. 

After the Eagles tied the game in the second, CHC added a run in the third when Colin hit an RBI triple to left, scoring Johnson. 

Pierce City tied the game in the bottom half of the third when Riley Gripka tripled and later scored on Mollie Beeson’s groundout. 

The game was still deadlocked in the bottom of the sixth when Pierce City’s Hailey Gripka hit a two-run double to left field.

College Heights got a run back in the seventh, as Colin walked and scored on Lawrence’s RBI triple. But the Cougars were unable to tie the game, as Lawrence was stranded.

Lawrence went 3-for-4 with two RBI, while Colin had two hits. 

Ari Calandro struck out three in one inning. Colin went five innings, striking out six while allowing three earned runs on seven hits. 

Beeson was the winning pitcher. She went the distance and gave up two earned runs on eight hits while striking out eight. 

Hailey Gripka went 3-for-3 with four RBI for the Eagles (14-5).