Carthage High School Director of Athletics & Activities Mark Holderbaum has announced a number of coaching changes for the 2021-22 school year.
Longtime track and cross country coach Andy Youngworth is retiring from coaching at CHS with the conclusion of the spring season, a press release stated.
Logan Wilson will be the new head coach for the boys track and field squad. Wilson is currently an assistant coach in the program.
Wilson is a Neosho native who earned a bachelor’s degree from Missouri Southern and a master’s from Northwest Missouri.
Wilson has coached at Neosho, McAuley Catholic and Seneca, where he was the head track coach for three years before arriving in Carthage in 2016.
Nicole Sipes is the next head girls track and field coach.
A native of Frontenac, Kansas, Sipes has been an assistant under Youngworth since 2010 and has been at CHS since 2008. She’s previously coached volleyball and basketball.
Sipes played basketball, volleyball and softball at Labette Community College before playing basketball at Pittsburg State.
Sipes has coached at Northeast and Sarcoxie, where she led the school’s softball team for 11 years, the volleyball program for 10 years and the girls hoops program for two seasons.
Brian Crigger will take over the reins of the CHS cross country program.
Crigger has been an assistant under Youngworth and currently leads the junior high cross country and track programs. Crigger hails from Springfield, where he was a standout runner at Parkview.
After running collegiately at Missouri State, Crigger joined the faculty at Carthage Junior High School in 2006.
Crigger will be an assistant coach for the high school track teams next year as well. Volleyball coach Bradyn Webb will also join the track and field coaching staff.
Also, Andy Hogenmiller will join Nathan Morris’ boys basketball coaching staff. A native of Washington, Missouri, Hogenmiller currently coaches basketball at Sarcoxie. Jaren Hulette will join the softball coaching staff.
The 2021-22 head coach for boys' track at Carthage High School will be Logan Wilson. pic.twitter.com/WzSitoeTf7
With retirement from coaching at Carthage High School, Andy Youngworth will wrap up his Tiger tenure this spring. Thank you for your dedication to CHS cross country and track programs! You'll always be a Tiger! pic.twitter.com/KubJ5NJIvl
Thomas Jefferson’s boys tennis team improved to 11-0 with a 7-2 win over Springfield Central on Tuesday a the TJ tennis courts.
Thomas Jefferson’s Noah Hamlett and Tyler Brouhard defeated Alexei Shunyakov and Anthony Trimble 8-4 at No. 1 doubles, while Ian Ding and Hari Nagarajan beat Pranav Mandava and Wooyoung Park 8-4 at No. 2. Christopher Wheelen and Prithvi Nagarajan beat Ethan Gravely-Kiprotich Togom 8-5.
In singles, Ding defeated Mandava 8-5, while Hamlett lost to Shunyakov 8-2.
Brouhard beat Trimble 8-5, while Wheelen defeated Gravely 8-1.
Hari Nagarajan lost to Park 8-4, while Prithvi Nagarajan beat Cole Brodeur 8-4.
Webb City earned a 9-0 win over Neosho on Tuesday in boys tennis action at Millennium Family Fitness.
In doubles action, Webb City’s Trenton Hayes and Cale Stephens defeated Kuhio Sohl and Landon Austin 8-0, while Jackson Dill-Drake Miller beat Christian Williams-Melvin Lopez 8-1 and Caiden Johnson-Tyler Wade topped Ryno Lee-Blaze McKay 8-0.
Neosho coach Nick Hays told SoMo Sports that the singles matches were shortened due to the threat of bad weather.
Webb City’s Hayes beat Sohl 6-1 at No. 1 singles, while Stephens defeated Austin 6-0 at No. 2.
In other singles matches, Dill beat Williams 6-3, Miller topped Lopez 6-1, Johnson defeated Lee 6-0 and Wade beat McKay 6-0.
Neosho hosts Nixa on Thursday, while Webb City is scheduled to compete at Wednesday’s Monett Invitational.
CARTHAGE, Mo. — Carthage and Neosho battled back and forth throughout the Central Ozark Conference contest with the Tigers outlasting the Wildcats 3-2 on Tuesday at Carl Lewton Stadium on Senior Night.
Carthage honored seniors Kaden Kralicek, Wil McCombs, Grant Collier and Mason Utter prior to the game.
Neosho (3-18, 0-6 COC) struck first with a run in the second before Carthage (7-11, 1-5 COC) matched with a single tally in the bottom of the inning to tie the game.
The Tigers took a 2-1 lead on an RBI single to left from Micah Lindsey in the bottom of the first to score Sylas Browning.
The Wildcats tied the game up in the top of the fifth when Brett Slavens reached on an error that allowed River Brill to score.
Carthage regained the lead for good in the bottom of the fifth inning when Kralicek singled up the middle to plate McCombs, who tripled to lead off the inning, to make the score 3-2.
Utter started and earned the win for Carthage after allowing two unearned runs on seven hits, a walk and three strikeouts in six innings. Kaden Arr pitched a scoreless inning in relief.
Carter Fenske started and took the loss after allowing three runs on seven hits, a walk and two strikeouts in four innings. Brill allowed one hit, one walk and struck out two in two relief innings.
Kralicek doubled and had a team-high two hits to go along with an RBI and a run scored for Carthage. Browning doubled and scored a run, while McCombs tripled and scored a run.
Chase Flynn picked up an RBI single in the second inning on the way to two hits to lead Neosho. Kael Smith also collected two hits.
OZARK, Mo. — Joplin built a 9-4 advantage by the end of the fourth inning and held off Ozark to earn a 10-8 win in Central Ozark Conference action on Tuesday.
Justin McReynolds earned the win after allowing eight runs, six earned, on eight hits, a walk and six strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings. Josh Harryman pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings in relief, striking out three while allowing one hit.
Holton Miller started and took the loss after allowing five runs on four hits, a walk and three strikeouts in two innings.
The Tigers (7-11, 3-3 COC) built an early lead after scoring three times in the first inning, highlighted by an RBI single from Brody Banmann.
Joplin (13-7, 5-1 COC) rallied back with five runs touching home in the top of the fourth to take a two-run advantage. Carson Wampler and Bodee Carlson each had RBI singles, while Kyler Stokes and Fielding Campbell each drove in a run with sacrifice flies. Ethan Guilford also picked up an RBI after drawing a bases-loaded walk.
Guilford picked up another RBI in the third with a sac fly to center, but Ozark’s Cooper Buvid singled in a run in the bottom of the inning to make the score 6-4.
Joplin’s Alex Curry singled up the middle to plate Carlson and Campbell in the last of the fourth to double the lead at 8-4. Joplin added its ninth run of the game later in the inning on an Ozark error.
The Tigers charged back with four runs scoring in the last of the fifth to trim the lead to 9-8. Holden Sabor and Banmann both picked up run-scoring hits in the inning.
Guilford drew another bases-loaded walk in the top of the sixth to add an insurance run for the Eagles.
Carlson doubled while finishing with two hits, an RBI and a run scored for Joplin. Campbell had two hits, scored twice and drove in one. Curry and Kirk Chandler each had two hits. Curry drove in two and scored once, while Chandler scored a run.
CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — A clash between state-ranked close rivals went Webb City’s way.
Ranked second in Class 5, Webb City took the lead early and added plenty of insurance late on the way to a convincing 11-5 win over sixth-ranked Carl Junction on Tuesday in Central Ozark Conference baseball action.
For the Cardinals, it was a solid overall performance.
“It was a big win,” Webb City coach Flave Darnell said, noting conference and district implications. “Carl Junction just had a big win against Willard. Carl Junction is a great team. They’ve got really good pitching and we were fortunate to get some timely hits today.”
“Credit to Webb City,” Carl Junction coach Jake Stevenson said. “They’re athletic, they run the bases well and they put pressure on the defense. We weren’t able to stop the bleeding when we needed to early and they were. It was a learning experience for our guys.”
The Cardinals improved to 15-5 overall and 4-2 in the COC, while the Bulldogs fell to 12-6 and 3-2 COC in conference action.
Webb City’s Cole Gayman was the winning pitcher on Tuesday. Photo by Shawn Fowler.
Getting production from up and down the batting order, Webb City scored its 11 runs on 13 hits. The Cardinals pushed across runs in four different innings and threatened in every frame.
“I thought we did some damage at the bottom of our lineup,” Darnell said, noting bunting and drawing walks were keys. “Those (7-8-9) guys have been turning the lineup over and we’ve got some guys at the top of our lineup that can do some damage. Their pitchers struck us out 10 times today, but we battled when we needed to toget guys on and put some pressure on them.”
Another key to victory was the fact that Webb City senior right-hander Cole Gayman had a stellar outing on the mound.
A Missouri Southern recruit, Gayman scattered three hits and did not allow an earned run while striking out five in 5 1/3 innings.
“I thought Cole Gayman pitched a heck of a game,” Darnell said. “He attacked the zone early. We made the defensive plays when we needed to and it was a good win.”
The Bulldogs managed just one baserunner in the first three frames and plated only a single tally against Gayman through five innings.
“Credit to Cole Gayman,” Stevenson said. “He’s an outstanding arm and he did a nice job today. He kept us off-balance. We were attacking first pitch strikes and just weren’t able to get our timing down. We had some quick innings and he was able to settle in.”
GAME RECAP
A pair of extra-base hits allowed the Cardinals to push across a single tally in the first inning, as Treghan Parker tripled to right field and later scored on Matt Woodmansee’s RBI double to left.
The visitors added three runs in the second. Eli Goddard reached on a dropped third strike and went to second on Aiden Brock’s sacrifice bunt. Jeremiah Leaming then delivered an RBI single to left. After Eric Fitch singled, he charged home on Devrin Weathers’ run-scoring triple into right-center.
Weathers later sprinted home from third on a wild pitch, giving the Cardinals a four-run cushion.
Carl Junction finally broke through in the bottom of the fourth.
Noah Southern reached on an error, stole second and went to third on another Webb City miscue. Southern scored on Dylan Eck’s bunt, beating Gayman to the plate.
The score remained 4-1 until the top of the sixth when the Cardinals erupted for five runs.
The big inning started off when Brock drew a walk, chasing Carl Junction starting pitcher Drew Beyer.
After Leaming sacrificed, Fitch and Weathers both reached on infield singles, loading the bases. Parker then lined a two-run single into right.
After Shane Noel walked, two runs crossed the plate on a CJ error.
A bunt off the bat of Gayman allowed another run to score, giving Webb City a comfortable 9-1 advantage.
“Aiden was down 0-2 in the count and he battled and battled to get a leadoff walk and that was huge,” Darnell said. “It was huge to extend the lead. It was good to see our guys come through and get timely hits when we needed it.”
Down eight runs, the Bulldogs answered with four runs in the bottom half of the sixth.
With one out, Southern walked, Alex Baker singled and then Eck reached on an error. Goddard replaced Gayman on the mound and he surrendered a bloop RBI single to Brendyn Downs.
After an out, Keaton Johnson smacked a two-run single to right. Downs later came home on a wild pitch, trimming Carl Junction’s deficit to 9-5.
Stevenson noted he was proud of his team’s resiliency.
“This group is going to compete and battle,” Stevenson said. “It would have been real easy to give up down 9-1. But our guys did a nice job of trying to put a big inning together. It was just a little too late.”
The Cardinals added two insurance runs in the seventh, as Noel and Woodmansee both contributed RBI singles before Goddard tossed a scoreless bottom half to secure the win.
NAMES & NUMBERS
Gayman earned the win. He threw 80 pitches and tossed a first pitch strike to 17 of 23 batters. Goddard went the final 1 2/3 and allowed one run on three hits while striking out one.
Seven different players had hits for Webb City.
Fitch and Weathers had three hits apiece for the Cardinals, while Parker and Woodmansee contributed two hits apiece.
Woodmansee drove in four runs, while Parker had two RBI.
Beyer took the loss, but he struck out nine while allowing six hits and five earned runs. Carson Johnson and Eck pitched in relief.
All six of Carl Junction’s hits were singles. Beyer, Southern, Baker, Eck, Downs and Keaton Johnson had one hit apiece.
NOTES: These two teams could see each other again, as the Cardinals and Bulldogs are both in Class 5’s District 6.
Both squads hit the road on Thursday, as Webb City is at Nixa and Carl Junction is at Ozark.
Webb City’s Devrin Weathers scores after a wild pitch during Tuesday’s game at Carl Junction. Weathers had three hits and the Cardinals beat the Bulldogs 11-5. Photo by Shawn Fowler.
Carl Junction’s Drew Beyer delivers a pitch to the plate against Webb City. Photo by Shawn Fowler.
Carl Junction’s Noah Southern reaches first base just ahead of the throw during Tuesday’s game with Webb City. Photo by Shawn Fowler.
Thomas Jefferson earned a 185-205 team win in a duel with Carthage JV on Tuesday at Schifferdecker Golf Course.
Playing the par-36 front nine, Thomas Jefferson’s Owen D’Amour finished with top medalist honors after carding a two-over 38. Thomas Jefferson’s Luke Miller shot a 46 to take second medalist, while Carthage JV’s Ben Nicholas and Eli Scott tied for third medalist after each shot a 48.
Rounding out the Cavaliers’ scores—Caden Myers finished with a 50, while Jack Tyrrell and Tony Touma shot a 51. Jake Jarrett finished with a 52.
For Carthage JV, Ben Rogers shot a 54, while Eli Cox scored a 55. Michael Sheehan shot a 59.
WEBB CITY, Mo. — In a matchup between two teams with double-digit wins that are area, conference and district rivals, it was Webb City that got the better of Carl Junction by the sound of the final whistle with a 1-0 victory on Tuesday at Cardinal Stadium.
The Cardinals broke a scoreless tie midway through the second half with the game’s only goal to move to 15-2 overall with a Central Ozark Conference best 5-0 record.
“I was definitely proud of the girls for pulling out the win,” Webb City coach Nick Harmon said. “I thought there were nerves on both sides and it was disjointed at times. I thought we showed the composure needed to win the game when it mattered.”
Carl Junction falls to 10-4, 2-3 COC on the year.
Webb City’s Velissa Perez battles for possession against Carl Junction’s Lauren Burgess in the Cardinals’ win over the Bulldogs on Tuesday. Photo by Israel Perez.
“I thought the first half we matched their intensity and we played well,” Carl Junction coach Ed Miller said. “In the second half, we came out a little flat and a lot of the play was on our end at the beginning. Once they scored, I think it was a little wakeup call and we started playing a little bit. … We had some opportunities but the ball didn’t bounce our way. It was a hard-fought game.”
The first half played out much like a chess match between two teams who are very familiar with each other. While both teams had their moments of offensive pressure, it was largely a defensive-oriented first 40 minutes.
“We got them fired up and ready to play,” Miller said of his Bulldogs’ play in the first half. “They knew they were in a battle, in a fight, and they came out and it was back and forth. They had a little confidence (playing that way). I think we connected passes well in the first half.”
The tone changed to open the second half, as Webb City played very aggressively on offense, pressuring with the ball on Carl Junction’s end constantly.
“We just needed to show more composure and believe in ourselves in what we can do with possession,” Harmon said when asked what his halftime message to the team was. “(I told them) to not give into the nerves and the atmosphere of the game. … We made a couple minor tactical changes that led to us getting a little more offensive-zone possession.”
Webb City broke through on the scoreboard near the midway portion of the second half when Anea Bemo drew a foul just outside the 18-yard box and left the game because of injury. The Cardinals were awarded a free kick from 20 yards out, with Haven Stanley ripping a shot on goal over everyone and finding the back of the net to make the score 1-0 in the 64th minute.
Carl Junction’s Hannah Franks passes the ball with Webb City’s Melia Blair defending in the Cardinals’ win over the Bulldogs on Tuesday. Photo by Israel Perez.
“Anea has been relentless all season long (attacking),” Harmon said. “She created plenty of opportunities tonight and took one for the team with the foul. With Anea going out injured on the same play, for Haven to convert that set piece was just huge for our momentum.”
Carl Junction’s offensive intensity turned up after the goal. The Bulldogs spent the next several minutes of action on the offensive end. The opportunities at tying the game came up empty as the Cardinals held off CJ for the win.
UP NEXT
Webb City hosts Nixa on Thursday, while Carl Junction hosts Ozark on Thursday.
Led by four wins in singles play, the Joplin High School boys tennis team defeated Carl Junction 5-4 on Tuesday at the JHS athletic complex.
The Eagles dropped two of three doubles matches, but then won four of the six singles matches to earn a close dual victory.
“Carl Junction played well,” Joplin coach Aaron Stump said. “They had an interesting doubles lineup, pairing their No. 1 and No. 11 ranked players, which worked to their advantage. We were able to win four singles matches to take the match.”
At No. 1 doubles, Joplin’s Logan Merkley and Jeffrey Evenson defeated Connor Sztamenits and Cade Wilkerson 8-4.
“Logan and Jeffrey communicated well during their doubles match,” Stump commented. “They played with confidence and had few unforced errors.”
Carl Junction’s Josecito Figueroa Quezada and Jordan Markham defeated Joplin’s Ben Wardlow and Colin Vermillion 8-4.
“The Carl Junction team had nice lobs and placed the ball well against us with any short hits,” Stump said.
In the No. 3 doubles match, Carl Junction’s Blaine Wilkerson and Nicholas Neal edged Josh Yarnall and Michael Mancipe 8-6.
At No. 1 singles, Merkley beat Blaine Wilkerson 8-2.
“Logan studied his opponent’s style of play early in the match and was able to counter it,” Stump noted. “He kept the ball in play and attacked when he had the opportunity.”
Evenson beat Connor Sztamenits 8-2 at No. 2 singles.
“Jeffrey played with consistency,” Stump said. “He had a strong serve and placed subsequent shots with power and efficiency.”
Wardlow defeated Cade Wilkerson 8-4 at No. 3 singles.
“Ben brought his A-game into the singles match,” Stump said. “He was hitting his serves better than I’ve seen in recent matches.”
Yarnall beat Easton Szatamenits 8-1 at No. 4 singles.
“Josh adjusted his strategy from previous matches and competed well,” Stump commented. “It was nice to have him available for singles, especially since his victory won the match for Joplin.”
Carl Junction won at No. 5 and No. 6 singles, as Quezada defeated Mancipe 8-4 and Markham topped Vermillion 8-3.
“Michael and Josecito were very evenly matched,” Stump said of the No. 5 match. “They played some of the longest rallie we’ve seen all season.”
Joplin hosts Willard on Thursday, while Carl Junction hosts Branson on Thursday.
Joplin’s Logan Merkley serves during the No. 1 doubles match against Carl Junction on Tuesday. Submitted photo.
