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Day: September 8, 2021

BOYS SWIMMING: Carthage takes third at own invite, Joplin finishes fourth

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

CARTHAGE, Mo. — The host Carthage Tigers finished third at their own Tuesday Night Duals event at the Fair Acres Family YMCA. 

The meet featured eight teams, and Blue Springs (337), Monett (210), Carthage (208) and Joplin (166) were the top four squads.

Rounding out the field were Lebanon (140), Camdenton (104), Nevada (42) and Lamar (31).

 

CARTHAGE RESULTS

The Tigers were led by three runner-up finishes at the event. 

Braxton McBride took second in the 50-yard freestyle in 24.84 seconds, Will Wallace was the runner-up in the 500 freestyle (6:20) and Kellen Frieling placed second in the 100 backstroke (59.4 seconds). 

McBride also placed fourth in the 100 breaststroke.

The Tigers finished third in the 200 medley relay, with Frieling, McBride, Landon White and Ezekiel Ramirez competing.

The hosts were fourth in the 400 free relay, with Frieling, Ramirez, Wallace and McBride competing.

Carthage placed seventh in the 200 free relay, with Wallace, White, Noah Blackford and Trey Nye swimming.

Wallace took fifth in the 200 individual medley, while Ramirez placed fifth in the 100 freestyle and sixth in the 200 freestyle.

Declan O’Brien and Aydan Nye finished sixth and seventh in the 500 free, while Landon White was eighth in the 100 butterfly.

 

JOPLIN RESULTS

Joplin’s Zane Newman won the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 53.77 seconds. 

Nathan Wardlow, Newman and Jacob Glenn finished third, fourth and fifth, respectively, in the 200-yard freestyle. 

Wardlow took fifth in the 100 backstroke, while Ian Vermillion placed fifth in the 100 butterfly.

Vermillion and Parker Hinman finished sixth and seventh, respectively, in the 200 IM. Glenn and Hinman were seventh and eighth in the 100 back. 

Wyatt Satterlee and Jackson Mordica placed sixth and seventh, respectively, in the 100 breaststroke.

The Eagles were fourth in the 200 medley relay, with Wardlow, Satterlee, Hinman and Mordica swimming.

Joplin took fifth in the 200 free relay, with Wardlow, Glenn, Newman and Vermillion competing. 

In the same event, Joplin’s B team was eighth, with Hinman, Oliver Bortz, Devin Lawson and Trevor Blanken swimming.

 

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

Monett’s 200-yard medley relay team of Isaac Lindsey, Jayden Apostol, Matthew Fillinger and Ryan Goodson finished second in 1:53. The Cubs were also second in the 400 free relay, with Apostol, Goodson, Andrew Dixon and Fillinger competing.

Also for the Cubs, Fillinger placed third in the 200 IM, while Andrew Kranz was third in the 50 free and Spencer Hurt was third in the 500 free. 

Lamar’s 200 medley relay finished sixth, with Cameron Bailey, TJ Born, Nicolas Givens and Zandan Sheat competing. The Tigers were eighth in the 200 free relay. 

Nevada’s 400 free relay team of Karter Evans, Chosen Reichard, Jeremiah Hoss and Daylan Harth finished seventh. Evans was seventh in the 100 free.

PREP VOLLEYBALL: Joplin battles until the end in loss to Springfield Central

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

Desiree Felker was definitely proud of the effort.

Felker’s Joplin High School volleyball team overcame a two-set deficit and forced a deciding fifth set with some inspired play.

But in the end, Springfield Central left town with a 3-2 win over the Eagles on Tuesday night in a non-conference clash inside Kaminsky Gymnasium.

The Bulldogs defeated the Eagles 25-22, 25-9, 14-25, 12-25, 15-13. 

“I think the game started a little rocky, but we responded in the third set,” Felker said. “It would have been easy for us to pack in it and be done. I’m really proud of our kids for responding like that. I think they showed a lot of grit and a lot of fight.”

Joplin’s Angelina Schramm (2) and Emma Floyd (25) block at the net against Central’s Miliana Sylvester on Tuesday night inside Kaminsky Gymnasium. Central edged Joplin 3-2. Photo by Jessica Greninger.

It was Joplin’s first setback of the season after two wins. Central improved to 5-1-1.

The first set was tied at eight when the visitors pulled away with a 15-5 surge. 

Central was in control of the second set from the start, as the Bulldogs led 12-2 en route to victory.

But the Eagles looked like a different team in the third set. Looking inspired in front of their home crowd, the Eagles took control right away.

“We switched up our lineup a little bit to get some different matchups at the net,” Felker said. “We also talked about just trying to prove to people what Joplin Volleyball is all about. We didn’t feel like our play represented what we have worked on. I think just talking about those things lit a fire in them. It was just their mentality with how they approached the game. They wanted to leave it all out on the floor.” 

Jayla Hunter serves for the Joplin Eagles during Tuesday’s match with Springfield Central. Photo by Jessica Greninger.

A pair of aces from Kaya Cooper and a kill from Emma Floyd gave Joplin a 9-1 advantage.

Joplin’s lead grew to 16-2 after a kill from Angelina Schramm. An ace from Abby Hembree and kills from both Abby Edwards and Bailey Owens helped finish off the one-sided set.

The Eagles stormed out to a 10-1 lead in the lopsided fourth set to force a fifth set.

The intense deciding set saw Central go up 13-9.

The Eagles didn’t quit, however, as Floyd had back to back kills and Allie Lawrence added one of her own.

Cooper’s ace tied the set at 13. A Joplin service error and a kill from Central’s Miliana Sylvester gave the Bulldogs the set and the match. 

“I’m very proud of the effort in the last three sets,” Felker said. “Unfortunately, it didn’t go our way in the fifth set. But I’m proud of the things they did on the court tonight.” 

Floyd, a senior middle blocker, had nine kills. Lawrence, Schramm and Owens contributed eight kills apiece. 

Cooper handed out 19 assists, while Hembree added 14 assists. Cooper had six aces and Lawrence added five aces. 

Junior libero Paisley Parker had 32 digs. Jayla Hunter added 19 digs and Cooper had 12. 

The Eagles will compete at the Hillcrest Tournament on Saturday. 

 

Joplin’s Allie Lawrence is pictured during Tuesday’s match with Springfield Central. In back is JHS head coach Desiree Felker. Photo by Jessica Greninger.

 

PREP SOFTBALL: Carthage earns win over Carl Junction in COC play

Posted on by Lucas Davis

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — Carthage opened Central Ozark Conference play with a 10-0 win over Carl Junction on Tuesday thanks to an early offensive output.

The Tigers (6-6, 1-0 COC) scored a run in the top of the first inning before touching home three times in the second to jump out in front 4-0 over the Bulldogs (0-11, 0-1 COC). Carthage added two runs in the fifth, three more in the sixth and added a run in the seventh en route to the win.

Jensyn Elder earned the complete-game shutout win for Carthage in the circle after limiting Carl Junction to two hits and a walk while striking out 11 in seven innings.

Hannah Cole allowed 10 runs, three earned, on 12 hits and two walks in seven innings for the Bulldogs.

The Tigers’ three-run second inning was highlighted by a two-out run-scoring triple from Lexa Youngblood, which was followed by an RBI single from Mary Grace Richmond.

Kate Potter and Natalie Rodriguez came through with back to back one-out RBI singles in the top of the sixth inning.  

Richmond led the Tigers at the plate with three hits, an RBI and a run scored, while Youngblood tripled for one of her two hits, while driving in a run and scoring twice. Rodriguez had two hits and two RBI, while Presley Probert went 2-for-4 with two runs scored.

Madi Olds led Carl Junction with two hits and a walk at the plate, including a double.

GIRLS TENNIS: Joplin captures road win at Carthage

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

The Joplin High School girls tennis team finally had its full squad available. And the result was a convincing win.

Joplin defeated Carthage 9-0 in a Central Ozark Conference dual on Tuesday night at Carthage High School.

“The girls did really well today,” Joplin assistant coach Richard Perry said. “We finally had a full and healthy varsity lineup and that really helped us get what could have been a tough win.”

At No. 1 doubles, Joplin’s Emma Watts and Astrid Cardenas edged Kianna Yates and Daniela Marquez 9-8 (7-3 tie-breaker). 

“Carthage was strong at the top, forcing Astrid and Emma to a tie-breaker,” Perry said. “It was a good test for those girls to have to deal with adversity early in the season.”

At No. 2 doubles, Joplin’s Abry Stayton and Cloey Blank defeated Anayansi Lopez and Katie Barton 8-1. Joplin’s No. 3 doubles team of Mya Ndedi-Ntepe and Brynn Driver beat Beverly Garcia and Lynnd Guerra 8-2.

Watts came from behind to earn a 9-7 win over Yates in the No. 1 singles match.

“Emma had a tough match, having to come back from a 2-5 deficit,” Perry noted. “But she was able to turn up her game when the pressure was on and that’s exactly what I want to see. 

“The rest of the girls did outstanding, really pulling from their experience this season, going from playing up a spot or two to playing their position and rolling to some comfortable wins,” Perry added. 

At No. 2 singles, Cardenas defeated Marquez 8-1. Stayton handled Lopez 8-2, Blank beat Barton 8-2, Ndedi-Ntepe defeated Garcia 8-0 and Driver defeated Guerra 8-1.

Both teams hit the road on Thursday, as Joplin is at Nixa and Carthage is at Republic. 

 

PREP VOLLEYBALL ROUNDUP: Carthage, Thomas Jefferson earn wins; CHC suffers loss

Posted on by Lucas Davis

 

CARTHAGE EARNS ROAD WIN

SPRINGDALE, Ark. — Carthage went on the road and earned a 3-0 (25-16, 25-20, 25-23) non-conference prep volleyball win over Shiloh Christian on Tuesday.

“We are continuing to get better every day,” Carthage coach Bradyn Webb said. “These kids are doing everything we are asking and are competing every single day, game, and point. I’m extremely proud to be coaching this group of girls and am blessed with a great coaching staff.”

Sydnee Dudolski led Carthage with 12 kills, while Grace Pickering had nine kills. Abby Holderbaum chipped in five kills. 

Olivia Bourgault was credited with five digs and Sophie Shannon had three blocks and two kills. Tasha Schrader added three kills. 

Carthage (5-5) hosts Pittsburg on Thursday.

 

CAVALIERS EARN 3-0 WIN

Thomas Jefferson earned a Ozark 7 Conference opening win over Exeter by the scores of 25-20, 25-15 and 25-21 on Tuesday.

With the win, the Cavaliers move to 3-4-1, 1-0 Ozark 7.

Nico Carlson led Thomas Jefferson with seven kills and two blocks, while Maggie Sutton had four aces. Mayson Solum finished with seven assists to lead TJ.

The Cavaliers are at Northeast Vernon County on Thursday. 

 

COLLEGE HEIGHTS FALLS TO PIERCE CITY

PIERCE CITY, Mo. — College Heights suffered its first loss of the season after falling 23-25, 25-20, 14-25, 25-18 and 17-19 in five sets to Pierce City on Tuesday.

The Cougars move to 1-1 on the season and are at Sarcoxie on Thursday.

Addie Lawrence had 12 kills, 12 digs, two blocks and 10 service points for College Heights, while Maddy Colin finished with 27 assists, 11 digs, five aces and 13 service points. Lauren Ukena had 12 kills, 23 digs, five aces and 16 service points. Lindsay Griesemer finished with 15 digs, six kills and nine service points, while Ava Masena had 17 digs and 10 service points.

College Heights is at Sarcoxie on Thursday.

PREP TENNIS ROUNDUP: Carl Junction beats Neosho; Thomas Jefferson defeats College Heights

Posted on by Lucas Davis

PREP TENNIS: Carl Junction earns COC win over Neosho

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — Carl Junction girls tennis moved to 3-1 on the season and 2-1 in Central Ozark Conference play after earning a 9-0 win over Neosho on Tuesday.

With the loss, the Wildcats fell to 0-4, 0-3 COC on the season.

In No. 1 singles action, CJ’s Naiyah Wurdeman earned an 8-0 win over Jasmine Martinez, while Jenna Besperat finished with an 8-0 win over Alex Olsbo for the Bulldogs in No. 2 singles.

Carl Junction’s Shirley Sherwood won 8-5 over Neosho’s Lyndsey Doke in No. 3 singles play, with Valeria Alamina Poor finished with an 8-3 win over Keely Keeton in No. 4 singles. Wrapping up the No. 5 and 6 singles matches, Emily Higgins defeated Lauren Nageotte 8-0, while Alyssa Graves beat Alyssa Evey 8-1.

In No. 1 doubles play, Wurdeman and Besperat defeated Martinez and Olsbo 8-0, with Sherwood and Poor beating Doke and Keeton 8-2 in No. 2 doubles. Wrapping up doubles play was Graves and Higgins earning an 8-0 win over Nageotte and Evey.

Carl Junction travels to Willard on Thursday, with Neosho on the road at Monett.

 

PREP TENNIS: Thomas Jefferson defeats College Heights 

Thomas Jefferson girls tennis moved to 3-0 to start the season with a 5-4 win over College Heights on Tuesday.

In No. 1 singles action, TJ’s Allison Ding earned a 1-0 walkover win over Jem Kionisaia, with Jeanna Jeyaraj finishing with an 8-2 win over CHC’s Hannah Bass in No. 2 singles play.

In No. 3 singles action, CHC’s Natalie Brueggemann walked away with an 8-5 win over Jessica Joseph, while TJ’s Warda Morsey beat Ella Bishop 8-4. In No. 5 singles, Emalee Roe defeated Jeanna Smathers 8-3.

College Heights’ Avery Baker defeated Jiao Jiao Nelson 8-3 to round out singles play.

In doubles action, Ding and Jeyaraj defeated Bass and Baker 8-3, while CHC’s Bishop and Smathers earned an 8-5 win over Joseph and Morsy. Brueggemann and Wicke defeated Roe and Nelson 9-7.

PREP SOFTBALL: Webb City opens COC slate with 12-2 in over Joplin

Posted on by Lucas Davis

WEBB CITY, Mo. — Webb City opened Central Ozark Conference play with a dominating 12-2 win over Joplin in six innings thanks to an offensive outburst in the fourth inning on Tuesday at Barnes Field. 

The Cardinals (6-2, 1-0 COC) took the initial 2-0 lead with a pair of runs scoring in the bottom of the first inning. The Eagles (7-5, 0-1 COC) scored twice in the top of the third inning to tie the game up, but it didn’t last long. Webb City took all of the momentum in the last of the fourth after crossing home eight times to move in front 10-2, adding two runs in the sixth inning to end the game early.

“I think it was a good confidence builder for the girls to come out in the conference opener to put up a lot of runs and dominate,” Webb City coach Shauna Friend said. 

“We have to find a way to battle against these good teams,” Joplin coach Manny Flores said. “We can’t give away too many free bases, and in that (fourth) inning, we did. I think we had four or five free passes. … We just have to find a way to command the zone and execute our defense better.”

Webb City freshman pitcher Laney Taylor delivers to home during the Cardinals’ win over Joplin in COC play on Tuesday at Barnes Field. Photo by Israel Perez.

Freshman Laney Taylor earned the win for Webb City in the circle. She limited Joplin to two runs on six hits, one walk and four strikeouts in six innings of work.

“Laney came out and did a fabulous job today,” Friend said. “She has really good control and command of her pitches. For a freshman coming out in a big game like this, she has really good composure and I think that works well for her.”

Junior Jill McDaniel took the loss for the Eagles after surrendering 12 runs, 10 earned, on 10 hits, two walks, two hit-by-pitches and four strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings of work.

“She threw well in the other five innings but against good teams, you can’t take any innings off,” Flores said. “Great teams are going to take advantage and this is exactly what they did. We have to be on for seven innings if we are going to compete and find a way to win a game.”

GAME ACTION

Webb City wasted little time getting the offense going in the bottom of the first thanks to back to back one-out singles from senior Morgan Brannon and senior Hannah Wells to put runners on second and third. Two batters later, senior Kaylyn Gilbert came up with a two-out single up the middle with two strikes in the count to plate the first run for a 1-0 advantage. An error on a popup by Joplin later in the inning allowed the Cardinals’ second run to score.

“Kaylyn had a great game at the plate overall,” Friend said. “Getting us kicked off with that two-run hit was key for us to get momentum.”

Joplin cut the lead in half in the top of the third after freshman Abby Lowery doubled to lead off the inning before coming around to score on the back end of a double steal to make the score 2-1. Junior Izzy Yust singled to right field later in the inning with a runner in scoring position to tie the game at 2-2.

Webb City essentially put the game out of reach in the bottom of the fourth inning. After a leadoff walk and a one-out hit-by-pitch, sophomore Dawsyn Decker dropped down a squeeze bunt with runners on second and third for an RBI to give Webb City a 3-2 lead. 

After a walk, senior Peyton Hawkins doubled down the left-field line with the bases loaded to drive in two runs and push the lead to 5-2.

A hit-by-pitch in the next at-bat loaded the bases for the Cardinals once more before Wells went opposite field for a double to right-center to plate three runs and push the margin to 8-2.

Joplin sophomore Bailey Ledford slides into home for a run during the Eagles’ loss to Webb City in COC play on Tuesday. Photo by Israel Perez.

Gilbert and senior Lauren Hicks both picked up RBI doubles down the third-base line later in the inning to give the Cardinals a 10-2 advantage. Webb City hit four total doubles in the frame.

“They have a lot of power,” Friend said about the depth of the Cardinals’ lineup. “They swing the bat hard. That is what we ask from them every day. It is nice to have the power up and down the lineup, but also the ability to lay down the bunt when you need to. The offense is coming around.”

Webb City ended the game early after touching home twice in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI single from senior Emalee Lamar and a sacrifice fly from Gilbert.

STATS

Gilbert and Wells each finished with two hits and a team-high three RBI to go along with two runs scored. Brannon had two hits and scored a team-high three runs for the Cardinals. 

Lowery had two hits and a run scored for Joplin, while Yust had a hit and drove in one. Sophomore Bailey Ledford had a hit and scored a run.

UP NEXT

Webb City is at Ozark on Thursday.

Joplin is at Branson on Thursday.

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