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Month: December 2021

GIRLS HOOPS: Yates leads Carthage to win in Pink & White tourney opener

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Kianna Yates poured in 25 points to lead 11th seeded Carthage to a 56-49 win over sixth-seeded Ozark in an opening-round contest of the Pink & White Classic on Monday afternoon at Drury University. 

Carthage (4-4) will meet Lebanon at 111 a.m. on Tuesday. 

A junior guard, Yates hit five 3-pointers and led three Tigers in double figures. Maggie Boyd and Sophie Shannon contributed 10 points apiece for Carthage. 

In a matchup between Tigers, Carthage led 18-12 at the end of the first quarter.

After winning the second period 19-9, Ozark led 31-27 at halftime.

But Carthage outscored its Central Ozark Conference rival 11-2 in the game-changing third period. 

With that, Carthage led 38-33 entering the fourth quarter. The final frame was nearly even, with Carthage outscoring Ozark 18-16 to secure the win. 

Moriah Putt led Ozark with 16 points and Riley Boggs had 12. 

Led by Raegan McCowan’s 26 points, Lebanon defeated Buffalo 70-47.

BOYS HOOPS: Neosho finishes strong in win over Cameron

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Neosho Wildcats finished strong on Wednesday night.

A big fourth quarter turned a close one into a rout, as Neosho rolled to a 66-32 win over Cameron at the Twelve Courts of Christmas basketball tournament at Hy-Vee Arena. 

The Wildcats led 39-28 at the end of the third quarter, but Neosho outscored Cameron 27-4 in the final frame to blow the game open. 

Three players scored in double figures for the Wildcats, as K’dyn Waters led the way with 15 points, while Isaiah Green had 14 and Carter Fenske added 10. 

Also for Neosho, Kael Smith had eight points, Carter Baslee added six and Collier Hendricks scored five. 

“We played great defense all night,” Neosho coach Zane Culp said. “Carter Fenske had a big first half shooting the ball and making plays. K’dyn Waters and Isaiah Green did great on the top of our zone getting steals and finishing at the rim.”

Neosho led 10-7 at the end of the first quarter and the Wildcats were up 30-21 at halftime. 

“It was a really fun night all the way around,” Culp said. “It was an exciting way to go into the break. We are excited to go and compete in our holiday tournament.” 

Neosho is now 5-2. 

The Wildcats meet Cassville on Dec. 28 at the Neosho Holiday Classic. 

BOYS HOOPS: Carthage cruises to victory in KC, Tigers improve to 6-1

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Carthage rolled to a 62-29 win over Odessa on Wednesday at the inaugural Twelve Courts of Christmas basketball tournament at Hy-Vee Arena. 

After a close first period, the Tigers dominated the second quarter to pull away for good. A lopsided fourth period put a final exclamation point on the win.

The convincing victory hikes Carthage’s record to 6-1.

Joel Pugh led the Tigers with 13 points with four 3-pointers. Max Templeman added 12 points and Justin Ray contributed 10 to give the Tigers three players in double figures.

Clay Kinder added eight points, while Britt Coy chipped in seven and Tyler Willis had six. 

Carthage led 12-11 at the end of the opening frame, but the Tigers used an 11-2 second quarter to go up 23-13 at the break.

The Tigers led 42-24 entering the fourth quarter. The final frame was all Carthage, as the Tigers outscored the Bulldogs 20-5 in the period.

Carthage will compete at the Rolla Tournament beginning on Dec. 28. The Tigers meet Lincoln Prep in the opening round. 

GIRLS HOOPS: Joplin drops game at Chillicothe

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

The Joplin High School girls basketball team suffered a 50-34 setback at Chillicothe on Tuesday night. 

The Hornets, who improved to 7-1, are ranked fifth in Class 4 by the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association. 

“Chillicothe was a great opportunity to go and play a high quality opponent, as well as being able to see a different style of basketball than what we are used to seeing,” Joplin coach Luke Floyd said. “On a personal level, it was fun to go home and play in front of family and friends.” 

The Eagles trailed by six at the break, 20-14.

“From a basketball perspective, we played one of our best halves of the year the first half,” Coach Floyd said. “The girls competed hard, played tremendous defense, took care of the basketball, and did a great job all around. Unfortunately we were unable to repeat that same effort in the second half.” 

Chillicothe outscored Joplin 16-7 in the third quarter to take a 36-21 lead into the fourth period.

The final frame was nearly even, but the Eagles were unable to overcome their deficit. 

“We gave up two separate 8-0 runs where we got relaxed in our effort and Chillicothe made us pay,” Coach Floyd said of the second half. “At some point, we have to learn that we can’t pick and choose when we want to play hard. If we are ever going to build a successful program, effort has to become a non-negotiable for each and every team member.” 

Emma Floyd and Brynn Driver scored nine points apiece for Joplin.

Izzy Yust added six points, while Brooke Nice and Ella Hafer contributed five points apiece. 

Jolie Bonderer led Chillicothe with 11 points and Lucy Reeter added nine. 

After the Christmas break, Joplin (5-5) returns to action at Lee’s Summit on Jan. 4.

BOYS HOOPS: Joplin suffers first loss of the season to Parkview in final 2021 contest

Posted on by Lucas Davis

Joplin boys basketball suffered its first loss of the season after falling 60-47 to Parkview in the Eagles’ final game of the 2021 calendar year.

Joplin was held to three points and trailed by nine after the first quarter. Trailing by 10 at the intermission, the Eagles cut the deficit to six midway through the third before the Vikings (7-2) responded and built the lead back to double digits to start the fourth. Joplin was never able to trim the deficit back to single digits before the final horn.

Joplin sits at 7-1 as it heads into the winter break. The Eagles host the Kaminsky Classic basketball tournament starting on Jan. 6 with a matchup against Jefferson City.

“It’s a good record going into the break,” Joplin coach Bronson Schaake said. “Obviously, this is not how you want to end (2021). But, I think you are always going to get hit in the mouth at some point in the season. … It’s always good to see what you need to work on, too. It’s not always going to be pretty, but that’s just how it goes”

Joplin senior Always Wright dunks it on the break in the Eagles’ loss to Parkview on Tuesday. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

GAME ACTION

Parkview made it difficult for Joplin’s offense to have success in the first quarter, limiting the Eagles to just three points with several empty possessions and turnovers over the first eight minutes of action.

“They were physical with us,” Schaake said of Parkview’s defense. “They bumped us off the screen and roll, even on the drive. They deterred us from where we wanted to go.”

The Vikings opened with the first two scores of the game on buckets inside by senior G Elijah Whitley and senior F Marcus Price. Joplin got on the board on a free throw from sophomore F Whit Hafer with 3:46 on the clock, which was followed by a bucket on the baseline drive by senior G Always Wright. The Vikings closed the period with the final eight points on 3-pointers from Whitley and sophomore G TJ Hill and two free throws from senior F Shane Glass.

Parkview pushed their lead as high as 15 points in the second period after using an 8-0 run over the middle portion of the quarter. Much of the Vikings’ success came inside when Whitley and Glass both grabbed offensive rebounds and scored on the putback before Whitley and Xzavia McArthur drove to the hoop for baskets.

“They killed us on the glass,” Schaake said. “I don’t know what they have in the first half, something like eight to 10 points just on offensive putbacks. When you are down 10 and you aren’t shooting well, you can’t give up offensive rebounds. They just killed us on the boards.”

Joplin junior Terrance Gibson pulls down a rebound in the Eagles’ loss to Parkview on Tuesday. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

The Eagles found life at the end of the first half, closing on a 7-2 run to trim the lead to 10 at the intermission, 24-14. Sophomore G All Wright had all seven points for Joplin, scoring on the break before driving for a bucket and knocking down a 3-ball from the corner with 20 seconds left.

Joplin cut the lead down to six, 30-24, midway through the third quarter when senior G Always Wright scored seven straight points on a three-point play, a fall-away jumper from the high block and a pair of charities.

Parkview answered back with the next six points, highlighted by a 3-pointer from Hill, to push the lead back to double digits, 36-24, with less than three minutes to play in the third quarter. The Vikings ultimately took a 43-30 lead into the final quarter of action.

“I thought we had a little energy there in the third to cut it down to six,” Schaake said. “For some reason, we just hit another wall, probably when they had a couple putbacks again. When you play defense and then give up an offensive rebound for a putback, that is deflating and it kills the momentum you’re trying to get.”

Parkview junior G Amarre Clark drilled a corner 3-pointer to start the fourth and push the Vikings’ lead to 16. Joplin cut the lead to 12 several times before Parkview used a 7-0 with less than three minutes to play to extend the cushion to an insurmountable 19 points, 59-40. Whitley had a second-chance 3-pointer from the wing before breaking loose for a dunk on the break off an Eagle turnover. McArthur closed the run with a score on the drive left.

SCORING LEADERS

Whitley led Parkview with 17 points, while Glass finished with 12 and Price 10 to give the Vikings three players in double figures.

Always Wright led Joplin with a game-high 21 points, while All Wright finished with 13 points. 

BOYS HOOPS: Webb City suffers loss in Arkansas

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

ROGERS, Ark. — Webb City’s boys basketball team dropped to 5-2 on the season after a 74-64 non-conference loss at Rogers Heritage on Tuesday night. 

The Cardinals held the lead at the end of the first quarter, but the War Eagles went ahead for good late in the first half. 

Heritage (6-5) never relinquished its lead in the second half. 

The Cardinals held a 19-10 lead after Cohl Vaden’s third 3-pointer of the opening frame.

Led by Vaden’s 11 first quarter points, Webb City took a 23-15 advantage into the second quarter. 

But the War Eagles outscored the Cardinals 24-11 in the second quarter, and the hosts took a 39-34 lead into the break. 

After a 9-2 run, Heritage took a 48-40 lead with 3:40 remaining in the third quarter. 

Heritage was clinging to a 50-46 lead at the end of the third quarter. 

Webb City pulled within two on three different occasions in the fourth quarter, including with 3:25 remaining on Trey Roets’ old-fashioned 3-point play, but a lack of defensive stops down the stretch was too much to overcome. 

The War Eagles finished the game on a 15-7 run. 

Kaden Turner scored 23 points on 10 field goals and three free throws for Webb City, while Vaden added 17 points. Vaden hit three treys in the first quarter for Webb City’s only 3-pointers of the game. 

Dante Washington and Roets added nine points apiece for the Cardinals. A 6-4 junior, Roets battled early foul trouble. 

Webb City will take on Holland Hall from Tulsa at the 12 Courts of Christmas event at 4 p.m. on Dec. 29 at Hy-Vee Arena in Kansas City.

PREP HOOPS: McAuley girls and boys fall to Galena in final 2021 appearance

Posted on by Lucas Davis

It wasn’t the end to the calendar year McAuley Catholic had hoped for as both basketball teams suffered losses against Kansas Class 3A Galena in an interstate matchup to close out the 2021 portion of the schedule.

Opening the evening of hoops, the McAuley girls took it on the chin in the game-changing second quarter on the way to a 53-42 loss to the Bulldogs before the Galena boys started fast and never looked back in a 63-33 win over the Warriors in the nightcap on Monday.

 

GALENA USES SECOND-QUARTER SURGE TO  DISTANCE ITSELF IN WIN

The McAuley girls basketball team showed fight late before suffering its first loss of the season at the hands of the Bulldogs. 

After the Warriors took a lead into the second period, Galena forced several turnovers while building a 10-point advantage by halftime. The Bulldogs pushed the lead as high as 16 points in the fourth quarter before the Warriors (8-1) rallied to trim the deficit to single digits late. McAuley couldn’t get any closer than nine before the sound of the final horn.

“The first thing I told them when we were down in the locker room was that I was super proud of them for having tremendous heart because they didn’t quit on this game,” McAuley coach Mike Howard said. “They could have quit very easily and they didn’t. They played hard and played good defense down the stretch to get back into it. I just think we ran out of steam. 

“I told them that despite this loss, they are 8-1 right now and that is by far the best start to a season I have had here as a coach heading into the break. I told them not to hang their heads. I want this loss to sting in the back of their minds so they learn from it and get better because of it. They are in a great position right now. We just have to get better, but I think this is going to motivate them to do just that.”

A defensive-heavy first quarter saw McAuley come away with a 6-3 lead highlighted by a 3-pointer from senior Kennedy DeRuy and a bucket from senior Avery Eminger.

The momentum changed for good in the second quarter, as Galena outscored McAuley 17-4 thanks in large part to its ability to force the Warriors into several turnovers, with that number reaching more than 20 by the end of regulation, to build a 20-10 lead by the intermission.

“They started making some shots from the outside against our zone defense, and I felt like our zone got a little weak there,” Howard said of what he saw in the second period. “Galena had a good game plan and pressured us a lot. … We didn’t take care of the ball very well in the second quarter. We turned it over quite a bit, and that was the theme for the game. We didn’t take care of the ball and we couldn’t get anything going offensively. They played harder than us tonight.”

Senior Raylynn Downey highlighted the second quarter for Galena with eight points, including a pair of 3-pointers. Junior Mia Sarwinski and freshman Rylee Boyes also knocked down 3-pointers in the period.

McAuley cut the lead to six several times in the third quarter, including a 3-ball from senior Kayleigh Teeter that trimmed the deficit to 22-16 and an inside score from Eminger that made the score 26-20 near the four-minute mark.

The Bulldogs closed the third period on a 10-4 run to push the lead to 13 heading into the final eight minutes, 36-23. Sarwinski, who finished with 11 points in the period, accounted for three of the field goals in the run, with Arysta Sturgis converting from the perimeter.

Galena pushed the margin to 16 early in the fourth quarter before back-to-back three-point plays from DeRuy and Teeter cut the lead to 10, 45-35, with 4:23 left in regulation. DeRuy knocked down a 3-pointer from the top of the key off the assist from Teeter with 1:35 left to make the score 50-41, but that was as close to the lead as the Warriors would get before time ran out.

SCORING LEADERS

Sarwinski finished with 21 points to lead all scorers, while Downey had 10 points for Galena. Boyes finished with seven.

“It was hard to contain Mia (Sarwinski),” Howard said. “She was amazing tonight. She is a solid player and she is quick. It is very hard to stay in front of her.”

DeRuy had 17 to lead McAuley in scoring, while Teeter had 12 and Eminger 10 to give the Warriors three players in double figures. 

UP NEXT

McAuley is back in action next in 2022, traveling to Wyandotte on Jan. 6.

 

MCAULEY BOYS FALL IN EARLY HOLE AND NEVER RECOVER

Galena scored the first seven points of the game and built a 16-3 lead by the end of the first quarter before going on to a sizable win over the McAuley boys basketball team.

The Bulldogs took a 25-point lead into the intermission before extending it to as much as 36 in the third quarter. The Warriors showed fight after starting the fourth quarter on a 9-0 run, though it wouldn’t be enough for a comeback bid.

“That is this group’s M.O.,” McAuley coach Tony Witt said about his team’s ability to fight back at the end of the loss. “I tell them that all the time. I absolutely love them because they do not give up. I have had teams give up when they’re down eight and all of a sudden, it’s 20. But, this group doesn’t do that. We kept battling, but we just have to understand you have to compete on the front end (of games) as well as the back end.

“They are a very well-coached team and space the floor very well. I don’t know if they missed a shot in the first five minutes, but they were hitting open shots and looking for each other. It is just a sign of a well-coached team. They are going to win a lot of games this year.”

Kobe McGlothlin led Galena with 12 points, while Jack Perry had nine. Brett Sarwinski and Tyler Little each finished with eight points.

Michael Parrigon led McAuley with nine points on three 3-pointers. Joe Staton added six points, while Kevin Tran and Jeffery Horinek each finished with five in the loss for McAuley.

UP NEXT

McAuley is back in action next in 2022, traveling to Wyandotte on Jan. 6.

GIRLS HOOPS: Strong second half, balanced attack leads Webb City past Pittsburg

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

PITTSBURG, Kan. — The Webb City girls basketball team definitely ended the 2021 portion of its schedule on a positive note.

With a solid overall performance, and led by a strong second half, Webb City rolled to a 59-29 win over Pittsburg on Monday night in a non-conference interstate clash.

The Cardinals, who improved to 4-5, outscored the Purple Dragons 31-9 in the second half to turn a close one into a rout. 

“This was our most consistent game on both ends of the floor this season,” Webb City coach Lance Robbins said. “It was great to end the first half of the season on a positive note and playing some good basketball. We have a couple weeks of practice to correct some things we need to improve on and continue to build on the things we are doing well going into the second half of the season.”

The Cardinals finished the first quarter on an 8-1 run to take a 14-9 lead. 

During the surge, Ripley Shanks converted inside, Kenzie Robbins hit a 3-pointer from the right wing, Sami Mancini scored in the paint and Robbins made one free throw.

Webb City put together an 11-4 run late in the second quarter, as Mia Robbins and Kate Brownfield made free throws, Shanks and Malorie Stanley converted hoops from in close and Izzy Lopez drilled a 3-pointer.

At the break, Webb City led 28-20.

The second half belonged to the visitors.

The Cardinals outscored the Purple Dragons 15-5 in the third period. 

Buckets from Brownfield and Josie Spikereit and a 3-pointer from Lopez gave Webb City a 43-25 lead entering the fourth quarter.

Webb City blew the game open by scoring the first nine points of the final frame. Kirra Long and Mancini had two buckets apiece early in the period to push the lead past 20. The Cardinals went up 30 late in the contest. 

Webb City relied on a balanced attack, as nine different players scored in the game. 

A senior, Kenzie Robbins scored 10 points and hit a trio of 3-pointers in her first action of the season. 

A pair of freshmen, Mancini and Long added nine points apiece. The 6-foot-4 Mancini added 11 rebounds.

Shanks and Brownfield each contributed eight points, while Lopez hit two treys for six points.

Jacqueline Hall scored 16 points to lead the Purple Dragons.

After the Christmas break, Webb City will host Nevada on Jan. 4. 

 

PREP WRESTLING: Local athletes fare well at Harrisonville tourney

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

Carl Junction and Carthage finished fourth and fifth, respectively, in the final team standings at the Harrisonville Holiday Wrestling Tournament on Saturday. 

Helias took first with a team score of 880, while Marlow (Okla.) was second with 839 and Willard took third (782).

Carl Junction had a team score of 675.5, while Carthage was fifth with a 558. 

Webb City took 12th with a team score of 455. There were 32 teams in attendance. 

 

CARL JUNCTION HIGHLIGHTS

Carl Junction’s Lukas Walker was the champion at 113 pounds. He pinned Monett’s Simon Hartline in the title match. 

Carter Foglesong was the runner-up at 106. Willard’s Shawn Lang defeated Foglesong 2-0 in the title bout. 

Sam Melton placed third at 120 pounds, while Chance Benford was third at 182 and Kameron Bennett took third at 285. 

Also for the Bulldogs, Tony Stewart placed fourth at 160, Cayden Bollinger finished fifth at 220 and Braxten Jones was seventh at 152.

 

CARTHAGE HIGHLIGHTS

Carthage’s Eli Sneed was the champion at 138 pounds. He went 6-0, with four wins by fall. Sneed defeated St. Joseph Benton’s Ethan Nash 14-4 in the title match. 

Davion King was the runner-up at 160 pounds. King won five matches by fall before the title bout, where he dropped a 3-1 overtime decision to Willard’s Gary Walker.

Bradyn Tate finished third at 126 pounds, while Braxdon Tate was third at 152.

Also for the Tigers, Grey Petticrew finished fourth at 145, Christian Brown was fifth at 120 and Gabe Lambeth took seventh at 170. 

 

WEBB CITY HIGHLIGHTS

Colt Taylor placed fifth at 126 pounds, while Liam Taylor was seventh at 182 and Javon White took eighth at 195.

GIRLS SWIMMING: Joplin takes third at Monett invite

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

The Joplin High School girls swim team placed third at the Monett Invitational on Saturday. 

“We are down a few swimmers due to illness, injury, and holiday break,” Eagles coach Juliana Hughes said. “However, the girls who competed today set some goals and achieved them. I couldn’t be more proud of their efforts.”

The 200-yard medley relay team of Mairi Beranek, Taegen Smith, Allie Lawrence and Emma Langer finished second and swam a state-consideration time.

Additionally, the team’s 400 freestyle relay team consisting of Lawrence, Sophia Schwartz, Lily Rakes, and Langer took second place. 

The 200 freestyle relay team recorded a state-consideration time earlier this season, with Lawrence, Schwartz, Rakes, and Langer competing. They took fourth place at Saturday’s event.

As far as individual events, Lawrence won the 100 butterfly, while Langer took third in the 200 individual medley and Beranek placed third in the 100 backstroke.

Also for the Eagles, Smith finished fifth in the 100 breaststroke, Rakes was fifth in the 500 freestyle and seventh in the 200 freestyle, while Megan Walser finished seventh in the 200 IM and eighth in the 500 free. 

Joplin is scheduled to compete at Nevada on Dec. 28.  

4-STATES CHALLENGE: Fast start and dominant 3rd quarter sends Joplin past Sunrise Christian

Posted on by Lucas Davis

WEBB CITY, Mo. — A fast start led to a double-digit lead by halftime before Joplin put the game away with a dominant third quarter in a 59-36 win over Sunrise Christian on Saturday in the 4-States Challenge hosted by Webb City.

Joplin’s Always Wright flies to the rim for a layup in the Eagles’ win over Sunrise Christian in the 4-States Challenge hosted by Webb City on Saturday. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

The Eagles, who hold a perfect 7-0 record to start the season after winning their second game in as many days following a 66-56 win over Springfield Central on Friday, jumped out to an 11-point lead after the first quarter thanks to a strong start from Always and All Wright. Joplin took a 30-17 lead into the second half before outscoring Sunrise Christian 24-8 in the third quarter to build an insurmountable lead with eight minutes to play.

“It was a good win after a tough game last night,” Joplin coach Bronson Schaake said. “That was a fast-paced game and their legs could have been dead but we came out, and I don’t know what the first-quarter score was, but it seemed like we were kind of on point. I rotated some more guys in to try to keep our legs fresh. And we guarded well and we shot it well.” 

The Wright brothers had their hands all over the first quarter for Joplin, combining to score 13 of the team’s points in a 17-6 opening period. The Eagles started the game with senior guard Always Wright knocking down a deep 3-pointer from the top of the key before finding sophomore G All Wright in the corner for a 3-pointer.

After buckets from junior F Terrance Gibson and senior F LT Atherton, Joplin closed the first quarter with Always Wright sinking a stepback jumper on the baseline before All Wright grabbed an offensive rebound for a putback with 30 seconds left to give Joplin the 11-point lead.

“They are always locked in,” Schaake said before accidentally sending my phone flying out of my hand across the floor and apologizing repeatedly. “They are locked in even before we are on the bus to get here. They are smart kids and they read the game really well. They know what to take.” 

Joplin closed the first half on a 9-4 run fueled by a pair of baskets from Gibson and five points from senior G Bruce Wilbert, including a 3-pointer, to send the Eagles into the intermission with a 30-17 lead.

Joplin’s Terrance Gibson dunks the ball in the Eagles win over Sunrise Christian on Saturday at the 4-States Challenge. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

The 13-point advantage was pushed to 20 out of the break, with Joplin starting the second half on a 7-0 run. Gibson started the second half with a pair of buckets inside before Always Wright drew contact on a floater and made the ensuing and-1 free throw with 6:46 on the clock to make the score 37-17.

“We always write two minutes on the board,” Schaake said. “When you come out of halftime, it’s the most important time of the game. … We were up 13, I believe, at the half and we just kept building on it.”

“When he goes, we go,” Schaake added about Gibson’s play in the win. “As far as being active on the boards, setting good screens and when he can get out in transition he is really good. He is starting to figure out how to jump some lanes and get steals. When he is locked in and ready, we’re tough.”

Leading 45-25 with less than two and a half minutes to play, the Eagles closed out the third quarter even stronger than they started—putting the game out of reach with a 9-0 run to balloon the cushion to 54-25 to start the final eight minutes.

“We tried to rotate more guys, but I told them to go get a 30 spot and a running clock,” Schaake said of his team’s play in their second game in two nights. “They need to start having that mentality of just keep building. I was impressed. We came in early today and got stretched out. They were locked in and ready to play.”

All Wright started the run with a bucket before Always Wright earned a steal for a fast-break layup the other way, drawing contact. The and-1 free throw was no good, but senior C Calvin Clark was there for the offensive board and putback bucket to push the lead to 51-25. Always Wright capped the run with his second 3-pointer of the quarter.

SCORING LEADERS

Always Wright led the way for Joplin with a game-high 21 points, 11 coming in the third quarter. Gibson finished in double figures with 12 points, while All Wright had nine and Wilbert eight points.

Andres Lopera led Sunrise Christian with 13 points, while Marquis Williams had eight points in the loss.

UP NEXT

Joplin hosts Parkview at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

4-STATES CHALLENGE: Webb City cruises to dominant win over Parsons

Posted on by Jason Peake

WEBB CITY, Mo. — Everyone got into the act as the Webb City Cardinals cruised to a 93-69 victory over the Parsons Vikings on Saturday night in the finale of the 4-States Challenge inside the Cardinal Dome.

Fourteen different players scored for the Cardinals, who improved to 5-1 on the season with a lopsided non-conference win. 

Webb City took control of this one early. The Cardinals raced out to a 41-19 halftime lead and extended their lead to 30 early in the second half. With that, Webb City coach Jason Horn got all of his reserves plenty of playing time in the fourth quarter. 

“I thought we did a good job of coming out aggressive early,” Horn said. “I thought we did a good job sharing the ball, and defensively, we were able to get them sped up a little bit. We got some runouts and overwhelmed their guards a bit. Anytime you can get off to a good start and get in a good flow, shots are going to fall a little better.”

Webb City’s Kaden Turner scores inside during Saturday’s game with Parsons inside the Cardinal Dome. Turner scored 15 points to lead the Cardinals. Photos by Shawn Fowler.

Four players scored in double figures for the Cardinals, as Kaden Turner and Barron Duda led the way with 15 points apiece. Dupree Jackson and Trey Roets added 10 points apiece, while Dante Washington and Holton Keith each added eight. 

Horn noted it was nice to get everyone on the roster plenty of minutes. 

“We’re still trying to figure out our rotations,” Horn said. “We’ve got a good idea of who our top seven are. We’re looking to see who’s going to slide into that eighth spot. We tried to get a lot of guys in tonight to see what they can do. We’re still early in the season and we haven’t practiced a ton together as a group, so this was a good opportunity to see some different guys in different spots on the floor for us.” 

The Cardinals made 37 of 68 field-goal attempts (54 percent). Webb City forced Parsons into 28 turnovers, many of which led directly to layups. 

The Vikings (0-7), who shot 42 percent (25 of 59), were led by Jesse Jones’ 17 points. 

Webb City was able to pull away early in the game by converting turnovers into hoops in transition. The Cardinals used a 12-0 run to take a 17-4 lead into the second quarter. 

Webb City senior guard Cohl Vaden looks to score in the lane against Parsons on Saturday at the 4-States Challenge.

Turner scored 10 of Webb City’s first 12 points of the second period to extend his team’s lead to 29-8.

Hoops from Cohl Vaden and Jackson pushed Webb City’s lead past 20 at 33-11. By the break, the Cardinals held a comfortable 41-19 advantage. 

The hosts began the third quarter on an 11-3 run and Jackson’s steal and layup pushed the Webb City lead to 52-22.

The Cardinals were up 63-38 by the end of the third quarter and the team’s starting lineup took the final frame off.  

“I thought we got a little lackadaisical on defense in the second half, but overall, I thought we played well,” Horn said. “Everybody scored. At times we were too unselfish. But these guys don’t worry about who leads us in scoring. They’re an unselfish group.” 

 

WHAT’S NEXT?

Webb City is at Rogers Heritage on Tuesday night.

After Christmas, Webb City will take on Holland Hall at the 12 Courts of Christmas event at 4 p.m. on Dec. 29 at Hy-Vee Arena in Kansas City.

“It’s going to be a real neat event,” Horn said. 

 

4-STATES CHALLENGE

Saturday’s results 

Galena (Kan.) 54, College Heights 45

East Newton 55, Mount Vernon 32. 

Heritage (Ark.) 57, Nevada 51 OT

Carthage 51, Rogers (Ark.) 44

Joplin 59, Sunrise Christian (Kan.) 36

Webb City 93, Parsons (Kan.) 69

FULL STATS: Webb City HS (webbcitycardinals.com)

 

Webb City’s Trey Roets streaks to the hoop against Parsons on Saturday night. Webb City beat Parsons 93-69 at the 4-States Challenge. 

 

Webb City junior Dante Washington goes up for a layup during Saturday’s game against Parsons. All photos by Shawn Fowler.

4-STATES CHALLENGE: Carthage builds halftime lead and holds off Rogers down the stretch

Posted on by Lucas Davis

WEBB CITY, Mo. — After watching a double-digit lead vanish in the second half in a double-overtime win over Springfield Central on Tuesday, Carthage wasn’t about to allow history to repeat itself in a 51-44 win over Rogers (Arkansas) on Saturday in the 4-States Challenge hosted by Webb City. 

The Tigers improved to 5-1 after a strong surge to the first half led to a double-digit advantage in the second half. The Mounties made a run at the lead late, but Carthage staved off the comeback attempt to earn its second win of the week.

“That shows that the maturity day by day is there,” Carthage coach Nathan Morris said. “I told the guys that for us to have briefly touched on our 2-3 zone (on defense) and then have them sit in it at the end of the first half and the entire second half is huge for this group. It just shows how much they wanted to battle, being able to make some winning plays at the end to finish that out.”

To say the first half between the Tigers (5-1) and Mounties was a seesaw battle would be an understatement. There were 10 lead changes and two ties in the first half, but Carthage rallied to close the first half on a 9-0 run over the final three minutes to take a 29-22 lead into the intermission.

“We finally started getting downhill,” Morris said of his team’s run to close the half. “They are an extremely aggressive half-court team. … They fight every passing lane and they fight through screens. It took us a little bit to trust ourselves and get downhill. When Max started attacking and started screening bodies, I think that was the difference in the first half.”

Max Templeman opened the surge with a 3-pointer before Joel Pugh converted the and-1 free throw for a three-point play after pulling down an offensive rebound and scoring on the putback. Pugh closed the run with a 3-ball in the corner off the assist from Tyler Willis.

Carthage pushed its lead to double digits for the first time in the second half with Pugh splashed home a perimeter shot from the wing to make the score 36-26 with 6:02 on the clock. The Tigers ultimately took a 39-31 advantage into the fourth quarter.

The Mounties made a run at the lead twice in the final eight minutes, but were never able to get closer than two possessions before the Tigers would respond.

Will Liddell knocked down two free throws to cap a 6-0 run by Rogers to cut the lead to 41-37 with six minutes left before Carthage’s Clay Kinder scored inside on the inbounds and drilled a corner 3-pointer on the next trip to push the lead back to nine, 46-37, with five minutes left.

“Clay is getting more comfortable every game,” Morris said. “This is very similar to Clay on JV last year. It took him a while but once he started to feel good, he got rolling. That is something you can say of Clay, he is never scared of the moment. He made a huge corner 3 when we were reeling just a little bit.”

Rex Krout brought the Mounties to wishing four again after he connected from the perimeter before scoring off the drive to cut the lead to 46-42 with 2:50 on the clock. 

One again, the Tigers responded. Kinder knocked down two free throws before Liddell found room on the drive to make the score 48-44. The Tigers sank three of four free throws inside the final minute to seal the win.

SCORING LEADERS

The Tigers finished with three players in double figures, as Templeman and Pugh led Carthage with 14 points each. Templeman had 10 in the first half, while Pugh knocked down three 3-pointers to lead the perimeter scoring. Kinder added 12 points in the win, seven coming in the fourth quarter.

Krout led all scorers with 18 points, 12 coming in the second half. Liddell had 11 points for Rogers.

UP NEXT

Carthage takes part in the Hy-Vee Holiday Shootout from Dec. 20-22.

4-STATES CHALLENGE ROUNDUP: College Heights, Nevada suffer losses; East Newton earns lopsided win

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

WEBB CITY, Mo. — Galena built a double-digit cushion by intermission and never relinquished its lead in the second half on the way to a 54-45 win over College Heights Christian on Saturday at the 4-States Challenge at Webb City High School. 

The Bulldogs from Southeast Kansas doubled up the Cougars in the first quarter, leading 12-6. 

Galena outscored College Heights 19-13 in the second period to take a 31-19 halftime advantage.  

After an even third period, the Cougars outscored the Bulldogs 15-12 in the final frame, but it wasn’t enough. 

Tyler Little scored 20 points for Galena, while Brett Sarwinski added 11. 

Miller Long led College Heights with 23 points. He made eight field goals, including two treys, to go along with 5 of 7 free throws. 

Long was the only Cougar in double figures, as Hagen Beck scored eight points and Ethan Meeks had seven. 

The Cougars fell to 6-2 on the season. 

College Heights will host Bronaugh on Jan. 3. 

In other action at the event, East Newton beat Mount Vernon 55-32 and Rogers (Ark.) Heritage edged Nevada 57-51 in overtime.

 

EAST NEWTON 55, MOUNT VERNON 32

In a clash between conference rivals, the East Newton Patriots led 18-10 at the end of the opening quarter and took a 34-20 lead into the break.

East Newton extended its lead to 44-26 at the end of the third quarter.

Kelton Sorrell scored 30 points to lead East Newton and Gabe Bergen added 13.

Dominic Dawson led Mount Vernon with 10 points.

Both teams are at home on Tuesday, as East Newton hosts Ava, while Mount Vernon hosts Fair Grove. 

 

HERITAGE 57, NEVADA 51 OT

Despite a solid effort, Nevada was unable to secure its first win of the season. 

The game was tied at 47 at the end of regulation, and the War Eagles outscored the Tigers 10-4 in the extra session.

Noah Green scored 18 points for Heritage, while Carson Simmons added 13 and Micah Hill had 11. 

Jerimiah Collins scored 14 and Brice Budd added 12 points for Nevada (0-8). 

Budd’s trey gave Nevada a 35-32 lead at the end of the third quarter. 

The game was tied at 47 with 4.5 seconds left and Nevada’s last-second shot was off the mark, forcing overtime. 

There were 11 lead changes and 13 ties.

 

BOYS HOOPS: Scoring surge to close the first half propels Joplin to home-opening win over Central

Posted on by Lucas Davis

Springfield Central held a six-point lead three minutes into the second quarter before Joplin closed the first half on a surge to take a lead the Eagles wouldn’t relinquish in a 66-56 win in the home opener over Springfield Central on Friday.

With the win, Joplin remains unbeaten this season with a perfect 6-0 record. The Eagles are in action next when they take on Sunrise Christian (Kan.) at 5 p.m. in the 4 States Challenge hosted by Webb City on Saturday.

“I think we are getting better and better, and I think we have a high ceiling,” Joplin coach Bronson Schaake said when asked to assess his team to this point in the season. “I think it is something that we need to keep pushing game by game. … A lot of these guys are still new or didn’t play much last year. So, I think it is something where there is still a lot of room to grow.”

Joplin sophomore G All Wright pulls up for a mid-range jumper in the Eagles’ win over Central. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

SCORING LEADERS

Joplin finished with three players in double figures, with sophomore guard All Wright scoring a game-high 22 points in the win. He had 12 in the second half. Sophomore G Quin Renfro finished with 15 points, while senior G Always Wright closed with 10 points.

“We are trying to develop a few of the younger guys and (Quin) stepped up big,” Schaake said of Renfro’s night. “What I like about it is he really isn’t trying to force it. He is just taking what they are giving, and he is finishing. That is what we are looking for.”

Junior F Terrance Gibson added eight points, while senior F LT Atherton finished the night with seven in the win for Joplin.

Junior G Sterling Vinson led Central with 10 points, while junior F Jamarius Lawrie and sophomore G Antonio Starks-Fewell finished with nine each. Freshman G Keion Epps and freshman F Bryce Walker each had eight in the loss.

GAME ACTION

Joplin sophomore Quin Renfro raises up for a floater in the Eagles’ win over Central on Friday in the home opener. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

The Bulldogs found a lot of success on the break in the opening eight minutes, getting out and running in transition to build a 14-9 lead off an 8-0 run midway through the first quarter. 

“They were just leaking out,” Schaake said. “I think we just took that away. Once that happened, we did a good job of slowing the game down and getting in the paint and kind of owning that.” 

Walker scored inside with less than five minutes to play in the second quarter to give Central a 25-19 lead.

Joplin flipped the script with a 15-2 run over the span of 3:25 to close the first half, giving the Eagles a 34-27 advantage at the break. Much of that success came in the paint, with All Wright coming away with six points in the run and Renfro four, including the go-ahead bucket (29-27) on a driving score at the 2:25 mark.

“We had better energy,” Schaake said of his team’s close to the first half. “Bruce (Wilbert) is fighting a head cold, and so is Brantley (Morris). Quin brought the energy and I thought (Whit) Hafer played extremely well. He is a big kid and is just starting to figure out his body. … When we can get in the middle, it gets guys open on the outside.

“We talked before the game about how we wanted to own the paint, whether that is attacking it or posting up. I thought that was kind of the key in the second quarter.”

Central trimmed the lead to one, 36-35, with 4:20 left in the third quarter before a quick 6-0 run from the Eagles behind a basket from Renfro and two buckets from All Wright pushed Joplin’s lead to seven, which the Eagles held head into the fourth quarter, 48-41.

Joplin distanced itself from Central for good to start the fourth quarter, scoring seven unanswered of the first three and a half minutes to build a 55-41 lead. Always Wright had two baskets and Atherton added another on the break.

The Eagles pushed the lead to a game-high 15 points, 62-47, with less than three minutes to play following back to back buckets inside from Atherton and Always Wright.

GIRLS HOOPS: Quick start leads College Heights past Exeter

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

A strong first quarter propelled the College Heights Christian girls basketball team to a 56-22 win over Exeter on Friday night.

The Cougars raced out to a 28-5 lead and never looked back in what could be described as a dominating performance.

“It’s been nearly two weeks since our last game and I was a little concerned how that might impact our play,” College Heights coach John Blankenship said “But the girls put that concern to rest quickly by scoring 28 points in the first quarter.”

College Heights led 41-11 at halftime and the Cougars were up 52-18 after three quarters of play. 

For the Cougars, it was a solid overall performance. 

“We shot 77% in the first half,” Blankenship said. “Our 3-point shooting was great tonight, and our defense continues to create turnovers leading to transition points. This is a young team, but they are listening, learning, and improving every game. They are very unselfish and always willing to make the extra pass to set up a teammate with a better shot. I was very pleased with how they played tonight.” 

College Heights is now 3-3 overall and 1-0 in conference play.

Addie Lawrence compiled 18 points, five steals and three blocks to lead the Cougars. Lawrence also hit three 3-pointers.

Jayli Johnson added 16 points and two steals, while Lauren Ukena contributed six points, four assists and four steals. 

The Cougars host Bronaugh on Jan. 3 at OCC.

BOYS HOOPS ROUNDUP: Neosho’s Waters surpasses 1,000 points in win over Seneca; McAuley rolls to lopsided win over NEVC

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

NEOSHO BOYS 66, SENECA 36

SENECA, Mo. — K’dyn Waters scored 25 points and surpassed 1,000 career points as the Neosho Wildcats earned a convincing 66-36 non-conference win over the Seneca Indians on Friday night. 

An athletic senior guard, Waters is in his first season at Neosho. 

“That’s an amazing accomplishment from a great young man,” Neosho coach Zane Culp said of Waters. “We’ve only known him for this year, but he feels like he’s been here all along. He’s a lot of fun to be around.”

Isaiah Green added 10 points and Jared Siler added eight for the Wildcats (4-2).

Cooper Long scored 11 points to lead Seneca (2-6), while Conner Ackerson added six. 

The Wildcats led 14-8 at the end of the first quarter. 

A 3-pointer from Brock Franklin, a breakaway dunk by Waters and a hoop in the lane from Green gave Neosho a 26-15 lead at intermission. 

The Wildcats held a comfortable 47-29 lead at the end of the third quarter. 

A pair of transition layups by Waters pushed Neosho’s lead past 20 early in the fourth quarter. 

“As far as the game goes, we are glad to be back on track after dropping a couple games,” Culp said “Things clicked well on both ends and allowed us to get some easy buckets. It was a fun night all around.”

The Wildcats will host the annual Neosho Holiday Classic beginning on Dec. 28. 

 

MCAULEY CATHOLIC BOYS 72, NEVC 42

Three players scored in double figures as McAuley rolled to a lopsided win. 

Noah Black scored 20 points, Michael Parrigon added 12 and Jeffery Horinek added 10 for the Warriors.

McAuley led 22-13 at the end of the first quarter and the hosts never relinquished their lead. 

The Warriors were up 56-26 at halftime and 61-36 at the end of the third period.  

Kylan Bachand scored 22 points for the Knights (0-9).

McAuley (2-6) hosts Galena (Kan.) at 5 on Monday. 

GIRLS HOOPS: Seneca rallies late to knock off Joplin

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

SENECA, Mo. — Trailing by five with four minutes to play, Seneca finished the game on a 14-0 run to earn a 55-46 non-conference girls basketball victory over Joplin on Friday night. 

Joplin fell to 5-4 on the season, while Seneca improved to 5-2.

“We got beat by a good Seneca team,” Joplin coach Luke Floyd said. “The girls played hard all night, but as the game progressed Seneca made great adjustments and I did not. I have to do a better job of putting our girls in position to close out games. Hats off to the Seneca coaches and players for having a great game plan and sticking to it. I have to do a better job of preparing and game planning…especially after having a full week of practice.”

Aliya Grotjohn scored 27 points to lead Seneca, while Hazley Grotjohn added 12 and Samarah Mittag chipped in eight. 

Emma Floyd scored 12 points to lead Joplin, while Brooke Nice had 11 and Ella Hafer contributed 10 points. 

The Eagles led 10-2 after an old-fashioned three-point play by Hafer, but the Indians eventually tied it up at 11 after a trey from Hazley Grotjohn and a hoop in the lane by Aliya Grotjohn. 

Nice hit back-to-back 3-pointers to give Joplin a 17-11 lead at the end of the first quarter. 

The Eagles went up nine at 20-11 after free throws from Izzy Yust and Brynn Driver, but the Indians used a 9-2 run, capped by a 3-pointer from Mittag, to pull within two. 

Buckets from Driver and Emma Floyd kept the Eagles in front, but a last-second trey from Aliya Grotjohn cut Joplin’s lead to 26-25 at halftime.

Seneca finished the first half on a 14-6 run, trimming a nine-point deficit down to one. 

The game was tied at 36 entering the fourth quarter. 

Seneca took its first lead of the night early in the final frame on Aliya Grotjohn’s 3-point play, but Joplin went back ahead 41-39 with 4:40 remaining after five straight points from Emma Floyd.

Joplin led 46-41 after a trey from Nice and a layup from Hafer. But Hafer fouled out moments later, and the Eagles would not score again. 

The Indians finished strong, as Hazley Grotjohn converted a conventional 3-point play and Aliya Grotjohn hit a trey.

Free throws from both Grotjohn sisters and a transition layup from Aliya Grotjohn accounted for the final score.  

Joplin travels to Chillicothe on Tuesday night in the final contest of 2021. 

Seneca is now off until a Jan. 3 date at Clever.

GIRLS HOOPS: McAuley’s Kennedy DeRuy honored as 1000-point scorer

Posted on by Lucas Davis

On Thursday, McAuley senior Kennedy DeRuy experienced a moment she will never forget, eclipsing the 1000-point scoring mark for her career during the third quarter of the Warriors’ win over Pierce City. 

McAuley Catholic celebrated the accomplishment on Friday after her first basket in the Warriors’ win against Northeast Vernon County.

McAuley senior Kennedy DeRuy squares up for a shot against Pierce City on Thursday, where she entered the history books as a 1000-point scorer. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

“I have been with McAuley Catholic since the second grade, and I have always looked up to the basketball team,” DeRuy said after the win over the Eagles on Thursday. “It has always been a dream of mine to get into that (1000-point scoring) club. I was so excited, obviously, because a lot of hard work went into it. I wouldn’t have wanted to do it with any other team than my team.”

“Kennedy has worked harder than any person I know to get to this point,” McAuley coach Mike Howard said. “Her freshman year, she came off the bench and averaged maybe three points a game. These last three years, she has really put in the work and the effort to get better and to improve. I couldn’t think of a better person for this to happen to. I view her as my own daughter and she has just been such a blessing for me to have on this team.”

DeRuy, who didn’t see extensive varsity minutes until her sophomore season with the Warriors, put in countless hours of work on the court in preparation to take on a larger role. To say her hard work has paid off would be an understatement.

“I was intimidated going into my freshman year,” DeRuy said. “We had a lot of good players on varsity, so I had to find my role. … The biggest thing was that I needed to get comfortable with who I was and how I played. Most of all, I had to be confident in what I could do. With years of preparation and Coach Howard by my side, putting in the work was worth it.”

Heading into the contest, DeRuy was eight points shy of 1000. Of course, when a career milestone approaches, it’s always nice for it to happen during the flow of the game. That wasn’t the case for DeRuy, who had a pair of baskets to bookend the Warriors’ scoring in the second quarter before adding a score off the drive with a minute to play in the third period. She had plenty of time to think about her chance at history as she stepped up to the free-throw line with 31.6 seconds left in the third quarter, sitting at 998 points. With God in her heart, she was perfect from the stripe, knocking down both charities to clinch history.

“I prayed to God before I shot those free throws,” DeRuy said with a smile and a laugh. “I just asked Him (to help) because this is what I have been working for. If it was my time, it was my time and obviously it was. I thank my teammates, my coach and my parents because none of this would have been popular without him.”

McAuley senior Kennedy DeRuy glides to the hoop in the Warriors’ win over the Eagles on Thursday. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

GIRLS HOOPS: Swearingen’s late trey lifts Nevada past Carthage

Posted on by Jason Peake

 

NEVADA, Mo. — Clara Swearingen hit a go-ahead 3-pointer with 3.9 seconds left to lift Nevada to a 42-41 win over Carthage on Thursday night in a non-conference girls basketball clash inside Wynn Gymnasium. 

Nevada improved to 7-1, while Carthage fell to 3-4.

“The girls battled hard for 32 minutes tonight,” Carthage coach Scott Moore told SoMo Sports. “I’m really proud of our effort. It was a back and forth game all night long. Nevada just happened to have the last good shot of the game and it went in. We will learn a lot of lessons from this game…how every shot, pass, rebound and defensive possession matters when you play good teams.”

A sophomore guard, Swearingen scored 22 points with three treys for Nevada. Junior guard Maddy Majors added 15 points for the host Tigers.

Junior guard Kianna Yates scored 21 points to lead Carthage, while freshman guard Maggie Boyd added eight points. 

This one went down to the wire. 

Carthage’s Presley Probert hit two free throws to tie the game at 38 before Yates made a coast-to-coast layup to give the visiting Tigers a 40-38 lead with 45 seconds to play.

Nevada’s Grace Barnes made one free throw before a charity from Yates put Carthage in front 41-39 with 15 seconds to play. 

But Nevada’s Swearingen hit a pull-up 3-pointer from the left wing with 3.9 seconds left. A last-second runner from Yates was off the mark.

Swearingen scored 13 of her team’s 15 points in the opening frame as Nevada led 15-11. 

Carthage received a hoop from Boyd, four points from Yates and a free throw from Landry Cochran, but the visitors trailed 21-18 at halftime. 

Carthage began the second half on an 11-2 run, with Yates scoring the first three hoops of the third quarter. 

But Nevada recorded the final seven points of the frame to take a 30-29 lead into the fourth quarter. 

Nevada hosts Pleasant Hill on Monday night.

Carthage meest Ozark at the Pink & White Invitational on Dec. 27. 

“We’ll need to focus more in practice on the little details and make sure that our practice intensity elevates to a more game-like level,” Moore said. 

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

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