February 2022 - Page 4 of 4

BOYS MERCY/WARRIOR CLASSIC: College Heights wins tourney title; Thomas Jefferson takes 3rd; McAuley ends tourney with win

Posted on February 6, 2022February 6, 2022 by Lucas Davis

COLLEGE HEIGHTS BOYS HOLD OFF PROVIDENCE IN CHAMPIONSHIP WIN

College Heights opened the 2021-22 season with a double-digit road loss at Providence Academy on Nov. 19. What better way to see how you’ve progressed as a team than a rematch nearly two and a half months later?

College Heights’ Miller Long fights through traffic for a basket during the Cougars’ win over Providence Academy in the Mercy/Warrior Classic championship game on Saturday. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

That was the situation the Cougars were facing as they squared off with the Patriots once more, this time in the 39th annual Mercy/Warrior Classic boys championship game on Saturday.

College Heights (17-3) gained the first real separation in the game after closing out the first quarter on a scoring run and starting the second just as strongly while building a double-digit lead early in the second period that carried to the intermission. The Patriots (15-9) whittled the lead to two possessions to start the fourth quarter and cut the advantage to two points with three minutes to play, but the Cougars refused to give up the lead down the stretch and held on for a 57-51 win to clinch the tournament championship.

“I’d say we’ve progressed a lot since November,” College Heights coach Eric Johnson said after the win. “That was a good measuring stick for us to see how far we have come. They are a good ball club and have beat some good teams. They have some big kids and are a real challenge for us. They are very good competition, so we are pleased with the win.”

GAME ACTION

College Heights and Providence traded baskets in the early onset before the Patriots used back-to-back 3-pointers from Carter Keen near the four-minute mark to build a 13-9 lead.

The Cougars responded by scoring the final seven points of the opening period to take a 16-13 lead. Hagen Beck started things with a bucket before Ethan Meeks and Curtis Davenport had consecutive tip-ins to close out the period with the Cougars in front by three.

CHC’s Curtis Davenport attacks the basket in the Cougars’ win over Providence Academy in the Mercy/Warrior Classic championship game. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

College Heights opened the second period on a 11-4 run to push the lead to double digits for the first time, 27-17. Meeks had a post score, while Ethan Adel added a 3-pointer before a bucket from Caleb Quade. Miller closed the spurt with a back-cut layup, drawing a foul and making the and-1 charity for a three-point play with 5:23 left in the first half.

“We needed to get the ball inside and we had some offensive rebounds there, too,” Johnson said about his team’s play to close the first quarter and start the second. “I think Curtis had a couple there. Caleb Quade did a good job off the bench with a key rebound and putback. It was a team effort.”

Quade closed out the first half with an offensive rebound and putback coupled with a free throw with 24 seconds left to give CHC a 36-23 cushion at the half.

The Patriots started the third quarter on a 14-4 run to trim their deficit to 40-38 with less than three minutes to play in the period. Five different players scored during the surge, with Cooper Laney’s five points leading the way.

College Heights took a six-point lead into the fourth quarter after closing the third on a floater from Ben Thomas.

The Cougars pushed the lead back to 10 points after Davenport jump-stopped in the lane for a basket off the glass and a 3-pointer from the wing by Long off the assist by Adel to make the score 51-41 with 5:41 to play.

The Patriots responded by making a run at the lead, scoring eight straight points with a 3-pointer from Laney and buckets inside from Isaac Woodward and Preston Green to trim the score to 51-49 with 2:57 left.

College Heights’ Ethan Adel looks for room to drive during the Cougars’ win over the Patriots in the Mercy/Warrior Classic championship game. Photo by Shawn Fowler.

“That was a good lesson for us,” Johnson said. “You have to take care of the basketball and not get careless with it and let teams back in the game. … If you want to go anywhere in the postseason, you have to take care of the ball.”

Long knocked down a baseline floater on the next possession before Davenport made two foul shots with 26 seconds left to give CHC a 55-49 lead on the way to the win.

“This is key because when you get into the postseason, you are going to play good teams like this,” Johnson added about the win. “You better learn things (from these games) like taking care of the ball and limiting your turnovers. And you better rebound and hit your free throws. Little things like that are going to win you games.”

SCORING LEADERS

Long had a game-high 18 points to lead CHC, while Davenport finished with 12 points. Meeks had eight in the win and Beck finished with seven.

Laney finished with 13 points, while Keen and Corban Mora both closed with 12.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

MVP – Miller Long, College Heights

Curtis Davenport, College Heights

Corbin Mora, Providence Academy

Preston Green, Providence Academy

Drew Goodhope, Thomas Jefferson

Jaron Malotte, Sarcoxie

THOMAS JEFFERSON BOYS ROUT SARCOXIE IN THIRD-PLACE GAME

Thomas Jefferson used a staunch defensive effort to build an early lead and never looked back on the way to a 70-38 win over Sarcoxie in the boys third-place game of the Mercy/Warrior Classic.

The Cavaliers (14-5) used a 15-0 run in the first quarter to put a stranglehold on the lead. Thomas Jefferson essentially put the closing touches on the win in the third quarter, pushing the advantage to more than 30 points, which caused a running clock over the final eight minutes of action.

“We were really trying to drive a couple of points home today from a team standpoint,” Thomas Jefferson coach Chris Myers said. “We wanted to put four quarters of basketball together because that is what it is going to take to beat good teams and win a lot of these big games coming up for us. We’ve been in some big games the last couple of years and I hope that fire is in their belly.”

GAME ACTION

Thomas Jefferson led 5-4 before ripping off the final 15 points of the opening period to balloon the lead to 20-4. Jay Ball opened the run with a bucket inside before four straight points from Drew Goodhope.

The final three field goals of the run were fueled by turnovers forced by the Cavs. Caden Myers earned a steal that turned into a bucket by ball before Tyler Brouhard earned a steal that ended up as a 3-pointer from Myers from the wing to push the lead to 17-4. Jake Jarrett added another steal the wound up as a 3-ball by Goodhope the other way with 27 second left to wrap the scoring in the quarter.

“Our defense was big all night really,” Coach Myers added about the close to the first quarter. “Yesterday’s loss, I hope, lit a little fire in our belly. We had a little shootaround before we came over here today and talked about some things we needed to improve on. The boys took it to heart and really came out and executed the game plan well tonight.”

Thomas Jefferson built a 19-point lead by the intermission and put the game out of reach late in the third quarter, using an 11-0 run highlighter by perimeter scoring to push the lead to more than 30 for the first time in the game.

Goodhope started it off with a 3-pointer before adding a pair of makes at the foul line. Brouhard splashed home a 3-pointer from the wing before Goodhope buried a perimeter jumper from the wing to make the score 54-22 with less than 90 seconds to play in the third quarter.

“That is exactly what we talked about going into the second half of this game,” Coach Myers said. “We had a 19-point lead over them earlier in the year in the Diamond Tournament during the second week of the season and we let them back in the game after that. We hounded at halftime about showing everyone how we have grown as a team. The boys came out and did what they had to do in the third.”

The Cavaliers cruised to the final horn with a running clock in their favor over the final eight minutes of action.

SCORING LEADERS

Goodhope finished with a game-high 24 points to lead Thomas Jefferson in scoring, knocking down a game-high six 3-pointers in the win. Myers finished with 15 points in the win and Ball added 12 to give the Cavs three players in double figures. Brouhard finished with seven points in the win.

Garrett Smith closed with 12 points to lead the Bears in scoring, while Terio Asterio finished with nine points on three 3-pointers.

MCAULEY BOYS KNOCK OFF BLUEJACKET

The McAuley Catholic boys wrapped its Mercy/Warrior Classic appearance on a high note, defeating Bluejacket 63-20 on Saturday.

McAuley doubled up Bluejacket in the first quarter 19-8 and pushed the lead to more than 20 by the intermission. The Warriors held Bluejacket to five total points in the second half on the way to the win.

Joe Staton led McAuley with 15 points, while Rocco Bazzano-Joseph added nine points in the win. Jeffery Horinek closed with eight and Bradley Wagner added seven points.

HOOPS ROUNDUP: Joplin drops COC twinbill at Nixa; Carl Junction girls beat Willard; Carthage squads fall at Republic

Posted on February 6, 2022 by Jason Peake

NIXA, Mo. — Joplin dropped a Central Ozark Conference basketball doubleheader at Nixa on Saturday inside Eagle Fieldhouse.

Nixa’s girls finished strong to upend Joplin 63-36 before the Nixa boys rolled to an 83-50 win over Joplin in the day’s finale.

In Saturday’s other COC action, Carl Junction’s girls beat Willard 65-50, while Carthage’s girls and boys both suffered losses at Republic.

NIXA GIRLS 63, JOPLIN 36

Joplin stayed within striking distance for most of the game, but Nixa outscored Joplin 22-7 in the fourth quarter.

“In spite of way too many turnovers, we were able to play with Nixa through three quarters,” Joplin coach Luke Floyd told SoMo Sports. “Unfortunately, I felt like we quit in the fourth quarter. Our halfcourt defense was extremely good throughout the game, but when you have over 40 turnovers you aren’t going to beat anyone…especially teams as good as Nixa. I was extremely disappointed in how the girls finished the game. At some point they are going to have to realize that they are a good basketball team and then consistently play that way. We should be beyond the point of feeling sorry for ourselves and not competing.”

Joplin fell to 10-10 overall and 1-3 in the COC.

Brooke Nice scored 18 points and hit three 3-pointers to lead Joplin, while Ella Hafer added 12 points.

Macie Conway scored 28 points to lead Nixa. Ranked fourth in Class 6 by the Missouri Basketball Coaches Association, Nixa improved to 17-4 overall and 4-0 in the COC.

Despite numerous early turnovers, Joplin only trailed by six at the end of the first quarter at 10-4.

Hoops from Emma Floyd and Nice cut Joplin’s deficit to three in the second quarter, but Nixa finished the first half on a 15-7 run to take a 27-16 lead at intermission.

Nice scored 10 of Joplin’s 13 points in the third quarter, but the visitors trailed 41-29 entering the fourth quarter.

A breakaway layup by Hafer cut Joplin’s deficit to 10 early in the final frame, but Nixa used a 10-3 run to pull away for good. Overall, the hosts closed the game on a 22-5 spurt.

Joplin hosts Ozark at 7:30 on Monday night. The Tigers are ranked eighth in Class 6.

NIXA BOYS 83, JOPLIN 50

Nixa’s boys showed why they’re ranked fourth in Class 6 by the MBCA. Nixa built a 22-point lead by halftime en route to a convincing COC win.

Joplin fell to 14-6 and 2-2 in the COC.

Always Wright scored 21 points to lead Joplin, while All Wright had 20 points. Both Wright brothers hit three 3-pointers.

Nixa improved to 18-3 and 4-0 in conference action.

Jaret Nelson scored 26 points for Nixa, while Kael Combs had 19 and Colin Ruffin added 16.

Nixa doubled up Joplin early at 18-9.

Brantley Morris drained a 3-pointer for the visitors, but Nixa’s Colten Berry scored inside just before the buzzer, giving the hosts a 20-12 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Nixa scored the first 11 points of the second quarter to take a 31-12 lead.

Joplin received free throws from All Wright and a hoop from Quin Renfro, but Nixa took a 38-18 lead after five points from Ruffin and a layup by Combs.

Always Wright hit a pair of jumpers late in the first half, but Nixa’s lead was 45-23 at the break.

Joplin put together a 10-2 run in the third period, but the visitors still trailed 64-39 heading into the fourth quarter. The final outcome was never in doubt during the final eight minutes.

Joplin hosts Ozark on Tuesday night.

CARL JUNCTION GIRLS 65, WILLARD 50

WILLARD, Mo. — The Carl Junction girls basketball team took control in the second quarter and pulled away further in the third period for a 65-50 win over Willard on Saturday in Central Ozark Conference action.

Carl Junction led 14-8 at the end of the first quarter. The Bulldogs then outscored the Tigers 16-9 in the second period to take a 30-17 lead at intermission.

Carl Junction won the third period 21-11 to go up 51-28 entering the fourth quarter.

With a fifth straight win, Carl Junction is now 16-5 overall and 3-1 in the COC.

Destiny Buerge poured in 31 points on 12 field goals and five free throws to lead the Bulldogs, while Kylie Scott added 20 points on nine buckets and two charities.

Brielle Adamson scored 18 points on six 3-pointers for the Tigers (11-11, 2-2 COC).

Carl Junction’s girls are at Webb City on Monday night.

Willard’s boys defeated Carl Junction 58-51. No other information on the game was available to SoMo Sports.

REPUBLIC GIRLS 76, CARTHAGE 44

REPUBLIC, Mo. — A slow start was too much to overcome for the Carthage girls basketball team.

Republic rode a big first quarter to a 76-44 win over Carthage on Saturday in Central Ozark Conference action.

In a clash between Tigers, Republic outscored Carthage 22-9 in the first period to take control.

Up 39-24 at halftime, the hosts outscored the visitors 18-9 in the third quarter to go up 57-33.

Kianna Yates scored 19 points to lead Carthage, while Lauren Choate added 12 points. Carthage slipped to 9-12 and 0-4 in the COC.

Missouri State recruit Kaemyn Bekemeier poured in 38 points for Republic (15-5, 4-0 COC), while Rilynn Finley added 13 for the Tigers, who are ranked 10th in Class 6.

Carthage is at Neosho on Monday.

REPUBLIC BOYS 57, CARTHAGE 40

REPUBLIC, Mo. — The third quarter proved crucial as Republic’s boys defeated Carthage 57-40 on Saturday.

Republic held a 25-20 lead at intermission, but the hosts outscored the visitors 22-9 in the game-changing third period to take a 47-29 advantage.

Carthage won the fourth period 11-10, but it was far from enough.

Carthage dropped to 15-5 overall and 1-3 in COC action.

Max Templeman scored 13 points to lead Carthage, while Joel Pugh added 12. Both players hit two treys. Clay Kinder added seven points for Carthage.

Republic is now 14-7 and 4-0 in the conference.

Avery Moody scored 15 points to lead Republic, while Devon McMillin had 13 and Ahlante Askew added 12.

Carthage travels to Neosho on Tuesday night.

GIRLS MERCY/WARRIOR CLASSIC: College Heights girls defeat McAuley for third place; Providence wins championship

Posted on February 6, 2022February 6, 2022 by Lucas Davis

COLLEGE HEIGHTS GIRLS DEFEAT MCAULEY FOR THIRD PLACE

College Heights built a double-digit lead early in the fourth quarter and held off McAuley’s late run on the way to a 36-31 win in the girls third-place game on Saturday.

Neither team held more than a one possession lead through the first half, but the Cougars (10-8) closed the third quarter strong and held a six-point advantage heading into the final eight minutes. CHC recorded the first three buckets of the fourth to build a double-digit lead before McAuley rallied in a big way to trim the lead to three points with less than 90 seconds to play. College Heights recovered and held off the Warriors in the closing seconds.

“It is always a challenge playing McAuley because they know us so well and we know them so well,” College Heights coach John Blankenship said. “We got off to a rough start, both teams did, but we missed so many layups tonight and shot 21 percent from the field and still won the game. … That speaks volumes to our defense. We preach defense and practice defense. The kids came out, kept them in check until we gained a little offensive rhythm in the third quarter and that helped out a lot.”

“Anytime we are playing College Heights, we know it’s going to be a battle and because we play each other so much that we know everything about them and they know everything about us,” McAuley coach Mike Howard said. “It is basically who is going to take care of the ball and who is going to put forth the most effort. I thought our girls played with a lot of effort, but we just couldn’t take care of the ball. Anytime that you have more turnovers than you do points [34], it’s never going to be a good outcome.”

GAME ACTION

McAuley scored the first basket of the second half on a Kennedy DeRuy bucket to tie the game at 17s, but College Heights scored the next six points to build the first real separation of the contest. Jayli Johnson earned a steal for a layup on the break before she knocked down a 3-pointer from the wing to highlight the spurt.

“We got into some passing lanes, got a few steals and actually knocked down a couple of layups,” Blankenship said of his team’s play in the third quarter. “Whenever you can get a couple quick turnovers like that, I feel like it makes us pick up the intensity even more on defense. But, it was just about finishing shots. If we can finish shots with our defense, we can play with most teams our size.”

The Cougars carried that six-point lead into the fourth quarter and converted the first three baskets of the final period to take a 34-21 advantage. Addie Lawrence started the quarter off with a 3-pointer before Johnson scored on the break before driving in for a hoop to make the score 34-21 near the four-minute mark.

The Warriors refused to go away without a fight, as McAuley rattled off the next 10 points to trim the deficit down to 34-31 with 1:27 left in regulation. Avery Eminger scored inside to start the surge before DeRuy recorded a three-point play and a 3-pointer off a turnover to cut CHC’s lead to 34-29 with 2:02 left. Avery Gardner earned a steal on the inbound pass and found DeRuy under the basket for a score to trim the lead to three.

“The first thing I mentioned in the locker room after the game, because I always try to start with something positive, is that they have relentless heart and effort,” Howard said. “You will never see our girls quit. They play hard until the end of the game. I thought that they did an amazing job in the fourth quarter to get back into the game. We switched it up defensively and started pressuring full court to create some turnovers, which led to those baskets. … Those girls kept fighting to the very end. I couldn’t be more proud of them.”

College Heights answered with a basket by Lawrence inside the final minute to hold off McAuley and seal the win.

“We did not do a good job of keeping our poise and we panicked under the pressure a little bit,” Blankenship said of his team’s play down the stretch. “But we did what we had to do and finished down the stretch. We have some things we need to clean up in practice next week.”

SCORING LEADERS

Johnson led College Heights with 14 points, while Lawrence finished with nine points. Libby Fanning finished with six points in the win.

DeRuy finished with a game-high 18 points to lead McAuley in scoring. Eminger closed with seven points and Lily Black had four.

ALL-TOURNAMENT TEAM

MVP-Julieth Rivera, Providence Academy

Lydia Shaddox, Providence Academy

Marcy Miller, Lamar

Josey Adams, Lamar

Jayli Johnson, College Heights

Kennedy DeRuy, McAuley

PROVIDENCE ACADEMY DEFEATS LAMAR TO WIN GIRLS CHAMPIONSHIP

Providence Academy built a nine-point lead by the intermission and carried that pace throughout the second half on the way to a 64-52 win over Lamar in the Mercy-Warrior Classic girls championship game on Saturday.

The Patriots outscored the Tigers 17-9 in the first quarter and pushed the lead to nine by halftime. Providence won the third quarter and held Lamar at bay down the stretch to preserve the championship win.

Karolina Kiraga and Lydia Shaddox each had 14 points to lead Providence in scoring. Julieth Rivera added 11 points to give the Patriots three players in double figures.

Marcy Miller finished with 14 points and Zavrie Wiss closed with 13 to lead Lamar in scoring.

THOMAS JEFFERSON GIRLS 44, BLUEJACKET 16

The Thomas Jefferson girls basketball team captured fifth place and earned its fifth win of the season by beating Bluejacket 44-16 on Saturday at the Mercy-Warrior Classic.

Thomas Jefferson built a 10-point lead by the end of the first quarter at 17-7. The Cavs led 26-10 at halftime and were up 38-11 by the end of the third quarter.

Gabbi Hiebert scored a game-high 21 points for Thomas Jefferson, while Lannah Grigg added 14 points.

On Friday, Thomas Jefferson’s girls beat Carl Junction’s junior varsity 47-34.

Hiebert scored 19 points for the Cavs, while Grigg added 10 and Nico Carlson contributed seven. DeShaye Buerge scored 13 points for the Carl Junction JV.

MERCY/WARRIOR CLASSIC: CHC boys advance to championship; CHC and McAuley girls fall in semifinals

Posted on February 5, 2022February 5, 2022 by Lucas Davis

FOURTH-QUARTER SURGE SENDS CHC BOYS PAST TJ; JOHNSON EARNS WIN 650

After a seesaw battle through the first three quarters, College Heights used a 15-0 scoring run in the fourth period on the way to a 64-53 non-conference win over Thomas Jefferson on Friday in the semifinals of the 39th annual Mercy/Warrior Classic.

Neither team held a lead greater than five points through the first half. Thomas Jefferson (14-5) held a seven-point advantage with three minutes left in the third before College Heights (17-3) rallied, with both teams exchanging the lead four times to head into the fourth with a one-point game. The Cougars took advantage in the final eight minutes, using a 15-0 scoring run over five minutes to steal the momentum for good in the win.

“I know Thomas Jefferson had three days off, but it looked like we had six days off,” said College Heights coach Eric Johnson, who notched his 650th career win as a head coach on Friday. “We missed a lot of easy shots in the first half, and (Thomas Jefferson) plays hard and they play well. Our press hurt them in the fourth quarter and we were able to get some turnovers and score. It was a struggle and I don’t think we played very well, but (Thomas Jefferson) is always tough and so well-coached that they always make it difficult for the other team.”

“We battled, and for the most part, we executed the game plan until the fourth quarter,” Thomas Jefferson coach Chris Myers said. “I told the guys after that you can’t execute a game plan against a good basketball team for three or three and a half quarters. It has to be a full game if you want to beat good teams. We talked about learning from that and putting it all together.”

College Heights advances to face Providence in the boys championship game, which is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Saturday. Thomas Jefferson takes on Sarcoxie in the third-place game set for 4:30.

SCORING LEADERS

Ethan Meeks finished with 18 points to lead the way for College Heights, while Curtis Davenport finished with 17 points in the win. Miller Long closed the game with 12 points.

Caden Myers and Luke Miller led Thomas Jefferson with 12 points each, while Jake Jarrett also finished in double figures with 10. Drew Goodhope scored nine points in the loss.

GAME ACTION

Back to back 3-pointers from Myers and Goodhope gave Thomas Jefferson its first seven-point advantage of the second half with 4:48 on the clock in the third quarter, which was the largest lead of the game by either team to that point.

Trailing 37-30 shortly after, College Heights rallied with eight straight points to take the lead back, 38-37, with two minutes to play. Hagen Beck started the run with an inside score before Davenport and Long converted three-point plays to take the lead.

Jarrett scored inside to give the Cavaliers the lead before Ethan Adel answered with a 3-pointer for the Cougars on the other end to get his team back in front 41-39. Myers and Davenport exchanged buckets to keep CHC in front before Myers closed out the third period by banking in a half-court shot at the buzzer to send the Cavs into the fourth on top 44-43.

“You have the (Ozark 7) Conference rivalry side of it, but you also have the private school rivalry, or the Newman Road rivalry is what some people call it,” Myers added about how fun it is when CHC and TJ match up. “It is always fun to coach against Coach Johnson. He has been doing it a long time. It’s fun to see his teams execute, and they always do a great job of it.”

Jarrett splashed a 3-pointer to kick off the fourth to put TJ in front 47-43, but College Heights took over from there. The Cougars rattled off 15 unanswered points to take the lead back and build a nine-point cushion in the process.

“Putting the press on them forced them into some turnovers and forced shots,” Johnson said when asked what the catalyst for the fourth-quarter surge was. “We picked up the pace on defense and that was the key to it.”

Long knocked down a corner 3-pointer before grabbing his own miss for a baseline floater on the next trip to put College Heights on top 48-47. Meeks added back to back scores inside before Adel answered with two straight buckets, the second coming off a steal in the backout. Meeks closed the run with two free throws at the 2:56 mark to put CHC up 58-47.

The Cougars held that pace through the final horn.

MCAULEY GIRLS FALL TO LAMAR IN SEMIFINALS

Lamar went to the early press, forcing McAuley into several turnovers as the Tigers built a double-digit lead on the way to a 55-40 win in the Mercy/Warrior Classic girls semifinals.

Lamar used an 11-0 run early and eventually held a 16-point lead in the first quarter. McAuley was able to trim the lead to single digits early in the fourth quarter, but Lamar responded with a quick spurt to put the game out of reach.

“The first quarter was not good for us,” McAuley coach Mike Howard said. “It’s partially their fault, but I will take part of the blame, too. I don’t think I prepared them enough for the pressure Lamar put on us. Our girls have to learn to handle that pressure. We’ve played in a few games this year where teams have been more physical than us and in those games, we struggle. Anytime you turn the ball over 28 times, you are not going to win.”

Lamar takes on Providence in the girls championship game at 6 p.m. on Saturday. McAuley battles College Heights in the third-place game at 3 p.m.

GAME ACTION

Zavrie Wiss scored the first two buckets of the early spurt for Lamar before Ella Harris and Josey Adams added baskets inside to push the Tigers’ lead to 10-1. Wiss knocked down a 3-pointer to close the run.

After a 3-ball from McAuley’s Kennedy DeRuy, Ashlyn Stettler and Wiss scored in the paint before Adams sank a perimeter shot to push the lead to 20-4 with 1:08 on the clock.

Avery Eminger and Kloee Williamson added buckets for the Warriors to close out the first period.

“We just couldn’t break their press,” Howard said. “We didn’t do a good job of getting open. Our girls didn’t go to the ball or set screens and made it difficult on the inbounder. As far as offensively, they were putting a lot of pressure on our guards. Anytime they do that, we like to spread the floor out for our guards. … I feel like we made the adjustment after the first quarter and were able to play with them for the rest of the game.”

Lamar played with the lead for the rest of the first half, going into the intermission with a 28-17 advantage, with the margin moving to 13 points to start the fourth quarter.

The Warriors made a run at the lead to open the final eight minutes of play. McAuley scored the first six points of the period on a drive by Williamson, two charities by Lily Black and an inside bucker from Eminger to trim the deficit to 41-32, but nine points would be as close to the lead as the Warriors would get.

The Tigers used a 7-2 response to push the lead back to 14 points and ultimately put the game out of reach.

SCORING LEADERS

Josey Adams led Lamar with 12 points, while Wiss finished with 11 points. Harris and Marcy Miller each finished with 10 points for the Tigers.

Williamson led McAuley with 17 points, while Eminger closed with 10. DeRuy finished with seven.

“She has a lot of fight in her and she has a lot of heart,” Howard said of Williamson’s performance. “Anytime she feels like she is being pressured a lot, she wants to be aggressive and attack it. She is very fast and can use her speed to get around defenders. I was very proud of her for being aggressive, taking the lead and creating some things that weren’t there. She put the team on her back a little bit there as far as scoring goes in the second half of the game.”

PROVIDENCE GIRLS PULLS AWAY FROM COLLEGE HEIGHTS DOWN THE STRETCH

Providence built a double-digit lead in the second period and never surrendered it on the way to a 60-29 win over College Heights Christian in the Mercy/Warrior Classic semifinals.

The Cougars (9-8) trailed by six heading into the second period when an 11-0 surge by the Patriots led to a double-digit lead by the intermission. Providence pushed the lead to 20 in the third quarter and never wavered down the stretch.

“We played hard and we played well in spurts,” College Heights coach John Blankenship said. “It’s hard to measure yourself against a team like that. They are very athletic and they are well coached. … We just couldn’t get back in the game. We didn’t shoot the ball as well as we normally do, but some of that is a credit to their defense.”

Providence matches up with Lamar in the girls championship at 6 p.m. on Saturday. College Heights takes on McAuley Catholic in the third-place game at 3 p.m.

SCORING LEADERS

Julieth Rivera led Providence with 13 points, while Lydia Shaddox closed the game with 12 points. Abigail Russell added 10.

Jayli Johnson led College Heights in scoring with nine points, while Addie Lawrence had six. Lauren Ukena and Molly Long each finished with four points.

GAME ACTION

The first quarter was a back-and-forth affair, with Providence holding a 16-10 advantage after closing the period on a 6-1 run.

The Patriots distanced themselves from the Cougars thanks to an 11-0 run to open the second period of play, building a 27-10 lead in the process. Rivera highlighted the run with six points, while Elise Snow added a 3-pointer.

“They are a very athletic and very quick team,” Blankenship said. “They jumped out into the lanes in our pick-and-roll offense. They got a few steals and some easy baskets that way.”

College Heights cut the deficit to 30-18 to close the first half after Long scored on the break and added a make from the foul line.

Like they did in the second quarter, the Patriots started the second half as the aggressor, using a 10-2 spurt to build a 20-point lead. Shaddox and Russell put the closing touches on the run with inside scores to make the score 40-20 with less than five minutes to play in the third quarter.

“I am proud of my girls,” Blankenship added. “We really did play hard. We didn’t play poorly, they’re just that good of a team, so give Providence a lot of credit.”

Providence went into the fourth quarter leading 42-24 with the lead hovering around 20 points down the stretch.

FOOTBALL: Burk thrilled to lead College Heights; Cougars will debut 8-man squad next fall

Posted on February 4, 2022February 4, 2022 by Jason Peake

Travis Burk will be the first-ever head football coach at College Heights Christian School.

Burk has recently been tabbed to lead the Cougars, who will debut an 8-man football team in the fall of 2022.

“It’s a great opportunity to start a new program,” Burk said. “I’m so excited and I feel God has blessed me. I love the school. I can’t say enough good things about College Heights. College Heights has a great faculty and a great administration. The kids and the parents at College Heights are great too. It’s a God-loving school and very focused on academics. One reason we came to Joplin was to get our kids in that school and in that environment. It was definitely a positive experience for my kiddos.”

College Heights football coach Travis Burk (left) is pictured with CHC athletics director Phillip Jordan. Courtesy photo.

Due to increased interest from students and parents, College Heights has approved adding a football program for the 2022 season.

Burk noted his program will do things the right way.

“A big part of our program is going to be building integrity and confidence and it will be about being part of something that’s bigger than one person,” Burk said. “High school football teaches lifelong lessons. It’s a brotherhood. It’s very important that it will be a safe environment too. We’re going to teach kids how to tackle and block correctly without getting hurt. The most important thing to me is our program will represent godly values and a relationship with Jesus. To me, doing things the right way is very important.”

When it comes to the game of football, Burk has extensive experience. He played college football at both Emporia State and Baker University. Burk has been a head coach at both Oswego and Humboldt in Southeast Kansas, while he’s been an assistant coach at Neodesha, Chanute and Labette County.

Burk, who gave up coaching the last few years in order to watch his daughters play high school sports, has also coached state champions in powerlifting.

Burk and wife Tanya have three daughters — Keyahnah, Kaynahn and Klohe. Keyahnah attended Labette County, Kaynahn is a recent College Heights graduate, while Klohe attended CHC before transferring to Carl Junction.

As far as next fall, Burk said CHC currently has seven dates finalized, five on the road and two at home. College Heights is still trying to add a couple more games to the ’22 schedule. The Cougars will likely be playing their home dates at the Joplin High School athletic complex.

As far as the 8-man game, Burk noted it’s enjoyable to play and entertaining to watch.

“8-man football is a really fast game,” Burk noted. “It will be exciting to watch. It’s going to be high-scoring and entertaining for the fans. I’m not sure what our numbers will be exactly yet, but I think it will be a good fit for the kids we’ll have and I think people will see some entertaining games.”

Burk, who recently met with athletes interested in suiting up for the Cougars, said prospective football players will start lifting weights at least two mornings a week this spring. Summer workouts will follow ahead of the program’s inaugural season next fall.

“I’m just excited to get started,” Burk said. “I think it’s going to be a lot of fun. And I think we can make a difference in the lives of a lot of kids.”

HOOPS ROUNDUP: Webb City splits at Willard; Neosho boys top Carl Junction; Mount Vernon girls earn second straight win

Posted on February 2, 2022 by Jason Peake

WEBB CITY BOYS 80, WILLARD 69

WILLARD, Mo. — The middle quarters proved key as the Webb City boys basketball team earned an 80-69 win over Willard on Tuesday night in Central Ozark Conference action.

The Cardinals trailed 20-14 after the opening frame, but the visitors outscored the Tigers 22-12 in the second quarter and 23-12 in the third period to pull away.

Webb City held a 17-point lead with 7:47 remaining.

Dante Washington scored 26 points to lead Webb City. The junior guard made 9-of-15 field goal attempts.

Cohl Vaden scored 13 points for the Cardinals, while Dupree Jackson and Trey Roets contributed 10 points apiece to give Webb City four players in double figures.

Landon Johnson added nine points for the Cardinals, while Kaden Turner had seven. Roets had eight rebounds and three assists, while Vaden had three steals.

The Cardinals improved to 14-5 overall and 2-1 in conference games.

Willard’s Brett Hall and Gavin Davis scored 19 points apiece to lead the Tigers (12-8).

Webb City is at Branson on Friday.

WILLARD GIRLS 52, WEBB CITY 44

WILLARD, Mo. — The Willard Tigers were clinging to a 37-36 lead after three periods of play, but the hosts outscored the visiting Cardinals 15-8 in the fourth quarter to earn the COC win.

Kate Brownfield scored 18 points and grabbed nine rebounds for the Cardinals, while Sami Mancini had a double-double with 16 points and 13 boards.

Brielle Adamson led Willard with 23 points, while Madi Mills added 14.

Webb City (8-10, 1-2 COC) is at Branson on Friday.

NEOSHO BOYS 65, CARL JUNCTION 46

CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — Neosho built a 14-point lead by the end of the first quarter but only led by two at halftime before pulling away to a Central Ozark Conference win in the second half over Carl Junction on Tuesday.

The Wildcats (15-5) led 24-10 after the first quarter thanks to a 10-point opening period by K’dyn Waters. Carl Junction used a nine-point second period from Josh Cory as a catalyst to trim the margin to 31-29 by the intermission. Neosho outscored Carl Junction 34-17 in the second half to secure the win.

Waters finished with 26 points to lead all scorers, while Isaiah Green added 13 points for Neosho. Carter Fenske scored eight and Carter Baslee finished with six points.

“It was a great job by Carter Baslee playing tough, strong defense,” Neosho coach Zane Culp said to SoMo Sports. “He had some huge stops and boards. Isaiah Green had a double-double tonight and really attacked the offensive glass to get us going in the second half. K’dyn Waters does what he always does, scoring in bunches. He really kept us afloat while the game was close.”

Cory led Carl Junction with 22 points, while Ayden Bard finished with 11 points in the loss.

Neosho, now 15-5, travels to Ozark on Friday. Carl Junction (4-15) is at Willard on Friday.

MOUNT VERNON GIRLS 61, REEDS SPRING 38

REEDS SPRING, Mo. — The Mountaineers took control of this one with a 20-2 third quarter.

Raegan Boswell scored 16 points to lead Mount Vernon, while Cameryn Cassity had 14. Two others reached double figures for the Mountaineers, as Allie Schubert scored 13 and Jolie Prescott had 12.

Mount Vernon defeated Logan-Rogersville 48-37 on Monday.

Kadence Krempges scored 13 points, while Prescott and Boswell added 10 points apiece.

Mount Vernon is at Aurora on Monday.

MERCY/WARRIOR CLASSIC: Thomas Jefferson boys and CHC girls win; Providence boys and girls sweep

Posted on February 2, 2022February 2, 2022 by Lucas Davis

THOMAS JEFFERSON PULLS AWAY FROM MCAULEY DOWN THE STRETCH

Thomas Jefferson and McAuley were in a back-and-forth battle through the first 12 minutes of game action before the Cavaliers closed the first half with the momentum and capitalized on it in the third quarter on the way to a 61-36 win over the Warriors to close the first round of the 39th annual Mercy/Warrior Classic on Tuesday.

“We knew coming in that whatever situation was, (McAuley) wasn’t going to quit—case in point, right there at the beginning,” Thomas Jefferson coach Chris Myers said. “We had a 10-point lead early and then all of a sudden you are down one. (Coach Tony Witt’s) kids always play hard, so tip of the cap to them.

“I was proud of our kids’ response to that. They beared down and had a good second quarter and held them to two field goals the entire period and was able to get a little bit of a lead going into the half. We executed fairly well in the second half to make sure we didn’t give them a chance to get back in the game.”

SCORING LEADERS

Jay Ball led Thomas Jefferson in scoring with 20 points, 10 coming in the first quarter, while Drew Goodhope knocked down four 3-pointers on the way to 16 points. Caden Myers, who is working his way back from a knee injury, closed the game with 10 points in limited minutes.

Noah Black had 10 points to lead McAuley, while Michael Parrigon and Rocco Bazzano-Joseph each finished with seven points in the loss.

GAME ACTION

Thomas Jefferson held all of the momentum early after jumping out to a 12-2 lead over the first three and a half minutes of game action. Goodhope knocked down a pair of 3-pointers, while Ball accounted for six points in the paint.

Refusing to go away without a fight, McAuley answered the opening scoring run with an offensive surge of its own. The Warriors closed out the first quarter on a 15-4 spurt to take a one-point lead by the start of the second quarter, 17-16.

“In the 15 years I have been a coach, this is the hardest working group I have ever had,” McAuley coach Tony Witt said. “Obviously, this one didn’t turn out the way we wanted, but they never gave up. … That was all them. Earlier in the season, we don’t make that adjustment. We don’t make that run at them when they opened with that run at us. That is a sign of growth, which is what you want to see at this point in the season.”

Parrigon and Black each had five points in the run. Bazzano-Joseph knocked down a 3-pointer and Bradley Wagner scored inside.

The remainder of the first half was a seesaw battle until Thomas Jefferson closed the second quarter on a 12-0 run to take a 34-21 lead into the intermission. Caden Myers ignited the run with the first eight points, including two 3-balls, before Ball and Kip Atteberry added buckets to close the period with the double-digit lead intact.

“Caden is a game changer as far as his intensity level, competitiveness and ability to score the basketball,” Coach Myers said. “But really, our defense is what sparked us there and gave us life. All of a sudden we were in the passing lanes and causing turnovers. Any coach will tell you their best offense is a good defense. We are very proud of the guys for turning it up. I really thought the defense sent the tone there.”

After gaining a footing on the lead to end the first half, the Cavaliers put some distance between themselves and the Warriors after outscoring McAuley 14-5 in the third quarter to take a 23-point advantage into the final eight minutes of play.

“We already let them have a little bit of life there in the first quarter, and we wanted to make sure we didn’t let them do that in the third,” Coach Myers said. “The kids responded well and did what they had to do. They kept the defensive intensity and executed well on offense.”

Bazzano-Joseph knocked down a 3-pointer to open the second half and trim the TJ lead to 34-24, but the Cavaliers answered by closing the third quarter on a 15-2 run to take a 49-26 lead into the fourth quarter. Ball had two buckets to lead the surge, while Goodhope added five points, including a 3-pointer.

“You can’t go through those dry spells offensively,” Witt added. “Four points in the second quarter, a huge dry spell leading into the third quarter, and that’s what blew the game open. … We had good looks and only turned the ball over five times in the first half. The ball just did not go in. … We needed to get to the free-throw line a little more and knock down our open shots.”

UP NEXT

Thomas Jefferson is scheduled to take on College Heights with a 7 p.m. matchup in the semifinals on Thursday, weather permitting.

McAuley takes on Carl Junction JV at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.

FAST START PROPELS COLLEGE HEIGHTS GIRLS PAST THOMAS JEFFERSON

College Heights girls basketball scored the game’s first 14 points and never looked back on the way to a 55-41 win over Thomas Jefferson to kick off the final day of the opening round in the 39th annual Mercy/Warrior Classic.

“It’s always good to get off to a good start in a tournament with an opening-round win,” College Heights coach John Blankenship said. “We got off to a great start and shot the ball really well. We played good defense, and our rotations were really good. … We were able to force some turnovers on defense and that allowed us to get out in transition and get some easy baskets that way.”

SCORING LEADERS

Libby Fanning finished with 17 points and 15 rebounds to record a double-double for College Heights. Maddy Colin also finished in double figures with 13 points, while Jayli Johnson and Addie Lawrence closed with nine points each in the win.

Gabbie Hiebert led the way in scoring for Thomas Jefferson with a game-high 23 points. Sarah Mueller added eight points and Alivia Beard finished with five points.

GAME ACTION

The momentum was all in favor of the Cougars (9-7) to open the game, as College Heights made the first six field goals of the game to jump out to a 14-0 lead through the first three and a half minutes of action.

“Our defense is usually solid,” Blankenship said. “We just never know if we are going to knock down shots or not. Tonight, we shot the ball really well and it got us into a rhythm and gave us a little bounce on the defensive end as well.”

Johnson and Lawrence highlighted the run with five points each. Johnson had a three-point play, while Lawrence knocked down a 3-pointer. Lauren Ukena and Fanning also had baskets.

Fanning closed the first quarter with two more inside scores to establish an inside presence for CHC early, giving the Cougars an 18-1 lead heading into the second period.

“Libby played a great game,” Blankenship said. “She has had several double-doubles this year and had one tonight. She finished shots really well around the basket tonight, which is good because that opens up shots on the perimeter for Addie and Jayli.”

Like the first quarter, College Heights opened the second period as the aggressor, scoring the first eight points to push the lead to 26-4. Colin, Molly Long and Fanning each had baskets in the run.

Thomas Jefferson found its rhythm to close out the first half, outscoring the Cougars 8-6 over the last two minutes of play. Tannah Grigg and Hiebert had paint buckets, while Mueller knocked down a 3-pointer at the buzzer to trim the Cavaliers deficit to 32-9 by the intermission.

Colin led the way for CHC in the third quarter, scoring eight of the team’s 17 points while helping push the lead to 28 points to start the fourth quarter.

The Cavaliers roared back in the fourth quarter, outscoring College Heights 20-6 to trim the lead down to 14 by the final horn. Hiebert led the way for Thomas Jefferson down the stretch with 13 points in the period.

“The quit is never there,” first-year Thomas Jefferson coach Traci Walker said. “One thing I tell them is we have to show up and we have to want it. … We have a lot of fight in us and prove it every game no matter how far down we are. Our shots were not falling early, which is something we are working on.

“I am very pleased with the way they finished. … I think with the turnovers we created (in the fourth quarter), we capitalized off of those. We moved our point guard to a different spot and I think that helped. Once our shots started falling, you could see the confidence grow.”

UP NEXT

College Heights is scheduled to take on Providence at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday in the semifinals.

Thomas Jefferson takes on Carl Junction JV at 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

PROVIDENCE GIRLS 67, CARL JUNCTION JV 29

Providence put the pedal to the floor early on the way to an opening-round win over Carl Junction junior varsity on Tuesday.

The Patriots built a 10-point lead by the end of the first quarter and ballooned the cushion to 42-11 by the intermission and did not let up in the second half.

Hannah Weichman knocked down five 3-pointers on the way to 15 points for Providence. Lydia Shaddox finished with 13 points, while Anna Imbo had 11.

Anna Burch and DeShaye Buerge finished with seven points each to lead the Bulldogs.

College Heights takes on Providence at 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday in the semifinals.

Thomas Jefferson takes on Carl Junction JV at 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

PROVIDENCE BOYS 88, BLUEJACKET 19

Providence held a 23-6 lead after the first quarter and was in front by 37 and halftime on the way to the opening-round win on Tuesday.

Preston Green led Providence in scoring with 17 points, while Corban Mora finished 16 points in the win. Sam McAlister and Carter Keene each finished with 10 points.

Kolten Hicks led the Chieftains with six points in the loss.

Providence plays Sarcoxie at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday in the semifinals, while Bluejacket takes on Joplin JV with a 4 p.m matchup on Thursday.

BOYS HOOPS: Gibson’s late tip-in lifts Joplin to thrilling win over Carthage

Posted on February 2, 2022February 2, 2022 by Jason Peake

CARTHAGE, Mo. — In a back and forth clash that went down to the wire, Terrance Gibson’s tip-in with six seconds lifted Joplin to a thrilling 46-45 Central Ozark Conference win over Carthage on Tuesday night inside a packed Carthage High School gymnasium.

“After the Kickapoo game, we had to reboot,” Eagles coach Bronson Schaake said. “We talked about just playing hard and living with the results. Tonight they (Carthage) came out in a triangle and two and tried to take the Wrights out of the game, but we had other guys step up. I thought Terrance played big and he was being aggressive. That was a tough game.”

With his team trailing by one, Always Wright drove into the lane and put up a shot off the glass with six seconds left. The ball rolled off the rim, but Gibson tipped it in for the go-ahead hoop.

“Terrance was active, but Always created that by going to the rim strong,” Schaake said. “You can draw up a play all you want, but the guys have to go do it. I trust the Wrights with the ball.”

With just seconds remaining, the Tigers raced up the floor, but the hosts did not get a shot off before time expired.

“That’s the first true gut punch of the season for us,” Tigers coach Nathan Morris said. “They wanted this one for numerous reasons. I thought our guys battled, played extremely hard and did what we asked them to do. We stuck to our game plan. But a couple of rebounds and late breaks didn’t roll our way. That one hurts.”

Joplin’s Terrance Gibson scores inside against Carthage on Tuesday night. All photos by Shawn Fowler.

NAMES & NUMBERS

Joplin improved to 14-5 overall and 2-1 in COC.

A junior forward, Gibson led the Eagles with 16 points. A senior guard, Always Wright scored 13 points.

Sophomore guards Quin Renfro and All Wright contributed nine and seven points, respectively.

Carthage is now 15-4 overall and 1-2 in the COC.

Junior guard Clay Kinder scored a game-high 17 points for the Tigers. Joel Pugh, Justin Ray and Max Templeman added eight points apiece.

GAME RECAP

The game was tied at seven when the Tigers closed the first quarter on a 6-2 run for a 13-9 advantage.

There were five lead changes in the second quarter.

Gibson had four hoops in the second period for the Eagles, but the Tigers went ahead 23-22 after two charities from Kinder.

Joplin’s Quin Renfro attempts a shot in the lane against Carthage’s Max Templeman.

Always Wright scored just before the first half concluded, giving Joplin a 24-23 lead.

“I felt like we let their pressure really affect us early in the game,” Morris said. “I think if we would have finished on the offensive end early in the game that could have been a different outcome. We had three or four great looks in the first quarter that didn’t fall. It’s a different game if we had jumped out to a six or seven point lead.”

After another back and forth frame, Joplin led 34-32 at the end of the third period.

Always Wright scored Joplin’s first seven points of the fourth quarter, but treys from both Pugh and Kinder gave Carthage a 43-41 lead with 2:15 left.

LT Atherton made 1-of-2 free throws and Gibson converted a putback inside to push Joplin in front at 44-43.

Carthage’s Kinder calmly sank two free throws to give the Tigers a 45-44 advantage before Gibson’s late-game heroics proved to be the difference.

Again, the hosts were unable to get up a shot before the buzzer.

“I thought we could push with numbers,” Morris said of the final possession. “They did a good job of funneling us to the sideline. And at 43-41, I thought we had two chances to win the game. A defensive rebound could have sealed the game.”

Schaake noted it was a nice bounce-back win for his squad.

“We talk about February being make or break time,” he said. “Our district is loaded and you have to find ways to win games like that.”

WHAT’S NEXT?

Both teams have COC road games on Friday, as Carthage is at Republic and Joplin travels to Nixa.

Joplin’s LT Atherton looks to score inside against the defense of Carthage’s Clay Kinder on Tuesday night. Joplin won the game 46-45. Photos by Shawn Fowler.

Carthage’s Clay Kinder draws a foul on Joplin’s Always Wright on Tuesday night at Carthage High School.

Carthage’s Joel Pugh puts up a shot over Joplin’s Brantley Morris.

Joplin standout Always Wright shoots a jumper against Carthage on Tuesday night. Joplin won the game 46-45.

GIRLS HOOPS: Joplin knocks off Carthage, earns first-ever COC win

Posted on February 2, 2022February 5, 2022 by Jason Peake

CARTHAGE, Mo. — A solid overall performance and a strong finish led the Joplin High School girls basketball team to a historic victory.

The Eagles earned their first-ever win as a member of the Central Ozark Conference by knocking off Carthage 47-36 on Tuesday night.

Eagles coach Luke Floyd noted it was a memorable moment to witness his squad celebrate the win that was a long time coming.

“This is our program’s first COC win, so it’s been three and a half years in the making,” Floyd said. “The girls are excited, as they should be. I could not be more proud of them.”

Floyd noted it was a rewarding experience to see his team overjoyed in the locker room after the win.

“It was pure jubilation on their part,” he said. “They’ve earned it. They’ve worked hard for this moment. We know this is not the finish line by any means. But to get this off our back against a district opponent on their floor…I could not be more proud of them. I can’t even express the pride I’m feeling.”

The game was deadlocked at the end of the third period before the Eagles outscored the Tigers 15-4 in the final frame.

Joplin held Carthage without a field goal in the fourth period to secure a signature win.

“We just didn’t shoot the ball well,” Tigers coach Scott Moore said. “I think if we shoot like we normally do and hit eight or nine 3s, we win that game. We didn’t play our best against a team we feel we should beat in our gymnasium. But I thought Joplin played great. They played better than I’ve seen on film, so hats off to them. But we didn’t play our best and we didn’t shoot our best. If we learn that we need to bring energy every night no matter who we play, then we’ll be better for it.”